Recipe Sifter

Smoked chicken and potato hash with cooked potatoes, garlic, fresh cilantro, and a hot sauce kick. Uses leftover smoked chicken for a fast skillet dinner.

Quick no-knead casserole bread loaded with sharp cheddar, toasted sesame seeds, and a hint of red pepper. Just mix, pour, and bake for a warm, cheesy loaf in under an hour.

Beef stir-fry with thin-sliced top round, toasted walnuts, and vegetables in a sherry-soy sauce served over rice. A fast, flavorful dinner for two ready in 30 minutes.

Lentils Ole is a Tex-Mex inspired vegan one-pot: brown lentils simmered with cumin, chili powder, garlic, and tomato sauce, then sweetened with molasses for a smoky, fiber-packed bowl over rice or with corn.

The shredded zucchini makes this cake very moist, and the topping adds a nice crunch. Whenever zucchini is in season I freeze some, shredded, in 2 cup amounts so I can make this favorite anytime of the year.

Elegant individual tiramisu parfaits layered in stemmed glasses with mascarpone Italian meringue, coffee-soaked crumbs, dark rum, and bittersweet chocolate triangles.

Vegetable lasagne layered with ricotta, mozzarella, zucchini, mushrooms, and a garlicky tomato sauce. A meatless comfort classic that feeds a crowd and freezes beautifully.

Traditional Panforte di Siena with toasted almonds, hazelnuts, candied orange peel, citron, cocoa, and honey syrup cooked to soft ball stage. A dense Italian Christmas confection.

Pineapple cream loaf with ladyfinger-lined pan, a light sour cream and crushed pineapple filling with beaten egg whites, and a lemon extract lift. No-bake, make-ahead, keeps 2-3 days chilled.

Baked scallops in white Zinfandel wine with garlic, onions, and crumbled cracker topping. An elegant yet effortless seafood dish ready in just 15 minutes from start to finish.

Indonesian es alpukat layers creamy avocado puree with chocolate milk for a sweet, decadent drink. A street-vendor classic from Jakarta that doubles as dessert in a glass.

Braised beef chuck pot roast in tomato juice and horseradish sauce with a splash of dry sherry. Slow-simmered until fork-tender with a tangy, savory gravy.

Italian envelopes are fried wonton wrappers stuffed with ricotta, salami, mozzarella, and oregano, topped with Parmesan. A crispy, cheesy Italian-Asian fusion appetizer.

Cheesy artichoke squares with mozzarella, eggs, and bread crumbs baked golden and cut into 24 bite-sized pieces. A crowd-pleasing appetizer you can prep ahead.

Smoked turkey, steamed broccoli, and melted Monterey Jack rolled up in store-bought crepes and baked until gooey. This 4-ingredient, 20-minute crepe is a light, quick lunch or dinner that feels way fancier than it is.

Pumpkin pie cake is a fall dump-cake with creamy spiced pumpkin pie filling on the bottom, dry yellow cake mix on top, then melted butter and pecans. A no-crust pumpkin dessert hybrid.