Recipe Sifter

Rouladen are classic German beef rolls: thin-pounded round steak wrapped around mustard, onion, bacon, and a pickle spear, then braised slowly in a rich pan gravy. Served with red cabbage and boiled potatoes for a proper Sunday supper.

Sauteed mushrooms, carrots, peppers, and onions folded into mashed potatoes, wrapped in homemade whole wheat dough, and baked golden. A hearty vegan loaf for Sunday dinner.

Jewish caponata with eggplant, tri-color bell peppers, green olives, capers, and a sweet vinegar sauce. Serve warm as a side dish or chilled as an appetizer.

German potato salad with a hot beer dressing thickened roux-style with flour and butter, sharpened with mustard and Tabasco, finished with crispy bacon and onion.

Yummy bacon-topped cheese soup is a microwave-friendly cheddar soup loaded with bacon, celery, carrot, onion, and green bell pepper, finished with crisp bacon on top.

Beef soup with liver balls: short ribs simmered into a rich, skimmed broth with carrots and tomatoes, then dropped with tender liver dumplings seasoned with marjoram and mace. Old-world comfort in a bowl.

Grape harvester's soup is a French country pot-au-feu with garlic-studded chuck roast, cabbage, turnips, leeks, and tomatoes simmered until fork-tender. A hearty, rustic one-pot meal for cold weather.

Cajun chicken and sausage gumbo with a dark roux, ham, two kinds of sausage, Creole seasoning, and cayenne. A Louisiana party pot that feeds 15 to 20.

A rich, velvety Chesapeake-style oyster bisque simmered with bay leaf, finished with cream and a splash of dry sherry. Serves 24 for elegant entertaining.

Chicken and stuffing bread machine loaf with cooked chicken, stuffing mix, mushrooms, celery, and poultry seasoning. Savory yeast bread that tastes like Thanksgiving in slice form.

Not Just Regular Beef Stew: a refined version with seared tenderloin cubes, red wine, clove-studded onion, and grated potato as a natural thickener. Pearl onions and fresh parsley finish.

Chicken and andouille sausage gumbo with a dark lard roux, okra, the holy trinity, and a seven-spice seasoning mix. Authentic Louisiana gumbo served over rice.

A basic and succulent beef dish that's easy to make when in a hurry. Best served with a fresh loaf of crusty bread.

Tuna mac and cheese with green olives, celery, and a sour cream and white wine sauce. Layered with American cheese and baked until golden. A retro casserole with grown-up flavor twists.

Country chicken pie tops a creamy chicken-vegetable filling with cheddar pinwheel biscuits made from baking mix. The biscuit roll-up trick gives every slice a swirl of melted cheese.

Cheddar beer vegetable soup with a roux-based broth, mushrooms, and tender-crisp broccoli kept whole and added to the bowl. Two cheeses, one beer, and a soup that lives up to its name.