Recipes with sugar

Pork and napa cabbage dumplings seasoned with soy sauce, ginger, sesame oil, and sherry, wrapped in wonton skins and steamed in a bamboo steamer. Homemade Chinese dumplings in 30 minutes.

Halloween party punch with apple cider, orange and pineapple juice, and fizzy ginger ale. A kid-friendly, non-alcoholic party drink for spooky-season trick-or-treaters and parents alike.

Thin, crispy slice-and-bake cookies with shredded coconut and walnuts. A refrigerator cookie dough you roll, chill, and slice into wafer-thin rounds that bake up snappy in 10 minutes. Makes 48.

A show-stopping sour cherry pie with a hint of almond extract, topped with overlapping heart-shaped pastry cut-outs instead of a traditional crust. Gorgeous for Valentine's Day or any day you want to impress.

Danish-style fried herrings breaded with flour, egg, and breadcrumbs, pan-fried in butter and served with a creamy onion béchamel sauce. A classic Scandinavian comfort dish.

Chocolate velvet cheesecake layers semi-sweet chocolate and amaretto-spiked cream cheese filling on a pecan-vanilla wafer crust, then crowns it with a tangy sour cream top. A three-tier baked cheesecake with serious chocolate depth.

Hearty Russian beet soup (borscht) loaded with beef, bacon, kielbasa, cabbage, potatoes, and navy beans in a sweet-sour broth. A slow-simmered weekend project topped with sour cream.

Thai-style stir-fried clams with chili paste, garlic, fish sauce, and fresh mint leaves. A fast, fragrant one-pot seafood dish with bold Southeast Asian flavors.

Chocolate cupcakes with a caramelized brown sugar and walnut bottom, flipped to reveal a sticky-sweet topping. Finished with a warm chocolate ganache on the sides.

Mom's small-batch pecan pralines with brown sugar, Karo corn syrup, evaporated milk, and pecan halves. Cooked to soft-ball stage and dropped on wax paper for classic Southern candy.

Beatles cookies are soft, cake-like drop cookies made with sour cream, chocolate chips, and a cinnamon-sugar topping. The tangy batter and warm spice finish make these an addictive cookie jar staple.

Blueberry and Lemon Bread-And-Butter Pudding recipe

A 9-pound beef brisket smothered in a brown sugar and tomato paste sauce, wrapped in foil, and oven-braised for 5 hours until fork-tender. Shred it and pile it on buns for a crowd.

Espresso-braised onions caramelize sliced onions in butter and sugar, then reduce with brewed espresso and chicken stock for a deep, bittersweet onion side dish or steak topping.

Sirloin beef strips and carrots in a creamy wine sauce.

Cappellacci stuffed pasta squares filled with ricotta, spinach, and nutmeg, baked in homemade tomato-basil sauce. A from-scratch Italian project worth every fold.

Overnight blueberry coffee cake: mix the batter the night before, chill in the pan, and bake straight from the fridge in the morning. Tender crumb, juicy berries, sugary crackled top.

Jewish rugelach with a flaky cottage cheese dough, apricot jam, cinnamon-sugar, walnuts, and currants rolled into golden crescents. A holiday cookie jar essential for Hanukkah or Christmas.

No-bake cheesecake with cream cheese and cottage cheese in a buttery graham cracker crust, set with lemon gelatin and whipped cream. Light, tangy, and ready after a simple chill.

Chocolate yum yum cake bars layer a chocolate cake mix and pecan crust with a sweet cream cheese custard top. A retro Southern dessert that bakes up rich, gooey, and impossible to stop eating.

Grilled eggplant with hoisin sauce, balsamic vinegar, sesame oil, ginger, and tamari. Salted rounds grilled until smoky and tender, then drizzled with a sweet-savory Asian glaze.

A dense, buttery Spanish-style almond cake spiked with tequila añejo, orange and lemon zest, and freshly grated nutmeg. Dusted with powdered sugar for an elegant holiday dessert.

Orange-almond sour cream cake with chocolate chips, orange flower water, and a Grand Marnier orange syrup soaked into the warm crumb. A dense, fragrant Bundt cake that keeps for days and freezes for months.

