Recipe Sifter

Crockpot cooked chicken simmers chicken breasts with bay leaf, parsley, garlic, and onion until tender. The hands-off way to make shredded chicken for casseroles and meal prep.

Crabs are nutritious, low in fat, and high in protein. Three and one half ounces of crabmeat contains twenty grams of protein, one gram of fat, (some of which is the desirable omega-3 fatty acids), Vitamins B1, B2, and B6, selenium, iron, potassium, and zinc.

Crabmeat supreme casserole with two pounds of crab in a buttery sherry cream sauce with mushrooms, pimentos, and a cracker crumb topping. An elegant make-ahead dish.

Chunky sweet potato soup loaded with carrots, celery, peas, and herbs, finished with nonfat sour cream and skim milk. A big-batch comfort soup that serves 16 and feels lighter than it tastes.

Creole shrimp stew with a peanut-brown roux, the holy trinity of celery, onion, and bell pepper, and tender shrimp simmered just until pink. Served over hot rice.

Broiled crab melts on Melba toast rounds with lime, green onion, and hot mustard, topped with bubbling Swiss cheese. A two-bite appetizer for parties, ready in 20 minutes.

Curried shellfish pot pie with lobster, shrimp, shiitake mushrooms, and toasted almonds in a sherry-cream curry sauce under golden puff pastry.

Cream of cauliflower soup blends mashed cauliflower into a buttery half-and-half base with onion, celery, parsley, and a pinch of nutmeg. Silky comfort soup ready in 20 minutes.

Curried corn chowder pulses half the corn into a silky puree, then folds in whole kernels with onion, peppers, cumin, and curry powder. Dairy-free, light-bodied, and ready in 40 minutes.

Homemade Boursin-style garlic and herb cheese spread with cream cheese, butter, Parmesan, garlic, parsley, thyme, and marjoram. The classic French appetizer made at home for a fraction of the boutique cheese price.

This old-fashioned egg drop soup drizzles a thin batter through a colander into rich beef broth, creating tender, wispy noodle-like strands in minutes. A frugal, warming bowl that stretches pantry staples into something special.

Mediterranean grilled shrimp marinated in olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, and oregano with a kick of hot sauce. Broil or grill in 6 minutes for a fast, protein-packed dinner.

Microwave minestrone with celery, carrots, potatoes, green beans, zucchini, and broken spaghetti in tomato broth. Low-calorie one-pot soup that cooks entirely in the microwave in 30 minutes.

Pan-fried soft-shell crabs in a Parmesan-cornmeal crust, served with a silky red chili beurre blanc made from shallots, lime juice, white wine, and cold butter. Restaurant plating, home kitchen.

A baked breakfast ham ring molds ground ham and sausage with bread crumbs and a kick of horseradish, then unmolds onto a platter with fluffy scrambled eggs piled in the center. A retro brunch showstopper.

Microwave creamy mushroom soup with fresh mushrooms, onions, sour cream, and Worcestershire. A quick single-serving soup ready in 15 minutes for two with no stovetop required.