Recipe Sifter

Ricotta cheese pound cake made with a blend of whole wheat and all-purpose flour, brown sugar, lemon zest, and nutmeg. The pureed ricotta creates an incredibly moist, dense crumb.

German beer-braised Brussels sprouts simmered until tender and finished with butter and salt. A simple 4-ingredient side dish that might convert sprout skeptics.

Rum bananas flambe with brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon in 15 minutes. A simplified take on bananas Foster that's impressive enough for guests but easy enough for a Tuesday.

Sassy bars are soft applesauce raisin bars with cinnamon, nutmeg, and a powdered sugar glaze. No eggs needed, baked in a jelly roll pan for easy big-batch baking.

Pork loin fajitas with a sweet-heat sauce of chunky salsa and peach preserves, loaded with seared peppers, onions, cilantro, and a cool sour cream finish.

Savory potato quiche with butter-sauteed potato slices dusted in Parmesan, set in a half-and-half custard with savory, dry mustard, and cayenne. A hearty, golden potato-and-egg pie.

German chocolate pretzel cookies (Schokoladenpretzel) hand-shaped from cocoa dough and topped with cocoa frosting. A fun baking project that makes about 2 dozen pretzel-shaped cookies.

Homemade sesame seed bagels: chewy, ring-shaped yeast rolls kissed with sesame seeds. Easier than you think with a classic boil-then-bake method that delivers true deli-style texture at home.

No-mix seven layer bars with graham cracker crust, coconut, chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, walnuts, and sweetened condensed milk. Just layer, bake, and slice into gooey, crunchy bars.

Ultra-tender shortbread cookies with a full pound of unsalted butter, sweetened condensed milk, and cornstarch for a melt-on-your-tongue crumble. Baked low and slow until barely golden.

Greek-style shrimp and feta tossed with fettuccine in a lemony tomato sauce with fresh basil, dill, and parsley. Serve it warm or chilled for a no-cook summer pasta.

Shrimp puff pastry loaf wrapping a buttery shrimp, tomato and red pepper filling in golden flaky pastry. Elegant make-ahead seafood centerpiece for dinner parties and holidays.

Creamy Italian shrimp risotto built on a homemade saffron shrimp-shell stock with oyster mushrooms, zucchini, white wine, and Parmesan. The extra step of making stock from the shells is what sets this apart.

I sauteed the shrimp with the spices and it turned out wonderful.Really a big hit!

Traditional Norwegian anise syrup cookies made with honey, dark corn syrup, and star anise, finished with a warm powdered sugar glaze. Soft, fragrant, and sweetly spiced. Makes 4 dozen.

Quick skillet paella with butter-sauteed shrimp, ham strips, green peas, olives, and cherry tomatoes over seasoned rice. A 30-minute shortcut to Spain's most famous dish.