Canned Tomato

Reserve the shredded beef and tomato pieces to make Hearty Beef Stew (recipe above). Refrigerate the stock in airtight containers for up to 30 days or freeze for up to 6 months.

This recipe uses the shredded meat and tomato pieces left over from making the beef stock (recipe follows). Serve over egg noodles or rice.

Cilantro’s pungent fragrance partners well with fruity tomatillos in a lively pesto. The mixture offsets the spiciness of the cumin and jalapeño in this delectable soup.

Before or after the football game, a “bowl of red” is a sure winner.

When you want to serve a crowd but don’t want to spend all day in the kitchen, this great recipe is the answer.

Simmer spring vegetables and chunks of chicken in a rich tomato sauce to serve over whole-grain fettuccine. Round out the meal with a seasonal fresh fruit salad.

With cayenne for a bit of kick and imitation bacon bits for smoky flavor, this hearty combination of ground beef, red beans, brown rice, and vegetables is sure to be a family-pleaser.

Unlike many other stews, this one is quick enough for a weeknight. By the time instant brown rice finishes cooking, the stew is just about ready, too.

Layers of cheese, chunky tomatoes, and earthy greens make this one of the best vegetarian lasagnas you’ll try.

Use your own favorite mushroom variety, whatever the produce market is featuring this week, or a mixture to jazz up spaghetti with marinara sauce.

This dish stars chicken that is seared, then cooked in an herbed tomato and wine sauce to keep it moist and tender. Serve on a bed of spinach pasta and add a tossed salad for a tempting and nutritious meal.

Cassoulet is a stew typically made with beans and several kinds of meat, including sausage. In this version, however, extra vegetables stand in for the meat. The thick, herb-infused broth adds flavor, and fresh, crisp bread crumbs provide a little crunch in every bite.

Curry powder provides a Middle Eastern twist for homey tuna casserole. Using cornstarch and milk instead of a canned cream soup really cuts the sodium in this comfort-food dish.

Mild yet rich tasting, this easy-to-make dish gets a lot of Mediterranean flavor from the Greek seasoning blend and mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.

Bursting with Italian flavor, this frittata is equally at home at brunch or dinner.

Creamy, cheesy polenta tops a chunky mixture of vegetables in this hearty casserole.

When it’s time to put logs in the fireplace, it’s also time to fire up a big pot of this chili, flavored with lots of cumin and brightened with lemon juice.

Add some zing to your food, but without the sodium usually found in bottled chili sauce. Drizzle this chili sauce on Spicy Baked Fish (page 103) or use it to make shrimp cocktail.

Here’s a good way to use up some of that leftover holiday turkey!

Enjoy a bowl of this soup for a light lunch, or pair it with a dark green or spinach salad or Balsamic-Marinated Vegetables (page 78) for a heartier meal.