3,601 four four recipes

Foolproof lasagna with ground beef in tomato sauce, layered with ricotta and mozzarella, then topped with a creamy parmesan béchamel for the crowning finish.

Pineanna nut cake is a three-layer banana-pineapple cake with pecans and cinnamon, frosted with vanilla cream cheese frosting. A Southern-style hummingbird cake by another name.

Crispy chicken tostadas piled high with mashed black beans, shredded lettuce, cheddar cheese, and a kick of hot sauce. A 30-minute Mexican dinner for two that's loaded with fresh toppings and bold flavor.

This is an authentic family recipe that my mother taught me in 1950 in New Orleans. It makes a great dinner party main dish. Like chinese food, it is long on chopping and assembling, but goes together and cooks rather quickly.

Four-layer peanut butter pudding cake with a peanut shortbread crust, cream cheese-peanut butter filling, chocolate-vanilla pudding layer, and whipped topping. A no-bake icebox dessert.

From-scratch devil's food cake with boiling water for intense chocolate depth, topped with a fudge frosting made from melted semi-sweet chocolate and butter.

Italian double-baked chocolate biscotti with toasted almonds, cocoa, espresso powder, and a surprise hint of ginger and white pepper. Crisp, dark, and dunk-ready.

Crispy coconut-breaded shrimp with curry and cayenne heat, double-dipped in honey egg wash, deep-fried golden, and served with a fresh pineapple-orange-jicama relish. Restaurant-quality appetizer at home.

Classic yellow mustard pickles with cucumbers, gherkins, pearl onions, cauliflower, and red peppers in a turmeric-mustard brine. Old-school preserving-kettle recipe that stocks a pantry.

Cajun wild duck and andouille sauce piquant simmered low and slow in a dark roux with tomato sauce, white wine, and hot pepper. Louisiana bayou cooking at its boldest.

Chewy oatmeal cookies loaded with white chocolate, semi-sweet chocolate, candied cherries, and toasted almonds. A bakery-style drop cookie with almond extract for extra depth.

Earthy wild mushroom lasagna layered with Marsala-sauteed fungi, creamy Fontina bechamel, and a golden mozzarella-Parmesan crust. Vegetarian comfort food at its most elegant.

A basic, delicious cookie that will satisfy the tastes of butterscotch-lovers everywhere.

Maple-apple oatmeal cookies with real maple syrup, fresh apples, applesauce, currants, and a crunchy oat-brown sugar topping. Soft, cakey fall cookies baked low and slow.

Hearty hominy and butternut squash stew with pinto beans, toasted cumin, cinnamon, and ground red chile. A warming Southwestern vegetarian stew with deep, layered spice.

Baked tofu spaghetti balls with walnuts, oats, and Italian herbs, smothered in tomato sauce. Vegan meatballs that hold up on pasta or stuffed into a sub roll.