3,601 four four recipes

Old-fashioned chocolate cake with crushed peppermint stick candy folded right into the batter. A tender cocoa layer cake with a cool, pepperminty crunch. Straight out of a mid-century church cookbook.

You will simply die and come back again after trying this rich and decadent cake that tastes too good to be true.

Crispy baked rice cups filled with creamy guacamole and salsa, a vegetarian Mexican appetizer with edible cheddar-cumin shells. Bite-size party food made in a mini muffin tin.

Vegan fruit cake packed with dried fruit, candied peel, orange rind, and almonds, leavened with a soy milk and vinegar reaction instead of eggs. A dense, dairy-free holiday cake baked low and slow.

Paneer is a fresh cheese with plenty of texture and protein. In this traditional northern Indian dish, Paneer is combined with green peas in a spicy tomato-ginger sauce. Fresh Paneer is quite crumbly, so it is generally cut into cubes and sauteed until golden before combining with other ingredients. For variety, try adding some finely minced fresh cilantro and a little freshly ground black pepper to the mixture before cubing and frying. If you do have any left over, serve it warm in whole wheat pita bread topped with sliced tomaotes and crunchy red onions.

Bakery-sized oatmeal cookies loaded with chopped dates, walnuts, coconut, and sesame seeds, spiced with cinnamon, allspice, and almond extract. Crisp edges, chewy centers.

Persimmon cream pie with a custard of egg yolks, cream, and ripe persimmon pulp, crowned with a sticky pecan praline crumble. The fruit must be jelly-soft for the right honeyed flavor.

Holiday hermit cookies with raisins, candied fruit, walnuts, and oats spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg. A chewy, old-fashioned drop cookie perfect for Christmas baking.

Old-fashioned prune and pecan spice cake with buttermilk, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice, topped with a hot buttermilk icing poured on while still baking.

Crispy breaded meatballs packed with ground pork, sauerkraut, and cream cheese, fried golden and served with a mustard-mayo dipping sauce. A bold German-style appetizer that makes 3 dozen.

Oatmeal peanut butter drop cookies with plumped raisins, cinnamon, and vanilla. A hearty, old-fashioned cookie packed with oats and peanut butter flavor. Makes 3 dozen.

Soft, spiced German brown sugar cookies loaded with cinnamon, cloves, orange zest, and plump raisins. This old-world drop cookie recipe makes 4 to 5 dozen and fills your kitchen with warmth.

Whole wheat banana pancakes with warming spices, walnuts, and honey. Hearty silver dollar-sized breakfast ready in 25 minutes.

These bacon tarts can be made in two ways. The dough base is always the same, however, the topping is different. From the Ries area.

Double-cocoa chocolate cookies studded with mint chips, then drizzled with a glossy homemade chocolate glaze. Fudgy, minty, and intensely chocolatey with crispy edges that shatter on the first bite.

Chocolate lovers beware, this dessert is sure to satisfy your tastebuds and keep you in the holiday spirit with a minty taste.