Recipe Sifter

Navy bean and tomato soup made from dried beans, with stewed tomatoes, onion, and celery sauteed in margarine. A high-fiber, low-fat, gluten-free farmhouse soup that costs pennies to make.

Baltic-style beet and potato salad with herring, dill pickles, carrots, and a creamy sour cream-mayonnaise-mustard dressing. A hearty Estonian kringel salad that improves overnight in the fridge.

2 ingredients, smoked sausages steamed in beer for even more flavor. Perfect for Superbowl or any time the guys get together.

Handmade ricotta and spinach stuffed pasta squares folded into triangles, baked in a fresh Roma tomato basil sauce with Parmesan. A hearty Italian main dish worth every minute of rolling.

Moroccan lamb tagine slow-simmered with saffron, honey, cinnamon, dates, and toasted almonds. A fragrant North African braise with sweet-savory depth in every bite.

Set-it-and-forget-it slow cooker French dip with tender beef roast simmered 10-12 hours in savory broth with herbs and peppercorns. Shred, pile on toasted rolls, dip in the au jus. Effortless comfort.

Butter-basted roast chicken carved tableside, flambéed in cognac, and draped in a luscious port wine cream sauce with sautéed mushrooms and shallots. Classic French technique at its finest.

For best results slice the cake chilled, but let sit 1/2 hour at room temperature before serving.

Slow cooker chocolate fondue made with almond chocolate bars, marshmallows, and whipping cream. Set it, stir occasionally, and keep it warm for hours of dipping fruit and cake.

Spicy Corn and Black Bean Salad with Mushroom and Cucumber recipe

Vietnamese fruits in syrup (trái cây) with orange, pineapple, and lychees in a sherry-citrus sugar syrup. A simple, elegant tropical dessert chilled to perfection.

Texas-style cowpoke pinto beans cooked low and slow with smoked bacon, salt pork, jalapeños, cumin, and chili powder. Crockpot or stovetop, freezes well for refried beans later.

Hearty vegetarian chili with meatless crumbles, dried apricots, and warm spices, simmered in beer and tomato sauce for a sweet-savory twist on classic chili.

Oven-braised beef and brown rice stew with crushed tomatoes, green beans, and warm spices like allspice and chili powder. A hearty, hands-off dinner that simmers to tender in a Dutch oven.

Malosolnye ogurtsy are Russian lightly-salted pickles made with fresh dill, horseradish, garlic, and a simple brine. Crisp, garlicky, and ready in just four days.

Chocolate trifle with Kahlua-soaked brownie crumbles, chocolate pudding, whipped topping, and crushed toffee bars layered in a trifle dish. A make-ahead showstopper.