Recipe Sifter

Polish-style fried onion seasoning: finely chopped onions browned with flour in oil, finished with a knob of butter. The make-ahead golden flavor base for Polish soups, dumplings, and gravies.

Traditional turtle and ham soup simmered with cloves, bay leaf, thyme, garlic, and chopped lemon. A hearty Cajun-style wild game soup with deep, savory flavor.

Black bean pizza with mashed beans as the sauce, melted Monterey Jack cheese, and fresh avocado on top. A four-ingredient vegetarian pizza ready in under 25 minutes.

Dragon's Blood Punch with a frozen hand ice mold for Halloween. Apple juice, cranberry juice, and ginger ale create a blood-red punch with a creepy ice hand centerpiece.

Ginger and pineapple are a great pair, ginger really enhances the flavor of pineapple, also gives a bit zing.

Bean, okra, and tomato soup simmered with a ham bone for deep smoky flavor. A Southern classic that turns leftover ham into a hearty, satisfying soup.

Refreshing vodka cocktail mixing apple cider with lemon juice and a splash of strawberry liqueur, shaken over ice for a crisp, fruity drink.

Crisp radish and celery salad with low-calorie French dressing, served chilled on lettuce. A crunchy, diabetic-friendly vegetarian side dish with just four ingredients and zero cooking.

Spice cookies with pumpkin dip: molasses-and-ginger cookies rolled in sugar, served with a creamy cream cheese and pumpkin pie dip. A holiday cookie plate with a dunking twist.

Homemade tea liqueur made by steeping black tea leaves in vodka and sweetening with sugar syrup. Just 3 ingredients and 2 weeks of patience for a smooth, aromatic spirit that's a knockout in cocktails or sipped neat.

Theada's beef jerky uses an old-school boil-and-bake method with a salt-vinegar brine, finished with Liquid Smoke and A-1 sauce. A pantry-friendly homemade jerky that skips the dehydrator.

Potato skins get brushed with tangy Dijon mustard, layered with ham and roasted peppers, then topped with melted Monterey Jack cheese for a quick appetizer that's ready in 15 minutes.

Broiled lamb chops glazed with a lime, ginger, and peach syrup sauce, served alongside broiled peach halves. A sweet-tart pairing that takes under 30 minutes from start to plate.

Duxelles is a mixture of finely chopped mushrooms, shallots and herbs cooked in butter. It is used to flavor soups and sauces, as a garnish, and a stuffing. Take a thinly pounded pork chop, veal or chicken cutlet, or even a flank steak. Spoon the precooked duxelles down the center. Roll the meat and then sauté or roast it.

Baked pork chops glazed with a maple syrup, ketchup, and white wine sauce seasoned with thyme, basil, ginger, and dry mustard. A sweet and savory New England-style dinner.

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.