Recipe Sifter

Lebkuchen (German honey cakes) blend honey, brown sugar, lemon, almonds, citron, and warm spices into a chewy spice cookie cut into fancy holiday shapes. Traditional Christmas cookie from Nuremberg.

Paskha: the traditional Russian Easter cheesecake, an unbaked pyramid of sweetened farmer's cheese studded with candied fruit, raisins, and almonds, served with a madeira-rum lemon sauce. Orthodox Easter in every bite.

No bake, 7-up lemon pudding cake made in a spring-form pan. It's more like a pie than a cake.

Slow-cooked chicken layered with apples, pears, tomatoes, and warm spices, finished with fried plantains, capers, and olives. A Latin-inspired sweet-savory stew bursting with bold flavors.

Award-winning thumbprint cookies with buttery dough rolled in finely chopped nuts, pressed with your thumb, and filled with ruby raspberry jam: elegant holiday baking that won first place.

Pork chops and rice casserole with cream of mushroom gravy - a budget-friendly one-dish dinner. Browned chops baked over tender rice soak up every bit of that savory gravy.

This tasty bread is reminiscent of the 1950s open-faced sandwich favorite made by covering split hamburger buns with canned comed beef, cheese slicesand a dollop of barbecue sauce, then heating them in the oven.

Kiseli kupus, traditional Croatian whole-head sauerkraut fermented in a crock with garlic, horseradish, bay leaves, and red peppers. Ready in 40 days.

Japanese pickled cauliflower, a quick refrigerator pickle with green pepper and celery in a sweet-tart brine with a surprising splash of cola for caramel depth.

Vegan no-bake pumpkin cheesecake with silken tofu, almond butter, maple syrup, and agar for setting. Dairy-free, egg-free, and set overnight in the fridge.

Jook, the classic Chinese rice congee simmered until silky, studded with seasoned pork meatballs and crunchy water chestnuts. The ultimate bowl of savory Chinese comfort.

The reputation of fruitcake has been tarnished but store bought and candied fruitcakes. Using dried instead of candied fruit demonstrates what fruitcake is supposed to be.

Rich chicken and linguica gumbo built on a nut-brown roux with the holy trinity, fried chicken, and smoky sausage simmered in chicken stock. Ladle over rice for a Cajun feast.

Amaretto chocolate chip cheesecake with a fudgy wafer crust, amaretto cream cheese filling studded with chocolate chips, and an almond-topped sour cream finish. The grown-up dessert centerpiece.

Capital punishment chili is a fiery Texas-style bowl of red: chunks of beef chuck and pork simmered low with beer, a mountain of chili powder and cumin, a touch of mole and masa harina. No beans, all bold.

A traditional Greek soupies me spanaki: tender cuttlefish braised in olive oil with wilted spinach, spring onions, and lemon. Rustic Mediterranean seafood at its best.