601 half half recipes

Buttery blueberry muffins bursting with berries thanks to a clever trick: mashing half a cup of blueberries into the batter for intense fruit flavor in every single bite.

Swiss aniseed and lemon chrabeli cookies with their signature half-moon shape and three slashed edges. Crisp, slightly dry cookies that rest overnight before baking for traditional texture.

Kalitsounia me kanella, sweet Greek cheese pastries filled with ricotta, cinnamon, and sugar, folded into half-moons and dusted with powdered sugar. Traditional Cretan Easter sweet with a tender pastry shell.

Ginger ale punch combines pineapple, orange, lemonade and limeade juices with bubbly ginger ale and soda water, finished with frozen strawberries. Crowd-pleasing punch bowl drink for showers and parties.

Spanish-style black bean soup simmered with bay leaves, celery seed, chili powder, and dry mustard. Half-pureed for thick, creamy texture, topped with sour cream and sliced egg.

Homemade apple jelly made in the microwave with apple juice, pectin, and red hot cinnamon candies for a spicy-sweet twist. Yields 6 half pints in under an hour.

Rum-scented candy logs made with powdered sugar and cherries, coated in melted caramel and rolled in crunchy pecans. A vintage holiday confection that makes half a dozen logs.

Fudgy brownies made with applesauce instead of butter, egg whites only, and just 2 tablespoons of oil. Intensely chocolatey from a half cup of cocoa powder. No icing needed.

Grilled soft-shell crab sandwiches: whole crabs grilled hot for two and a half minutes per side, piled onto rolls with green chile aioli, mixed greens, and sliced tomato.

Elegant black tie tomatoes topped with a yogurt-mayo dressing and a half teaspoon of black caviar each. Six-ingredient appetizer that dresses up halved tomatoes for cocktail parties.

Broiled chicken breasts baked in a tangy pineapple-Dijon sauce with Worcestershire, rosemary, and lemon slices. Sweet, savory, and on the table in one hour.

Zucchini halves stuffed with their own sauteed pulp, tomato sauce, garlic, and matzo meal, then baked until tender. A simple Passover-friendly appetizer that's naturally vegan.

Almond praline bell made from toasted ground almonds and honey-sweetened hard crack candy, shaped in a mold for a stunning edible centerpiece. A classic showpiece confection.

Homemade kosher garlic dill pickles with a spiced vinegar brine, bay leaf, mustard seed, and fresh dill. A classic canning recipe that yields 7 pints of crunchy pickles.

Penne with tuna sauce, an Italian pantry classic. Anchovies, garlic, and plum tomatoes simmered into a savory sauce, finished with flaked canned tuna for a quick weeknight dinner.

Fast pita pizza topped with tomato sauce, mushrooms, peppers, and alfalfa sprouts. A 10-minute vegetarian single-serving pizza using pita bread as an instant crust.