Recipe Sifter

Brandied chocolate truffles made with bittersweet ganache, Cognac, and a hand-dipped chocolate shell. A classic French confection that holds beautifully in the fridge for up to a week.

Chocolate Scotch truffles wrap toasted hazelnuts in a whiskey-spiked dark chocolate ganache, then double-dip them in melted chocolate and roll in cocoa powder. A grown-up holiday confection with three textures in every bite.

This dip can be served with chips, crackers or even smoked salmon. It can be stored for a couple of days in the fridge, so whenever you feel like snacking, take it out.

Coffee liqueur pecan pie: a glossy classic pecan pie topped with Kahlua-spiked whipped cream. The grown-up holiday pie with a coffee-cocktail flourish.

Pan-roasting prevents the broccoli from becoming limp. A quick rich, cheesy (Swiss, Cheddar or Gruyere) pan sauce captures the caramelized bits of flavor. Bring them together and everyone loves their broccoli!

Mint chocolate truffles from just four ingredients: a creamy ganache of mint chips, butter and cream, chilled, rolled into balls and dusted in chocolate sprinkles. An easy no-bake holiday candy.

Double almond ice cream layers almond extract through a custard base and folds in butter-sugar caramelized almonds. Two hits of almond, both flavor and crunch, in a classic French-style ice cream.

Five-ingredient chocolate peanut crunch ice cream made with chopped chocolate-covered peanuts churned into a simple cream and milk base. No-cook custard for an electric ice cream maker.

Homemade coconut chocolate Irish cream liqueur with scotch whiskey, fresh eggs, and heavy cream. Blend and chill overnight for a tropical twist on the classic holiday liqueur.

Pan-seared salmon over a vibrant asparagus cream sauce, made by pureeing tender asparagus tips with butter and infusing the stalks into cream. An elegant, restaurant-style spring plate.

Two-layer banana cake studded with chopped Butterfinger bars, spiked with dark rum, and coated in a glossy semisweet chocolate ganache. A showstopper that can be made 2 days ahead.

Velvety spinach soup with garlic, cream, and tender pasta ready in just 20 minutes for an elegant weeknight dinner that tastes like it took hours.

Pounded chicken thighs sear golden in butter and olive oil, then get draped in a white wine cream sauce with thyme, parsley, and capers. Bistro-style elegance in under 40 minutes.

Thick, creamy New England seafood chowder packed with haddock, scallops, lobster, and tender potatoes. A hearty bowl of coastal comfort ready in 45 minutes.

Chicken roulades stuffed with roasted poblano peppers, shrimp, cilantro, and Monterey Jack, sliced into rounds and drizzled with a buttery cream shrimp sauce.

Creamy mashed sweet potatoes topped with a buttery pecan praline sauce cooked to soft ball stage. A make-ahead Southern side dish that belongs on every holiday table.