Recipe Sifter

Banana cream pie with a buttery pecan-shortbread crust, a thin chocolate layer, vanilla custard folded with whipped cream and fresh bananas. Makes two pies for the county fair winner's circle.

If you want to pick a healthy recipe, this one will satisfy you!

Orange meringue pie, a sunny twist on lemon meringue with a silky fresh-orange custard, a flaky blind-baked crust, and a cloud of glossy toasted meringue. A splash of grenadine gives the filling its rosy glow.

Spinach and grapefruit salad with papaya, orange sections, radicchio, and onion rings in a lemon-paprika dressing with red pepper flakes. A bright, tropical no-cook salad.

German-style cabbage fruit salad with shredded cabbage, diced apple, raisins, and a creamy pineapple-lemon sour cream dressing. No cooking, ready in 10 minutes.

Butter-seared shrimp with fennel and lemon, topped with a tangy pineapple-ginger sweet and sour sauce. A 30-minute seafood dinner that bridges Italian scampi and Asian flair.

Stuffed artichokes in olive oil: trimmed artichoke hearts filled with fava bean and dill rice, then slow-braised in lemony olive oil. Classic Turkish 'zeytinyagli' meze served cold.

Classic Italian tiramisu with mascarpone, marsala wine, espresso-soaked ladyfingers, and grated bittersweet chocolate. A cooked egg custard base makes this version rich and silky.

Salmon en papillote steamed in parchment with seared zucchini, crookneck squash, onion, merlot, lemon butter, and Grand Marnier. A 7-minute oven finish for restaurant-style presentation.

Market pasta salad with shell pasta, broccoli, zucchini, red pepper, and cheddar in a Dijon-lemon dressing with Worcestershire and Parmesan. A colorful vegetarian side.

Helen's Beef Bar-B-Que: a tangy-sweet shredded beef sandwich filling with celery, onions, mushrooms, and a brown sugar-mustard sauce. Crockpot-adaptable, makes 10 generous servings.

Three pounds of shrimp broiled in garlic-lemon butter with a dusting of paprika. Serve with crusty French bread to soak up every drop of that buttery, garlicky pan sauce.

Steamed winter vegetables tossed in a warm orange, maple, and ginger glaze with toasted sesame seeds. Carrots, parsnips, broccoli stems, and cauliflower served hot or at room temperature.

Luxurious banana cream pie with a from-scratch vanilla custard, whipped cream, and glazed banana slices on top. A show-stopping dessert that's miles beyond the diner version.

Filet mignon brochettes marinated in red wine, honey, cumin, and coriander, grilled with sweet red peppers and red onions. A premium cut on a skewer that cooks to rare in just 4 minutes.

Rib roast of beef crusted with hot English mustard, roasted to medium-rare, and served with whipped horseradish cream sauce folded with toasted walnuts.