Recipe Sifter

Avocado Relish from Mesa Grill combines diced avocado, jalapeño, red onion, fresh lime juice, and cilantro in a 5-minute no-cook condiment. Chunky, bright, and perfect alongside grilled fish or tacos.

Baci di Dama are Italian "lady's kisses": delicate ground almond cookies with candied orange peel, sandwiched together with melted chocolate. Gluten-light, flourless-forward, and elegant enough for gifting.

Slow cooker baked bean cassoulet with dried kidney beans, molasses, tomato sauce, and smoked sausage. Low and slow for 10 to 12 hours of deep, smoky flavor.

Layered Creole vegetable casserole with okra, lima beans, corn, peppers, and tomato, topped with crumb-coated sautéed okra. A vegetarian gumbo-inspired bake that gets better the next day.

Baked zucchini and tomatoes arranged in overlapping layers with bell pepper and olive oil. A naturally vegan side dish that comes out crisp-tender in 25 minutes flat.

Whole wheat banana bread with no added fat - applesauce replaces butter and egg whites replace whole eggs. A wholesome, low-calorie loaf that stays surprisingly moist.

Lighter banana walnut cake made with egg whites instead of whole eggs, studded with walnuts and raisins. A cinnamon-spiced sheet cake baked in a 9x13 pan.

Rotisserie baby back ribs slow-cooked over coals and basted with a homemade tomato-brown sugar BBQ sauce, finished with hickory smoke. Spit-roasted for an hour until fall-off-the-bone tender.

Barbecued tempeh baked in a homemade molasses-mustard sauce with cumin, coriander, and cayenne. A hearty vegetarian main served over rice or stuffed in pita.

Basic apricot glaze simmers apricot preserves with sugar and water into a clear, golden lacquer for fruit tarts, danish pastries, and croissants. Essential pastry kitchen building block in 15 minutes.

Cuban-style black beans simmered slow with cumin, oregano, green pepper, garlic, sherry, and apple cider vinegar. The classic Cuban frijoles negros that earn their place beside any Caribbean meal.

Four ways to shape holiday butter cookie dough: cutouts with egg paint, spritz cookies, chocolate caramel marbles, and coconut macaroon wreaths. One dough, endless options.

Homemade mustard cooked with dry mustard, white wine, vinegar, and egg yolks. One base recipe, four variations: lime, tarragon, spicy, and tomato. Keeps a month in the fridge.

Kidney bean and brown rice veggie burgers pan-fried until crispy outside, tender inside. No eggs needed, just mashed beans, rice, bread crumbs, and simple spices.

A quick South Indian-style bell pepper curry with mustard seeds, cumin, turmeric, peanuts, and chickpea flour for a nutty golden crust. Ready in 15 minutes. Serve with dal and rice.

Strained berry sauce with cognac, lemon zest, and cornstarch for a glossy, clear finish. A versatile dessert sauce for ice cream, fruit, or cake.