Recipe Sifter

Authentic South Texas skirt steak fajitas marinated in beer, lime juice, chili powder, cumin, and jalapenos for 6 to 8 hours. Grilled over mesquite for real Tex-Mex flavor.

Cereal crunch coffee cake with crushed wheat flakes baked into the batter and a cinnamon-cereal crumble on top. A lighter brunch cake with raisins, brown sugar, and a hint of nutmeg.

Italian vegetarian lasagna layered with sherry-sautéed mushrooms, zucchini, spinach, and bell peppers with a three-cheese ricotta-cottage-Parmesan filling. Lighter than meat lasagna, still hearty.

Pasta salad with currants, olives, and pine nuts tossed in a curry-lemon-parsley vinaigrette. A make-ahead vegetarian penne salad with Mediterranean and Indian flavors in every bite.

Pork chili con carne with ground pork, tomatoes, kidney beans, and chili flakes. A leaner twist on classic beef chili with a quick 40-minute simmer.

Almond rice casserole packs brown rice, TVP, miso, and toasted almonds into a hearty vegetarian main dish. Earthy thyme and marjoram tie it together. Bakes or microwaves with the same simple assembly.

Almond Cookies: tender Italian-style cookies built on real almond paste, butter, and almond extract. Pressed flat with a sugared glass for crackled, sparkling tops. Makes 5 dozen.

Oven-baked potato wedges with crispy skin, made with just cooking spray instead of deep frying. Soak, shake in a bag to coat, and bake at high heat for golden, low-calorie fries.

Danish pastry dough is the classic laminated yeast dough behind bakery wienerbrod: enriched with eggs and milk, folded with a full pound of butter to create dozens of shatteringly flaky layers.

Meatless red beans and rice simmers dry red beans with onion, garlic, and a clever pinch of fennel seed that echoes sausage, cooked down to a thick, creamy gravy and spooned over rice. Vegan comfort, no meat needed.

Potato, sausage, and leek gratin layered with smoked sausage, green onions, and milk, topped with buttered breadcrumbs and baked golden. A hearty, cheeseless one-dish dinner gratin.

Apple raisin walnut quick bread: diced apples, plump raisins and toasted walnuts in a buttermilk batter, topped with cinnamon sugar streusel. Makes two loaves perfect for fall gifting.

Homestead salad with mixed vegetables and kidney beans in a cooked sweet vinegar dressing with mustard. Make a day ahead for the best flavor.

Creamy German-style cucumber and potato soup with dill, white pepper, and grated onion. A comforting hot soup that turns humble ingredients into something silky and elegant.

Old-fashioned sausage and apple stuffing with walnuts, sage, thyme, and toasted bread cubes. A classic Thanksgiving turkey stuffing with McIntosh apples and pork sausage.

Irish potato bread made easy in the bread machine. Mashed potato and potato water give this soft, moist loaf a tender crumb that stays fresh for days. A simple, comforting everyday bread.