Recipe Sifter

Molasses elephant cookies are soft, spice-laced drop cookies with cinnamon, ginger, and a splash of cider vinegar, decorated with raisin or date faces. A vintage kids' cookie made for tiny artists.

Old fashioned cinnamon raisin braid made with potato dough for extra-soft texture. Three strands rolled in cinnamon sugar and braided into one gorgeous, fragrant loaf.

Slow cooker beef chili with stewing beef, tomato sauce, tomato paste, and chili powder cooked low for 8 to 10 hours. A no-bean, no-fuss Texas-style chili with serious depth.

One bowl chocolate fudge made in the microwave with just semi-sweet chocolate, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, and walnuts. Five ingredients, no candy thermometer, no stovetop.

Irish cheddar crouton gives the tons of flavor and crunchiness into this delicious onion soup.

Vegan orange chocolate mousse made with silken tofu, cocoa powder, brown rice syrup, and orange zest. A dairy-free, egg-free dessert with a rich, creamy texture from blended tofu.

Orange dream cake with fresh orange and lemon juice baked into a tender crumb, topped with a coconut whipped cream frosting spiked with citrus zest. Chilled and refreshing.

Orange-scented zucchini bread brightened with both orange zest and orange extract, studded with pecans. A lighter quick bread with no added oil for a tender, citrusy crumb.

Asian-inspired turkey and veal meatloaf with hoisin sauce, fresh ginger, water chestnuts, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes. A flavorful twist on classic American meatloaf.

Italian Christmas cookies (Patina di Natale) studded with toasted pine nuts and brightened by lemon zest. A buttery, golden-glazed cookie-cutter classic from the holiday tables of southern Italy.

Chilled peach soup with white wine, orange liqueur, maple syrup, and whipped cream. A silky, boozy fruit soup that works as an elegant summer dessert or first course.

Four-ingredient peanut butter shortbread with butter, sugar, peanut butter, and flour pressed into a pan and baked low and slow. Sandy, crumbly, and nutty with no mixer or rolling required.

Chocolate peanut butter shortbread baked in a tart pan with a cocoa crust, creamy peanut butter filling, and a chocolate Kiss topped with a whole peanut on every wedge.

Pecan coffee cake with a thick brown sugar-cinnamon crumb topping loaded with pecans. Egg whites keep the cake tender and light under that crunchy crust.

Classic double-crust apple pie with tart apples, cinnamon, and a whisper of nutmeg. Thinly sliced fruit and a flour-sugar coating give a clean-slicing filling that holds shape after cooling.

Phyllis's avocado quick bread with mashed ripe avocado, sour milk, pecans, and a mix of unbleached and whole wheat pastry flour. Faintly green, tender, and a clever way to use up an over-ripe avocado.