Recipe Sifter

This holiday fruitcake recipe may change your mind about fruitcakes. Golden, buttery, and chock full of fruits and nuts make this delicious from the first bite to the last.

Classic British Christmas fruit cake packed with fruit that will keep without refrigeration until Christmas.

Perfect for a crowd, this refreshing dessert can be made up to 2 days ahead.

For as far as I can remember my Aunt made this custard filled cake that has what seemed like 100's of layers. Unbelievably good.

Orange-spiced oatmeal raisin cookies with overnight orange-juice-soaked raisins, orange zest, and rolled oats. Plump, chewy, and citrus-bright.

My grandfather's whole wheat bread with oatmeal and cracked wheat for a bit more wholesome texture.

Classic Italian lasagna al forno with homemade tomato sauce, bechamel, ricotta, and mozzarella. A three-sauce layered lasagna with red wine in the tomato sauce and nutmeg in the bechamel.

Veal brisket braised with Marsala wine, button mushrooms, dried porcini, and 8 cloves of garlic until fork-tender. A make-ahead main that improves over 3 days in the fridge.

Orange and spice pot roast braised with orange juice, stewed tomatoes, cinnamon, whole cloves, and bacon drippings. A warmly spiced chuck roast with homemade pan gravy.

Homemade pralines and cream ice cream, a Southern custard-based ice cream studded with chunks of homemade buttermilk pralines. Real cooked custard churned with heavy cream for a proper old-fashioned ice cream parlor texture.

Frog Eye Salad with tiny acini di pepe pasta in a cooked pineapple custard, folded with mandarin oranges, marshmallows, and whipped topping. A classic potluck dessert salad.

Club cheesecake with a zwieback crumb crust and cottage cheese filling brightened with lemon zest and folded egg whites. An old-school, lighter cheesecake with a German-style base.

Love in Disguise: stuffed pig's hearts braised in tomato sauce with mustard and bay leaves. A traditional British offal dish that turns humble cuts tender and rich.

Light fruitcake is the pale, buttery holiday classic: candied pineapple, cherries and citron with golden raisins, pecans and walnuts, brightened with lemon and vanilla, then brandy-soaked and aged for weeks.

Tropical cheesecake with a coconut-almond crust, creamy pineapple filling, and fresh fruit on top drizzled with chocolate. A showstopping dessert worth the overnight chill.

Beef chunks are braised in beef stock, red wine and tomato sauce with lots of vegetables. A delicious yet filling stew that's perfect for a winter dinner.