Recipe Sifter

Czarnina is a traditional Polish duck soup: a dark, sweet-and-sour broth of duck or goose with pork ribs, dried prunes and cherries, soured with vinegar and enriched with cream. Served with egg noodles or dumplings.

Hubbard squash and yams simmer in coconut milk with cinnamon and cloves for a lightly sweetened West African side dish ready in 25 minutes.

A scrumptious and decadent fruitcake made with golden raisins, candied fruit and delicious blackberry cordial wine.

A light sponge cake rolled with whipped cream, applesauce, and walnuts for an elegant holiday dessert that looks impressive but comes together quickly.

One-pan baked couscous with chicken, Cortland apples, golden raisins, and toasted almonds spiced with cinnamon, coriander, and cloves. A 35-minute Moroccan-inspired dinner.

This scrumptious pot roast is made with beef gravy and gingersnap cookies.

Italian tomato bisque made with fresh roma tomatoes, sweet onions, whole cloves, fresh basil, and a splash of half-and-half. A silky, fragrant soup finished with chives and a balsamic drizzle.

A moist, lightly spiced snack cake. I have made this using butter or shortening, and both work fine. The butter method is a bit richer in flavor, though.

Spiced beet pickles cooked in a sweet apple cider vinegar syrup with cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and lemon. Old-fashioned home canning recipe for sweet-tart pickled beets.

No-molasses gingerbread made with cane syrup instead, giving a milder, less bitter flavor with cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. Bakes in a 9-inch square pan in 30 minutes. A Southern-style classic.

Four-layer blackberry jam cake with walnuts and warm spices, glazed with jammy caramel loaded with raisins. Impressive Southern dessert for special occasions and holidays.

A succulent pot roast dish made with red wine vinegar and a variety of other herbs and spices.

Classic Quebec-style roast goose stuffed with bread, currants, and apples, slow-roasted with aromatic vegetables and finished with a white wine pan gravy. A showpiece holiday roast.

Microwave glazed baked ham with brown sugar, dry mustard, pineapple rings, and whole cloves. A retro holiday ham done in under 30 minutes of cook time.

Homemade Sri Lankan curry powder blends dry-roasted coriander, cumin, fennel, fenugreek, cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves with curry leaves and cayenne. Stores for months in an airtight jar.

Pfeffernuesse are traditional German Christmas peppernut cookies, fragrant with cinnamon, clove, nutmeg and a hint of black pepper, studded with citron and almonds and a touch of brandy. A heritage holiday cookie.