Recipe Sifter

European-style spice cookies with ground hazelnuts, lemon zest, and warm cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg. Topped with a whole almond and egg-glazed for a glossy finish.

Soft molasses cookies spiced with ginger, cinnamon, allspice, and cloves. A classic LA Times recipe that bakes up thick, cakey, and deeply spiced.

Traditional Mexican meatball soup with mint and cilantro in the albondigas, simmered in rich beef broth with chayote squash, carrots, cabbage, leeks, and small pasta.

Traditional Mexican squash blossom soup with zucchini, corn, epazote, and chilies in a tomato broth finished with cream. A beloved seasonal dish showcasing flores de calabaza.

Sour cream bundt cake with a hidden layer of cinnamon, brown sugar, and chopped pecans. Made with whole wheat flour for a heartier crumb. Dust with powdered sugar and serve warm for brunch.

Sourdough blueberry muffins made with whole wheat flour and sourdough starter for a tangy, tender crumb. Mixed by hand and baked until golden.

Homemade spaghetti marinara with garlic-infused olive oil, simmered tomatoes, basil, oregano, and a kick of red pepper. A from-scratch Italian classic in about an hour.

Spargelgemüse: tender boiled asparagus drizzled with browned butter and freshly grated Parmesan, garnished with sliced hard-boiled egg. A classic German side in just 30 minutes.

Spiced apple bran muffins with shredded apple, walnuts, bran flakes, brown sugar, cloves, and nutmeg. Baked in 20 minutes for a hearty breakfast.

Cheesy Southwestern spoon bread with creamed corn, green chiles, and cheddar baked golden in one pan. This custardy cornbread side is somewhere between cornbread and a savory pudding, and it goes with everything.

Spring kichadi with basmati rice, mung beans, seasonal vegetables, and a ghee-toasted spice base of cumin, mustard seeds, and turmeric. A gentle, nourishing Ayurvedic one-pot meal.

Meatless potato and pinto bean chili spiked with jalapeño, cumin, allspice, and chili powder in a chunky tomato-vegetable broth. Filling, vegan, and on the table in an hour from one Dutch oven.

Starlight double-delight cake, the retro Pillsbury bake-off winner where a chocolate-peppermint cream cheese frosting doubles as part of the batter. Two moist mint-chocolate layers, frosted in the same blend.

Flaky buttermilk raisin scones with a hint of nutmeg, brushed with egg white and sugar for a golden crunch. Ready in 45 minutes with a whole-wheat variation included.

These are great! Nice and healthy, big hit in our family.

Summer vegetable spaghetti tossed with zucchini, yellow squash and green beans in a light tomato sauce with a pinch of chili powder. Low in fat, no oil needed, and just as good served cold as a pasta salad.