Recipe Sifter

Hearty soybean burgers with eggplant, oats, wheat germ, and garlic, served with a homemade mushroom tamari gravy. A from-scratch vegetarian patty with serious substance.

No-bake whipped cream graham cracker cake that kids can help build! Stack graham squares with fluffy cream, chill until the crackers soften into tender cake-like layers. 3 ingredients, zero oven time.

Sweet Indian lemon pickles (nimbu ka achar) with whole lemons cured in salt, cumin, and black pepper, then candied with sugar, raisins, and dried chiles. A traditional condiment that builds flavor over weeks.

Chocolate cupcakes filled with creamy peanut butter cream cheese frosting piped right into the center. Rich cocoa buttermilk cake with a surprise peanut butter filling in every bite.

No-flour chocolate coconut cookies made with melted unsweetened chocolate, sweetened condensed milk, shredded coconut, and pecans. Naturally gluten-free, chewy, and fudgy.

Three-layer chocolate caramel bars with a fudgy brownie base, gooey pecan caramel topping, and a lacy semi-sweet chocolate drizzle. Makes 54 bars that store beautifully for 10 days. Think homemade turtle candy in cookie bar form.

Fresh pear salad with halved pears on lettuce, filled with cottage cheese and topped with a chilled pear-orange fruit dressing thickened with cornstarch. A vintage composed fruit salad.

Chowning's Tavern Brunswick stew: a Colonial Williamsburg classic with stewing hen, lima beans, corn, okra, tomatoes, and potatoes slow-simmered into Southern comfort.

Elegant red wine fruit soup with poached pears, candied orange slices, pineapple, and a crème fraîche finish. A stunning French-inspired dessert layered with star anise, vanilla, and cardamom.

Golden-browned whole chicken pieces simmered with okra, fresh tomatoes, cumin, and white wine until fall-off-the-bone tender. A soulful one-pot stew that tastes even better the next day.

Hearty cabbage soup with stewing beef simmered into a rich broth, then loaded with tomatoes, green beans, carrots, and a whole head of chopped cabbage. A filling one-pot meal.

Delicate homemade ravioli filled with wilted arugula, sautéed chanterelle mushrooms, and Parmigiano-Reggiano, served over more arugula and mushrooms with brown chicken sauce. Restaurant-quality Italian pasta at home.

A rustic French fish soup from Brittany with chunky fish, potatoes, and herbs simmered in a fragrant broth. Served over crusty bread with fish and potatoes on the side.

Vegetarian black bean chili simmered in stout beer with three chiles, peanut butter, and steamed broccoli florets. Deep, malty, and surprisingly bold.

Baked lentils and brown rice with cauliflower, celery, and thyme. A simple vegetarian main dish with just 7 ingredients, tossed and baked in 15 minutes.

Cuban black bean stew with ham, rum, and oregano served over rice. Dried beans soaked overnight and simmered until creamy, thickened by mashing a cup of beans back in.