Recipe Sifter

Orange limeade sweetened with pure maple syrup, made with fresh-squeezed orange and lime juice. A 4-ingredient natural citrus drink ready in 10 minutes, no refined sugar needed.

Fudgy brownie-style cookies packed with mint chocolate chips: melted into the batter for intensity and folded in whole for gooey pockets. Soft centers, set edges, total mint chocolate bliss.

Boiled wontons tossed in oyster sauce, light soy sauce, and sesame oil with green onion garnish. A quick 10-minute Chinese appetizer or side dish with bold umami flavor.

Low calorie salad dressing made with vegetable juice cocktail, vinegar, lemon juice, and just a touch of oil. No cooking required, ready after a quick chill.

Braised lamb shanks with oregano and garlic served over simmered lentils with celery and bay leaf, finished with lemon slices in the oven. A rustic, protein-packed one-dish meal.

Southern hush puppies with creamed corn, chopped onions, and cornmeal batter. Drop by spoonfuls into hot oil, fry until golden for moist, slightly sweet cornbread fritters.

Asian-style green salad with napa cabbage, bean sprouts, bamboo shoots, and broccoli in a soy-ginger-rice vinegar dressing. A crunchy, low-fat vegetarian side that comes together in 20 minutes with no cooking.

Badrijani Sunelebit is a classic Georgian dish of golden pan-fried eggplant slices layered with fresh basil, raw garlic, and white wine vinegar. Served cold as a salad or side.

Flour-dredged pork chops seasoned with garlic, browned golden, then slow-cooked in chicken and rice soup for 6 to 8 hours. Set it, forget it, and come home to fork-tender chops.

English cucumber and ginger conserve macerates sliced cucumber in sugar, then simmers the syrup with bruised ginger root for a translucent, spiced preserve. An old British country jam for cheese boards and tea.

Coffee death by chocolate trifle layers Kahlua-soaked brownies, chocolate pudding, crushed toffee candy bars and whipped topping in a glass bowl. A showstopper potluck dessert with five ingredients.

Crispy fried asparagus won tons stuffed with chopped asparagus and water chestnuts. A crunchy, golden appetizer ready in 25 minutes. Serve with soy sauce for dipping.

Halloween hairball salad: walnut-sized balls of mashed avocado and alfalfa sprouts rolled up and perched on grated carrots, finished with Italian dressing. Kid-friendly ghoulish fun.

Simple chicken Marsala with just six ingredients. Flour-dusted cutlets seared golden, then finished in a Marsala wine and chicken stock pan sauce. Ready in 40 minutes.

Glazed carrots in a sweet orange juice and raisin sauce thickened with cornstarch. A bright, naturally sweet side dish with no butter or cream needed.

Italian tomato pasta salad with elbow macaroni, canned tomatoes, white wine vinegar, herbs, and parmesan. A no-mayo, oil-free cold pasta salad that chills for hours to blend flavors.