Recipe Sifter

Crispy fried dill pickle chips coated in seasoned flour and a Worcestershire-spiked egg wash. The Southern bar appetizer that flies off the plate. Served with ranch, ketchup, or horseradish.

Triple onion walnut pate blends sweet caramelized red and yellow onions with scallions, walnuts, hard-cooked eggs, and asparagus into a rustic vegetarian spread for crackers or bread.

A make-ahead beef roast with a caper sauce. Thinly sliced and arranged on a plate or cubed and served as an appetizer.

Sam Huddleston's chili is a no-bean Texas-style chili with cubed beef, toasted cumin seed, paprika, and chili powder, thickened with cracker meal at the end. Proper bowl of red.

A no-bean Southern chili built on three cuts of beef, beer, and an avalanche of spices including cardamom, saffron, ginger, and a whole cinnamon stick. Bold, complex, simmered for hours.

Pork ribs rubbed with ginger, coriander, and paprika, grilled low and slow, then glazed with a sweet-tart red currant jelly and Dijon mustard finish. Elegant enough to pair with a Cabernet.

Beefy Salisbury steak patties season ground chuck with yellow and green onion, garlic, paprika, and parsley, then grill over wood or charcoal. Simple, juicy, no breadcrumbs.

Crustless cauliflower pie with feta cheese, dill, and a tangy nonfat sour cream custard baked under a crispy paprika bread crumb topping. A lighter vegetable side dish.

Homemade cheese crackers made with sharp cheddar, flour, and butter, rolled thin and baked until crispy. Customize with curry powder, garlic salt, celery salt, or black pepper toppings.

Crispy bacon bits and cubed sharp cheddar stud these savory corn muffins spiked with smoked paprika and fresh chives. Ready in 40 minutes from mix.

Chicken thighs marinated overnight in honey, sesame seeds, lime, and warm spices like cinnamon, cumin, and ginger. Grilled or broiled until sticky and caramelized with a gentle kick of cayenne.

Consumer Reports vegetarian burger: a grain-and-bean veggie patty of cooked barley, chickpeas, and oatmeal bound with finely chopped vegetables and soy sauce. Versatile enough for patties, sausages, or meatballs.

Skinless Cornish hen halves basted with brandy, apple juice, and paprika, served over a cinnamon-scented wild rice pilaf with brandy-soaked raisins. Light, elegant, and feeds eight.

Belgian endive leaves piped with a creamy blue cheese and cream cheese filling, arranged in a spoke pattern and dusted with paprika. An elegant, no-cook appetizer for parties.

Shrimp de Jonghe is the classic Chicago restaurant casserole of shrimp baked in garlic-sherry butter under a crisp breadcrumb topping. Old-school elegance with serious flavor.

Slow cooker chili with ground beef, kidney beans, beer, and a heavy hand of chili powder and cumin. Smoky, beery, and built for tailgates and game day.