Recipe Sifter

Swiss-style flan with fresh apricot halves baked in vanilla cream custard, dusted with powdered sugar and served warm or cold.

Chocolate buttermilk sheet cake with rich cocoa icing poured on while still hot. A classic potluck crowd-pleaser that bakes in under 25 minutes and feeds a big group.

Soft potato chive bread made with instant potato flakes, buttermilk, and applesauce for moisture. A bread machine-friendly yeast loaf with savory herb flavor throughout.

Lemon blossom cookies are buttery thumbprint cookies made with lemon juice and powdered sugar, rolled in chopped nuts, and filled with fruit preserves or pecans. A classic holiday cookie tray staple.

Mexican-style bow ties: hearty pasta salad with seasoned ground beef, kidney beans, corn, tomatoes, cheddar, and a zippy yogurt-salsa dressing, topped with crushed tortilla chips. Warm or cold crowd-pleaser.

Onion smothered brisket rubbed with garlic powder and paprika, seared and braised under two pounds of sliced onions. Fork-tender beef with a rich onion gravy.

Canned refried beans transform into a velvety smooth soup with chicken broth, green chilies, and cilantro, topped with melted cheese and sour cream for a quick Mexican-inspired meal ready in 20 minutes.

This recipe is my husband's specialty, good for any fresh fish. I prefer halibut but whatever your pleasure. Goes great with homemade mashed potatoes.

Authentic enchiladas verdes with poached shredded chicken, fresh tomatillo-serrano salsa verde, Monterey Jack, and sour cream. A from-scratch Mexican classic.

Old-fashioned icebox cookies with cardamom, cinnamon, lemon juice, and chopped nuts. Slice-and-bake dough that refrigerates overnight or freezes for weeks. Paper-thin and crispy.

Horseradish-breaded pan-fried fish served over buttery mashed potatoes with a fresh chive oil drizzle and crispy fried leek garnish. A restaurant-quality dinner at home.

Ham and noodle hot dish is the classic Midwestern church-potluck casserole with egg noodles, cubed ham, corn, green peppers, and cream-of-soup base, finished with a buttery corn flake topping.

Pasta with ricotta-walnut sauce blended from ricotta, yogurt, walnuts, garlic, and Parmesan with fresh herbs. A creamy, no-cook pasta sauce lighter than traditional Alfredo.

German potato salad with a warm beer dressing made from a butter-flour roux, dry mustard, and a touch of hot sauce, tossed with crispy bacon. Kartoffelsalat at its best.

Sebze bastisi: a Turkish vegetable stew with fried eggplant, zucchini, green beans, and peppers slow-baked in beef broth with garlic and parsley. Hearty, warming comfort food.

Quick chocolate macaroons with just four ingredients: unsweetened chocolate, shredded coconut, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla. Fudgy, chewy coconut cookies baked in 30 minutes flat.