Recipe Sifter

Homestyle chicken barley soup with carrots, celery, onion, and thyme in a clear chicken broth. Hearty one-pot dinner that uses up leftover chicken.

Deluxe chocolate chunk walnut cookies with semi-sweet chunks and milk chocolate morsels in a chewy brown sugar dough. Bakery-style thick cookies with two kinds of chocolate.

Gesmoorde vis, the Cape Malay braised salt cod: desalted bacalhau simmered with golden onions, tomato, chili and potatoes. A South African classic, served with rice and a squeeze of lemon.

Quick rhubarb mint chutney with lemon juice, sugar, and onion. Tangy-sweet condiment for lamb, ready in 30 minutes. Make up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate.

Sage-crusted roast pork loin marinated overnight with garlic and peppercorns, served with a flambeed Calvados apple brandy sauce made from pan drippings and Granny Smith apples.

Cornmeal cookies blend stone-ground cornmeal with flour for a sandy, slightly crunchy crumb. Studded with dried cherries or raisins and warmed with nutmeg. An Italian-American Christmas tin staple.

Mixed bean soup: a hearty medley of ten beans, peas, and lentils soaked and slow-simmered into a thick, savory pot, finished with red wine and fresh parsley. Frugal, high-fibre comfort in a bowl.

Alaskan-inspired bouillabaisse loaded with halibut, clams in the shell, shrimp, and crab in a garlicky tomato-wine broth seasoned with thyme, marjoram, and hot sauce.

Golden egg bread for the bread machine with a rich, tender crumb from eggs, sugar, and vegetable oil. A challah-style loaf that's hands-off and ready in one cycle.

Mexican-style buttered corn with sauteed onion, green pepper, and pimiento. A colorful, quick side dish that goes with everything from tacos to grilled chicken.

Ground beef and potato casserole layers thin-sliced potatoes with browned beef patties and softened onions, baked together in a buttery pan jus. A five-ingredient supper that runs on pantry staples.

Black Forest cheesecake layers chocolate wafer crust, almond-scented chocolate cream cheese filling, and cherry pie topping with whipped cream. The German classic, cheesecake-style.

Spiced veal chili swaps lighter ground veal for the usual beef in a chili powder-and-cumin tomato base, finished with red wine vinegar for a brighter, more refined chili. Bean-free Texas-style.

Bread machine Italian cheese-potato bread with mashed potatoes, Monterey Jack, oregano, and eggs. Dense, savory, and loaded with flavor in every slice.

Old-school salt brine fermented dill pickles with fresh cucumbers, dill stems, garlic, and bay. The crunchy deli-style pickle that ferments in a week on your counter, no vinegar needed.

Chinese pepper steak stir-fry with thinly sliced round steak, green bell peppers, tomatoes, and bean sprouts in a savory soy sauce. Ready in 30 minutes and served over rice.