10,000 bitter recipes

Old-fashioned stovetop vanilla fudge studded with quartered candied cherries. Creamy, smooth, and festive, it makes about 2 1/2 dozen squares from an 8-inch pan.

Hot, creamy crabmeat dip with melted cream cheese, butter, garlic, and a dash of hot sauce. Just 5 ingredients and 25 minutes for the ultimate warm party dip.

Piped orange butter cookies dipped in bittersweet chocolate. Fresh orange zest and a folded egg white create a light, melt-in-your-mouth texture.

Swedish anise twists, sweet yeast-bread strips twisted and baked golden under a sugary anise glaze. The warm, licorice-like flavor of anise runs through these tender Scandinavian treats, made for coffee time.

Baked Italian mac and cheese built on a from-scratch bechamel and three cheeses, ricotta, white cheddar, and Romano, with fresh basil and a crisp Italian breadcrumb top. Creamy inside, golden on top.

Puffy sour cream drop cookies topped with cinnamon sugar before baking. Soft, cakey, and lightly golden around the edges. Simple pantry ingredients, 30 minutes start to finish. Makes 18.

Austrian Mozart cookies with a buttery shortbread base, apricot rum filling, and confectioners sugar. Elegant sandwich cookies with a ring-and-circle design.

Peach pizza pie: a 12-inch shortbread crust topped with fresh peaches and a currant-jelly orange glaze, finished with whipped cream. A summer dessert dressed up like a fruit tart.

Ham and sour cream baked noodles is a creamy retro casserole with cottage cheese, sour cream, diced ham, bell pepper, and celery. Hearty potluck-style noodle bake that comes together in one bowl.

Lemon French toast made with thick-cut day-old French bread soaked in a lemon zest and lemon extract batter. The flour in the batter creates an extra-crispy, golden crust that regular French toast can't match.

Pork chops Milanese breaded with Parmesan and bread crumbs, pan-fried in butter until golden and crispy. Served with lemon and butter noodles for a quick Italian dinner.

Creamy garlic soup with shiitake mushrooms, slow-cooked with brandy and thyme. A restaurant-style cream soup with deep umami and mellow, sweetened garlic flavor.

Garlicky chicken pieces sauteed in butter with broccoli and red bell pepper, tossed with linguini and finished with lemon and Parmesan. A 30-minute weeknight pasta.

No-bake Butterfinger dessert with a buttery graham cracker crust, creamy vanilla-butterscotch pudding layer, and crushed candy bar topping. Easy to assemble and feeds a crowd!

Holiday double chocolate brownies topped with candy-coated chocolate pieces baked into the surface. A fudgy cocoa brownie with a festive, colorful crunch on top.

Golden pan-fried veal cutlets smothered in a creamy white wine sauce made with beef bouillon and milk. Feeds 8 in just 25 minutes, making it a go-to for easy entertaining.