Recipe Sifter

Overnight yeasted buttermilk pancakes with blueberries. Mix the batter before bed, stir in berries in the morning, and cook the fluffiest pancakes you've ever had.

The spices bring out a tantalizing flavor in this dish which is best served with flat bread or rice.

Seared salmon over loaded seafood fried basmati rice with oysters, shrimp, scallops and crawfish, drizzled with chipotle sesame vinaigrette. A Southwestern-Asian mashup plate with bold layered flavors.

Wild rice and lentil salad with brown rice, tri-color bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, and fresh herbs in a fat-free tomato-herb vinaigrette. A colorful, high-fiber grain salad.

Pasta e fagioli simmers tender navy beans, canned tomatoes, and macaroni in a basil-and-oregano broth, with onions sautéed in balsamic instead of oil. A naturally lean Italian peasant soup.

Vegetarian shepherd's pie with kidney beans, corn, and stewed tomatoes under a layer of garlicky basil mashed potatoes, finished with melted cheddar. A meatless take on the British classic.

Tofu and mushrooms in mustard sauce with pan-fried tofu cubes and button mushrooms simmered in a soy-mustard gravy. A hearty vegetarian main dish cooked in a wok.

Russian malossol pickles are lightly brined cucumbers fermented with dill, garlic, horseradish root, and cherry or currant leaves. Ready in 5-6 days, crisp, garlicky, and mildly salty.

Braised beef short ribs coated in Dijon mustard and crispy breadcrumbs, served over a hearty ragout of butternut squash, chickpeas, and kale. Slow-cooked in porter beer with garlic and brown sugar.

Corn chowder with bacon, potatoes, creamed corn, and milk simmered low and slow. A thick, pantry-friendly soup made with canned corn that tastes homemade.

Quick hot potato salad with red potatoes, scallions, and creamy ranch dressing. Toss warm spuds with ranch, dust with paprika, garnish with chives for easy summer sides.

Chewy chocolate chip cookies with powdered oats, grated chocolate bar, and chocolate chips for triple chocolate intensity. A big-batch recipe that makes five dozen.

Quick vegetable curry simmers potato and frozen mixed vegetables in a spiced tomato sauce built from bloomed curry powder and tomato paste. A budget-friendly, vegan weeknight dinner in about 35 minutes.

Indian okra and tomato curry (bhindi subji), sautéed and simmered in a turmeric-tomato sauce with fresh cilantro and green chiles. A vegan weeknight curry that comes together in one pan.

Vegetarian sweet and sour stir-fry loaded with snow peas, broccoli, enoki mushrooms, water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, and tropical fruit (pineapple, mango, mandarin orange) over rice.

Halloween gag cookies rolled in Grape-Nuts and served from a clean litter box with a scoop. Chocolate and gingerbread dough logs shaped like, well, you know. Harmless fun.