2,556 bitter recipes

Chocolate cherry cheesecake with a chocolate wafer crust, melted chocolate chip filling spiked with cherry liqueur, and cherry pie filling on top. A show-stopping dessert that chills for 24 hours.

Spiced apple pie with cinnamon, nutmeg, mace, cloves, and allspice in a flaky double crust dressed with pastry leaves. Bakery-quality dessert with deep autumn warmth.

A scrumptious low-fat cake that is perfect snack to have while enjoying a relaxing night on the couch.

Quesadilla quiche, a Tex-Mex twist: Monterey Jack and cheddar, green chiles, tomato, and cumin baked in a custard between two crusts, then served with sour cream and salsa. Cheesy, mildly spicy, crowd-friendly.

Moist chocolate zucchini bundt cake with cream cheese frosting hides two cups of shredded zucchini in every tender, cocoa-rich slice.

Crisp lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, bean sprouts, and tofu tossed in a rich peanut-coconut milk dressing with red curry paste. A crunchy, creamy Thai salad topped with potato chips for fun.

Banana chocolate marble cake swirls melted semi-sweet chocolate into a moist sour cream banana batter, finished with a glossy orange-scented chocolate ganache.

Layered black bean casserole with cumin-spiced beans, Rotel tomatoes, corn tortillas, and gooey Monterey Jack. Topped with lettuce, olives, and sour cream for a Tex-Mex feast.

Hearty herb oatmeal bread with sage, basil, dill, pine nuts, and three kinds of seeds baked in a clay pot for a crackling crust. A rustic yeast bread with real depth.

Granny Smith apple pie packs tart sliced apples between flaky shortening crusts with cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and lemon zest, finished with a honey-spiced whipped cream on the side.

Chocolate raspberry layer cake: a moist buttermilk-cocoa sponge cut into three layers and filled with an airy raspberry cream of Italian meringue folded into raspberry whipped cream. A showstopping, lighter-than-it-looks dessert.

Two-day sourdough potato rye bread with molasses, cornmeal, mace, and poppy seeds. A dense, earthy loaf with an overnight starter and old-world European baking technique.

Old-school dark fruitcake soaked overnight in brandy and orange liqueur with figs, apricots, currants, walnuts, and pecans. Makes four loaves; ages beautifully.

Oatmeal pumpkin cookies fold pumpkin puree, rolled oats, chocolate chips, raisins, and nuts into a cinnamon-spiced dough. Drizzle with lemon glaze or top with chocolate candies. Makes 96.

Prudhomme-style Cajun barbecue sauce with bacon, pecans, honey, citrus, and a triple-pepper seasoning blend. Simmered thick and blended for chicken, pork, or ribs.

Old-fashioned chicken spaghetti casserole made from scratch with a whole stewing hen, creamy mushroom roux, hard-boiled eggs, and melted cheddar. Makes two casseroles so you can freeze one for later.