Recipe Sifter

Zucchini and tomatoes simmered with garlic, basil and a savory onion soup mix into a quick stovetop side. A vegan way to use up summer squash, ready in about 30 minutes and microwaveable too.

Basic spaghetti sauce simmers tomato sauce with sauteed onions, garlic, green pepper, basil, and oregano in under 30 minutes. A pantry-staple weeknight base for pasta or pizza.

Master Chefs chocolate mousse made with Italian meringue, whipped cream, melted semi-sweet chocolate, cocoa, and espresso. Light, airy, and intensely chocolatey.

Coconut macaroons with crushed pineapple, toasted almonds, and sweetened condensed milk. Tropical, chewy drop cookies with a hint of lemon zest and almond extract.

Pickled African peaches spiced with turmeric, cumin, cardamom, ginger, and chili in a sweet vinegar syrup. A complex condiment that improves over two weeks.

Cinnamon apple Jello mold made with applesauce, ginger ale, chopped nuts, and raisins. A nostalgic no-bake gelatin salad for Thanksgiving and holiday dinners.

Elegant snow pea and pear salad on radicchio leaves with toasted walnuts and a light pineapple-yogurt dressing. A fresh, low-calorie starter ready in 20 minutes.

Peaches with white wine: ripe peeled peaches steeped in dry white wine for an hour, then served in wine glasses topped with sweetened mascarpone-yogurt cream. The Italian summer dessert that cooks itself.

Linguine with white clam sauce made from fresh topneck clams sauteed in garlic and olive oil with their own juice. A freezer trick makes shucking effortless, and the whole dish comes together in minutes.

Angel food ice cream cake layered with vanilla ice cream and topped with sweetened fresh strawberries. A no-bake summer dessert that serves a crowd of 15 in 15 minutes of active prep.

May use fresh or frozen strawberries, or may substitute other fruit of choice such as blackberries, peaches, etc.

Deep-fried cucumber slices double-coated in cracker crumbs and egg for a crispy, golden side dish. An unexpected way to cook cucumbers that's ready in 20 minutes.

Old-fashioned chocolate fudge made with unsweetened chocolate and evaporated milk using the soft-ball candy method. Creamy, dense, and ready in under an hour with an optional peanut butter swirl.

Sausage skillet: simmered Italian sausage, red potatoes, onions, and bell peppers in one pan. Hearty four-ingredient weeknight dinner that comes together in under 45 minutes.

Oven roasted potatoes with just three things: potato chunks, a packet of onion soup mix, and oil. Shake to coat, roast hot, and pull out crispy, golden, savory potatoes. The no-fuss side dish that goes with everything.

No-sugar raisin bars sweetened only with raisins and unsweetened apple juice, made with whole wheat flour and warm spices. Low calorie and naturally sweet.