10,000 bitter recipes

Layered vegetarian moussaka with sauteed eggplant, rich mushroom-tomato sauce with red wine, and creamy ricotta bechamel baked until golden. Greek comfort food, no lamb needed.

Indian-spiced basmati rice cooked with julienne potatoes, coconut, green chilies, turmeric, and whole spices in ghee. A fragrant vegetarian one-pot pilaf.

An easy baked chicken breast casserole topped with creamy soup, cheddar, herb stuffing, and a splash of bourbon for warm depth. Six ingredients layered in one dish and baked golden. No fuss, big flavor.

Welsh rabbit (rarebit) with beer, the classic British pub dish of sharp cheddar melted with ale, mustard, Worcestershire, and a kick of cayenne, spooned over crisp toast triangles.

A rustic round whole wheat loaf sweetened with molasses and boosted with wheat germ, topped with oats. Simple yeast bread that fills the kitchen with the most incredible aroma.

Pumpkin cake made with spice cake mix and canned pumpkin, topped with a cooked flour buttercream frosting. A moist, warmly spiced fall cake with a light, fluffy homemade frosting.

Creamy green tomato soup spiced with cinnamon and cloves, thickened with a butter-flour roux and milk. A clever way to use end-of-season unripe tomatoes.

Adorable gingerbread teddy bear cookies hand-shaped from spiced dough with cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. A fun holiday baking project for kids and grown-ups, no cookie cutters required.

This is a decadently delicious German chocolate torte. It's chocolaty and rich.

Barbecued Cornish Hens on a vertical roaster over covered charcoal, basted every 10 minutes with a Worcestershire-forward brown sugar BBQ sauce. Rich, deeply flavored grilled poultry in under an hour.

Apples and buttons is one of the best known of all Pennsylvania Dutch dishes. Truly a meal in itself with ham, raised dumplings, and stewed apples.

Rich, dense classic cheesecake with two pounds of cream cheese, sour cream, and butter, baked low and slow then cooled in the oven for a crack-free top. Crustless, ready for any topping.

Leek and goat cheese tart with balsamic-braised leeks and cream layered over crumbled chevre in a pre-baked shell. An elegant French vegetarian tart with rich, tangy flavor.

Beef and corn pie with seasoned ground beef, green peppers, and tomato sauce baked in a cornmeal crust and topped with melted cheddar. A homestyle savory pie for weeknight family dinners.

Whipped sweet potatoes with orange juice, brown sugar, and warm spices, baked inside hollowed-out orange halves. A stunning holiday side dish you can freeze ahead of time.

A showstopping flourless torte layered with chestnut-bourbon filling, coated in bittersweet chocolate icing, and served with bourbon whipped cream. Rich, nutty, and deeply indulgent.