Recipe Sifter

Welsh batch scone baked as one round and scored into wedges, spiced with cinnamon, ginger, and mace, studded with raisins and dates. Traditional teatime bread.

Sweet pickled cherry tomatoes simmered in a thick sugar syrup with fresh ginger, lemon juice, and lemon rind until jewel-like and transparent. Makes 6 pints of gorgeous homemade preserves.

Bread machine wine and cheese bread with white wine, sharp cheddar, and a touch of applesauce for a tender crumb. Dump, push start, and walk away. A savory loaf with golden crust and tangy bite.

A cookies and cream layer cake made with white cake mix and crushed Oreos folded right into the batter. Easy enough for beginners, impressive enough for birthdays.

Old-fashioned quick graham bread, a no-knead pioneer-style whole grain loaf with brown sugar, graham flour, and milk. Bakes up in an hour with no yeast or rising time required.

Jan's 1940s apple pie heaped with McIntosh and Cortland apples, finished with a quick water-rinse trick on the top crust that produces an exceptionally flaky finish.

Peanut butter puffs made with phyllo dough folded into crispy triangles around a sweet peanut butter filling, then drizzled with melted chocolate and chopped pecans.

Friendship cake brandied starter ferments pineapple, cherries, and peaches with sugar and brandy over 6 weeks. A slow-building fruit base you share and pass along.

Chewy chocolate cookies made with cocoa powder, corn syrup, and egg whites for a fat-free treat that's soft, fudgy, and guilt-free.

Gingerbread rice bran muffins made with whole wheat flour, molasses, ginger, cinnamon, and raisins. Low-fat, egg yolk-free, and high in fiber for a healthier breakfast muffin.

This cake is absolutely delicious and looks very pretty with the different color fruit on top.

Pickled hot red peppers: whole small chilies canned in vinegar brine with garlic, allspice, peppercorn, and bay leaf. Topped with olive oil and processed for shelf-stable storage.

Ninfa's green sauce is the legendary Houston Tex-Mex table dip: simmered green tomatoes, tomatillos, and jalapeños puréed with avocado, cilantro, sour cream, and garlic. Pale jade, creamy, dangerously dippable.

Classic double-crust apple pie with cinnamon, nutmeg, and fresh lemon juice in a buttery pate brisee shell. Three pounds of Northern Spy or McIntosh apples baked golden and bubbling.

Russian pickled whitefish briefly baked in a white wine, vinegar, and dill brine with coriander and mustard. Served cold as a tangy, elegant chilled fish dish.

Atar allecha is a mild Ethiopian split green pea puree gently spiced with turmeric, fresh green chili, and a base of sautéed onion and garlic. Vegan, naturally gluten-free, and the perfect scoop for warm injera.