Recipe Sifter

Microwave grains blend brown rice, pearl barley, and millet cooked together in 10 minutes on high. A simple, nutty whole grain base for chili, beans, or sauce.

This is an old Ruthenian peasant dish, very popular in the Carpathian Alps, as well as here in Fair Oaks, CA. Great for warming the tummy on a cold winter day. This is easy to prepare, and good as a luncheon dish served with salad, or as a first course soup prior to a lighter entree.

Homemade mint jelly with fresh mint leaves, vinegar, sugar, and pectin. A classic condiment for roast lamb that sets up crystal clear and bright green in about 20 minutes.

Zucchini mock apple pie with sweet raisins folded through and a buttery crumb topping. Lemon juice, cinnamon, and nutmeg fool the taste buds into reading squash as apple, with chewy raisins adding depth.

Lime Jello salad mold with crushed pineapple, cottage cheese, lemon juice, and whipped cream folded in at just the right thickness. A creamy, tangy retro gelatin salad for potlucks and holidays.

Vegetarian moussaka with rice, eggplant, and potatoes layered with a tomato-garlic rice mixture and a soy milk white sauce with nutmeg and allspice. A dairy-free take on the Greek classic.

Ochsenschwanzsuppe is the classic German oxtail soup. Slowly simmered oxtails build a rich beef stock, then puree with root vegetables and finish with Madeira.

Pear cranberry conserve made with dried pears and fresh cranberries simmered into a thick, ruby-colored spread. Just four ingredients, no pectin needed.

Posole Don Federico: a soul-warming Mexican pork and hominy stew, built on pig's feet and pork shanks for a rich broth, with green chiles, garlic, and beer. Garnished with cilantro and scallions.

Vegetarian black bean burritos packed with corn, bell pepper, onion, jalapeño, and smoky spices. Rolled in tortillas and baked until hot, a meatless Mexican-inspired weeknight dinner.

Risotto-style orzo with fresh tomatoes, Asiago cheese, garlic, and parsley simmered in chicken stock. Creamy pasta with risotto texture in half the time and no constant stirring.

Salmon étouffée simmers canned salmon in a dark Cajun roux with onions, shallots, garlic, celery, tomato purée, and Tabasco. Pantry-friendly Louisiana classic over hot rice.

Salt-rising bread made with a potato water starter fermented overnight. A heritage Appalachian yeast bread with a distinctive tangy flavor and dense crumb.

A delicious sage dressing that can easily be made with your slow cooker.

Dead-simple homemade bread with just 5 ingredients: flour, water, yeast, salt, and honey. No kneading required. Mix it, ignore it, bake it. Fresh bread for people who think they can't bake bread.

No-bake chocolate truffles shaped like tiny mice with almond ears, dragee eyes, and licorice tails. A fun holiday treat kids love to make and eat. Makes 2 dozen.