Recipe Sifter

Blue corn biscotti studded with pistachios and pecans, flavored with anisette. Twice-baked for a crisp, crunchy Southwestern twist on the Italian classic. Built for dunking.

A tender buttermilk blueberry cake studded with toasted pecans and scented with orange rind and almond extract. Baked in a springform pan and dusted with powdered sugar.

Vegetarian Chinese boiled dumplings (shwei jow) with handmade wrappers and a tofu, mushroom, and lily bud filling. Served with a soy-vinegar dipping sauce. Makes 24.

Flaky, golden borekas filled with cheesy mashed potato or garlicky spinach, brushed with egg wash and topped with sesame seeds. A beloved Israeli and Sephardic pastry that's worth every fold.

Hearty broccoli ham hot dish layered with rice, homemade white sauce, and buttered breadcrumbs. A Midwestern casserole classic that uses up leftover ham.

A custardy lemon pudding cake baked in a water bath, served warm with a Grand Marnier blackberry sauce. Two textures in one dish: spongy cake on top, silky pudding below.

A lighter, golden fruitcake with apricots, golden raisins, candied orange peel, and walnuts in a buttery brandy batter. Baked in decorative molds for a gorgeous holiday centerpiece.

Pounded chicken breasts stuffed with Italian sausage and mozzarella, browned and simmered in a hearty red wine tomato sauce with peppers and mushrooms. Sunday dinner, Italian-style.

Old-school chicken foot soup with sauteed breast meat, carrots, onions, garlic, and herbs simmered in a roux-thickened broth with white wine. Rich, collagen-loaded comfort food served over rice.

By using braising to cook the chicken slowly over a long time creates fall-off the bone tender meat and allows the rich flavors to mingle perfectly together. Creamy and rich flavor without all the fat.

Homemade cayenne-spiked biscuit bowls cradling hearty ground beef chili loaded with kidney beans and stewed tomatoes. Pile on sharp cheddar, sour cream, and scallions for the ultimate cozy one-bowl dinner.

I received this recipe from a friend who knows I love dates. It is an outstanding chocolate square, it is moist, keeps well and freezes nicely.

Classic Italian aniseed cookies (anisbroetli or anise drops) made with whipped eggs, powdered sugar, and ground anise, dried overnight before baking for the signature crisp shell and soft middle.

Classic French-style turkey soup with golden sautéed vegetables, white wine, and a flour-thickened broth. Elegant yet simple way to use your holiday turkey carcass.

Spice up your dinner with this delectable dish made with a succulent beef steak, potatoes and acorn squash.

Italian country spice cake (torta speziata): cocoa, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves with raisins plumped in warm water and a hit of brewed espresso in the batter.