Recipe Sifter

Buttermilk coffee cake with a streusel-style cinnamon-clove crumb topping made from the same dough. A tangy, tender 9x13 cake that doubles as breakfast or afternoon coffee snack. Stir in raisins or nuts. Freezes beautifully.

Gingerbread men cookie dough with dark molasses, brown sugar, and four warm spices. Make the dough one day, refrigerate overnight, and cut and bake the next for crisp, spiced cookies.

Peppered London broil seared in a dry pan with a flour crust, served with lime-marinated red onions and a kick of Tabasco. A bold, no-oil steak dinner for two.

Meatball stroganoff with browned mushrooms in a creamy tomato sauce made with evaporated milk, Worcestershire, and lemon juice. Serve over rice or egg noodles.

Cheese scones with sharp cheddar, whole wheat flour, and dry mustard rubbed with cold butter. A British-style savory scone that bakes tall and golden in under 10 minutes.

Mock cherry pie made from halved cranberries and raisins simmered with sugar, vanilla, and butter. The Depression-era trick gives you a tart-sweet ruby filling that fools nearly anyone hunting for the real thing.

Ale Bread: a no-yeast quick bread leavened with a bottle of ale and baking powder, optional green onions and sharp cheese baked in. Hollow-tap-test crust, ready in under an hour.

Fried cornmeal mush with tomato gravy, sliced from a chilled loaf and pan-fried until golden and crispy. A classic Southern breakfast served with maple syrup or savory tomato gravy.

Beer, sausage, and cheddar soup melts sharp aged cheddar into a beer-laced broth with sausage chunks and a mirepoix base. Wisconsin pub-style soup served with crusty bread.

Jamaican banana bread made with ripe mashed bananas, shortening, and vanilla. A simple, no-frills loaf with a moist crumb and deep banana flavor.

Marbled pumpkin cheesecake squares swirl a tangy cream cheese topping into a spiced pumpkin batter built with prune puree instead of butter or oil. Lower-fat fall dessert with cinnamon, ginger and clove.

Texan fried pies stuffed with spiced dried apricot filling in a flaky, vinegar-laced pastry. Hand-held, golden-fried, and dusted with sugar. A classic Southern dessert from scratch.

Vegan Amaretto coconut bread with silken tofu, coconut milk, and unsweetened coconut flakes. No eggs, no dairy, and toasted slices with your morning coffee are genuinely something.

Triple chocolate oatmeal cookies with blended oat flour, chocolate chips, grated Hershey bar, and chopped nuts. A massive 108-cookie batch baked in just 6 minutes each.

Low-fat fettuccine primavera tossed with broccoli, red bell pepper, and a microwave cheese sauce made from skim milk, mozzarella, and Parmesan. Light, creamy, and under 30 minutes.

Honey mustard baked chicken coated in a sticky glaze of honey, mustard, garlic, and flour, then roasted uncovered until caramelized and golden brown.