Recipe Sifter

Cajun smothered round steak braised low and slow with the holy trinity of onions, bell peppers, and celery until fork-tender. Serve sliced over rice with all that pot gravy.

Asian stir-fried egg noodles with garlic, ginger, carrots, bell pepper, and onion tossed in soy sauce and sesame oil, topped with crunchy peanuts.

Homemade Italian sausages with fennel, coriander, caraway seeds, and red pepper flakes stuffed into natural hog casings. Medium-hot heat with a real butcher shop flavor.

Grilled salmon over whole wheat apricot couscous topped with a lemony cilantro-yogurt sauce and toasted cashews. A healthy, high-fiber dinner bursting with color, ready in 30 minutes.

Flaky phyllo spirals filled with walnuts, pistachios, candied orange peel, and orange blossom water, baked golden and soaked in lemon syrup. A baklava-style treat that makes about 42 pieces.

Apple pie with a twist: cinnamon Red Hots melt into the filling with walnuts and a crumbled pie crust topping. Bubbling, spicy-sweet, and utterly irresistible.

Russian honey bread loaded with dried apricots, dates, raisins, and walnuts, warmed with cinnamon and clove. A bread machine quick bread with the rich, spiced sweetness of an old-country tea cake.

Greek-style shrimp baked with crumbled feta cheese over a slow-cooked tomato and white wine sauce. Served over angel hair pasta for a Mediterranean weeknight dinner.

Golden, bubbly broccoli cheese bake with sharp cheddar, eggs, and a light batter crust. Cut into squares for a hearty vegetarian main or side dish.

Potluck chicken casserole layers cooked chicken and rice with a creamy mushroom-mayo sauce under a crunchy cornflake topping. Feeds a crowd from one baking dish.

Roasted julienne carrots and potatoes with zucchini, yellow squash, and onion glazed in orange marmalade. Finished with a sprinkle of sesame seeds for crunch.

Maple macadamia biscotti made with real maple syrup, maple extract, applesauce, and chopped macadamia nuts. Twice-baked to a crisp, dry crunch for dunking in coffee.

Sweet and sour stuffed cabbage rolls filled with ground beef and cracked wheat, microwaved in a tangy brown sugar, tomato sauce, and lemon juice glaze. A faster take on the Eastern European classic.

A raw, no-cook borscht blended from fresh beets, avocado, spinach, cucumber, and dill. Vegan, nutrient-dense, and vibrant pink. Served chilled with alfalfa sprouts for a refreshing energy boost.

Tender yellow summer squash layered with sauteed onions, green chilis, and cheddar cheese, topped with crunchy cracker crumbs and baked until bubbly. A Southwestern-style squash casserole.

Penne in tomato sauce with crabmeat is a simple Italian pasta where plum tomatoes, white wine, and soft onion cook down into a light sauce, then get tossed with flaked crab for sweet briny richness.