Recipe Sifter

Savory honeydew melon tossed with rice vinegar, fresh chile strips, and torn cilantro. A four-ingredient cool fruit salad that turns sweet melon into a Thai-inspired brunch starter.

Blended dried fruit pudding made with peaches, apricots, dates, and pineapple soaked in lemon juice. A naturally sweet no-cook dessert with no added sugar.

Blueberry-peach meringue shell filled with almond cream custard and topped with fresh sliced peaches and blueberries. A light, elegant, show-stopping summer dessert.

Mexican garlic soup with 10 cloves of garlic sauteed in butter, simmered in stock, and topped with a poached egg, asadero cheese, and parsley. Rustic, warming, and ready in 25 minutes.

Steamed ground turkey dumplings (shu mai) with ginger, garlic, sesame oil, and scallions in wonton wrappers. Served with a tangy fish sauce, vinegar, and chili dipping sauce. Makes 40 bite-sized gems.

Poached chicken layered with a silky walnut and coriander sauce, drizzled with paprika-infused walnut oil. Known as Circassian chicken in Turkish cuisine, this elegant cold dish is a showpiece for any gathering.

Easy chicken pot pie with cream of chicken soup, mixed vegetables, and refrigerator biscuits on top instead of pastry. A shortcut weeknight version that still delivers comfort.

Classic French country pate with ground pork and veal marinated overnight in white wine and brandy, lined with fatback, and baked in a water bath until firm. A make-ahead appetizer.

Double cheese wheel appetizer made from a hollowed-out Chihuahua cheese round filled with a cream cheese, artichoke heart, pine nut, and basil spread. A stunning party centerpiece served in wedges with crackers.

Traditional Spanish almond soup from Castilla la Vieja: ground almonds blended into rich consomme, ladled over toast strips, broiled with Parmesan, and scattered with toasted almonds.

Whole trout baked with a sourdough bread stuffing of scallions, green pepper, parsley, butter, and white wine. Rustic lakeside cooking that comes together in 40 minutes.

No-bake rum pineapple pie with vanilla pudding, sour cream, and crushed pineapple in a graham cracker crust. A boozy, creamy chilled dessert that sets in 3 hours.

Use frozen bread dough in this ham, pepperoni, eggs, and cheese Stromboli-like recipe that fits the bill for a quick, hearty, and satisfying main dish that can be prepared in advance and served warm or at room temperature.

Thai glass noodles baked with prawns, coriander root, ginger, peppercorns, and oyster sauce in individual pots. Kung Op Wun Sen ready in 30 minutes.

Quick skillet cabbage sauteed with celery, green pepper, and onion until crisp-tender. A simple, low-calorie vegetable side dish that's on the table in 15 minutes flat.

White wine garlic shrimp sautés peeled shrimp with olive oil, garlic, white wine, and parsley in 10 minutes. Restaurant-style Italian shrimp scampi minus the butter. Serve over linguine.