10,000 bitter recipes

Spiced refrigerator cookies with sour cream, sliced almonds, cloves, and nutmeg. Make-ahead dough keeps for 2 weeks refrigerated or freezes for months.

Buttery shortbread crust topped with sticky honey-pecan caramel that sets into chewy, candied perfection. Cut into diamonds and dust with powdered sugar for elegant cookie bars.

Medianyk is a traditional Ukrainian honey cake spiced with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Whipped egg whites give it a light, airy crumb despite all that honey.

Crisp, buttery slice-and-bake cookies with brown sugar, a hint of nutmeg, and bold black walnut flavoring. Shape the dough into logs, chill overnight, and slice thin for a quick batch of 48.

Honey ginger snap cookies with cinnamon and cloves, rolled into balls and baked until crackled. Chewy centers with crisp, crinkled edges from the honey.

Ground beef patties shaped like filet mignon with a butter center, wrapped in foil collars, pan-seared and served with a red wine rosemary sauce and mushroom caps.

Leek and Stilton cheese soup made with a buttery roux base, slow-cooked leeks and onion, then blended smooth. A rich, creamy British classic with bold blue cheese flavor.

Forget rock-hard biscotti that threaten your teeth. This butter-rich Italian cookie bakes up tender enough to eat without dunking, studded with raisins and nuts in every bite.

Crispy Rice Krispies cookies with butter, brown sugar, and optional coconut. Baked cookie balls with a crunchy cereal crunch in every bite. Makes 6 dozen.

Fresh peach pie with a buttery crumb topping, cinnamon, and lemon juice. Sliced peaches macerate before baking for concentrated juicy flavor under a crispy streusel crust.

Loaded mashed potato casserole with sauteed peppers, onions, crumbled bacon, and melted cheddar broiled on top. A crowd-pleasing side dish that turns leftover mashed potatoes into something special.

Guava chiffon pie with a flaky butter-and-shortening crust and a cloud-light tropical filling of guava juice, gelatin, and folded meringue. Topped with sweetened whipped cream and fresh guava slices.

Browned chicken cutlets baked over artichoke hearts in a creamy sauce of chicken soup, mayo, and lemon juice, topped with cheese and buttery bread crumbs. A retro casserole that never goes out of style.

Menudo with hominy: tender tripe and pork knuckle simmered with chili powder, cumin, oregano, and garlic, then finished with whole hominy. The traditional Mexican Sunday-morning soup.

Rolled sole fillets baked in white wine, nestled inside hollowed tomatoes stuffed with sauteed onions, and draped in a silky butter sauce with fresh herbs. A show-stopping French classic.

Savory garlic pancakes with a creamy ham and sage butter sauce. Three whole heads of boiled garlic turn sweet and nutty in the batter. Silver dollar-sized for brunch, lunch, or light supper.