Recipe Sifter

Apples and bananas poached in spiced coffee syrup with brown sugar, fresh ginger, cinnamon stick, and orange. A grown-up fruit dessert with cinnamon pastry twists on the side.

These are delicious. And no one ever guesses how easy they are.

Cran-apple pie with sliced apples, tart cranberries, and a brown sugar filling thickened on the stovetop, topped with chopped pecans. A bright single-crust holiday pie balancing sweet and tart.

Cranapple cake baked in a tube pan with cranberries, shredded apple, and applesauce for moisture. A lower-fat fall cake with a vanilla confectioners sugar drizzle.

Slow-cooked cranberry cherry relish with raisins, whole orange, lemon, brown sugar, and warm spices. Yields 6 cups of thick, fruity condiment for holiday meals and cheese plates.

This co-winner in the filled-cookie category from Gerry Cofta of Milwaukee has a great, rich flavor in the filling.

Pork ribs simmered tender then baked in a homemade cranberry barbecue sauce with brown sugar, chili sauce, apple cider vinegar, and Worcestershire. A holiday-worthy rib recipe.

Old-fashioned creamy peanut butter pie: a stovetop custard of peanut butter, brown sugar, eggs, and milk thickened on the stove and chilled in a baked pie shell. Topped with whipped cream for the perfect pull-from-the-fridge dessert.

Crispy deep-fried Chinese vermicelli topped with stir-fried chilli vegetables in a soy, vinegar, and brown sugar sauce. A crunchy, sweet-sour vegetarian noodle dish.

This savory tomato sauce made with carrots, green bell peppers and tomatoes will become one of your crockpot favorites.

Old-fashioned drop cookies made with lard, brown sugar, and eggs. Just five ingredients, a big batch of 5 dozen, and that tender crumb only lard can give you.

Peanut butter granola cookies with raisins, brown sugar, and a chewy-crunchy texture from 2 1/2 cups of granola baked right into the dough. Thick, hearty, and packed with crunch.

Wine-soaked apple rings broiled with brown sugar, butter, and curry powder until glazed and golden. A unique side dish where apples soak in red wine for 3 hours before a quick broil with a spiced glaze.

Creamy curried zucchini soup blended smooth with no cream needed. Curry powder and cinnamon spice up five cups of zucchini into a velvety, low-calorie soup.

Chewy butterscotch brownies loaded with chopped dates and walnuts. One bowl, one pan, and 25 minutes in the oven for a batch of 16 irresistible squares.

Pumpkin pie layered with a sticky brown-sugar date and walnut base, then spiced with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. A holiday upgrade on the classic that tastes like pecan pie had a baby with pumpkin.