Recipes with water

Homemade cinnamon raisin swirl bread with mashed potato for extra-soft texture, rolled jelly-roll style with cinnamon sugar. Makes two tender yeast loaves that taste like bakery bread.

Roquefort meatballs in sour cream gravy, made with crumbled blue cheese mixed into the ground beef and pan-fried, then simmered in a creamy pan sauce. Serve over noodles or rice.

Schnecken are German-style cinnamon pecan rolls made from a soft yeasted dough filled with brown sugar, raisins, pecans, and cinnamon, then baked in muffin tins until golden.

Potato-cabbage casserole layers steamed potatoes, shredded cabbage, crisp bacon, and Swiss cheese under a thyme-spiked beer cream sauce. German-style comfort food in one dish.

Toasted quinoa salad with seared scallops and snow peas tosses dry-toasted quinoa with soy-ginger-sesame dressing, crisp snow peas, red pepper, and golden pan-seared scallops. A protein-rich Asian-inspired grain bowl.

Silky blended corn soup with fresh kernels, leeks, and cream. Modern comfort food ready in 40 minutes for easy vegetarian dinners or elegant first courses.

Classic French profiteroles with choux pastry puffs, vanilla ice cream filling, and warm chocolate sauce. Make-ahead dessert that scales for a crowd.

Fig layer bars with dried California figs and chopped nuts sandwiched between a buttery oat and brown sugar crumble. A chewy, fruity bar cookie in the style of fig newtons.

Praline pound cake with cream cheese, sour cream, praline liqueur, and chopped pecans baked in a Bundt pan. Finished with a boiled brown sugar-praline glaze that soaks into every ridge.

Quick pickled green peppers with garlic and bay leaves in a simple vinegar brine. Pack into canning jars for a crunchy, tangy condiment that lasts for months.

Whole roasted chicken rubbed with red wine vinegar, paprika, and garlic, then roasted over a bed of fresh Roma tomatoes and onions. Simple ingredients, deeply savory results.

Chewy homemade bagels from scratch with just 5 ingredients: whole wheat flour, yeast, honey, salt, and water. Boiled then baked with your favorite toppings. From counter to table in about an hour.

Filipino pork and chicken adobo braised in vinegar, soy sauce, black pepper, and a whole head of garlic. Browned in lard and thickened with pounded chicken liver.

Bread that is baked on a sheet pan with an Italian twist.

Battered eggplant slices deep-fried until crispy and drizzled with a spicy Sichuan sauce of chili bean paste, black vinegar, ginger, and tomato paste. A vegetarian Chinese dish with serious crunch and heat.

Homemade Filipino-style banana ketchup simmered with raisins, tomato paste, allspice, cayenne, and dark rum. Sweet, tangy, and warmly spiced. Makes 3.5 cups and keeps for a month.