Recipe Sifter

Curried deer (venison) stew with curry powder, tomato paste, raisins, grapes, and diced apple simmered for 90 minutes. A sweet-savory game curry that tames venison's wild flavor.

Tender rice simmered with tuna, stewed tomatoes, mixed vegetables, and melted cheddar in a one-pot Creole-style dish.

Chocolate sour cream fudge cake gets its dense, moist crumb from melted unsweetened chocolate, brown sugar, and a splash of hot coffee that deepens the cocoa without tasting like coffee.

Vinaigrette potato salad with olive oil, lemon, white wine, and Dijon mustard instead of mayonnaise. A lighter make-ahead potato salad with hard-boiled eggs and shallots.

Chinese lamb hot pot with a homemade lamb bone broth, shredded lamb, bean thread noodles, cloud ear fungus, bean sprouts, and Szechuan mustard greens. A communal fire pot meal.

Aloo Gobi with diced potatoes and cauliflower cooked in ghee with mustard seeds, cumin, garam masala, and fresh tomatoes. A classic Indian vegetarian dish ready in 30 minutes.

Salsa Mexicana (pico de gallo) with fresh tomato, white onion, serrano chilies, and cilantro. A raw, chunky Mexican table salsa best made right before serving for maximum crunch and freshness.

Fat-free cherry cheesecake bars with cinnamon cookie crust, creamy lemon-kissed filling, and glossy cherry topping that tastes like splurging but keeps calories in check.

Angel hair pasta tossed with Mexican turkey picadillo, garlic, jalapenos, and tomato sauce, finished with fresh green onions. Weeknight Mexican-Italian mashup ready in under 30 minutes.

Mix and match cereal gorp is a no-cook trail mix with cereal, nuts, dried fruit, and chocolate chips. Build your own flavor combo and chill for an hour before snacking.

No-cook tofu strawberry dessert sweetened with honey and vanilla, topped with fresh berries and sliced hazelnuts. Ready in 15 minutes. A light, dairy-free treat with just 5 ingredients.

Baked cheese and spinach fondue with cubed white bread, eggs, and American cheese in a savory custard. A make-ahead brunch casserole that's part strata, part souffle.

Roasted roma tomatoes on toast with balsamic-ginger glaze, lemony goat cheese, and peppery arugula on olive-oil crisped sourdough. A restaurant-style vegetarian appetizer or light main.

Linda Williams' many bean soup with mixed dried beans, a ham bone, tomatoes, carrots, and chili powder. A slow-simmered Southern bean soup built to feed a crowd.

Spinach salad with a creamy blended lemon dressing made from sour cream, lemon juice, garlic, and paprika. A tangy, no-cook side salad ready in 10 minutes.

Pigs in a blanket the old-country way: cabbage leaves wrapped around sausage and rice, layered with sauerkraut, tomatoes, and browned pork chops, then braised low and slow until everything melts into one pot.