Jane Daniels Lear

Long, slow cooking turns a supermarket chuck roast into something gloriously tender, flavorful, and aromatic. Leftovers are delicious shredded, heated in the sauce, and served over egg noodles.

Cracked wheat, or bulgur, has a nutty, sweet taste that I love. In India, it's eaten with milk and sugar for dessert, but I like to serve it as a savory pilaf. I use chicken stock for added richness and flavor, but you can substitute vegetable stock if you want to. And, depending on what else you are serving with the pilaf, feel free to embellish with chopped fresh chiles, cilantro, and/or mint.

Chipotles ("chi-POTE-lays") are red-ripe jalapeños that have been smoked and dried. Chipotles canned in the sauce called adobo take the sweet heat in a more piquant direction.