Roasted Dungeness Crab. Photo: CC--bbum

From Alaska to Mexico, winter means crab season. Dungeness crabs get their name from the town of Dungeness, Washington, where they were first harvested commercially. They are known for having sweet, tender meat.

The finished pork katsu curry: Photo--Jefferson Adams

You can serve the resulting meat with potatoes and gravy for a chicken-fried steak-style cutlet, or with rice and curry sauce for a more Asian flare. You could also serve it with pasta and tomato sauce and cheese for a delicious chicken, veal or pork Parmesan.

The finished apple cider chicken. Photo: CC--utopiandreaming

Update chicken night with fresh apples and seasonal cider for a meal that feels like fall. Anytime you cook down apple cider, the flavor intensifies, making this a nice pair for rice or vegetables...

The finished wine-braised short ribs. Photo: CC--thebristolkid

This is a dish best served on a cold night. It’s actually a fairly simple recipe; most of the cook time is spent in the oven. Amaranth flour substitutes regular flour for the roux.

The finished cranberry sauce with ginger and raisins. Photo: CC-terwiliger911

Fresh, homemade cranberry sauce is too simple to ever go with the stuff in the can. The few extra steps beyond cranking the can opener go a long way. Ginger and raisins add depth to this crowd-pleaser, enough to drizzle over all your Thanksgiving favorites.

The finished gluten-free oatmeal. Photo: CC - Muffet

If you're like me, the recent cold weather has you longing for the heat waves of the past summer. While grabbing a piece of fruit or even a refreshing smoothie on your way to work might fly during the summer, chilly winter mornings call for something much warmer before leaving the house.

The finished roasted acorn squash. Photo: CC--roens.

This is a real simple side dish with little prep that’s both fragrant and festive. I like using acorn squash because they’re small enough to serve everyone their own half, but this recipe is great sliced or in chunks. This version is mildly sweet but is easily downplayed with less sugar, or sweetened with more syrup.

The finished chipotle mashed sweet potatoes. Photot: CC-Phoney Nickle

I’ve made mashed potatoes countless times, but it wasn’t until I started baking the potatoes instead of boiling them that they came out like I hoped. Baking is great for sweet potatoes; it helps retain their gorgeous color. The touch of chipotle adds an unexpected kick, you could even add a teaspoon or so of adobo sauce for a little extra heat.

The finished venison, ale and mushroom pie.

I based this recipe on one from  UKTV Food.  This pie has a crisp golden pastry and succulent rich filling.  Pureed beans and onion thicken the sauce.  If you don't want to puree them just add them to the rest of the ingredients at the start of the slow cooking stage.

The finished chili-lime roasted corn. Photo: CC-carmyarmyofme

Once you’ve had this tangy, spicy corn, it will be hard to go back to the plain stuff. Like a good plate of ribs, you eat this corn with the hope of getting messy.

The finished okra and tomatoes. Photo: CC-MollyJade

Simply put, this dish is yummy! It’s also an easy way of breaking the okra ice for anyone who’s new, or wooing the okra-averse. It’s delicious over rice or with sausage, shrimp, or pork chops. Okra has great texture, absolutely perfect with the soft tomatoes and peppers.

The finished potato salad. Photo: CC-letouj

This is not at all like the scary store-bought potato salad of many a childhood. The red potatoes add a splash of color and play up the salty bacon and creamy buttermilk play nicely. This recipe is likely to become your new picnic classic.

The finished herb omelet. Photo: CC-erelster

Sure, stuffed omelets are great. I’m guilty of having mine drip with cheese and spill over with toppings. But nothing beats the beauty of simplicity. The blend of herbs is light and delicious. A little tart cheese adds all the bite you’ll need for this wonderful addition to any breakfast or brunch.

Easy Anytime Smoothie. Photo: CC-Jose Carlos Cortizo Perez

This smoothie is one of the easiest, moist satisfying smoothies I know how to make. It's also quite flexible. You can use so many different kinds of fruits or berries, according to your tastes or what's available.

The finished grilled stuffed whole rainbow trout. Photo: CC-tvol

With summer around the corner, many folks have one eye on the grill, and the other on their fishing gear. Grilled, fresh trout is a one of my favorite summer treats.

The finished Dutch Eggs Benedict. Photo: CC-avlxyz

One of my favorite breakfast dishes is this variation on Eggs Benedict that some call Dutch Benedict. If you're thinking about whipping up some Hollandaise sauce for your Mother's Day Benedict, consider this savory variation that uses smoked wild salmon in lieu of ham or Canadian bacon.

The finished marinated grilled salmon. Photo: CC-navin75

Good salmon is one of this treats that can stand on its own merits with little or no adornment. In summer, I like to put salmon steak or fillet on the grill with a few good veggies. It's an easy dish to make, and one that pairs nicely with rice for a lean, nutritious meal.

The finished balsamic chicken with spinach. Photo: CC--holycalamity

This dish came together one night at an impromptu dinner party. Limited to the contents of my friend’s kitchen, I was forced to rely on a just few simple flavors, which really let the chicken speak for itself.

The finished milk-braised pork shoulder. Photo: CC--Edsel L.

In this recipe, milk is used to add tremendous flavor to pork shoulder. This recipe yields a great base that can be dressed up with a number of different sides and the leftovers make incredible sandwiches.

The finished fennel roasted salmon. Photo: CC-AmySelleck

I’m a big fan of just about any “one-pot” meal. A good one-pot meal is easy to make and brimming with flavor. The flavors in this simple dish come together seamlessly. The roasted vegetables and herbs infuse the flaky salmon.