Recipe Sifter

Minted pears with honey walnuts poaches whole baby pears in honey-sweetened mint tea, then crowns them with caramelized walnuts. Elegant fruit dessert that works hot or chilled.

Pecan orange coleslaw with fresh oranges, shredded cabbage, and chopped pecans in a sweet lemon-mayo dressing. A bright, crunchy no-cook side dish.

Red bean soup with beef, celery, lemon, and Worcestershire sauce, pressed through a sieve for a smooth, thick puree. A hearty old-fashioned bean soup ready in about 40 minutes.

A smooth, from-scratch tomato sauce simmered with garlic, green pepper, thyme, and basil, pureed silky and ladled over spaghetti. Freezes beautifully for busy weeknights ahead.

Nana Keele's carrot cake with crushed pineapple, cinnamon, and nuts, topped with a hot buttermilk syrup that soaks right into the warm cake. A family heirloom recipe.

Mexican-style cold baked fish topped with chunky guacamole, tomatoes, onion, and chili. Pescado Frio is a make-ahead summer main, served chilled with bright avocado dressing.

Old-fashioned fruit cookies made with lard, brown sugar, cinnamon, and a full cup of chopped dates or raisins. A pantry-friendly farmhouse drop cookie from a pre-butter era.

Savory whole wheat bread loaded with spinach, feta, and onions made effortlessly in a bread machine. Healthy Greek-inspired loaf for sandwiches or sides.

Authentic frijoles refritos made with cooked beans mashed in lard or bacon drippings and topped with melted longhorn cheese. Three ingredients, 15 minutes, real Mexican flavor.

Ranch-style slow cooker beef braises stewing beef and whole small onions in a brown gravy spiked with red wine vinegar, cloves, bay, and thyme. Set it and forget it for fork-tender results.

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Easy vegetarian bean and vegetable casserole with kidney beans, chickpeas, canned tomatoes, bell pepper, and frozen vegetables baked together. Top with cheese and serve over couscous.

Gramma's chocolate cookies are old-school cake-style cookies: soft, pillowy, brown sugar deep, then topped with a glossy chocolate icing. Walnuts add crunch to a tender, milk-and-cocoa crumb.

Chocolate espresso macaroons with coconut, walnuts, and almond extract, held together by sweetened condensed milk. No flour, no eggs, chewy and intensely coffee-flavored.

Candied pumpkin baked with sugar until syrupy and topped with bacon. A 3-ingredient Southern-style sweet pumpkin side dish with smoky, salty contrast from the bacon.

Mango shrimp pasta: a tropical one-pan dinner with lime-marinated shrimp, sesame-sauteed red pepper, black beans, cilantro, and fresh mango tossed with small pasta shells. Ready in 30 minutes.