Recipe Sifter

Crispy lemon oatmeal cookies made with egg whites, brown sugar, and rice cereal for extra crunch. No butter, no yolks. A lighter, citrus-bright cookie.

Paprika-rubbed chicken breasts chargrilled until smoky, sliced over fluffy couscous tossed with toasted pine nuts, dried apricots, and fresh coriander. A vibrant 40-minute dinner with North African flair.

Quick black bean and salmon appetizer with cumin, lime, and a kick of red pepper, scooped up with crispy baked corn tortilla chips. Diabetic-friendly and ready in 30 minutes.

Homemade bourbon barbecue sauce with molasses, ketchup, red wine vinegar, soy sauce, and dry mustard simmered until thick and smoky. A rich, complex glaze for ribs, chicken, or brisket.

Rich chocolate cupcakes hiding a cream cheese and chocolate chip center that stays molten and gooey. The cocoa batter gets its lift from vinegar and baking soda, yielding a tender, fudgy crumb. Makes 3 dozen crowd-pleasers.

Santa Fe black bean cakes made from scratch with dried black beans, bacon, serrano chiles, ancho powder, and cumin. Pan-fried until crisp and served with sour cream and salsa.

Fresh garden tomato pasta salad with Roma tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, and a full cup of fresh basil. Served hot or chilled, this simple summer pasta celebrates peak-season tomatoes.

Orange braised pork shoulder with port wine, dried figs, apples, and fresh orange, slow-simmered until fork-tender. Served over sesame brown rice.

Romaine salad with tomatillos, ripe tomatoes, avocado, lime juice, olive oil, and fresh cilantro. A California-Mexican inspired composed salad with no-toss presentation.

Two-day sourdough potato rye bread with molasses, cornmeal, mace, and poppy seeds. A dense, earthy loaf with an overnight starter and old-world European baking technique.

Classic Poires Belle Helene with whole pears poached in vanilla syrup, served with vanilla ice cream and warm homemade chocolate sauce. An elegant French dessert.

Old-fashioned applesauce cake with warm spices, walnuts, and raisins, baked in a tube pan and finished with a bourbon whiskey frosting. A holiday-worthy spice cake that improves overnight.

Bean burrito casserole layers tortillas with pinto beans, brown rice, and scallions under a homemade chili-spiked enchilada sauce. Vegetarian make-ahead Mexican casserole baked in one dish.

Geneva pear flan, a Swiss shortcrust tart piled with fresh pears, candied citrus peel, raisins and walnut oil, moistened with white wine and finished with a blanket of baked cream. An old-world tart from the French-Swiss border.

A lighter baked rice pudding studded with chopped apples and dates, lifted with folded egg whites for a soufflé-like texture. Warm, cinnamony, and comforting.