This is one of the first recipes I learned to make as I was figuring out how to cook and follow recipes. It’s really easy but also really impressive! It relies on time to do most of the work for you but in the end you get a delicious sauce of meat and tomatoes that you can put on pasta or over polenta. If you want to riff on it, you can add some extra tomato puree or maybe some carrots that will come out really soft and taste great. This is the first building block from which you can build your culinary empire.

This is a classic Lazy Braise.  Sometimes you just want a delicious taco and this recipe will get you there. You make a braising sauce with dried ancho chiles as the star and cook some country-style pork ribs in it until they’re nice and tender and you can shred them up and throw them on tortillas for tacos! You’re gonna love it! It’s smoky and a little bit sweet and makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside or whatever.