Chinese New Year is fast approaching! Invite some culture into your kitchen with these 10 crowd-pleasing dishes that are simple, fun and full of flavor. And, if your New Year's resolution is to part ways with a few pounds, these make-at-home recipes are healthier than takeout. - By Jen Genova and Melinda Carstensen

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By Bon Appétit

Chile-laced Sriracha sauce is a secret ingredient in many kitchens. Here are some surprising ways to use it.

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24 Pasta Recipes to Try Right Now

Eggplant Parmesan is a lot of work. Here's a more straightforward version, with the vegetables and meat grilled or broiled instead of breaded and fried. You can skip the chicken if you like, and add other vegetables, like zucchini and portobello mushrooms; just grill them and layer on top of the eggplant and before the cheese.

For a simple vegetable gratin, omit the tomato sauce and layer any cooked vegetable you like (asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, artichoke hearts, potatoes, fennel, leeks, spinach, onions, celery root, parsnips, Jerusalem artichokes, winter squash, or sweet potatoes) with the cheese (Gruyère and Swiss are nice alternatives). Finish with the seasoned bread crumb topping for a most excellent crust. From Food Matters.

Eggplant and Chicken Parmesan

Makes: 4 to 6 servings
Time: About 1 hour

2 or 3 eggplants (about 2 pounds total), unpeeled, and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slices
Salt
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for brushing
Freshly ground

by Kemp Minifie, Epicurious

Stewed-Tomato BruschettaWhat are the most frequently mispronounced foods in restaurants? Not surprisingly, this is a popular topic online. Chefs and waiters must howl with laughter back in the kitchen over diners' garbled attempts at sounding out the unfamiliar words on menus. To be fair though, chefs and waiters aren't always poster kids for proper pronunciation either, especially if they're cooking a cuisine that's not native to their heritage.

Eat24, an online restaurant food delivery website that covers many cities across the country, prides itself on preventing the possible embarrassment of foreign language-challenged individuals with the mere click of a mouse, but it compiled its own list of mispronunciations anyway, as a service for those who do venture into a brick and mortar restaurant. The list confirms America's continuing love affair with Italian, and the increasing popularity of Mexican, Middle Eastern, Southeast Asian, and South American food. Counting down:

10.

Photo by Romulo Yanes

Photo by Romulo YanesBy Bon Appétit

Brining these chops makes them moist, tender, and seasoned throughout, and the sugar helps create a dark, caramelized sheen. At Brooklyn's Vinegar Hill House, chef Brian Leth uses heritage pork, which is fattier and more flavorful than ordinary chops; we highly recommend it.

Read More: 24 Pasta Recipes to Try Right Now

Pan-Roasted Brined Pork Chop
Recipe by Brian Leth
2 servings

Ingredients 1/2 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon juniper berries
1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1 head of garlic, halved crosswise, plus 2 unpeeled cloves for basting
2 large sprigs thyme
1 2-inch-thick bone-in pork chop (2 ribs; about 1 1/4 lb.)
2 tablespoons grapeseed or vegetable oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
Flaky or coarse sea salt

Read More: 25 Ways to Use Sriracha

Preparation
Bring 2 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add kosher salt, sugar, juniper berries, peppercorns, halved head of garlic, and 1 thyme sprig; stir to dissolve salt and sugar.

By Rachel Wilkerson, Lover.ly

We love the idea of serving a signature cocktail at your wedding. Not only is it a great option for a couple on a budget, but it adds major personality to your wedding. More and more couples are going this route; here's everything you need to know to create your signature wedding cocktail.

Photo by:
Photo by: Adam Barnes on Heart Love Weddings via Lover.ly

1. Don't debate over the perfect couples' cocktail -- just choose two! Unless you and your beloved have the exact same taste in drinks, why not each choose one that represents you? A sign with details of each drink will makes picking a side all the more fun.

Photo by: Magnolia Pair on Southern Weddings via Lover.ly

2. Start with your favorite flavors. Whether it's gin or tequila, many people have a signature drink long before their wedding. Find a new recipe that uses it (or think back to the best cocktail you ever had that featured it!) and go from there.

Photo by: Magnolia Pair on Snippet and Ink

By Food & Wine

This decadent macaroni and cheese recipe includes cheddar, Muenster, Swiss and a touch of cream cheese for extra richness. Delicious Macaroni and Cheese Recipes

© Marcus Nilsson Four-Cheese Mac and Cheese
INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup finely diced onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 quart whole milk
1/2 teaspoon celery seeds
1/8 teaspoon ground mace
3 tablespoons Tabasco
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
10 ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (3 cups)
4 ounces Muenster cheese, shredded (1 1/4 cups)
2 ounces Swiss cheese, shredded (3/4 cup)
1/4 cup cream cheese
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Butter, for the dish
1 pound medium pasta shells

DIRECTIONS
1. In a large saucepan, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the onion and cook over moderate heat until translucent, 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Stir in the flour to make a paste. Gradually whisk in the milk until smooth. Bring to a simmer, whisking, until

By Food & Wine

To help seal in the juices, let the meat rest on a cutting board for a few minutes before shredding and serving. More Slow Cooker Recipes

© Fredrika Stjärne Slow Cooker Ropa Vieja
INGREDIENTS
One 2-pound flank steak, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into 4 pieces
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
One 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup water
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 medium onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 jalapeño, seeded and thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup pitted green olives
2 tablespoons capers, drained
3 tablespoons coarsely chopped cilantro
Steamed white rice or warm tortillas, for serving

DIRECTIONS
1. Season the flank steak with salt and pepper. In a slow cooker, combine the diced tomatoes and their juices with the water, bell peppers, onion, garlic, jalapeño, oregano, cumin and bay leaf. Add the flank steak, cover and cook on high