Recipe Sifter

German beef strips with carrots simmered in white wine and soda water, finished with heavy cream. A classic Geschnetzeltes with tender sirloin and sweet braised carrots.

Molasses barbecued ribs get a salt-vinegar brine soak, then a grill basting of dark molasses sauce loaded with onion, pepper, celery, tomato, cloves and allspice. Smoky, tangy, sticky, and built for summer.

Molasses elephant cookies are soft, spice-laced drop cookies with cinnamon, ginger, and a splash of cider vinegar, decorated with raisin or date faces. A vintage kids' cookie made for tiny artists.

Old-fashioned strawberry shortcake biscuits made with shortening, folded with melted butter, and cut into diamonds. Flaky, tender, and baked at high heat.

Variation: Peas, hard-cooked eggs, artichoke hearts, olives, pimientos or many other foods may be used in place of the mushrooms. Swiss, Muenster, Monterey Jack, Tilsit. Mozzarella or any other cheese may be substituted for the Cheddar cheese.

Vegan peanut butter oatmeal cookies with semi-sweet chocolate chips, made with soy milk and canola oil. Chewy, pressed flat, and loaded with crunch and chocolate.

Orange poppy seed layer cake soaked in fresh orange syrup and frosted with vanilla cream cheese frosting. A stunning two-layer celebration cake with citrus flavor in every bite.

Mother's fruit cake is a brandy-soaked holiday classic with cherries, apricots, pineapple, peel, raisins, and currants bound in a spiced chocolate-scented batter. Baked slow and aged for two months.

Brisket chili built on beer, stewed tomatoes, and a fistful of red pepper flakes, thickened with masa harina and finished with a shot of tequila poured tableside.

Mash-up casserole layering chili beans, green chiles, pimento olives, and roasted red peppers under a fluffy egg-and-cheese custard. New Orleans muffaletta meets Tex-Mex chiles rellenos.

Mushroom Bolognese with finely chopped shiitake and button mushrooms in a thick tomato sauce. A hearty, low-fat vegetarian pasta sauce with deep umami flavor and meaty texture.

Cream of mushroom soup with nearly two pounds of fresh mushrooms, dry sherry, thyme, milk, and heavy cream. Rich, chunky, and homemade in 40 minutes.

Mushroom soup concentrate is a homemade replacement for canned condensed mushroom soup, built from fresh mushrooms, butter, onion, celery and broth. Use it in casseroles or thin with milk for a quick bowl.

Pureed mushroom vegetable soup with a full pound of fresh mushrooms, carrots, celery, and beef stock, finished with sauteed mushroom slices and dry sherry.

Mushrooms and tofu simmered in white wine, tamari, ginger, and sesame oil. A vegan Chinese-French fusion braise to spoon over noodles with toasted almonds on top.

A light, airy baked cheesecake made fluffy by folding in whipped egg whites, with tangy sour cream, cream cheese, lemon, and vanilla over a graham crust. The dessert worth saying yes to.