Recipe Sifter

Christmas Linzer cookies, tender ground-hazelnut shortbread sandwiched with raspberry jam and dusted with powdered sugar, jam peeking through a cut-out window. A nutty, festive take on the Austrian classic.

Saganaki: Greek flaming kasseri cheese pan-fried in butter, deglazed with lemon juice and cognac, and lit at the table for an "Opa!" tableside appetizer.

Beer-braised round steak baked low and slow with onions, garlic, beef bouillon, and thyme. A fork-tender braised beef served over noodles or rice.

Kentucky bourbon cake with raisins soaked in whiskey, toasted pecans, and a bourbon brush after baking. A make-ahead Southern Bundt that gets better as it ages, wrapped in a bourbon-soaked cheesecloth.

This rich, smooth and citrus cheesecake is always a big hit, and it is absolutely a killer!

Pumpkin macaroons made with ground pecans, coconut, pumpkin puree, and maple syrup. Light and chewy egg white cookies sweetened naturally without refined sugar. Baked low and slow.

Hazelnut lemon biscotti, twice-baked Italian cookies with toasted whole hazelnuts and fresh lemon zest. Perfect dunking texture for coffee, tea, or vin santo.

Oven baked chicken Kiev stuffed with chive-lemon butter, breaded with seasoned crumbs, pan-seared then finished in the oven for a crispy golden crust.

Chewy fig bars made with dried figs, brown sugar, lemon zest, and vanilla in a simple one-pan batter. A homemade alternative to store-bought fig cookies with real fruit flavor.

A delicious summer dessert, a great recipe to use up your blueberries!

Banana ginger bran muffins with ground and crystallized ginger, oat bran, ripe banana, and a tart lemon glaze. A double-ginger muffin with whole wheat flour and high fiber.

Lemony cranberry cornmeal muffins balance tart fresh cranberries against bright lemon zest in a cornmeal-buttermilk batter, kept light by whipped egg whites and non-fat sour cream.

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

Buttery shortbread crust topped with a fluffy almond paste filling, folded egg whites, lemon juice, and flaked coconut. A Dutch bakery classic that yields 50 bars from one pan.

It's hard to resist a slice of this yummy cake for breakfast with your morning coffee.

Lemon-lime cookies with fresh citrus zest and juice, egg yolks, and butter, pressed thin and baked until crisp with a generous sugar sprinkle. Make-ahead dough keeps up to a month frozen.