Recipe Sifter

Lemon apple marmalade made with just four ingredients: lemons, Granny Smith apples, water, and sugar. No added pectin needed since the apples provide natural pectin.

No-bake chocolate icebox cake layered with angel food cake pieces and a rich chocolate custard made from melted German chocolate, egg yolks, and whipped cream. Chills overnight.

Guiltless brownies made with pureed bananas, cocoa, whole-wheat flour, and chopped nuts. A lighter brownie with no butter that still satisfies the chocolate craving.

Dark chocolate sea salt cookies, intensely cocoa-rich slice-and-bake sables studded with bittersweet chocolate and flecked with fleur de sel. Slightly underbaked for a soft, fudgy center and a salty-sweet finish.

Herb crusted beef filet with a red wine demi-glace and crispy sweet potato straws. Seared with thyme, oregano, and rosemary then oven roasted for a restaurant-quality dinner at home.

Moroccan-style cooked tomato and green pepper salad with cumin, garlic, chili, and lemon juice. Served warm or cold as a side dish or mezze appetizer.

Frito casserole layered with corn chips, ground beef, chili beans, tomatoes, corn, and cheddar cheese. A Tex-Mex weeknight casserole that comes together with pantry staples.

Seared pork chops finished in the oven, served over a warm Granny Smith apple relish with curry, cinnamon, ginger, and toasted almonds. Sweet, tart, and warmly spiced for a grown-up fall dinner.

Crispy golden phyllo cups filled with a creamy smoked trout, horseradish and scallion mixture, topped with cool shredded cucumber. An elegant make-ahead appetizer that yields 48 bite-sized pieces.

Yellow split pea soup simmered with a ham bone, carrots, celery, and thyme for 3 hours until thick and smoky. A hearty, old-fashioned soup that turns a leftover ham bone into a full meal.

Quick Italian mushroom and tomato pasta sauce with garlic, parsley, and marjoram cooked in olive oil. A 20-minute vegetarian sauce with a full pound of mushrooms.

Loaded homemade granola with oat, wheat, and barley flakes, popcorn, nuts, seeds, coconut, and dried fruit. Honey-baked with maple flavoring for crunchy, customizable clusters.

Bite-sized baked turkey meatballs seasoned with curry powder and served with a cool yogurt-chutney dipping sauce. Makes 48 pieces for parties and game day. Oven or microwave ready in under 35 minutes.

Pumpkin chiffon pudding with canned pumpkin, evaporated skim milk, pumpkin pie spice, and whipped topping set with gelatin. A light, low-calorie no-bake dessert.

Dry soup mix made with split peas, lentils, brown rice, pearl barley, and alphabet pasta. Combine once, store for months, and simmer into a thick, nourishing pot of soup anytime.

Slow cooker ham hocks and lima beans simmered with red bell pepper, tomatoes, bay, and clove. A smoky, soul-food classic that cooks itself while you're at work.