Recipe Sifter

Deep plum pie with halved plums baked under overlapping pastry rounds, sweetened with brown and white sugar, warmed with cloves or cardamom and thickened with quick tapioca.

Succulent chicken breast is served on top of salad greens, fresh herbs and gorgonzola cheese tossed with a simple lemon vinaigrette.

Delicious White Bean and Herb Sandwich Spread recipe

Fresh Afghan coriander chutney with garlic, green chilies, walnuts, and lemon. This vibrant 15-minute condiment is the perfect accompaniment to grilled kebabs and roasted meats.

Chicken and zucchini soup built from scratch: a whole chicken simmered with parsnip, turnip, and lemon, then enriched with browned Italian sausage, pasta shells, and grated zucchini stirred in at the end.

Deep-fried wild turkey injected with cayenne-Italian dressing marinade, then immersed in hot peanut oil for crackling skin and juicy meat. The Cajun hunter classic.

Black beans cooked from scratch with lemon juice, then sauteed with mushrooms, green chiles, carrots, and cilantro over brown rice. Includes a basic bean recipe to start from dry.

Lemony sweet potato pie with lemon extract, lemon zest, egg yolks, and milk in an unbaked pie shell. A Southern-style custard pie with bright citrus that cuts the sweetness.

Middle Eastern-style lamb hand pies with pine nuts, mint, and lemon zest baked in biscuit dough. Served with a cool minted yogurt dipping sauce.

Fresh asparagus steamed to crisp-tender and bathed in a warm lemon butter sauce with parsley and a kick of hot sauce. The simplest, brightest spring side dish.

Creole gumbo loaded with shrimp, crab, oysters, chicken wings, veal, ham bone, and okra, thickened with file powder. A true New Orleans-style gumbo served over rice.

Pear and anise skillet tart with caramelized sugar, fresh pears arranged spoke-fashion, and a lemon-anise pastry crust baked on top then flipped. A tarte tatin-style dessert with warm licorice notes.

Roast Leg of Lamb with Rhubarb Mint Chutney recipe

If you omit the raw egg, you still get a nice sauce. According to an ancient proverb, "Garlic is as good as 10 mothers." If the latest flu bug has hit your house--and whose has escaped--you may be ready to test claims for garlic's medicinal powers.

Whole chicken simmered into rich homemade broth, then combined with sweet corn, chopped tomatoes, and a squeeze of lemon for a hearty chowder that feeds eight. From-scratch comfort in a bowl.

Sun-dried tomato pasta sauce with no canned tomatoes. Dry-packed tomatoes rehydrate in boiling water, then split between a blended puree and chunky halves for real texture. Vegan, 20 minutes.