Recipe Sifter

Full-flavored borscht in 40 minutes flat, thanks to the pressure cooker. Beets, cabbage, carrots, parsnips, and tomatoes in a rich beef stock with caraway and allspice. Finished with vinegar and sour cream.

Finikia are Greek torpedo-shaped semolina cookies scented with orange and cinnamon, baked golden then dipped in a honey-cinnamon syrup and rolled in sesame or walnuts. Traditional Christmas melomakarona.

A loaded stromboli stuffed with ham, pepperoni, salami, mozzarella, and Swiss, with peppers, onion, and Italian herbs, sealed in bread dough and baked golden. Sliced and served with warm pizza sauce for dipping.

Lincolnshire plum bread, a traditional English yeasted fruit loaf with prunes, currants, golden raisins, cinnamon, and allspice. A buttery, spiced bread that slices beautifully for tea.

Fat-free orange poppy seed biscotti with no butter or oil, crispy-crunchy from a double bake. Bright citrus flavor from orange zest and concentrate with poppy seed crunch throughout.

Florentine spaghetti bake layers Italian sausage marinara, cooked spaghetti, a spinach-cottage cheese ricotta-style filling, and mozzarella for a baked Italian-American pasta casserole.

A succulent and savory beef stew that's made with carrots, irish potatoes and juicy tomatoes.

Nutty buckwheat groats and cracked wheat get tossed with sautéed vegetables, fresh tomatoes, and slivered almonds, then baked into a hearty vegetarian casserole seasoned with rosemary and chili.

Baked Indian-spiced mung bean paté with cauliflower, ginger, jalapeño, cumin, and turmeric. Vegan, gluten-free, and makes stunning little tarts or a sliceable loaf.

Eggplant gratin layers pan-fried eggplant, fresh tomato sauce, basil and Gruyere under a saffron-tinted ricotta and Parmesan custard. A Provencal-inspired baked vegetable centerpiece worth the effort.

Paper-thin, crispy lace cookies loaded with chocolate chips and chopped pecans. Just half a cup of flour lets the batter spread into delicate, golden wafers with lacey edges. Soft out of the oven, shatteringly crisp once cooled.

Black Forest trifle layered with rum-soaked devil's food cake, cherry pie filling, homemade chocolate custard, and whipped cream topped with toasted almonds.

This crumb cake is like a coffee cake, not too sweet, which fits my taste. I often eat it with a cup of coffee or tea in the afternoon. I do substitute raspberries or blackberries for blueberries depending on what berries I have on hand when I want to make it. No surprise, it comes out great every single time.

Peach apricot pie: fresh sliced peaches glazed with apricot jam, brown sugar, cinnamon, and lemon in a flaky double-crust. Summer stone fruit at its peak.

Vegetarian keema made with TVP (texturized vegetable protein), ginger, garlic, curry powder, tomatoes, peas, and mushrooms. A plant-based riff on classic Indian keema matar, ready in 30 minutes.

Sad cake is a dense, chewy brown-sugar cake studded with coconut and nuts, made easy with a baking mix. It sinks in the middle on purpose, baking up gooey and butterscotchy like a giant blondie.