Recipe Sifter

Quick beef stir-fry with currant jelly, Dijon mustard, and frozen mixed vegetables. A sweet-savory weeknight dinner in one skillet, ready in 40 minutes.

A basic yet scrumptious casserole that doesn't take a lot to make or enjoy!

Roasted tomato and mint salsa with fire-blackened Roma tomatoes, serrano chiles, cilantro, fresh spearmint, lime, and orange zest. A smoky, herbaceous Southwestern salsa for grilled meats or chips.

Another easy way to enjoy chicken, chicken breasts are cooked with fresh herb, very great.

Scotch mock apple pie: a Depression-era trick that uses soda crackers, lemon juice, and warm spices to taste exactly like apple pie. No apples required.

Veggie burgers in pita bread are homemade grain patties of barley, lentils, and rice with carrots, onion, and sunflower seeds, pan-fried golden and stuffed into warm pita pockets with lettuce and tomato.

Homemade kreplach with hand-rolled egg noodle dough folded into filled triangles and boiled in soup or salted water. A traditional Jewish dumpling made from scratch.

Brandied fruit starter with pineapple, peaches, apricots, and maraschino cherries soaked in brandy and sugar. A living friendship cake starter you keep and share.

Sabzi Koofteh: Persian-style giant meatballs of ground beef, rice, split peas, mint, and watercress, simmered in a turmeric-tomato broth. Served with yogurt and pickles for a one-pot Middle Eastern dinner.

German braised red cabbage in red wine with apples, cinnamon, and cloves. Sweet-tart Rotkraut simmered until tender but still crisp, a classic side for roast pork or sauerbraten.

A culinary school-style white chicken stock made from blanched bones, mirepoix, and a classic sachet of herbs and spices. Simmered for hours and strained into a clear, clean-flavored foundation for soups and sauces.

Sweet apricot preserves meet tangy Worcestershire and white wine in this versatile basting sauce that transforms grilled chicken, pork, or game birds.

Hearty sweet and savory stew with turnips, parsnips.

Slow cooker pork shoulder steaks browned and layered over onions, peppers, and tomatoes in a cumin-spiked barbecue and red wine sauce. Set it for 6 to 8 hours and come home to fork-tender, saucy pork.

Traditional Greek moussaka with layers of fried eggplant, potatoes, and ground beef topped with a nutmeg-spiced bechamel sauce with Romano cheese.

Dried prunes, apricots, and pears slow-cooked with vanilla bean, lemon zest, and a touch of sugar until thick and jammy. Make it on the stovetop or set-and-forget in a crockpot.