Recipe Sifter

Harvest time pumpkin soup: creamy pureed pumpkin, potato, and carrot enriched with butter and a savory splash of soy sauce, finished with sour cream and chives. A velvety vegetarian autumn bowl.

A chocolate mousse tart with cream made from gumleaf and served with a side of rosella confit.

Chocolate vanilla chip muffins with melted dark chocolate folded into the batter and white vanilla chips studded throughout, plus chopped pecans for crunch. Bakery-style cocoa muffins ready in under an hour.

Carrots caramelize in hot oil until golden at the edges, then get tossed with tangy rice vinegar and savory black bean sauce for a quick Asian-inspired side dish with a spicy kick.

Italian meatballs and spaghetti sauce simmer parmesan-laced beef meatballs in a wine-spiked tomato sauce with onion, garlic, green pepper, basil, and oregano. Weeknight ready in 45 minutes.

Classic gazpacho, the chilled Spanish tomato soup with fresh tomatoes, cucumber, green pepper, garlic, and a bright lime-and-lemon finish. No-cook summer dish, ready after a 2-hour chill.

Almond Brownies: deeply fudgy brownies built on melted chocolate chips with almonds for crunch. Two chocolate hits (melted in batter, folded in whole) for fudgy depth and nutty contrast.

Onion and potato soup built on sweet butter-cooked white onions, shredded potato, garlic, and prosciutto, finished with grated Romano. A rustic Italian-style soup ready inside an hour.

Homemade pita bread that puffs into pockets on a hot baking sheet at 500 degrees. Four basic ingredients, no fat, freezes well, and makes 6 large or 12 small pitas.

Whole wheat buttermilk pancakes with a quick blueberry-lemon sauce. Honey-sweetened, lighter on fat thanks to egg substitute, and finished with a glossy fresh blueberry pour. A 30-minute breakfast win.

Garlic with the smashed potatoes, a very good combination, very tasty.

Cakey gingerbread squares with molasses, fresh orange zest, and warm holiday spices. Tender old-fashioned gingerbread, dusted with powdered sugar for a snowy finish.

Chocolate cocoa waffles fold beaten egg whites into a cocoa batter for crisp-edged, fluffy dessert waffles. Serve hot with whipped cream and berries for after-dinner indulgence.

My family loves Italian food so I created this recipe to fit our tastes of a savory marinara sauce that is great over pasta, in lasagna, on pizza and as a dipping sauce. We love it over cooked spaghetti squash. You can make it with the meatballs or leave them out. It very freezes well.

Indian-style lemon rice and pea chapati wraps with brown rice, mustard seeds, cumin, turmeric, and a bright lemon-tamari finish. Vegan, ready in 25 minutes when rice is pre-cooked.

This delicious Mexican Hot dog is topped with homemade or stor-bought salsa, a bit pickled jalapeno pepper rings, and sprinkled with some Mexican cheese if you like.