Recipe Sifter

Crispy sesame chicken: bone-in pieces dredged in a sesame-seed-flour coating, pan-fried golden, then baked through. Nutty, crunchy crust on juicy chicken, not the Chinese takeout version.

Sesame-oat cinnamon swirl bread layers toasted sesame seeds, rolled oats, and whole wheat into a soft yeasted loaf with a spiral of warm cinnamon. Makes two loaves.

Soup Royale, the Italian napkin soup with a savory Parmesan-egg dumpling poached in a napkin, then sliced into cubes for a clear chicken-and-beef broth. Vintage technique that yields elegant restaurant-style soup.

Soupe a l'oignon is the classic French onion soup with deeply caramelized onions, beef stock, vermouth, and cognac, topped with garlic-rubbed bread and broiled Swiss cheese. The bistro standard, done the long way.

Light chocolate layer cake filled with whipped citrus cream and mandarin orange segments. Made with egg substitute and skim milk, this stunning low-fat dessert tastes far more indulgent than it is.

Swedish cardamom braid bread with raisins, a classic Scandinavian yeast bread shaped into a beautiful three-strand plait. Soft, fragrant, and lightly sweet.

Homemade chocolate sandwich cookies with creamy vanilla buttercream filling. Better than Oreos with the option to tint half the filling pink or green with peppermint for Valentine's Day.

Teddy bear bread shaped from a basic yeast dough with raisin eyes and belly buttons. A fun baking project for kids that makes four adorable bear-shaped loaves.

Soft, golden honey oat bread made from scratch with just 7 simple ingredients. Oat bran gives this homemade loaf a nutty chew, while a touch of honey adds gentle sweetness to every warm slice.

Velvet cake is a flourless-style chocolate showpiece pooled over white chocolate and raspberry sauces. Dense, fudgy, and made with just six ingredients in the cake itself, it slices like a torte and tastes like ganache.

Louisiana-style grillades made with grilled venison simmered in a dark roux gravy loaded with the holy trinity, red wine, and three kinds of tomatoes. Serve it over creamy grits, cher.

Hearty whole wheat bread loaded with oats, wheat germ, and cornmeal. Honey-sweetened dough yields 4 high-fiber loaves with nutty flavor and soft texture.

Wild mushroom bread made with dried mushrooms ground to a fine dust and kneaded into a buttery yeast dough. A savory, earthy artisan loaf with deep umami flavor.