Cajun Seasoning

Sometimes a weeknight calls for a warm, hearty chicken recipe – and this Cajun Chicken Cassoulet is up for the challenge. A beautiful blend of Cajun flavors, juicy chicken thighs, and colorful vegetables, this cassoulet is a reader favorite.

Classic Cajun flavors--the smoky, spicy seasoning; sweet shrimp; and onion, green bell pepper, and celery trinity--give this pasta toss a New Orleans vibe.

This comes together in about the time it takes to order takeout, and is miles more nuanced than your average Chinese restaurant's sweet and sour sauce. Ketchup, soy sauce, sugar, and rice or cider vinegar are boiled together with water (though pineapple juice makes for a tasty tropical twist), and thickened to the perfect dipping consistency with a little cornstarch slurry. Serve this with egg rolls, wontons, rangoons, and whatever other fried foods you want to perk up. Feel free to add some heat to the sauce with minced ginger, garlic, or chiles (or all three).

A spice rub with paprika, chili powder, cumin, brown sugar, cayenne, and garlic, and a smoky-sweet barbecue sauce with chipotle chiles lend mouth-watering layers of flavor to beef brisket, which gets incredibly tender after 10 hours in the slow cooker. Slice or shred the brisket and serve on good, sturdy bread for the ultimate BBQ sandwich, or make a combo plate with meat, slaw, baked beans, potato salad, or other classic BBQ sides.

In anticipation of the return of Twin Peaks, we look back at the best food moments from the cult classic.

A simple but delicious version of Japanese ramen, this soup starts with pork cooked to perfect tenderness in the crock pot, with garlic, ginger, leeks, mushrooms, and onions rounding out the flavors. The noodles are cooked separately just before serving, then the shredded pork and fragrant broth, with a little soy and sesame oil added, are ladled over top. A soft boiled egg makes a great garnish, as do shredded scallions or chopped baby spinach. Add some chile oil or Sriracha if you want to spice things up.