10,000 bitter recipes

From-scratch German chocolate cake with sweet chocolate melted in boiling water, buttermilk batter with folded egg whites, and a coconut-pecan frosting cooked on the stovetop.

Buttermilk coffee cake with almond extract, swirled with a cinnamon-sugar-nut filling and baked in a tube pan. Tender crumb, crunchy topping, serves 16.

Mini florentines, lacy caramel cookies studded with hazelnuts, cherries, and candied peel, baked thin and crisp, then coated underneath with dark and white chocolate combed into the classic wavy pattern.

Cheesy baked spinach squares loaded with Monterey Jack and eggs, ready in 40 minutes flat. Cut into squares for an easy appetizer, brunch side, or grab-and-go snack that works warm or cold.

New Orleans catfish baked over curried rice with lemon slices and butter. A one-dish Creole-inspired fish dinner that's simple to assemble and bakes in under 35 minutes.

Delicate tulip-shaped cookie cups made from a thin butter and egg white batter, molded while warm over a glass. Fill with ice cream, sherbet, or fresh fruit.

Browned chicken breasts in a thick, savory gravy topped with fluffy rosemary-garlic dumplings and sweet green peas. A cozy Dutch oven dinner that fills the kitchen with the scent of fresh herbs.

No-bake strawberry lemonade bars: a creamy, tangy filling of cream cheese, marshmallow creme, and fresh strawberries over a graham crust. A cool, no-oven summer dessert.

Jumbo shrimp baked in a garlic-Courvoisier butter with fresh parsley and toasted bread crumbs, finished under the broiler until golden. A decadent French-style seafood dish.

Custard-style rhubarb pie with a vanilla yogurt filling, warm nutmeg, and a brown sugar pecan crumble topping. Tart rhubarb meets sweet, creamy filling in every slice.

Peach pecan muffins fold ripe summer peaches and toasted pecans into a cinnamon-spiced batter for tender, fruit-studded breakfast muffins. One bowl, no mixer, ready in 45 minutes from cold oven to cooling rack.

Chicken breasts goes very well with the mozzarella cheese.

Filete enchocolatado is Mexican beef tenderloin simmered in a white wine and unsweetened chocolate sauce, topped with melted cheese. Savory, rich, and unexpected.

Classic M&M cookies with a buttery brown sugar dough, optional chopped nuts, and a generous 18 ounces of candy-coated chocolates. Soft, chewy, and colorful right out of the oven.

This cherry cake is studded with almonds and candied cherries. My husbands favorite.

Maui Spam muffins: toasted English muffins loaded with SPAM, pineapple, green pepper, and a brown sugar glaze, then baked until hot and caramelized. Ready in 20 minutes.