Italian sausage is a versatile type of sausage because it cooks well with virtually any method; whether baked, boiled or grilled, Italian sausage makes a hearty and delicious meal. The key to baking sausage is either cooking it for a long time at a low temperature, or if you have less time, to cover it in foil.

A classic American main course, pork chops are commonly served with fresh vegetables, a variety of different potato dishes and with a topping of applesauce.

A whole filet mignon – also called a beef tenderloin roast – is a lean cut of premium beef and one of the most tender cuts of beef you can cook. Lean cuts of meat have less than 10 percent fat and are ideally suited for dry cooking methods like roasting.

A small, 1.2 pound, beef rump roast can be baked in the oven with delicious results. Since this is a small roast, the time required for cooking will be shortened. Rump roasts come from the rear, or hind, of the cow and tend to be a tough cut of meat; therefore, you should bake this roast using moist heat.

Ham is made from the front leg of a hog, while the back leg renders a pork shoulder picnic. The butt portion of a ham tends to be leaner while the shank is easier to carve. Hams come fresh or ready-to-eat.

Sirloin tip steak -- more widely known as flap meat -- is surprisingly flavorful and tender given its relatively low cost. This cheap cut does well with fast cooking methods like pan searing and grilling, but with a little tenderizing marination, you can turn out a great baked sirloin tip steak, too.

Calabaza is a popular squash varietal that is grown in tropical areas. Also known as West Indian pumpkin, calabaza is an earthy, sweet food that makes a perfect addition to dinner on a chilly fall night. It can be a substitute for recipes that call for pumpkin, acorn or butternut squash.

Filet mignon is the most tender cut of beef, and you pay for the privilege of it gracing your plate. It's not a particularly flavorful cut, though, due to its lack of fat marbling. Of course, that translates to less saturated fat, cholesterol and calories, which is a good thing.

Using a slow cooker has many benefits, including the convenience of knowing that dinner is cooking while you are engaged with other tasks. Slow cookers use less electricity and gives off less heat than an oven.

Skirt steak is known for its strong beefy flavor and is typically found in Mexican fajitas and Philadelphia, or Philly, cheesesteak sandwiches. Compared to strip or rib eye steaks, skirt steak generally costs about 50 percent less. Keep in mind it tends to toughen up if it's cooked to more than medium doneness.

Almonds make a nutritious snack or addition to recipes. An ounce of almonds contains 35 percent of your recommended daily allowance of vitamin E, plus healthy fiber and protein. Roasting brings out the flavor of nuts. You can roast almonds quickly in your microwave, with or without additional fat.

Throw out everything you think you know about cooking steaks, especially chuck steaks. Chuck steaks come from the portion of beef located in the chest and front leg portion, which is naturally lean and tough. Chuck steak is basically a chuck roast cut into thinner pieces, usually 1 1/2 inches or less.