Recipe Sifter

A Depression-era chocolate cake made with no eggs, no butter, and no milk. Mixed right in the pan with the famous three-holes method, topped with rich fudge frosting.

Craig Claiborne's salt-free chili con carne with coarse-ground beef, hot and mild dried chiles, cumin, oregano, and red wine vinegar. Bold flavor without a grain of salt.

I made this dish and thought it was too bland. I made it again, doubling all the Indian spices, and it came out much better.

A big summer fruit salad tastes even better with the tropical taste of this light bread. Slices are irresistible with nutted cream cheese or chicken salad.

Chickpeas toss with crisp bell peppers, scallions, and cilantro in a cumin-spiked dressing brightened by ginger, garlic, and fresh lemon juice. Chill overnight for a make-ahead potluck winner.

Pickled green tomatoes packed with garlic, dill seed, and peppercorns in a hot vinegar brine, then water-bath canned for shelf-stable storage. The classic deli-style pickle for handling end-of-season green tomatoes.

Emily Dickinson's black cake, a dense Victorian fruitcake with brandy, molasses, raisins, currants, and citron spiced with cloves, mace, and cinnamon. Baked low and slow.

Old-fashioned sour milk jumbles cut with a doughnut cutter and sprinkled with sugar straight from the oven. Buttermilk and nutmeg give these ring-shaped cookies a tender crumb and warm spice.

Traditional Algonquin wild nut bannock made with crushed hazelnuts boiled into a paste, then fried into crispy golden cakes with deep Indigenous roots.

Thick, warming butternut squash chili with kidney beans, plum tomatoes, red wine, and a hint of orange zest. Seasoned with cumin, chili powder, and allspice. A cozy vegetarian chili for fall and winter.

Fantastic recipe! This afternoon we made this roasted carrots with cumin and chili as a side dish with barbecue, and it was delicious with grilled chicken or burger. Will be making this tasty yet easy recipe again!

Oatmeal raisin bread for the bread machine, sweetened with honey and warmed with cinnamon. A whole-grain loaf with chewy oats, plump raisins, and a tender crumb that makes great breakfast toast.

Moist British-style banana bread loaded with mixed dried fruit, soft ripe bananas, butter, and sunflower oil. A food-processor quickbread that uses a full pound of bananas.

Microwave peanut brittle: classic golden, glassy peanut brittle made entirely in the microwave in 10 minutes. No candy thermometer, no boiling pot, no fuss. Just sugar, syrup, peanuts, and patience.

Cranberry nut bundt cake studded with whole tart cranberries, dates, and nuts, then drenched in a hot orange glaze that soaks deep into the warm cake. The Thanksgiving and Christmas dessert that gets better the longer it sits.

Black bean and chicken chili simmers tender chicken breast, black beans and sweet red peppers in a spiced tomato base splashed with beer for depth. A lighter, quicker chili ready in about 45 minutes.