Recipe Sifter

Halloween fig spooks cupcakes built from cake mix studded with chopped figs, topped with a whole dried fig and draped in white buttercream icing for little ghost-shaped treats.

Cherry-filled sheet cake with a buttery dough base, canned cherry pie filling, and a crunchy walnut streusel topping. An easy crowd-sized dessert baked in one pan.

Filled lemon cookies sandwich thin, buttery shortbread rounds with a bright lemon filling. Slice-and-bake icebox dough with a tea party finish dusted in powdered sugar.

Shrimp Creole: Louisiana-style shrimp simmered with the holy trinity of onion, celery and green pepper in a cayenne-spiked tomato sauce, served over fluffy white rice.

Five-alarm slow cooker beef chili with cubed chuck, jalapenos, beer, and a bold hit of chili powder and cumin. No beans, no tomatoes, all heat. Texas-style.

Flourless chocolate cake built on melted chocolate, whipped butter, egg whites, dark rum, and walnuts. Frosted with fluffy ganache and crushed English toffee for a dense, decadent fudgy bite.

Focaccia with Parmesan, rosemary, and olive oil baked on a cornmeal-dusted sheet until golden and crusty. A simple yeast bread with a one-hour rise and just a handful of ingredients.

Fragrant pilaf with basmati rice, chickpeas, fresh tomatoes, mustard seeds, and turmeric finished with cilantro and cayenne. A vegan Indian-inspired rice dish in 45 minutes.

French apple spice cake with cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, chopped walnuts, and raisins. An oil-based one-bowl cake that starts by macerating apples in sugar.

Fresh asparagus with browned butter, Parmesan cheese, and sliced hard-boiled egg. A simple, elegant side dish where nutty brown butter and salty cheese make asparagus shine.

Fresh corn muffins with real corn kernels, buttermilk, and cornmeal baked at high heat for a crispy crust. A no-sugar cornbread muffin with pops of sweet fresh corn in every bite.

Fresh herb turkey loaf with oats, egg whites, red bell pepper, celery, parsley, and basil. A lighter take on meatloaf that's leaner and packed with vegetables.

Fresh jalapeno corn muffins fold whole corn kernels, minced jalapeno, and shallot into a buttermilk-cornmeal batter for a sweet-spicy breakfast or chili-side muffin. Freezes beautifully.

Fresh pear pie with sliced pears spiced with mace, baked in a single crust under a brown sugar streusel topping. Classic fall fruit pie with crumb crown.

Fresh vegetable basil soup with potatoes, tomatoes, carrots, cauliflower, zucchini, and green peas in an herb-seasoned broth. A hearty, low-fat vegan soup.

Thai-style fried rice with red curry paste, green beans, and garlic, finished with fresh cucumber, cilantro, and scallions. Ready in 30 minutes, vegetarian, and easily made gluten-free.