Recipe Sifter

Fast Food 4 cooks instant rice with crushed tomatoes, thawed frozen spinach, and Italian seasoning in one pot. Budget pantry dinner ready in 30 minutes, vegan-friendly.

Carolines, French savory choux pastries split and filled with warm crab and asparagus spears, finished with a beurre blanc-style lemon dill butter sauce. An elegant first course or canapé for eight.

Easter egg nests made with chocolate-coated chow mein noodles shaped into bird's nests and filled with jelly beans. A no-bake Easter treat kids can help make.

Silky butter whipped with chopped anchovies for a savory spread that transforms plain toast or sandwiches into something special.

Pork tenderloin with Dijon mustard cream sauce sears pounded medallions, then deglazes the pan with beef broth, tarragon, cream, and mustard. French bistro classic in 30 minutes.

Butterflied leg of lamb marinated with olive oil, lemon juice, rosemary, bay leaf and black pepper, then grilled or broiled until charred outside and pink within. A six-pound centrepiece for Easter or summer cookouts.

Halloween cupcakes decorated with an elegant chocolate spider web and spider made from piped melted chocolate. This impressive edible decoration freezes solid for easy handling.

Fraykee (freekeh) with toasted pine nuts, dry-roasted bulgur simmered with cinnamon and butter. A nutty, fragrant Middle Eastern grain side dish ready in 40 minutes.

No-cook couscous made by steeping the dry pasta in boiling water or broth off the heat. Five minutes of prep, 30 minutes of patience, and you have fluffy couscous ready for any North African dish.

Grilled chicken with hazelnut butter tops butter-brushed grilled chicken breasts with slices of compound hazelnut butter that melt into a nutty pan sauce. Restaurant-style 30 minute dinner.

Handmade herb soap balls infused with chamomile, lavender, peppermint, or rosemary essential oils. A simple DIY craft using grated soap, dried herbs, and boiling water.

Scampi Principessa with butterflied shrimp poached in white wine, flambéed with aquavit, then served in cold yogurt sauce. An elegant Italian-Scandinavian appetizer ready in 20 minutes.

Just two ingredients: softened butter stirred with vanilla extract. Spread it on toast, pancakes, or warm bread for a fragrant, slightly sweet twist on plain butter.

Microwave fish fillets with curry powder, cayenne, lemon juice, and butter in under 5 minutes. A fast, no-fuss way to cook flaky, seasoned fish on a busy weeknight.

Chile cheddar burgers stuff seasoned ground beef patties with sharp cheddar and diced green chiles, then grill until the cheese melts in the middle. The Southwest take on the stuffed burger.

A succulent pork tenderloin dish that's great to serve when eating with family or friends.