Recipe Sifter

A puffy baked pancake rises dramatically in the oven, then gets filled with warm pineapple-coconut sauce. The edges turn golden and crisp while the center stays custardy and soft.

These corn blinis are topped with roasted bell peppers, marinated artichoke hearts, olives and arugula leaves. They are so cute, easy to pick up and pop into your mouth. A great appetizer when you have company to come over or host a party.

Suzy's lime cheesecake with a toasted coconut crust and a mousse-light filling set with gelatin, whipped cream, and beaten egg whites. Brighter and airier than a baked New York style.

Fat-free multigrain pancakes with whole wheat flour, cornmeal, oatmeal, and a tangy buttermilk-sour cream base. A high-fiber breakfast that beats heavy diner pancakes.

This is plain cornbread, not a corn flavored cake, so don't expect it to be fluffy or sweet. It's great with black-eyed peas, new potatoes, green onions, sliced tomatoes, and buttermilk, i.e., your basic Southern farm fare. It's also very nice cold, broken into bite-sized pieces in a glass of cold milk and eaten with a spoon.

Bohemian apple waffles with chopped fresh apples folded into a cinnamon-spiced batter and lifted by whipped egg whites. Crisp on the outside, cloud-tender inside, served with maple syrup.

Hershey's chocolate brownies bake a one-bowl cocoa batter with corn oil and egg substitute for a lower-cholesterol take on the classic. Fudgy centers, crackly top, dusted with powdered sugar.

Daddy's peanut butter cookies: classic crisscross-pressed peanut butter cookies sweetened with both brown and white sugar for chewy edges and tender centers. The everyday cookie kids ask for.

Vanilla buttermilk whole wheat pancakes turn out fluffy and tender thanks to tangy buttermilk and whisked egg whites. Whole wheat flour, a touch of cornmeal, and warm cinnamon make a wholesome stack worth waking up for.

Reduced fat brownies made with applesauce, cocoa powder, and melted unsweetened chocolate. Fudgy and rich with less oil, topped with toasted walnuts.

Low-fat double chocolate brownies that don't taste like a compromise: unsweetened chocolate, cocoa, and chocolate chips with applesauce standing in for most of the butter. Rich, fudgy, and made with whole wheat flour.

Skinny chocolate cupcakes: deep, fudgy cocoa cupcakes made with pureed prunes instead of butter. Weight Watchers-friendly, lightning fast, and surprisingly rich. No one will guess the secret.

Lighter chocolate banana fudge cake made with whole wheat flour, mashed bananas, and egg whites instead of butter and yolks. Topped with a glossy cocoa glaze and chopped walnuts. Rich without the heaviness.

A rich, velvety devil's food cake with a secret weapon: tomato sauce that adds incredible moisture and depth. Topped with a billowy classic boiled icing spiked with orange juice and vanilla.

Traditional British Christmas plum pudding with cognac-soaked dried fruit, walnuts, suet, and warm spices, steamed in a mold and served with brandy butter sauce. A Victorian holiday classic.

Diabetic-friendly cocoa cake made with liquid sweetener, egg whites, and minimal sugar. A meringue-folded chocolate layer cake for diabetic dessert needs without sacrificing flavor.