Miso, chile paste, soy sauce, ginger and garlic amp up store-bought chicken stock to give you a jump on a comforting bowl of ramen. Fresh ramen noodles are a nice touch, but dried will also work nicely. You can change up the vegetables and garnishes as you like.

Place 1 quart low-sodium chicken stock in a medium saucepan. In a small bowl, whisk 1 Tbsp miso paste (red or white, such as Cold Mountain); 1 Tbsp gochujang chile paste; 2 Tbsp soy sauce; 1 (1-inch) piece ginger, grated; and 1 clove garlic, grated; whisk into stock. Simmer over medium. Cook 10 oz fresh ramen noodles (such as Sun Noodle or Nona Lim) or dried according to package directions. Drain. Heat 1 Tbsp vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over high. Add 1½ cups sliced shiitake mushrooms (about 4 oz) and a pinch of salt. Stir-fry 2–3 minutes or until tender; transfer to a plate. Return pan to mediumhigh; swirl in 1 Tbsp vegetable oil. Add 2 baby bok choy, trimmed and halved, and a pinch of salt; cook 1 minute. Add 2 Tbsp water; cook 2–3 minutes or until water evaporates and bok choy are crisp-tender. Divide noodles, broth and Pork Meatballs (recipe follows) between 2 large bowls. Garnish with mushrooms; bok choy; 2 large eggs, poached, soft- or hard-cooked; 1 large carrot, julienned; 3 green onions, thinly sliced; and, if desired, toasted sesame seeds. Serves 2.

Pork Meatballs

Make these up to 3 days ahead, cool and refrigerate. Shichimi togarashi is a chile-pepper-based Japanese seasoning blend (available on amazon.com). In a medium bowl, combine ½ lb ground pork; 3 Tbsp panko breadcrumbs; 1 Tbsp soy sauce; 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds; 1 tsp peeled, minced fresh ginger; ½ tsp shichimi togarashi (optional); ½ tsp sesame oil; ½ tsp unseasoned rice vinegar; ½ tsp mirin; 1 green onion, minced; and 1 clove garlic, minced. Form into 10 (1½-inch) balls. In a skillet over medium, heat 2 Tbsp vegetable oil. Add meatballs. Cook, turning occasionally, 8–10 minutes or until done. Makes 10.

This indulgent baked pasta marries two beloved dishes in one skillet. It’s from the popular blog I Am Baker (iambaker.net) by Amanda Rettke, whose new cookbook, Homestead Recipes, comes out April 12. For flawlessly creamy sauce, be sure to take the pan off the heat before stirring in the cheeses, says Rettke. Position rack in top third of oven. Preheat oven to 350°F. In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup shredded cooked chicken, 2 Tbsp Buffalo sauce and 2 Tbsp ranch dressing. In a skillet over medium, melt ¼ cup unsalted butter. Add ¼ cup allpurpose flour; whisk constantly 1–2 minutes or until mixture turns light brown. Remove pan from heat. Gradually add 2 cups warm whole milk, whisking constantly. Return pan to heat; whisk 3–5 minutes or until thickened. Stir in ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp dry mustard, 1/ tsp garlic powder and, if 8 desired, 1/ tsp cayenne pepper. 8 Remove pan from heat. Add ½ cup grated sharp cheddar cheese, ¼ cup grated mozzarella cheese and chicken mixture. Stir until cheeses melt. Stir in 8 oz cavatappi noodles, cooked al dente and drained. Top with ¼ cup grated cheddar and ¼ cup grated mozzarella. Bake, uncovered, 5–7 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Season with salt and black pepper. Drizzle with 1 Tbsp Buffalo sauce and 1 Tbsp ranch dressing. Sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serves 8.