Recipe Sifter

Cajun seafood dirty rice loaded with shrimp, lump crab, homemade shrimp stock, and the holy trinity. Spiced with cayenne and thyme for that real Louisiana bayou flavor.

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.

Fettuccine with peas, ham, and mushrooms in a Parmesan cream sauce. A rich, one-skillet pasta dinner with browned mushrooms and sweet pops of green peas in every forkful.

Mixed berry cobbler with boysenberries, blueberries, and raspberries under a buttery cream biscuit topping. Baked until bubbling and golden, served warm with cream.

Texas BBQ beef brisket: seven pounds of brisket smoked low and slow with paprika rub and wood chips, finished with a tangy homemade sauce built from the pan drippings.

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.

A succulent dish made with chicken breasts, spinach, ziti pasta and gorgonzola cheese.

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.

Easy Boston cream pie made the no-bake way: a split yellow cake layer sandwiched with silky vanilla pudding, then crowned with a glossy chocolate-cream topping spiked with almond extract.

Classic Oysters Rockefeller baked on the half shell under a buttery spinach topping spiked with Pernod and anchovy, layered with crisp bacon and a browned breadcrumb crust. The New Orleans appetizer, done right at home.

Dark chocolate sea salt cookies, intensely cocoa-rich slice-and-bake sables studded with bittersweet chocolate and flecked with fleur de sel. Slightly underbaked for a soft, fudgy center and a salty-sweet finish.

Herb crusted beef filet with a red wine demi-glace and crispy sweet potato straws. Seared with thyme, oregano, and rosemary then oven roasted for a restaurant-quality dinner at home.

[Note: Bobby Flay, chef of NYC's Mesa Grill, prepared this dessert for a Meals on Wheels benefit meal at the Frontera Grill in Chicago

French-style pork medallions braised in a classic brown sauce with mustard butter, capers and a bouquet garni. Restaurant-technique dinner served with glazed turnips and potatoes.

Baked Brussels sprouts gratin with bacon, heavy cream, butter, and bread crumbs. Blanched sprouts and chopped bacon bake in cream until bubbly with a golden, crispy top.

Margarita shrimp with fettuccine: tequila-lemon-marinated shrimp dipped in egg and flour, seared, and served over pasta with a lemon-ginger-wine butter sauce.