Recipe Sifter

Hand print sugar cookies traced from paper cutouts of each family member's hand. Refrigerated dough shortcut, decorated with icings and candies. Memory-keeper recipe.

Five spice plum sorbet purees canned plums with dry sherry and Chinese five spice powder, then churns into a fragrant Asian-inspired summer sorbet. Five ingredients, no added sugar.

Peppered pork roast with sour cherry salsa: coarsely pepper-crusted pork loin roasted simple, served with a sweet-hot relish of cherries, green chiles, peppers, and cilantro. Holiday-worthy and easy.

No-cook cucumber avocado salad with lime, chili pepper, and red bell pepper. Paper-thin cucumber slices with creamy avocado and a spicy citrus kick.

Calcutta pasta sauce blends Indian spices with the Italian tomato sauce concept: cumin, garam masala, ginger, jalapeno, and yogurt for an exotic East-meets-West pasta topper. Curry-style sauce.

Delicious Pan-fried fillet of seabass on grilled asparagus with mustard seed, mango and toasted coconut salad, served with a glass of Nobilo Regional Collection Sauvignon Blanc, 2008, £8.49 from Asda, Thresher, Morrison's, Sainsbury's, Somerfield, Tesco

Whole peeled tangerines soaked overnight in a honey-lime syrup spiked with dark rum. An elegant, refreshing fruit dessert that's simple to prepare and feeds a crowd.

How to brew espresso and cappuccino with a stovetop moka pot. Step-by-step guide for 3, 6, or 9 cups with steam frothing instructions for cappuccino.

Cucumber, red onion and watercress salad with thin pickling cucumber slices marinated in seasoned rice vinegar, tossed with oil and arranged on a peppery watercress wreath. A clean, refreshing side for rich meals.

Homemade Thai green curry paste blitzed from fresh jalapenos, Hawaiian chilies, lemongrass, cilantro, garlic, shallots, and shrimp paste. A fiery, fragrant base that runs circles around any jarred version.

Light-as-air meringue cookies with ground hazelnuts and candied citron, perched on crisp baking wafers. A classic European confection that melts on your tongue.

Homemade chili powder blend with dried cayenne, pasilla, and red chiles plus cumin, oregano, and garlic. Customize the heat and flavor to blow away any store-bought blend.

Brighten up your mornings with this delicious jelly that can be used for toast or peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

Homemade plum brandy infused with fresh plums and sugar in gin. A 3-ingredient fruit liqueur that steeps for 3-4 days and strains into a smooth, sweet sipper.

Grilled baby artichokes piled onto meaty sauteed portobello caps and finished with a drizzle of vinaigrette. A simple, smoky, vegetarian starter that lets a few good ingredients shine.

Classic claret cup punch made with red wine, brandy, curacao, frozen lemonade, and grapefruit soda. A refreshing, citrusy wine cocktail for summer parties and gatherings.