Recipe Sifter

Baked sweet potatoes glazed with a honey-orange apricot sauce and scattered with walnuts. A naturally sweet, fruit-forward side dish that feeds a crowd of twelve.

Littleneck clams steamed with sliced chorizo, shiitake mushrooms, sweet vermouth, white wine, and tomato sauce. Served with garlic-thyme toasted baguette for soaking up every drop of that broth.

Rhubarb sherbet made with fresh rhubarb, orange juice, and whipped egg whites for a light, tangy frozen treat with no ice cream maker needed.

Crispy golden fried oysters, dredged in seasoned flour, egg, and crumbs, then deep-fried hot and fast. Plump and briny inside, shatteringly crunchy outside, and made for dunking in tartar sauce.

Use this recipe with peaches, sour cherries or pineapple with equally good results.

Beef barley soup built on a slow-simmered beef shin broth with carrots, parsnips, celery, and tomato, finished with chewy pearl barley. A hearty one-pot meal that doubles as a side of horseradish-dressed beef.

This home-brew remains a favourite party drink in a Welsh household for both adults and children.

Peach cantaloupe soup blends ripe summer fruit with orange juice and a pinch of nutmeg into a chilled puree, topped with fresh blueberries. Light dairy-free starter or dessert.

Mixed grain mushroom casserole with wild rice, pearl barley, and brown rice baked in herb-seasoned vegetable broth with sauteed mushrooms and thyme.

Mock cherry pie made from halved cranberries and raisins simmered with sugar, vanilla, and butter. The Depression-era trick gives you a tart-sweet ruby filling that fools nearly anyone hunting for the real thing.

Italian asparagus baked in oregano-seasoned tomato sauce and topped with Swiss cheese. A simple, diabetic-friendly side dish with an oven or microwave option.

No-bake frozen cheesecake with cream cheese, toffee chips, and whipped topping in a graham cracker crust. Just 5 ingredients and 10 minutes of hands-on time.

Birnensuppe, a chilled German pear soup scented with cinnamon and star anise, studded with sherry-soaked raisins and brightened with lemon. Silky, elegant, and refreshing. Serves 2.

Egg-free bran muffins packed with grated carrots, dried apricots, raisins, and walnuts. Made with whole-wheat flour, orange juice, and honey for naturally sweet, low-fat muffins.

Homemade chocolate fondant candies made from a sugar syrup cooked to firm-ball stage, kneaded with unsweetened chocolate, then finished with pecans or dipped in white chocolate.

Nepali daal lentil soup gift package bundles orange lentils, basmati rice, and a homemade curry spice blend into a decorative jar. A thoughtful homemade food gift.