Recipe Sifter

Spatchcocked Cornish game hens marinated in tequila, fresh lime juice, Cointreau, and garlic then roasted until golden and crispy. A showstopper dinner with serious fiesta flair.

Cold microwave borscht with grated beets, lemon juice, and a chilled overnight rest. A streamlined Eastern European soup ready in 12 minutes of cook time, finished with cold sour cream.

Pecan smoked chicken breast plated with peach-strawberry tequila salsa and maple Monterey Jack spoon bread, finished with a balsamic lime reduction. A Southern-Southwest fusion entree with real restaurant polish.

A no-bake frozen chocolate pie with Oreo cookie crumbles, marshmallows, whipped topping, and gummy worm decorations in a graham cracker crust. The ultimate kid-friendly dessert for parties and Halloween.

Oxtails braised in red wine with celery, leeks, carrots, and a French-style sauce made from the reduced braising liquid. Rich, fork-tender, and worth every one of the 4 hours.

Dark pumpernickel bread for the bread machine with rye flour, cocoa, molasses, instant coffee, and caraway seeds. A rich, deeply flavored one-pound loaf on regular cycle.

Traditional Scottish potted hough made from slow-simmered beef shin and marrow bones with allspice and bay leaves, set in its own natural jelly.

Handmade ravioli stuffed with shrimp, halibut, and clams on a slow-simmered Spanish tomato sauce infused with saffron, orange zest, and shrimp shell stock. A true showstopper.

Halloween dirt cake layered in a flowerpot with crushed Oreo crumbs, vanilla pudding, cream cheese, and whipped topping. No-bake party dessert topped with gummy worms for spooky season.

Pasta e fagioli the proper Italian way: dried red kidney beans slow-baked with sage and garlic, then simmered with pancetta and a sofrito of carrot, celery, and onion. Half the beans get pureed for that signature silky, stew-thick body.

Tex-Mex tortilla stack: flour tortillas layered with shredded chicken, jicama, refried beans, avocado dip, lettuce, sour cream, and cheese. A no-cook cake-style casserole cut into wedges.

A New Orleans-style charlotte: chocolate sponge rolled with almond paste, sliced and pressed into a springform, filled with amaretto-soaked chocolate mousse. A Mardi Gras showstopper.

Old-fashioned oxtail soup with rice, carrots, celery, and tomatoes simmered for hours until the meat falls off the bone. A make-ahead family recipe that develops deeper flavor on day two.

Spice walnut cake marries toasted walnuts with whole-wheat pastry and barley flours, warm cinnamon and clove, then soaks in a fresh orange syrup after baking. A healthier Greek-inspired karydopita.

Creamy lime cheesecake on a graham cracker crust with fresh lime zest, lime juice, and a tangy sour cream topping. Bright, citrusy, and smooth with a key lime pie vibe.

French sourdough bread for the bread machine pulls real flavor from a half cup of starter, with gluten flour for chew and cornmeal for crust. Hands-off baking, true tang.