10,000 bitter recipes

Fresh ginger muffins: bakery-style buttermilk muffins packed with finely chopped fresh ginger candied with sugar, plus fragrant lemon zest. The classic Marion Cunningham recipe, with serious ginger bite.

Buttery shortbread crust topped with a fluffy almond paste filling, folded egg whites, lemon juice, and flaked coconut. A Dutch bakery classic that yields 50 bars from one pan.

Lowcountry benne seed cookies (Charleston style) with toasted sesame seeds, brown sugar, and butter. A thin, crispy Southern Christmas cookie with West African roots.

A warmly spiced brown sugar cake with chopped prunes, walnuts, and buttermilk baked in a 9-inch square pan. Cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves fill every moist, tender bite. Serve with sour cream or whipped cream.

Thin salmon escalopes grilled in barely a minute and served in a frothy champagne and chive cream sauce. An elegant, restaurant-style dish that cooks fast yet looks dinner-party special.

A scrumptious dish made with bisquik, plain yogurt and cardamom pods.

Seared bay scallops in a white wine butter sauce with pine nuts, sun-dried tomatoes, and fresh lemon. A quick, elegant seafood dinner ready in 20 minutes.

Biryani layered with saffron rice, spiced meat, butter-toasted almonds, cashews, and raisins, then baked with chicken stock until every grain is fragrant and tender.

No-bake fudge cookies with cocoa, oats, and shredded coconut. Boil, stir, drop, and done in minutes with no oven required. The coconut adds chewy texture to every fudgy bite.

Luxurious garlic soup made with 40 cloves of garlic and dry champagne, topped with toasted French bread and bubbly melted Gruyere. French onion soup's bolder cousin.

French-style apple crisp layered with fresh mint and cinnamon, baked until golden with a crumbly egg-based topping for a rustic dessert that's lighter than traditional pie.

Poulet a la Diable (deviled chicken) pan-seared and simmered in a double-mustard vermouth cream sauce. A classic French bistro dish for two that's on the table in 40 minutes.

German chocolate pound cake with a dense, buttery crumb made from cake flour, buttermilk, and melted German sweet chocolate. Baked low and slow in a tube pan for a tender, fine-textured slice.

Fudgy double chocolate brownies made with melted unsweetened chocolate, semi-sweet chocolate pieces, and crunchy walnuts. Rich, dense, and loaded with real chocolate flavor.

Greek butter cookies (kourabiedes) with ground cloves and a thick powdered sugar coating. Tender, crumbly, and lightly spiced for the holidays.

Try this scrumptious casserole that is made with cream of mushroom soup and beef consomme.