Recipe Sifter

Mango charlotte with strawberry sauce: a tropical twist on the classic French molded dessert. Mango mousse set with gelatin, lined with ladyfingers, and served with fresh pureed strawberry coulis.

Punjabi dal palak with spinach, fenugreek leaves, and dill simmered in turmeric and cumin. Finished with a generous pour of ghee for authentic, earthy richness.

Steel-cut oat breakfast with molasses, dried currants, pineapple, cinnamon, and nutmeg. A chewy, warmly spiced oatmeal that's heartier than rolled oats and ready in 30 minutes.

Spiced fruit chutney with pears, apples, cranberries, and currants simmered in apple cider vinegar with ginger, cinnamon, and orange zest. A tart-sweet autumn condiment for cheese, turkey, and pork.

Vanilla buttermilk panna cotta with fresh strawberry jam on top. A make-ahead individual dessert that sets in small glasses and feeds six for dinner parties or date nights.

Grilled alligator tail steaks marinated in milk with rosemary, red pepper flakes, and cayenne. A Cajun-style grill recipe that tenderizes this lean, mild meat.

The tomatoes are getting ready in the garden, if you are like me you have an overabundance. I came up with this recipe to put on chopped steak and sausage sandwiches. I gave some to my sister and they like it on hamburgers and with stuffed peppers so I say it goes with everything. It is fresh-tasting and delicious.

Nothing else can be better than it, big hit and a worthy keeper!

Ginger ale punch combines pineapple, orange, lemonade and limeade juices with bubbly ginger ale and soda water, finished with frozen strawberries. Crowd-pleasing punch bowl drink for showers and parties.

Oven barbecued brisket with a spiced shallot rub and tangy tomato-brown sugar sauce. Braised low and slow until fork-tender. No smoker required for deep, slow-cooked flavor.

Chunky guacamole salad with ripe avocados, garlic, tomato, green chili peppers, and lemon juice. Served on lettuce leaves with tortilla chips as a fresh Mexican-style appetizer or side.

A steamed banana pudding cake made in a pressure cooker with whole wheat pastry flour, maple syrup, apple juice, and raisins. No eggs, no butter, no oil. Dense, moist, and naturally sweetened.

Homemade fried elephant ears: sour-cream and buttermilk dough rolled thin, slit, fried golden, then tumbled in cinnamon sugar. State fair pastry made in your own kitchen.

Homemade ciabatta bread using sourdough starter and active dry yeast for a tangy, open-crumbed loaf with a crisp, chewy crust. Makes three torpedo loaves.

Gourmet seasoning salt blends salt with dry mustard, oregano, marjoram, thyme, curry powder, garlic, celery seed, and dill. An all-purpose herb salt for everyday cooking.

Homemade pickled asparagus spears with garlic, hot chile peppers, and pickling spice in a tangy brine. Crisp, spicy, and shelf-stable for months.