Recipe Sifter

Baked bay scallops with sauteed mushrooms, shallots, and breadcrumbs served in seafood shells. A classic French-style appetizer finished under the broiler.

Retro party dip blending cream cheese, deviled ham, dry red wine, and dill pickles with a mustard-Worcestershire kick. Ready in 20 minutes, serve as a dip or chilled spread.

Pan-seared chicken breast with whole grain mustard, sun-dried tomatoes, shallots, and garlic. A quick one-pan dinner with bold Mediterranean flavors ready in 30 minutes.

Homemade Italian cheese dressing blended with Parmesan, garlic, dry mustard, celery salt, and white pepper. A creamy vinaigrette made in the blender and chilled to serve.

Homemade apricot liqueur infused from smashed apricot pits with vodka, cinnamon, and coriander. A two-month maceration creates a fragrant, almond-toned spirit similar to amaretto.

Whole trout stuffed with sauteed carrots, onions, and celery, seasoned with lemon, thyme, and butter, then wrapped in foil and baked until flaky. Works in the oven or over campfire coals.

Homemade moo goo gai pan with sliced chicken breast, mushrooms, and napa cabbage stir-fried in a garlic-soy sauce. Better than takeout in 30 minutes.

Greek marinated vegetable salad with broiled eggplant, roasted red pepper, artichoke hearts, and mushrooms in a lemon-herb olive oil dressing with oregano and marjoram.

A succulent dish that's easy to make and will satisfy everyone's hunger at the dinner table.

Pea purée can serve as a garnish, a side dish, or as a spread on crackers or vegetable sticks. Use it as a bed upon which the main item in your entrée can rest. For example, sauté some scallops and place them on a pool of the pea purée.

Pan-seared teriyaki chicken sliced over a cool, tangy cucumber salad with sesame oil, ginger and a hint of red pepper heat. A light, refreshing dinner that balances warm and cold in every bite.

Spit-roasted whole pork loin dry-rubbed and rested a full 30 hours, then slow-turned on the rotisserie. Finished with a splash of coffee in the pan juices for deep, unexpected roasted flavor.

Grilled chicken breasts marinated in lime and cilantro, topped with a zesty cilantro-lime compound butter spiked with shallot and cayenne. Grill or broil to juicy perfection.

Fresh Thai cucumber pickle with rice vinegar, shallots, carrot, and hot chili in a sweet-sour dressing. A no-cook, 15-minute condiment that pairs perfectly with rice dishes.

Pan-fried SPAM slices on toasted buns with mayo, crisp lettuce, ripe tomato, and melty cheese. These 20-minute SPAM burgers are the easiest weeknight dinner you'll ever throw together.

This is a good "guest" food. You can appear to have mastered esoteric Oriental cooking techniques without ever having actually prepared the dish before... Unless you drop the pot on the kitchen floor and set it on fire with the hot salt, it's a pretty foolproof cooking technique.