Recipes with sugar

A creamy dessert salad loaded with bananas, strawberries, pineapple, and walnuts folded into sweetened cream cheese and whipped topping. All the flavors of a banana split in a bowl.

Rich cappuccino pound cake with cocoa, honey, sour cream, and warm spices like cinnamon and cloves. Finished with a Kahlua coffee cream glaze that takes it over the top.

Coconut cheesecake builds a creamy, coconut-scented filling on a cottage cheese base, bakes it gently in a water bath, then crowns it with a sour cream and coconut topping. A lighter, tropical twist on classic cheesecake.

Chocolate dessert cups shaped over balloons and filled with airy raspberry mousse. No molds needed, just melted semisweet chocolate and a clever balloon trick for an edible Valentine's showstopper.

Giant pork meatballs with water chestnuts and ginger, fried until crusted and braised for 2 hours on napa cabbage in a clay pot. A classic Shanghai comfort dish that melts in your mouth.

Tender cream cheese cookies flavored with star anise, shaped into logs, baked, then sliced and toasted crisp for twice-baked slices that melt on your tongue.

Here I adapted an 18th century English spice cake recipe which also makes nice cupcakes.

Silky Middle Eastern milk pudding with slivered almonds, cardamom, and saffron. Elegant chilled dessert (firnee) garnished with bright green pistachios.

Pinto bean, pecan, and coconut pie: mashed pinto beans bake into a silky custard that tastes like pecan pie, with toasted pecans and sweet coconut throughout. A thrifty Southern classic.

A quick and simple pickling recipe that calls for cucumbers, vinegar and green beans.

A decadent butter icing made with crushed pineapple that is perfect for cakes and muffins.

Marshall Islands macadamia nut pie layers shredded coconut on the bottom of the crust before pouring in a corn syrup custard studded with macadamias. Coconut cream whipped topping keeps it tropical.

Apple pie with apricot glaze layers tart Granny Smith apples over a custard pastry cream and finishes with a layer of apricot preserves under the top crust. A French-style twist on classic American apple pie.

Flourless chocolate espresso torte for Passover with a full pound of chocolate, espresso, butter, and eggs. No flour or leavening needed. Dense, crackly-topped, and dusted with powdered sugar.

Brighten your day with a slice of this delicious cake made with zucchini, nuts and cream cheese.

Thai-style stir-fried eggplant with ground pork, garlic, green chili, fish sauce, and fresh basil. Fast, punchy weeknight wok cooking in under 20 minutes.

Moist carrot muffins featuring chopped apricots and avocado oil.

Old-fashioned Grape Nuts cereal quick bread with milk, eggs, and a hint of sweetness. Tender crumb with toasty cereal crunch, no yeast required, ready in about an hour.

Hungarian sweet noodles tossed in margarine and topped with sugar-coated poppy seeds or chopped walnuts. A traditional Central European dessert pasta that's on the table in 15 minutes flat.

Savory zucchini quick bread loaded with French fried onions, Parmesan and fresh basil. A no-yeast loaf that bakes up tender, herby, and toasts beautifully the next morning.

German herring salad with marinated fillets, tart apples, and onions layered in a tangy sour cream and yogurt sauce. Chilled for five hours and finished with fresh dill.

Elegant crab-stuffed avocado halves with sliced pear, peach, and fresh primrose petals, dressed in a homemade creamy vinaigrette. A stunning no-cook appetizer ready in 10 minutes.

Greek Pasta Flora with a Cognac-butter pastry crust and a rich filling of stewed apricots, dried figs, raisins, apricot jam, and orange zest. A traditional Athenian lattice tart.

Award-winning shortbread with just butter, sugar, flour, and salt pressed into thick cutouts: crisp edges, melt-in-your-mouth crumb, adorable sheep shapes with chocolate eyes optional.

German Kalter Kartoffelsalat: cold potato salad dressed with vinegar, mustard, and dill seed. No mayo, the starchy potato water creates a creamy emulsion.

Waffle iron drop cookies: a chocolate cocoa cookie dough baked in 2 to 3 minutes in a waffle iron instead of an oven. Crisp, patterned, and ready faster than preheating.

Roast Leg of Lamb with Rhubarb Mint Chutney recipe

This makes a delicious filling for cakes and tarts and can also be used as a spread for biscuits, scones or croissants.

Crispy fried spring rolls stuffed with crab, ground pork, bean thread noodles, and tree-ear mushrooms in rice paper wrappers. Served with fresh herbs and lettuce for wrapping.

Braided almond breakfast bread made with bread machine dough, filled with almond paste and orange zest. Impressive yeasted loaf with twisted strips revealing the sweet filling.

Husband's delight casserole layers ground beef in tomato sauce with egg noodles and a cream cheese-sour cream filling, then bakes under sharp cheddar and Parmesan. Retro Midwestern weeknight bake.

Buttery cookie press cookies made with nutty brown butter, sandwiched with a silky maple syrup buttercream filling. Elegant enough for gifting, irresistible enough to hoard.

Dense, moist brown sugar pound cake baked low and slow in a tube pan with maple flavoring and chopped pecans. A full package of brown sugar gives this Southern-style cake its deep caramel richness.

Intensely rich chocolate mousse made with 1 1/2 cups cocoa, cognac, and strong coffee. No melted chocolate needed. Whipped cream and beaten egg whites keep it impossibly airy despite the deep, dark flavor.

Hungarian-style chilled cherry soup with whole cherries, red wine, cinnamon, cloves, and lemon, thickened with quick tapioca and topped with sour cream. A classic Eastern European summer starter.

Orange apricot jam muffins with orange juice concentrate, yogurt, and apricot preserves. Bright citrus-fruit notes and a cinnamon-nutmeg crackle top.

Syros Island nougat is a traditional Greek confection of whipped egg whites, honey, and sugar syrup folded with toasted pistachios. Chewy, fragrant, and wrapped in wax paper like a gift from a Mediterranean candy shop.

This green-bean dish is outstanding. The green beans exude aromatic flavors and have an interesting chewy texture.

A simple and delicious baked beans side dish that can made with some help from your crockpot.

Rodgrod med flode is a Scandinavian fruit dessert made with red currants and raspberries thickened with cornstarch. Served chilled with cream and blanched almonds.

No-cook cheesecake dip with cream cheese, whipping cream, brown sugar, cinnamon, brandy-soaked raisins, and mini chocolate chips. Whips up in 10 minutes. Serve with fresh fruit, graham crackers, or just a spoon.

Sesame Chicken Nuggets with Oven Roasted Potatoes recipe

Warm grapefruit halves topped with dark brown sugar, a pat of butter, and a maraschino cherry. A retro 10-minute breakfast or appetizer that's tart, sweet, and completely charming.

Oatmeal banana cupcakes sweetened with honey and mashed banana. Quick-cooking oats add hearty texture to a soft, tender crumb. Simple one-bowl method, ready in under an hour.

Pennsylvania Dutch chocolate cake made with boiled chocolate, buttermilk, and baking soda, topped with tangy cream cheese frosting. Rich, dense crumb with old-fashioned charm.

A vibrant Vietnamese-style banh mi stuffed with sliced pork, pate, grated carrots, cucumber, cilantro, jalapeno, and a punchy fish sauce and chili garlic dressing. No cooking required.

Australian melting moments biscuits: cornstarch-tender shortbread cookies sandwiched around vanilla buttercream icing. Makes 30 sandwich biscuits in 2 hours.

Crunchy cabbage slaw with shredded carrot, green pepper, and currants in a tangy vinegar-mayo dressing with celery seed. Light, crisp, and better after a good chill.