Recipe Sifter

Potato cheddar and ale soup built on a base of Irish ale, sharp cheddar, russet potatoes, and a whisper of fennel seed. Pub-style comfort that turns a bag of potatoes into the best bowl on a cold night.

Soft drop cookies made with mincemeat stirred into a fluffy sugar cookie base. A nostalgic holiday cookie recipe that yields a big batch from simple pantry ingredients.

Chewy oat bran raisin cookies made with egg whites instead of whole eggs and vegetable oil instead of butter. A lighter oatmeal cookie with nuts and fiber.

Sugarplum cookies with dried or candied fruit hidden inside each ball of vanilla sugar cookie dough. Topped with creamy frosting and colored sugar for Christmas cookie trays.

Sauteed oyster mushrooms with garlic, rosemary, sherry, and soy sauce in a light pan sauce. A quick, savory side dish ready in under 10 minutes.

Cindy Schweitzer of Muskego offered this cherry twist on melt-in-your-mouth finger cookies.

Scallops, shrimp, and crab in a creamy mustard and sherry sauce baked in shells with golden breadcrumbs. A classic French seafood gratin that feels like a special occasion.

Lemon and pistachio Italian style biscotti, perfect with tea or coffee.

A classic oatmeal cookie recipe yielding chewy, golden treats with warm cinnamon notes. Optional add-ins like raisins or chocolate chips make it versatile.

Beer cheese soup blends sharp cheddar with a full bottle of beer, chicken broth, paprika, and Tabasco for a Wisconsin-style pub bowl. Finished with heavy cream and topped with buttered popcorn. The bar-snack take on cream soup.

Pan-seared chicken breasts dredged in sage and nutmeg, deglazed with dry vermouth and sweet red peppers for an elegant 30-minute dinner.

Creamy potato ham soup thickened with a butter-flour roux and milk. A simple, comforting soup with diced potatoes, celery, onion, and ham.

Brandy Beef Bourguignon: French-style braised beef with red wine, brandy, pearl onions, mushrooms, and herbs. Marinated for hours, simmered slow into silk-tender bites.

Wild game sauerbraten made with elk or deer marinated 48 hours in vinegar with cloves, bay leaves, and peppercorns, then braised and served with tangy gravy.

Santa's Thumbprint cookies with oats, brown sugar, and chopped nuts rolled on the outside, filled with jelly. A festive holiday cookie recipe that makes 3 dozen.

Tender beef cubes simmered low and slow in a tangy tomato sauce spiked with dry mustard and Worcestershire. This hearty, hands-off comfort food serves 4 over rice or egg noodles for a satisfying weeknight meal.