Before Christmas we gave you a roundup of some of our dessert recipes from this past year, but everyone knows that you have to eat dinner before you get your dessert. We love coming up with new recipes for main dishes and supper, especially ones that are frugal, quick, practical, or some combination of all three. Here are some of the main dishes that we remember from this past year.

Click through for a gallery of mouthwatering pasta, hearty meat and chicken, and some lovely fish. What are you cooking this weekend?

Watch for more pasta recipes soon in our roundups of quick meals and vegetarian recipes.

Pasta

• Strozzapretti with Pecorino, Prosciutto and Something Green
• No-Boil Chunky Cheese Lasagna
• Farfalle with Cauliflower and Toasted Breadcrumbs
• Italian Template Recipe: Pasta, Meat, Greens and Cheese
• Linguine with Mussels and Dandelion Greens
• Basic Tomato Sauce (with Optional Zing!)
• Penne with Acorn Squash and Pancetta
• Greek Chicken Pasta with Olives and Feta
• Slow-Cooked Bolognese Sauce
• Creamy Pasta with Tomato, Bacon, and Ricotta

Meat, Fish, & Poultry

• Cincinnati Chili
• Old-Fashioned Juicy Burgers
• Southwest Skillet Ragu
• Old-Fashioned Sloppy Joes
• Friday Night Slow-Cooked Brisket and Onions
• Pork Chops with Sweet-and-Sour Cabbage and Apples
• Braised Summer Pork Shank (Adaptable For Any Season)
• Chicken with Shallot-Apricot Sauce
• Roasted Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Goat Cheese and Fresh Garlic
• Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Grapes, Hazelnuts, and Parmesan
• Beer-Brined Chicken on the Grill
• Slow-Cooker Lemon Garlic Chicken
• Pecan Crusted Salmon with Sautéed Ramps and Purple Potatoes
• John Besh's Louisiana Speckled Trout Amandine
• Spelt Farotto with Tuna and Artichokes
• Grilled Potato, Gorgonzola and Prosciutto Pizza
• Sauerbraten for Oktoberfest
• Pipérade
• Confetti Quiche with Curry Crust
• Chicken (or Turkey!) Pot Pie
• Low-tech Korean Bulgogi Mini Pies

Related: Dessert Recipes and Tips: Best of 2008