Recipe Sifter

Pork stir-fry with green beans and mushrooms cooks quick in a wok with soy sauce and a cornstarch gravy. Tender shredded pork, snapping green beans, meaty mushrooms. A 30-minute Chinese-American weeknight dinner from one pan.

A vintage marble cake swirled with cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and molasses through a tender vanilla batter, topped with butter frosting. Can also be baked as cupcakes for a fun party treat.

Oranges in red wine sauce with cinnamon, cloves, and lemon, served chilled in a spiced wine syrup with julienned orange zest. An elegant French-style fruit dessert.

Quick and simple chicken salad that is a great way to use up leftover chicken, be it grilled, broiled or poached.

Pizza Marietta on a Boboli shell with Italian sausage, mozzarella, green peppers, and red onion rings. A quick homemade pizza ready in 20 minutes flat.

Ravioli with sweetbreads filling: a classic French-Italian preparation of ground veal sweetbreads, shoulder, shallots, and Cognac baked into a rich pasta stuffing. Old-world fine dining at home.

Capirotada, the traditional Mexican bread pudding layered with cheese, raisins, and a warm cinnamon-clove syrup. A Lenten dessert that's sweet, savory, and spiced all at once.

Kosher dill pickles: classic garlic-and-dill brined cucumbers with snap and bite. A simple vinegar-brine canning recipe that turns out crisp, tangy pickles after a six-week cure.

Quick Bavarian sausage skillet with chicken apple sausage, sauerkraut, Granny Smith apples, caraway seeds, and sherry served over egg noodles. A cozy German-inspired dinner in under 30 minutes.

Smoky, tangy Sloppy BBQ Joes loaded with ground beef, barbecue sauce, ketchup, and sweet relish piled high on toasted buns. A 30-minute weeknight dinner the whole family will demolish.

A Weight Watchers-friendly oatmeal cookie made with banana, chunky peanut butter, raisins, and cinnamon. No added sugar, low-fat, and diabetic-friendly. Makes 2 big soft cookies in 15 minutes.

Farfalle pasta gets the wok treatment with chicken breast, bright broccoli, and juicy cherry tomatoes in a savory soy-chicken broth glaze. A 30-minute weeknight dinner the whole family will devour.

Creamy salmon spread with cream cheese, scallions, and liquid smoke. Just 5 minutes to mix and chill for a crowd-pleasing appetizer or snack.

Lemon coconut snickerdoodles with cream of tartar tang and bright lemon zest. A bakery-style drop cookie with crisp edges, soft centers, and shredded coconut for chew.

Seared filet mignon with a red wine and shallot pan sauce reduced with beef stock and thyme. A classic French bistro steak dinner ready in 30 minutes.

This is great with a cup of sweetened tea on a winter morning but also good just to simply cheer you up!