My family had a tradition every Christmas eve. Mom made a huge pot of chili, and we all filled our bowls with Fritos, chili, cheese, and sour cream before loading up in Dad’s car to go looking at the neighborhood Christmas lights. After my mom passed away, my sisters and I continued the tradition of making chili, but when it’s my turn I put my own spin on the recipe. No matter who makes the chili each year, we always have to have Fritos and cheese, or it’s just not right. Here’s my version of Christmas eve chili, and you can make it as spicy as you like by adding or reducing the amount of dried chiles you use.

One of my favorite comfort foods is fried rice. It’s best when you use rice that was cooked a day or two before, but in a pinch I sometimes make it fresh and I spread it on a baking sheet to dry out a bit. It’s a great way to use up all those veggies in the fridge but you can certainly use frozen veggies if you prefer.

Chiles and coconut are often used in southern Indian cuisine, especially in vegetarian dishes. I had these green beans at a restaurant in the fishing village of Kochin, served with grilled fish. There was a woman sitting on the floor cracking fresh coconuts and shaving the coconut flesh to be used in nearly every dish on the menu.

My favorite way to prepare carrots is by roasting them in a hot oven until they’re nearly browned. In this recipe the honey and molasses drizzle kicks up the flavors, and sweetens the carrots just perfectly. Not only is this a delicious side dish for the holidays or any time of year, it’s also really beautiful!

I’ve been to the island of Santorini, Greece twice. The second time I went on a winery tour and cooking lesson in a local restaurant. The island is known for their cherry tomatoes that grow in abundance. The have tough skins to resist the heat and wind on the island, but the fruit is so sweet and juicy. 

This traditional Lebanese salad made from bulgur wheat is a refreshing way to enjoy fresh vegetables and herbs that are in season. I've eaten tabouli in Israel, Greece, and Turkey. Some cooks prefer to use less wheat, while some use a variety of herbs, including cilantro and dill. Combine the ingredients you like the best, and make it your own recipe!

Carpaccio is a term for very thin slices of raw beef or fish, but this is a vegetarian option that is packed with so many bursts of flavors and textures. Serve it with fresh bread so you can just scoop up the carpaccio and eat it like a dip.

One of my favorite Disney movie characters is Remy, the rat who aspired to become a chef in the movie Ratatouille. The film brought recognition to the dish ratatouille, a popular dish in France. It’s simply a stew made from vegetables and seasonings, particularly those that are in season.

I love the rustic look of a galette, which is a pie without the pie pan. It’s almost like pizza, but the buttery crust makes it more decadent. Of course, the best time to make this tomato galette is the end of summer when tomatoes are boldly delicious and juicy. But, I admit to making this all year when I can get delicious cherry tomatoes at the market. Either way, this is a great snack or main course served with a salad.

This is one of my top five recipes in my Indian food collection! I know it looks intimidating when you read all the ingredients required, but it is worth it! I buy my spices at my local Indian grocery store, and if you make the investment, I promise you’ll make this recipe again and again.

In northern India there are spicy delicacies alongside exquisitely rich vegetarian dishes. This masala dish is made with paneer, a cheese that has a very mild flavor, but doesn’t melt. When paneer is added to curries, it absorbs the rich flavors and adds a creamy texture to the dish.

I love making this rice! It is so full of good flavors, and is delicious on its own or served with meats or curries. If you can find mustard oil it adds a very nice depth of flavor to this dish.

In the heat of summer, sometimes the only relief is biting into a beautiful ripe tomato. I like to stuff them and bake until they’re juicy and blistered. You can fill them with just about any ground meats or vegetables, but I like to use rice or other grains mixed with a variety of roasted vegetables, cheese, and nuts.

Every summer the Hatch chiles from New Mexico hit the grocery stores and market stands in my hometown. I stock up on pounds and pounds of them, roast them over a hot flame, peel, and freeze. That way, I’ve got roasted green chiles at my disposal anytime I need them. 

Galettes are one of my favorite things to make! They’re like a pie without the pan, and you eat it like pizza. This one is a savory gallette that is perfect as a vegetarian meal or as a side dish with dinner. It’s also good for brunch! 

In nearly every culture it’s common to use leftovers to incorporate into the next day’s meal or snack. For this popular Spanish tapa, leftover chicken and ham are blended into a thick white sauce. Once the mixture is chilled, it’s formed into little logs that are breaded and fried. When you bite into these little gems you get a crunchy coating with a soft pillowy center. This recipe makes quite a lot, so I freeze them and pull them out to be fried up anytime I need a perfect snack with a cold glass of rosé.

The real star of this dish is the brilliant yellow sauce made from roasted yellow peppers. I’ve been making this sauce for many years, spooning it over salmon and grilled pork, always leaving a little on the side for dipping tortilla chips. It’s one of my favorite sauces to put with just about anything, including roasted veggies.

My British bestie, Rachael and I took a cooking class when we were traveling in the Loire Valley of France. The class was held in a cave where barrels and bottles of chenin blanc were aging in the cool air. Our instructor was a French woman named Anna who had set up a long table for us to prepare leek tarts made with creamy cheese and bacon. We rolled our pastry on the tabletop and then baked our tarts in a small portable oven Anna had brought with her.

This is a great way to use leftover mashed potatoes. I just add an egg and some garam masala, which is a spice blend available in your supermarket. I fry these little cakes and serve them at parties as a savory appetizer, but they’re also a nice accoutrement to a leafy salad.

If I learned anything about the way food is cooked in Patagonia, it’s that the main ingredient is fire. Nearly every meal I ate, and dish I prepared was either baked in a wood-fired oven or on a spit or grill over roaring flames. It was the end of spring when I visited the Chilean side of Patagonia and many of the vegetables had just ripened. They were drizzled with olive oil and roasted over flames next to beef or lamb, and sometimes buried in the ash to cook slowly in the hot embers.