Recipe Sifter

Classic pecan pie from Dear Abby columnist Abigail Van Buren, built on corn syrup, brown sugar, and whole pecans scattered across the top instead of stirred in. The old-school Southern holiday standard.

Homemade Jos Louis cakes (gateaux Jos Louis): French Canadian chocolate sandwich cakes with fluffy marshmallow-style vanilla filling and a rich chocolate icing coat. A Quebec childhood classic.

Carrot pie with pureed carrots baked in a spiced custard filling with cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Tastes like pumpkin pie's sweeter, brighter cousin.

White Lily pound cake bakes a classic Southern butter-and-shortening pound cake with vanilla and almond extracts in soft White Lily flour. A Southern grandmother's pound cake recipe.

Angus Barn chocolate chess pie copies the famous Raleigh steakhouse dessert: rich, fudgy filling baked into a crackly-topped pie that's somewhere between brownie and pudding. Seven ingredients, no fancy steps.

Dark zucchini bread made with brown sugar, molasses, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg. Deeply spiced and extra moist from three cups of grated zucchini.

Oven chicken croquettes bake instead of frying, with cooked chicken bound in thick bechamel, rolled in parmesan breadcrumbs, and drizzled with butter for a golden crust. A lighter take on a retro American classic.

Fruitcake cookies packed with candied pineapple, cherries, golden raisins, and toasted pecans, spiked with brandy and warm spices. All the holiday flavor, none of the doorstop.

Very tasty and you can definitely notice the great flavor from all these spices.

Creamy cheesecake with poppy seeds throughout, almond crust, and sour cream topping. Ultra-low temperature baking creates silky texture in this two-hour cheesecake.

Creamy cottage cheese and brown sugar fold into tender muffin batter for a protein-packed breakfast that bakes up moist and lightly sweet in 20 minutes. No mixer required.

Delicious and juicy rhubarb pie to serve with family and friends, a great summer dessert that everyone loves.

This recipe, though fussy to make, is attractive and tasty. Cheryl Kaufenberg of Darien said it came from a very old Better Homes & Gardens magazine

A show-stopping New York-style cheesecake with citrus-scented filling on a buttery graham crust, crowned with raspberry sauce, peach puree, and fresh fruit. Worth every minute of the wait.

This crustless Italian sausage pie forms its own golden Bisquick crust while it bakes. Stuffed with gooey mozzarella, tangy sour cream, and fresh scallions for a savory one-dish dinner ready in an hour.

Old Pecan Street pecan pie: an Austin, Texas classic with light corn syrup, vanilla, and chopped pecans baked into a single unbaked crust. The straightforward Texas-style holiday pie.