Oregano

"When my son was young," writes Mary Gareffa of East Longmeadow, Massachusetts, "he used to tease me for standing over the pot of sauce, stirring and simmering it slowly, but that's the way my father showed me. A sauce is like a baby; you have to be gentle with it. And I know I must be doing something right, because my grandson, Jason, called me just last week to get the recipe." This quick and easy version of Mary's heirloom recipe is ready in under an hour.

Cooking chicken breasts on the bone keeps them exceptionally juicy.

This specialty is about as regional as you can get. Although the recipe's name and origin are shrouded in mystery, in central Iowa it's a traditional steak dish topped with butter, Italian herbs, and garlic. The version featured here uses fresh herbs for extra flavor.

These can be made one day before serving.

Salmoriglio is a strong, pungent lemon-herb sauce, originally from Calabria and Sicily. Serve the lamb with the chopped Greek salad to start and some grilled bread for soaking up the sauce.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This Mediterranean-style dish can be teamed with green beans and rice, noodles or sautéed potatoes for an easy and sophisticated supper.

It takes one to two days to marinate the meat for this recipe, but it's worth it. These will be some of the best ribs you'll ever eat.

The perfect accompaniment to grilled fish, chicken or meat. Try cooked bell peppers, mushrooms and onions over the coals, too.

Vibrant, earthy, and nutty achiote (also known as annatto) joins garlic, onion, oregano, and chili powder to create your favorite new rice spice blend.

This colorful chimichurri recipe doubles as a marinade and works as an accompaniment to all cuts of beef—or anything else you want to gussy up.

This portable pocket of cheesy goodness tastes like your favorite pizza toppings found a puff pastry home.

This sauce tastes like a cross between ranch and Alabama white sauce, which means you can basically put it on anything.

Golden raisins would also work nicely in this yogurt dip recipe instead of the dried apricots. You want a little sweet to play against the bite of the garlic and the brightness of the herbs.