Recipe Sifter

Indian-style fried eggplant with turmeric, cayenne, and black pepper. Quartered and pan-fried until reddish brown, served with fresh lemon wedges.

Pasta alla checca, a Roman no-cook summer pasta sauce of ripe tomatoes, kalamata olives, capers, fresh basil, and garlic steeped in olive oil for hours. No stove needed for the sauce.

Peanut butter candy sandwich blends peanut butter and corn syrup spread on bread for a sweet, sticky three-ingredient snack. Throwback pantry sandwich for kids and quick lunches.

Pickled peppers and chilies preserved in a vinegar brine with an optional olive oil layer. Water bath canned for shelf-stable storage year round.

Oil-free curried vegetables cooked in a non-stick pot with apple juice, curry powder, onions, and garlic. A quick vegan weeknight side dish ready in 20 minutes.

Diet pizza loaded with zucchini, mushrooms, onion, and fresh tomatoes topped with non-fat mozzarella on crushed tomato sauce. A veggie-heavy, lower-fat homemade pizza.

Pizza Carciofi with marinated artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, and fontina cheese over a homemade tomato sauce on crispy pizza dough.

Unadulterated black bean soup with dried beans, ham hocks, red and yellow onion, pureed silky smooth and finished with dry sherry. A purist's approach with no spices masking the beans.

Silky homemade apricot honey butter with fresh lemon, lemon zest, and crystallized ginger. No added sugar, no pectin, and keeps frozen for up to 6 months.

Sweet and tangy corned beef glaze made with currant jelly, mustard, and horseradish. Three ingredients that transform leftover corned beef into a glazed showpiece.

Sweet monkey bread made with canned buttermilk biscuits rolled in cinnamon sugar and drenched in a melted brown sugar glaze. Pull-apart, sticky, and ready in 40 minutes.

Classic court bouillon for poaching fish with aromatics, fennel seed, coriander, white vinegar, and fresh herbs. Simmers in 30 minutes, freezes for months, transforms any poached seafood.

Drop biscuits with a jelly-filled thumbprint center, baked at high heat until golden. A quick from-scratch biscuit recipe with a sweet surprise in every bite.

Steamed fish and vegetables in stove-top papillotte: halibut and sugar snap peas steamed in plastic over diced tomatoes and basil. A clean, light, restaurant-style dinner in 20 minutes.

Deep-fried salmon fritters made with canned salmon folded into a light egg white batter. Crispy, golden fish fries served with tomato or tartar sauce. Kid-friendly.

Potato burgers made with grated potatoes, onion, and whole wheat flour. A 4-ingredient vegan patty with crispy edges and a tender center, ready in 20 minutes with no oil needed.