3,601 four four recipes

Old-school dark fruitcake soaked overnight in brandy and orange liqueur with figs, apricots, currants, walnuts, and pecans. Makes four loaves; ages beautifully.

Malaysian-style chicken curry stew with sweet potatoes, coconut milk, and a warm spice blend of curry powder, cinnamon, cayenne, and cloves. A fragrant, hearty one-pot meal.

Tex-Mex double-crust beef and bean pie stuffed with ground beef, kidney beans, black beans, cheddar cheese, and chunky picante sauce. Topped with sour cream and olives for the ultimate taco night twist.

Double chocolate drop cookies with melted unsweetened chocolate in the batter, semi-sweet chips throughout, and a from-scratch chocolate frosting on top.

Oatmeal pumpkin cookies fold pumpkin puree, rolled oats, chocolate chips, raisins, and nuts into a cinnamon-spiced dough. Drizzle with lemon glaze or top with chocolate candies. Makes 96.

Treat your family to this succulent and scrumptious lasagna that's fun to make and eat!

Harira, the traditional Moroccan soup with lamb, chickpeas, broad beans, saffron, and a velvety tomato-herb base thickened with an overnight flour paste. A slow-simmered bowl with deep, layered spice.

Chiles en Nogada, Mexico's patriotic dish: roasted poblanos stuffed with a sweet-savory pork picadillo, draped in a cool, creamy walnut sauce and scattered with ruby pomegranate seeds. The green, white, and red of the flag on one plate.

Sure, you can buy ready-made pizza dough, but often it contains quite a bit of fat and sometimes it’s hydrogenated. This dough is an easy, no-hassle alternative. It takes about five minutes to put together in the food processor, and it’s easy to stretch or roll out. The dough recipe makes enough for two 14-inch pizzas (or three very thin 10- to 12-inch pizzas). You can roll all of it out and freeze what you don’t use, so long as it’s wrapped airtight.

Louisiana seafood gumbo with shrimp, crab, and okra in a deep brown roux, simmered with the Cajun holy trinity, tomato, and a hit of Tabasco. Served over rice for a true Gulf Coast supper.

Red wine-marinated caribou simmered with paprika, red peppers, tomatoes, and caraway seeds, finished with sour cream. A hunter's take on classic Hungarian goulash.

Old-fashioned chicken spaghetti casserole made from scratch with a whole stewing hen, creamy mushroom roux, hard-boiled eggs, and melted cheddar. Makes two casseroles so you can freeze one for later.

Mexican vegetable pie with corn, pinto beans, tomatoes, and picante sauce baked in a cornmeal crust and topped with melted Monterey Jack cheese. Vegetarian and ready in 30 minutes.

Joy's carrot cake folds crushed pineapple, pecans, and cinnamon into a tender crumb, finished with cream cheese icing loaded with coconut, raisins, and toasted nuts. A bakery-style classic.

Hearty black bean soup with cubed ham, cumin, oregano, tomatoes, and a splash of dry sherry. Simmers in 30 minutes and freezes beautifully for meal prep.

Carrot cake spiked with vodka and orange zest, loaded with pecans and warm spices, baked in a Bundt pan and finished with a boozy orange glaze. Cocktail hour meets cake hour.