Recipe Sifter

Southern smothered steak with flour-dredged round steak browned in bacon drippings, then simmered in its own gravy until fork-tender. Four ingredients, pure country cooking.

Five-grain hot cereal with brown rice, barley, millet, rye, and wheat berries cooked with dried apricots. A hearty whole-grain breakfast with natural sweetness.

Best corned beef cures your own brisket from scratch in a spiced salt brine, then simmers it tender. Real-deal homemade corned beef with garlic and pickling spice, far better than anything from a packet.

Butterflied leg of lamb marinated in olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, and fresh herbs, then roasted to a rosy medium-rare. The centerpiece of a Greek Easter table.

Sadza, the staple Zimbabwean corn porridge made from white cornmeal and water. Two ingredients, one pot, and a thick, starchy side that's the foundation of Southern African meals.

Oven-roasted beef chuck au jus rubbed with salt and pepper, slow-roasted to medium, and served with an herb-mushroom pan sauce made from the drippings. Classic Sunday roast done right.

Lancashire cheese scones made with Cheshire or Double Gloucester cheese, self-rising flour, butter, and a pinch of cayenne. British-style savory scone wedges baked golden in 15 minutes.

Cold quinoa olive salad with green and black olives, pine nuts, red bell pepper, and umeboshi plum vinegar. A protein-packed vegetarian side with Mediterranean-Japanese flavors.

Thai-style grilled prawns marinated in lemongrass, galangal, and rice wine, skewered and grilled until smoky. A stunning appetizer presentation stuck into a halved orange.

Marshmallow crispies with just 3 ingredients and 15 minutes. Melted marshmallows and crisp rice cereal pressed into gooey, chewy squares the whole family will love.

Four cheese ball variations from one base recipe: classic Coventry, pimiento Harlequin, caraway Holiday, and pineapple Fruit & Nut. Cream cheese and sharp cheddar party appetizers.

Homemade whole wheat pasta dough with eggs, olive oil, and water. A nutty, high-fiber fresh pasta you can roll by hand or with a pasta machine.

Homemade Mexican-style chorizo sausage with ground pork, chili powder, paprika, garlic and vinegar. Bold, spicy fresh sausage formed into patties for the freezer.

Sai Grog: Thai spicy pork sausage with red curry paste, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, fish sauce, and coriander. Grilled until juicy and served with sticky rice.

Apricot cupcakes sweetened entirely with apricot preserves and spiced with pumpkin pie spice. Oats and applesauce keep them moist with no refined sugar. Bakes as bars too.

Homemade chicken and veal sausage with bacon, brandy-flamed spices, coriander, and cloves. Stuff into casings, form patties, or shape in plastic wrap and poach before grilling.