Recipe Sifter

Butter-seared chicken strips with mushrooms, scallions, and garlic tossed in a rich pan sauce over pasta. A romantic dinner for two that's ready in 40 minutes.

Fresh Willapa Bay oysters baked on the half shell with cognac-green peppercorn butter, fresh herbs, and melted Gruyere. A showstopping Pacific Northwest appetizer ready in 30 minutes.

Ham mousse in sherry aspic is a classic French charcuterie showpiece. Ground ham folded into whipped cream, set in a crystal-clear aspic with truffle and egg white garnishes.

Lobster stir-fried in sesame and chili oil, tossed with angel hair pasta, shiitake and oyster mushrooms, bell peppers, and a rich soy butter sauce. Restaurant-level wow factor at home.

Twice baked potato casserole gives you all the stuffed-potato flavor with none of the scooping hassle. Russet flesh baked with sour cream, bacon, cubed and grated cheddar, and green onions.

Garlic shrimp crostini on toasted French bread rounds with a garlicky cream cheese spread, cherry tomato halves, and fresh parsley. Makes 24 bite-sized party appetizers.

Grilled pork tenderloin with a cumin-chili rub, served with Michigan dried cherry chutney and a cider bourbon sauce. A restaurant-caliber dish with three bold components.

This is my son's recipe for sea scallops, He is executive chef at the East End Cafe in Washington.

Garlic stuffed mushrooms with pecans, parmesan, and a folded-in roasted garlic bechamel, baked hot until the filling sets and the tops blush with cayenne.

Pan-sauteed chicken breast with a ginger-mustard pan sauce made from Dijon, grainy mustard, and fresh ginger. One skillet, 25 minutes, weeknight ready.

Italian red snapper in brodetto: pan-fried whole fish pieces simmered in a tomato-vinegar broth with onions and scallions, served over creamy bay-leaf polenta. Coastal Italian classic.

Feta and scallion omelet seasoned with paprika and fresh dill, folded soft and fluffy. A quick brunch omelet with a Russian-style salty-cheese filling that comes together in minutes.

Classic crab cakes with lump crab, Dijon, mayo, and fresh scallions, pan-fried in butter until golden. Minimal filler, maximum crab, the Chesapeake-style version everyone wants.

Creamy mushroom and aged cheddar cheese soup with shiitake and rehydrated porcini for deep umami. A rich one-pot dinner ready in 45 minutes.

Hollowed oranges stuffed with brown rice, chickpeas, and raisins dressed in an orange-tahini sauce with cumin and paprika. A stunning vegetarian main or side.

Pasticcio di Maccheroni, the Greek baked pasta casserole layered with spiced ground beef, macaroni, grated cheese, and a rich béchamel crown.