Recipe Sifter

Old-fashioned chocolate cream pie with a silky stovetop cocoa custard thickened with cornstarch, finished with butter and vanilla and poured into a baked crust. Classic chocolate pie, no meringue mix required.

Lemon cornmeal cake with a hot lemon glaze and crushed blueberry sauce. A rustic single-layer buttermilk cake with a tender crumb and gritty cornmeal bite, finished with bright citrus shine.

Bodebiremus is a rustic German potato mush made with boiled potatoes, milk, and a touch of flour, topped with crispy cracklings or toasted breadcrumbs. Simple Bavarian comfort food at its finest.

Special Easter bread made with whole wheat breadcrumbs, candied citron, and orange zest in a bread machine. This sweet, fruit-studded loaf has Old World charm.

Southern chicken fried steak: tenderised round steak dipped in milk and seasoned flour, deep-fried golden, then served with a creamy milk gravy made from the pan drippings. A classic comfort food dinner.

Miniature quiches with a sharp cheddar pastry shell and egg custard filling. Make 48 bite-sized appetizers that freeze and reheat beautifully for parties.

Mini bacon cornbread muffins baked with real bacon fat, then piped with a spicy honey cream cheese and chive frosting. A savory bite-sized crowd-pleaser for parties.

Chocolate thumbprint cookies with a double-chocolate base and a creamy peanut butter filling in the center. A bakery-style cookie that looks fancier than it cooks.

Rolled oatmeal cookies with whole wheat flour, dried fruit, and buttermilk. Thin, crispy cut-out cookies made with oil instead of butter, no eggs required.

Light, puffy souffleed crepes made with beaten egg whites folded into a classic crepe batter. Cook in a crepe pan or bake as a flat souffle, then fill with fruit, brandy, or vanilla.

Lemon fritters: puffy, golden drop fritters fried until crisp and showered with a bright lemon sugar sauce. An old-fashioned skillet dessert done in 30 minutes.

Chocolate drop cookies are soft, cake-like buttermilk cookies made with melted unsweetened chocolate and chopped walnuts. An old-fashioned drop cookie recipe that yields 3 dozen.

It was nice and moist, if a tad on the heavy side. The recipe is actually for cupcakes, but can make one big layer. The frosting is outstanding, a definite keeper.

Fresh ginger muffins: bakery-style buttermilk muffins packed with finely chopped fresh ginger candied with sugar, plus fragrant lemon zest. The classic Marion Cunningham recipe, with serious ginger bite.

Scottish raisin oat scones with quick oats and cream of tartar for tender, traditional texture. Cut into 8 to 12 wedges, ready in 30 minutes for tea or brunch.

Warmly spiced chocolate cake with mayonnaise, sour cream, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice, topped with a cocoa cream cheese frosting. A cozy, old-fashioned charmer.