Recipes with water

Pickled shallots in red wine vinegar with bay leaf and thyme. Crunchy, rosy-pink no-cook refrigerator pickle that brightens salads, sandwiches, and cheese boards.

Pureed mushroom vegetable soup with a full pound of fresh mushrooms, carrots, celery, and beef stock, finished with sauteed mushroom slices and dry sherry.

Old-fashioned milk-and-egg enriched white bread makes two soft, tender loaves with a light crumb and golden crust. A forgiving family recipe for beginner bread bakers.

Orange or grape juice blocks set unsweetened fruit juice with unflavored gelatin into firm, sliceable squares. A sugar-free, diabetic-friendly homemade alternative to gummy candy.

Ground sirloin, pinto and kidney beans simmer in cumin-spiced tomato broth for hearty, stick-to-your-ribs chili. Easy weeknight comfort food.

Ginger snaps roll molasses-spiked dough into balls and bake into crackly-topped, snappy spice cookies. Brown sugar, ginger, and cinnamon give the classic chewy-crisp texture in 36 cookies.

Pecan pie brownies layer a fudgy brownie base with a gooey brown sugar and pecan pie filling on top. Two classic desserts in one bar cookie.

Robust beans and rice casserole with lean ground beef, pinto beans, green chilies, and Southwestern spices baked together until the rice is tender. A hearty one-dish dinner.

Fat-free grapefruit vinaigrette with garlic, basil, thyme, parsley, and vinegar. A completely oil-free, low-fat salad dressing using unsweetened grapefruit juice as the base.

Old-fashioned lemonade made from a homemade lemon syrup with fresh juice, sugar, and lemon zest. The syrup keeps in the fridge for up to three weeks so you can mix a glass of fresh lemonade anytime.

Greek-style lamb with peas braised in tomatoes with dill, parsley, and brown butter. Simmered until the liquid absorbs and only the rich butter sauce remains.

Soft gingerbread cake with lard and butter for tender crumb, spiced with ginger and cinnamon, baked until edges pull away from the pan.

Colonial-style bread machine loaf made with cornmeal, molasses, and bread flour. A hearty, slightly sweet yeast bread with old-fashioned American flavor baked in your ABM.

Chicken base is basically dehydrated, powdered chicken stock. If you can't find it in the supermarket, grind chicken bouillon cubes. For the asparagus, cut about two inches off the stem end. You don't need to peel it. To blanch spinach, simply drop it in boiling salted water for one minute and then immediately submerge it in ice water to stop the cooking and retain the color. The spinach will provide the soup with a vibrant green hue.

Orzo with spinach and toasted pine nuts, cooked risotto-style in garlic-infused water with Parmesan. A 15-minute Mediterranean side dish or light vegetarian dinner.

Vegan corn muffins bound with blended silken tofu instead of eggs. Whole wheat pastry flour, cornmeal, and just four other ingredients. Dairy-free and oil-free.