Recipe Sifter

Oysters Mosca: chopped fresh oysters cooked down with garlic, scallions, lemon, and Romano cheese, then spooned into puff pastry shells. The classic Italian-Creole New Orleans appetizer from the legendary Mosca's restaurant.

Greek-style red snapper bakes fillets under red onion, fresh tomatoes, oregano, lemon juice and crumbled feta. A foil-covered Mediterranean fish dinner that flakes apart in 30 minutes.

Creamed chipped beef gravy (SOS) made with a butter and flour roux, milk, and dried beef soaked until tender. A classic military mess hall recipe served over toast or biscuits.

Chocolate marshmallow stuffed cookies with cocoa-laced dough wrapped around mini marshmallows that melt into gooey clouds inside. A surprise-center treat that kids and adults adore.

Quick white bean chicken chili loaded with green chiles, cumin, and a bright hit of lime and cilantro. One pot, 40 minutes, feeds 8 hungry people.

Finnish rye bread made in the bread machine with dark rye flour and beer for an earthy, malty loaf. Dense, hearty, and deeply flavored, perfect for open-faced sandwiches, sharp cheeses, or cured fish.

Whole wheat carob chip banana bread made without eggs or dairy. Sweetened with sucanat and ripe bananas, this makes two tender loaves in under an hour.

Mongolian barbecue is a tableside grilling experience with thinly sliced lamb, fresh vegetables, and a star anise soy-rice wine sauce. Interactive feast for 8 guests.

Creamy arborio risotto with asparagus, peas, leeks, and fennel finished with mascarpone, Parmesan, lemon zest, and fresh chives. A showstopping spring main that feeds a crowd and tastes like the season on a plate.

Whole wheat muffins with a sweet plum jam center baked until golden. A simple from-scratch breakfast muffin with a fruity surprise in every bite.

Traditional German butter cookies (Buttergebaeck) with lemon zest and an egg wash glaze. A simple five-ingredient dough that bakes golden in ten minutes.

Savoury salmon bread cases with flaked salmon in a creamy white sauce with gherkins, mayonnaise, and lemon juice, spooned into crispy buttered bread cups. A retro appetizer or light lunch.

Savory couscous pancakes spiced with ground coriander, cooked in butter until golden. Serve alongside ratatouille or grilled vegetables for a Mediterranean-inspired brunch or light dinner.

Classic New England blueberry cake with a tender crumb, juicy berries throughout, and a cinnamon-sugar topping that bakes up sparkly and crisp. Simple, old-fashioned, and ready in under an hour.

Pottsfield pickles, a sweet-spiced relish of green and red tomatoes, onions, peppers, and celery in a cinnamon-clove brine. End-of-season Appalachian classic for the cellar.

I use crushed Ritz crackers instead of bread crumbs and add 2/3 cup of shredded sharp Cheddar. A simple gravy to go along with the meatloaf can also be made using another packet of soup mix, 2 Tbs. flour and 2 cups of cold water. Simmer until thickened.