Feed this sweet, yeast-based starter with flour, sugar, and milk every few days to keep it alive. Use it for Amish friendship bread or share with friends to start the tradition.

A silky tofu cheesecake blending pureed silken tofu with cream cheese on an almond graham cracker crust. Lighter than traditional cheesecake but impossibly creamy after an overnight chill.

Chinese stir-fried pork with straw mushrooms, snow peas, and bamboo shoots in a savory soy-cornstarch sauce. A quick wok dinner with tender, velveted pork slices.

Whole trout baked under a saucy Creole blanket of sauteed bell pepper, onion, celery, and stewed tomatoes with oregano. Simple, flaky, and on the table in an hour.

Chilled strawberry soup blended with sour cream, half and half, brandy, and vanilla. A silky Nova Scotia-inspired cold fruit soup ready in 10 minutes flat.

Chewy chocolate oat cookies loaded with pecans, marshmallows, and a hint of almond. Makes 4 dozen bite-sized munchies with crispy edges and gooey centers.

Delicately flavored orange cookie cups, topped with an orange, almond-paste filling.

Mustard chicken stir-fry: chicken marinated in a tangy Dijon, soy, ginger and garlic blend that doubles as a glossy pan sauce, stir-fried with snow peas, red pepper and green onion. A fast, East-meets-West weeknight dinner.

Tiramisu with espresso-soaked ladyfingers, a lightened cream cheese and sour cream filling, and a dark rum kick. No-bake Italian dessert that sets up beautifully overnight in the fridge.

Peanut butter jewels are thumbprint cookies rolled in sugar or chopped peanuts and filled with strawberry jam. A quick semi-homemade cookie with a fruity center.

Pad Thai the authentic way: softened rice noodles wok-tossed with garlic, shrimp, egg, fish sauce, peanuts, bean sprouts, and green onions, finished with a squeeze of lime. Street-food speed in under 15 minutes.

Irish whiskey and ginger cream: a cloud-light dessert of whipped cream folded with whiskey, ginger marmalade, lemon zest, and stiff egg whites. Spooned into wine glasses for an old-school Irish supper finish.

Lemon curd coffee cake made from a buttery yeast dough rolled with tangy lemon curd filling, sliced into swirls, and baked with a walnut topping. A stunning brunch centerpiece.

A classic New England-style steamed brown bread made with rye flour, cornmeal, graham flour, molasses, and raisins. No oven needed. Just mix, fill the cans, and steam for two hours.

Silky Chinese almond pudding made with rice flour, almond powder, and sliced dates. Served warm with a melted ice cream consistency, this elegant dessert comes together in 30 minutes.

Use as a dip or topping for grilled chicken, seafood, etc., inspired by Diana Rattray

Microwave maple bacon pancake made with Bisquick, cheddar cheese, maple syrup, and crumbled bacon. A savory-sweet breakfast baked in a pie plate, ready in minutes.

Espresso tuiles with whole coffee beans, pecans, brown sugar, and corn syrup. Crispy, lace-like French cookies shaped into elegant curves while still warm.

Dense, fudgy chocolate pie loaded with walnuts and spiked with coffee and rum flavoring. Baked in a flaky pie shell, it's rich enough to satisfy any serious chocolate craving.

Store in closed container in refrigerator for up to 6 weeks.

Kouloura rolls and buns are traditional Greek yeast breads with a tender milk-and-egg crumb, brushed with egg yolk and topped with toasted sesame seeds. A timeless hand-shaped loaf or roll.

A light, airy strawberry souffle made with whipped egg whites and fresh berry puree, drizzled with a warm strawberry-orange sauce. Elegant, low-calorie, and stunning.

A European-style almond and cinnamon torte with a buttery shortcrust pastry, raspberry jam filling, and a lattice top dusted with powdered sugar. Elegant enough for Christmas, simple enough for any weekend.

Old-fashioned sweet pickle recipe with a pickling lime soak that delivers candy-crisp cucumber slices. Apple cider vinegar, sugar, and celery seed pack each pint with snap and tangy sweetness.

Käsetorte is the German cheesecake with a buttery shortcrust pressed into a springform and topped with cream cheese filling thickened by vanilla pudding mix. Lighter and softer than New York-style, with old-world Bavarian charm.