Recipe Sifter

Homemade mocha coffee mix with instant coffee, hot cocoa mix, powdered creamer, and sugar. Mix a jar, scoop and stir with hot water for an instant cafe mocha.

Mock lobster made from haddock poached in tomato juice and served with a zesty chili-horseradish-sour cream sauce. Budget-friendly seafood with lobster-like flavor.

Rotel salsa is the five-minute dip you make when guests are at the door: a can of Rotel tomatoes and chiles, fresh tomato, scallions, garlic, lime juice, and salt. No cooking required.

Pasta with smoked mozzarella: bow-tie pasta with sun-dried tomatoes, fresh asparagus, thyme, and melty smoked mozzarella. A light pasta dinner that works hot or as a next-day salad.

This is a very simple one-bowl meal, perfect for when you don’t have the time to spend cooking after work. You can easily double or triple the recipe and use the leftovers for lunch the next day.

Chicken livers browned in bacon drippings, simmered in dry sherry and tomato sauce with mushrooms, onions, and herbs. Served over rice, polenta, or pasta with grated Parmesan. Ready in 20 minutes.

Authentic Chinese almond cookies made with lard for that traditional sandy crumb. Each cookie gets a whole blanched almond pressed in the center and a glossy egg yolk wash before baking. Includes sesame variation.

Quick fig muffins with a tender crumb, sweetened naturally with California dried figs. A vintage gem recipe that turns stewed fruit into warm, wholesome breakfast treats in under 30 minutes.

Caramelized ripe plantains pan-fried in butter with a sprinkle of sugar until golden and sticky. Just 3 ingredients and 20 minutes for a sweet Caribbean-style side or dessert.

Gingerbread icing that dries rock-hard for gluing gingerbread houses and piping crisp royal-icing details. Three ingredients, stiff peaks, no egg whites.

Spiced carrot dip pureed smooth with olive oil, cumin, paprika, oregano, garlic, and vinegar. A vegan, hummus-style dip served with peppers, olives, and bread.

Cinnamon sugar cookies with a tender shortening-based dough, brushed with egg white and topped with a cinnamon sugar sparkle. Crisp edges, soft centers.

Homemade fresh tomato juice from ripe tomatoes with oregano, thyme, and a squeeze of lemon. No-cook, low calorie, and ready in 15 minutes.

Microwave trout almondine with butter-toasted slivered almonds, dill, lemon, and parsley. A quick weeknight fish dinner that delivers classic French flavors in about 10 minutes.

Thai stir-fried shrimp with lemongrass, dried red chilies, mushrooms, and snow peas in a fish sauce glaze. Fragrant, spicy, and ready in 30 minutes.

Creamed chipped beef on toast: dried beef in a peppery white sauce with chopped hard-boiled eggs. The classic American diner breakfast served over toasted English muffins.