Recipe Sifter

Traditional lasagne from Bologna uses handmade egg pasta, a long-simmered pork Bolognese with white wine and cream, silky bechamel, and Parmigiano-Reggiano. No mozzarella, no ricotta, just the real deal.

Bread machine pepper spice bread with black pepper, star anise, cinnamon, allspice, pecans, and honey. A warmly spiced yeast loaf with an unexpected peppery bite.

Buttered rum pound cake: a tall, tender sour cream pound cake with vanilla and lemon notes, lightened by whipped egg whites folded in at the end. A Southern holiday classic for slicing and sharing.

Sweet potato pecan pie with a buttery brown sugar streusel topping. Two Southern holiday classics in one pan, with a silky custard filling and a crunchy crown.

Saucy chocolate cake that creates its own hot fudge sauce as it bakes. Cocoa batter topped with brown sugar and boiling water transforms into cake over a pool of warm chocolate pudding.

Rice-stuffed Cornish hens with a sweet filling of raisins, walnuts, honey, lemon juice, and cinnamon. Roasted with butter-rubbed skin until golden and juicy.

Whole wheat pumpkin tea ring with cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and raisins. Honey-dipped dough balls baked in a tube pan for a pull-apart fall bread.

Southern pecan pie with both dark and light corn syrup in a deep dish shell, baked low and slow for a gooey, caramelized filling loaded with whole pecans.

Carrot raisin salad tosses grated carrots with crushed pineapple, plump raisins, and a yogurt-mayo dressing, then crowns it with shredded coconut. The retro diner side dish that still earns its place at every potluck.

Hearty vegetable soup with 7-grain cereal, tomatoes, green beans, corn, mushrooms, and winter squash simmered until tender: finished with canola oil and fresh parsley for bright flavor.

Almond torte made in the food processor with almond paste, butter, and a generous lift of eggs. Dense, marzipan-rich, and ideal with coffee. The processor method takes the work out of beating.

Boozy bundt cake soaked in an apricot-rum glaze that seeps into every crumb. A showstopper dessert that tastes fancy but starts with a box mix.

Impressive braided bread loaves filled with cinnamon apples and topped with streusel and almonds. Made with thawed frozen dough for easy preparation. The ladder shape shows off the pretty filling.

Apple-bacon quiches layer Canadian bacon and tender sliced apples with Swiss cheese in a savory caraway-and-mustard custard, baked in individual tart shells. A brunch crowd-pleaser.

Two-layer banana cake studded with chopped Butterfinger bars, spiked with dark rum, and coated in a glossy semisweet chocolate ganache. A showstopper that can be made 2 days ahead.

Tender spare ribs baked in a tangy homemade sauce with lemon juice, vinegar, Worcestershire, and brown sugar until fall-off-the-bone.