Recipe Sifter

Orange-glazed bananas baked in fresh orange juice, Grand Marnier, butter, and brown sugar with toasted walnuts. A 15-minute warm fruit dessert. Spoon over vanilla ice cream.

Almond orange chocolate biscotti: toasted slivered almonds, orange zest, and chocolate chips folded into a buttery twice-baked Italian cookie dough with a splash of amaretto. Perfect with coffee.

Brown butter blackberry charlotte with ladyfingers, eggs, and vanilla baked until crusty on top and custard-smooth inside. A French-style dessert that freezes beautifully for up to 4 months.

Refined split pea soup with fresh sorrel, ham hock, lemon, and cream, puréed silky smooth and strained. Serve it piping hot in winter or well chilled as an elegant summer starter.

Award-winning shortbread with just butter, sugar, flour, and salt pressed into thick cutouts: crisp edges, melt-in-your-mouth crumb, adorable sheep shapes with chocolate eyes optional.

This is a very easy dish to put together, just a matter of mixing all the ingredients together and baking for 30 minutes. The sauce needs to be reduced at the end of the cooking, but that only takes about 5 minutes. I suggest that you serve it with a Saag aloo and rice.

Banana Cake with Brow Sugar Frosting and Cream Cheese Glaze recipe

Slow-simmered black bean soup with a smoky ham hock, fresh thyme, and a splash of dark rum stirred in at the end. Garnished with chopped egg, parsley, and lemon slices.

A puffy, golden Dutch baby pancake with lemon zest and vanilla, topped with dark sweet cherries, sliced almonds, and powdered sugar. Dramatic enough to wow a brunch crowd, easy enough for a Tuesday morning.

A whole salmon fillet braised on a bed of buttery carrots, onions, and celery in dry vermouth with tarragon. Three sauce options from simple pan jus to a rich winey cream veloute.

Caramelized pears cooked in butter, sugar, brandy, and lemon juice until golden and tender. An elegant French-style dessert topping ready in 30 minutes.

Silky carrot leek bisque with basil, sage, and a spoonful of miso for depth. Blended smooth with reserved carrot slices stirred back in for texture. Light, warming, and ready in 45 minutes.

Velvety from-scratch cream of broccoli soup pureed until silky smooth and finished with cream, milk, and your choice of melty cheese. A warming, veggie-loaded bowl that beats anything from a can.

Golden-seared chicken breasts stuffed with tangy goat cheese under the skin, nestled on sauteed zucchini and yellow squash. A one-hour weeknight dinner that feels fancy.

The perfect spice cookie. Loaded with flavor with crispy edges and a very chewy center from the molasses and brown sugar.

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.