Recipes with water

Moroccan lemon chicken with green olives, saffron, cumin, and ginger served over couscous. A North African braise with bright citrus and warm spice in every bite.

Quick and easy butterfly soup made with bow-tie pasta, canned tomato soup, and a splash of lemon juice. A kid-friendly lunch ready in 40 minutes flat.

Quick refrigerator pickles with cucumber slices, garlic, vinegar, and red pepper flakes. A no-canning cold-brine recipe ready in an hour. Spicy, garlicky, and addictively crunchy.

Elegant apple dessert bars with flaky pastry base, apricot jam layer, and Brazil nut-raisin topping served warm with whipped cream for special occasions.

Boston cream pie from scratch with a sponge cake split and filled with vanilla custard, topped with a glossy chocolate ganache glaze. The classic American dessert done right with three handmade components.

Classic German sauerbraten made with venison: a 3-day vinegar and spice marinade, hours of slow braising, and a tangy-sweet gingersnap gravy. This is the ultimate project recipe for wild game lovers.

A tasty dip that is perfect for vegetable or cracker platters! Can also be used with your favorite bag of chips.

Petjel terong is an Indonesian deep-fried eggplant in a creamy peanut coconut milk sauce with sambal badjak. Crispy slices soaked in a spicy, savory, slightly tangy dressing.

This is absolutely excellent. I made my spaghetti sauce in place of marinara sauce. Next time, change the ribs and beef and substitute round steak. The wine makes it!

Crockpot dark wheat bran bread bakes hands-off in a slow cooker with whole wheat, soy flour, bran cereal, and molasses. A no-oven yeast loaf with a moist crumb and dark malty flavor.

Oil-free Cajun red beans and rice in the McDougall style, with the holy trinity of onion, pepper, and scallion simmered in a spiced tomato broth and spooned over brown rice. A fast, low-fat, plant-based dinner.

Louisiana seafood gumbo with shrimp, oysters, crab, smothered okra, and a deep-brown roux. Cajun-style one-pot bayou supper served over rice.

Giardiniera, the classic Italian pickled vegetable jar packed with carrots, celery, bell peppers, cauliflower, and pearl onions in a sweet-spiced vinegar brine. Sandwich topper, antipasto staple, condiment for everything.

If you need to make a quick spaghetti sauce, then this recipe is for you! Goes well with any type of pasta your prefer.

Frozen fruit salad with strawberry Jello, pink lemonade, whipped topping, peaches, grapes, bananas, and cherries. Molded in a loaf pan and sliced to serve. A retro potluck classic.

Retro Jello salad layering apricot gelatin with cream cheese, pineapple, and Cool Whip for a make-ahead side that sets in stages.