Recipe Sifter

Dark chocolate brownies made with both unsweetened and semi-sweet chocolate plus brown sugar for chewy edges and a fudgy center. The bake-sale classic with deep chocolate flavor.

Oatmeal currant drop biscuits combine quick oats, soaked currants, and buttermilk in a cinnamon-scented dough that drops by spoonful onto the pan. Soft, lightly sweet, and ready in 35 minutes.

Enjoy a decadent chocolate cake that melts in your mouth. The proof is in the pudding. When you're searching for a delicious dessert, add this one to your recipe repertoire.

Fresh or in a pinch canned tomatoes add depth to the rice in this fluffy pilaf. A great side dish and I usually finish cooking the rice using my rice cooker while I'm busy watching the Food Network!

Lobster, Normandy Style (Homard a la Normande) recipe

Persian-style pilaf with basmati rice, red lentils and sour cherries perfumed with turmeric and cumin, finished with a buttery golden crust. A sweet-tart, aromatic side or vegetarian main with real character.

Leek and pea risotto with grilled calamari crowns creamy arborio with flash-grilled squid tossed in lemon-scallion vinaigrette. Bright, briny, deeply savory.

Maple syrup shortbread bars with a buttery shortbread base topped with a brown sugar, maple syrup, and toasted walnut layer. A two-layer cookie bar that's part shortbread, part praline.

Garlic asparagus finished with a bright squeeze of lime instead of the usual lemon. Fresh spears sauteed with garlic, shallots, and a little butter for a fast, light vegetable side.

Pineapple streusel galette with fresh pineapple slices on butter pastry, topped with brown sugar crumble and brushed with warm apricot glaze. Rustic, golden, and stunning.

Authentic Cajun blackened chicken with a spicy Paul Prudhomme-style seasoning rub. Cast-iron skillet seared at smoking-hot temperatures for the signature charred crust. Best done outdoors or under a commercial vent.

Intensely rich chocolate mousse made with 1 1/2 cups cocoa, cognac, and strong coffee. No melted chocolate needed. Whipped cream and beaten egg whites keep it impossibly airy despite the deep, dark flavor.

Buttered rum sauce with fresh pineapple chunks in a brown sugar syrup. Dark rum and butter combine with caramelized pineapple for a warm dessert topping that keeps a week.

Malai kofta are golden-fried potato and paneer-style balls stuffed with cashews and raisins, simmered in a cashew-cream sauce warmed with cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cayenne. A North Indian restaurant classic.

Chinese-style salsa with sautéed shiitake mushrooms, teriyaki, fresh tomato, scallions, and sesame oil. A savory umami-loaded dip with chili heat and bright cilantro lift.

Herb-crusted trout fillets pan-fried in brown butter with Dijon mustard, five fresh herbs, and garlic chili spinach on the side. A restaurant-quality fish dinner in 30 minutes.