Recipe Sifter

Mushroom barley kugel baked with sauteed mushrooms, onions, soy milk, and vegetable broth. A vegan-friendly take on the classic Jewish comfort dish.

Kentucky fried chicken copycat with paprika, ground mustard, thyme, basil, oregano, and Jamaica ginger. Fried golden then finished in foil for that takeout-style crisp crust.

Crock-made crystal sweet pickles brined for 2 weeks, then dressed in a cinnamon and clove vinegar syrup over 5 days. A labor of love from grandma's kitchen that yields jars of glass-clear, spiced pickles.

Empress chocolate cake made with Ghirardelli ground chocolate and buttermilk for a rich, tender crumb. A classic two-layer cake with deep chocolate flavor and velvety texture.

Homemade pear liqueur infused with ripe Bartletts, vodka, warm spices, and a touch of sugar syrup. A six-week steep yields a fragrant, autumn-perfect cordial for sipping or cocktails.

Maple barbecued caribou ribs marinated overnight and slow-roasted for 3 hours in a sauce of maple syrup, ketchup, Worcestershire, and juniper berries. Wild game meets Canadian-style BBQ.

Low calorie seven layer salad with crisp lettuce, sweet peas, reduced-fat cheddar, turkey bacon, scallions, water chestnuts, and hard-boiled egg. Vinaigrette on the side keeps it light. A potluck classic, slimmed down without losing the layers.

Vegetarian keema made with TVP (texturized vegetable protein), ginger, garlic, curry powder, tomatoes, peas, and mushrooms. A plant-based riff on classic Indian keema matar, ready in 30 minutes.

Drop these easy blue corn dumplings right on top of simmering chili or stew. Five ingredients, 15 minutes of steaming, and you've got fluffy, earthy cornmeal dumplings with a gorgeous color.

Old fashioned pea soup with a smoked ham shank, whole green peas, and split peas simmered low and slow. Five ingredients, four hours, zero fuss.

Emily's bean soup simmers seven dried beans and lentils with a meaty ham bone, tomatoes, and vegetables into a thick hearty pot. Old-fashioned cold-weather comfort.

Fried rainbow trout with a seasoned cornmeal-flour crust, flavored with lemon thyme, paprika, and garlic. Double-dredged and chilled for an extra crispy coating.

Dad's favorite beer bread, a no-yeast four-ingredient loaf that stirs together in minutes with self-rising flour and a full can of beer for a crusty, malty homemade bread.

Homemade red pepper jelly with sweet bell peppers, apple cider vinegar, chili powder, and liquid pectin. A sweet-tangy preserve perfect over cream cheese appetizers.

Old-fashioned elderberry grape jelly: foraged elderberries and half-ripe grapes simmered, strained, and boiled with sugar to a sheeting set. No commercial pectin needed thanks to the under-ripe grape skins.

Southern mustard greens slow-simmered with smoked ham hocks, cabbage, and potatoes in a peppery pot likker. A one-pot soul food classic cooked low and slow.