Travel for Dinner: Easy International Cuisine

You don't need a passport or a boarding pass to take your family on a culinary journey around the world. All you have to do is get a little creative, and supper time can serve as an informative—and delicious—exploration of the world's many countries. From Moroccan soup to Greek meatballs to Portuguese potatoes, delight every family member's palate with the rich flavors of dishes served at dinner tables across the globe.

"This Moroccan vegetable and bean soup—also known as 'harira'—is ideal for families because it's pretty much a one-pot meal that anyone can prepare," says Vicky Cohen, who alongside her sister, Ruth Fox, runs the blog May I Have That Recipe? With its vegetable ingredients—including parsnips, turnips, carrots and tomatoes, as well as lentils and chickpeas, this soup makes a light but satisfying meal. Follow this link to see the full recipe.

Keftedes, otherwise known as Greek meatballs, is a hands-on meal the kids can help you prepare. Combine 1 pound ground beef with the following: 2 large, finely chopped onions; 1 bunch finely chopped parsley; 1/4 cup minced fresh mint; 1 tablespoon dried oregano; 6 minced garlic cloves; 1 cup Greek coffee; 2 eggs; 1 1/2 teaspoons salt; 1/2 teaspoon pepper; 5 slices of bread soaked in milk and dried on paper towels. Refrigerate from 30 minutes to 12 hours, then form golf ball-size meatballs. You can bake, sauté or fry them in a skillet until they are no longer pink inside.

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This recipe—by Marcia Kellogg at the Food for Thought blog—is ideal for movie or football night and combines loads of flavor with easy eating. First precook chicken wings in the oven and set aside. To make the sauce, combine 1/4 cup Dijon mustard, 1/4 cup vinegar and juice from 2 limes. Whisk in 3/4 cup olive oil, 3/4 cup Tabasco sauce, 1/4 cup Asian chili-garlic sauce, 4 tablespoons chopped garlic and 2 finely sliced scallions. Flash fry the precooked chicken wings. Drain and toss in a large bowl with the Asian sauce.

If you're looking for a tasty and easy side dish with an international twist, Portuguese potatoes are your answer. To make, combine the following ingredients in a large bowl: 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1/4 cup melted butter and 1/4 cup olive oil. Add 2 pounds cubed potatoes (russet or sweet) and coat evenly. Place in a baking pan and roast at 400 degrees for 1 hour or until tender.

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"We love making the savory spinach Hamantaschen because it's something our mom used to make for us when we were kids," Cohen says. With ingredients such as pomegranate molasses, cranberries and vanilla almond milk, this traditional spinach and pastry dish is typically served as a dessert. Also try it as a side dish or snack food for game night. Follow this link for the full recipe.

Show your family a little "amore" with savory linguine. Prepare 3/4 pound of linguine according to package instructions. Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons unsalted butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large sauce pan over medium heat. Add 4 minced garlic cloves and sauté for one minute before adding 1 pound of thawed shrimp and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook through—about five minutes—and remove from heat. Add 1/2 cup chopped parsley, 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, 1/4 thinly sliced lemon and 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes. Combine with pasta and serve hot.

This sweet and sour cherry soup is ideal for adventurous taste buds. To make, bring the following to boil: 4 cups of water, 1/4 cup sugar, cinnamon stick, lemon peel, 1/3 cup red wine, 2 cloves and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Reduce heat and let simmer for two minutes. Next add 1 1/2 pounds of fresh, pitted cherries and 1 8-ounce can of sour pitted cherries with juice. Simmer until cherries soften (10 minutes) and then remove cinnamon stick, cloves and lemon peel. Chill for one hour before serving and top each bowl with a dollop of sour cream.

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Head to Mexico with this chilaquiles recipe from Kellogg. Sauté a sliced onion with olive oil; add 5 minced garlic cloves. After one minute, add 2 cups of cooked, shredded chicken breast. Transfer to a medium bowl and add 1 can of rinsed black beans. Next bring to boil 7 ounces of salsa and 1 cup of chicken stock; remove from heat. Line an 11-by-7-inch casserole dish with 1-inch tortillas strips, spread chicken mixture on top, then add another tortilla strip layer. Pour broth mixture over, top with shredded queso blanco and bake for 15 minutes at 450.