Recipe Sifter

Pan-browned whole trout on a bed of mushroom-ham stuffing, draped in a foaming Roquefort and Pernod butter sauce. A classic French fish dish for a special occasion.

Homemade vanilla wafer cookies with butter, shortening and a generous double dose of vanilla. Crisp around the edges, soft in the middle. Better than store-bought.

Banana blueberry muffins sweetened with brown sugar and lifted with lemon zest. Overripe banana puree keeps them moist, and frozen blueberries fold in cleanly.

Homemade pumpkin spice doughnuts fried golden from a pumpkin puree dough warm with cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg, then dipped in a maple glaze. Cake-style donuts for fall mornings and Thanksgiving dessert.

Pecan tarts with caramel sauce: flaky homemade pastry shells filled with a brown-butter pecan filling, baked golden, then drizzled with silky amber caramel. Individual holiday tartlets worth the effort.

Cocoa mocha bundt cake: a dark, deeply chocolatey bundt with a full cup of cocoa, brewed coffee, and buttermilk. Drizzle with caramel or chocolate sauce. From-scratch, no cake mix.

Enid's classic brownies made with melted unsweetened baking chocolate, butter, and six eggs baked in a sheet pan. Family-recipe square that yields 36 dense, fudgy bars.

Creamy cheesecake bars with fresh raspberries and a chocolate crust.

Soft sesame-topped mini bread loaves made from scratch with yeast dough. These individual rolls are perfect for breakfast or sandwiches.

Adapted this recipe from Foodnetwork magazine, I made a few changes to make it a little healthier but still taste decadently delicious.

2007 Blueberry Bake-Off Child Winner, first place No. 1 Fernando Guerrero

Made with white whole wheat flour, butter and olive oil, and chocolate chips. This whole wheat banana and chocolate chip bread is super buttery, moist, and packed with banana flavor. You can also find chunks of chocolate in every bite.

Decadent layered brownies with raspberry cream cheese filling and white chocolate glaze. Elegant Chambord-spiked dessert that slices into beautiful wedges for special occasions.

Baked mac and cheese the custard way: elbow macaroni folded into an egg-rich blend of evaporated milk, half-and-half, and sour cream with four cheeses, then baked until the top browns. No roux, all creamy.

Restaurant-style meatloaf with beef and sausage baked in a water bath for a silky, custard-like texture. Seasoned with cumin, nutmeg, three peppers, and sauteed vegetables throughout.

Nate's mulligan stew: browned chicken simmered with rutabaga, potato, carrots, peas, and parsnips, topped with unexpected buttermilk dumplings studded with wild blueberries. Frontier comfort food.