Sure, anyone can make nachos. But these are ULTIMATE nachos, LOADED with goodies. Coriander-steamed chicken heaped on organic tortilla chips, oozing with cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese, refried beans, jalapeños, salsa verde and roja, guacamole, and cilantro.

Italian Wedding Soup can be made with any greens, meat or starch, but for ours we choose ground Italian sausage, Swiss chard, and potatoes. Minimal ingredients allow this soup to come together quickly. It is a really delicious soup guaranteed for the whole family to love.

This is an all-time favorite salad that takes advantage of mid-winter delights: salmon, naval oranges and fennel bulbs. Fresh salmon is poached gently in sweet anise star spiced water, and paired with the tang and crunch of fennel, sweet bite of citrus and mint leaves.

The best thing about stuffed shells is that besides being fun to eat, they easily store in the fridge or freezer for dinner another night. We are leaning on Italian-imported pasta, cheeses, and San Marzano tomatoes so you can enjoy this Little Italy favorite.

You may think this soup is served at weddings, however it gets its name from “minestra maritata”, which references the marriage of flavors from the ingredients in the soup. Our vegetarian version contains white beans, potatoes, and Swiss chard.

If you've never eaten raw before, give this dinner a try. It is delicious, and your body will be like, "Yes!". Perfect during Minnesota's deep freeze, this nutrient-rich, vegan dinner from Renée Loux uses a cashew "cream" sauce, shoyu-marinated mushrooms and zucchini noodles to perform a feat in taste-crobatics.

Nothing beats a chilly day like a bowl of chili. This chicken white bean chili starts with roasted peppers, onions and chicken, then is packed with spices, beans and kale for a hearty and healthy dinner. With the slow-cooker, this dish is a breeze. After a long day at work, top off a bowl with crushed tortilla chips and melted cheese.

A meatball is a meatball, right? Not at all. These little lovelies are made with ground lamb spiced with cumin and paprika, browned then simmered in a tomato sauce. Finally, you crack some eggs on top and bake them. Served with crusty bread, this North African dish might become a family favorite.

You know how sometimes you order something fancy at a restaurant and the expensive ingredient is the size of your thumb? That is not the case with this bisque. This is really like an entrée soup — lobster, surrounded by a creamy smooth lobster-infused tomato soup puréed with fennel and seasoning.

Don’t let this salad’s health-nut appearance fool you. This is a salad that is so good that versions of it have been published by NYTimes Cooking, Food and Wine Magazine, and leaves patrons awe-struck in the world reknowned restaurants of Jean-George.

Adapted from tagine-style cooking, our stovetop version of this Moroccan dinner is full flavored. Eggs gently poach in a spicy tomato sauce with onion, cumin, paprika, served with crusty bread.

I couldn't figure out a name for this dish that adequately summons how tasty it is — it is really good. Like, you've-never-been-so-happy-eating-a-bowl-of-vegetables good. Green pepper, Chinese broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage and green onions go for a quick stir fry, then coated in a yummy peppery sauce and served with rice.

This is one of those undeniably good dinners: chicken breast cutlet is pounded thin, then breaded and lightly fried in butter, producing a crunchy outside and tender, juicy inside. It even is good cold. The whipped root vegetables is a spin on regular old mash, and is served alongside the chicken with brown butter asparagus.

Once you eat this pasta dinner, you will start craving it regularly. It is a perfect mid-winter dish: penne in a creamy tomato sauce with spicy sausage. What really makes it delish, however, is the light rosemary seasoning which is unexpected and homey.

Another mandatory recipe in the rotation, this Clam Chowder is prepared New England style with a creamy potato chowder base infused with bacon. Although not in the classic preparation, leeks and celery are part of this soup. Tomatoes, of course, are not. Including tomatoes is shunned; in 1939 the Maine legislature introduced a bill making tomatoes in clam chowder illegal!

Arepas are an amazing Latin American specialty: pan-fried corn cakes that can be stuffed with any variety of ingredients. They make an incredible sandwich. And all you really need is a special corn flour to make them. So this vegetarian arepa is filled with black beans, cheese, eggs and an avocado sauce.

Lightly caramelized red onions sauté in a creamy tomato sauce with rosemary, Herbivorous Butcher Italian "sausage", hot pepper and penne. Guaranteed: New family favorite.

This dish is a celebration of complex flavors, and isn’t as spicy as it looks! Instead, the fruity flavors of the Sichuan peppercorns and dried chilies come forward, for a remarkable meal.

In this rustic French farm dish, chicken and earthy vegetables are slowly braised in herb-infused red wine. The slow cook not only makes this dish full of rich flavor, but lends itself to a great make-ahead dish. Even though it requires a long cook time, you can make this dish several days ahead and it will only taste better because of it.

Trying to find the “World’s Best Chili Recipe” is a daunting task. One that, I am afraid, even I am not up for. Chilies considered as “the best” seem to involve smokers, chili spices from three different states, and wearing a hat. This chili has the best of worlds without being overwhelming: three different kinds of meat, kidney beans, and a solid blend of spices.

Andrew Zimmern is a Minnesota treasure, and we have to put at least one of his delicious recipes on our menu. This super easy dinner is full of protein and warm, cozy flavors. Butter-steamed shrimp cooks with a white-wine sauce of watercress and parsley, and is served with crusty bread.

This unassuming recipe was a family hit. Cumin-seasoned potatoes are mashed, then stuffed inside corn tortillas and pan-fried for a crunchy treat, that is topped with cabbage, tomatoes, cotija cheese, and an easy salsa that we make for you.

A perfect bowl of hearty, flavorful chili must involve layers of beans, vegetables, and seasonings. This chili has all the necessary markings — two different kinds of "meat", two different kinds of tomatoes, two different kinds of pepper and two different kinds of beans.

Sweet potato and jalapeño bisque is a delightful combination of sweet and tangy flavors and happens to be chock full of nutrients, which is perfect when you are surviving a Minnesota winter.