Recipe Sifter

Chocolate thumbprint cookies bake a cocoa-walnut shortbread base, then fill the wells with vanilla cream and ruby cherry pie filling. Holiday cookie tray showstopper.

Classic springerle: traditional German anise cookies embossed with intricate designs, dried overnight, and baked pale, then mellowed for a week into crisp, picture-perfect holiday treats.

Chocolate cake layered with peanut butter chip mousse and dripping chocolate ganache glaze, topped with mini peanut butter cups. A three-component showstopper.

Homemade hummus from dried chickpeas with tomato puree, garlic, lemon, cumin, and paprika. A tahini-free, tomato-tinged version with deeper bean-forward flavor.

Dark rye cornmeal bread combines whole wheat pastry flour, rye, and cornmeal with carob, molasses, and instant coffee for deep color and flavor. Nutty, hearty yeast loaf for sandwiches or toast.

Shellfish shell marinara with littleneck clams and shrimp in a slow-simmered tomato sauce with red wine, basil, and garlic, served over shell pasta. A seafood pasta with real Italian soul.

French chocolate decadence cake with over a pound of dark chocolate and just one tablespoon each of sugar and flour. Served with whipped cream and raspberry-liqueur sauce.

Add a kick your chicken with this delicious recipe that uses lemon juice, olives and a variety of spices.

Vanilla-frosted fudge cookies are low-fat chocolate drops made with cocoa, oil, and egg whites, finished with white frosting and a cocoa dust. A skinny bakery-style cookie with brownie-like chew.

Chicken chili with kidney beans, diced apples, and tomato juice simmered low and slow for two hours. A lighter chili with a surprising sweet-savory twist from fresh apples.

Old-fashioned pickled peaches: small ripe peaches studded with cloves and put up in a sweet, spiced cider vinegar syrup. The Southern relish tray classic that bridges canning season and Christmas dinner.

Goan-style chicken with dry-roasted spices, toasted fresh coconut, and a garlic-ginger-chili paste. An aromatic, no-cream Indian curry with deep, layered spice flavors.

Turkey pita pockets stuffed with cherry tomatoes, red onion, fresh basil, and lettuce tossed in a balsamic-brown sugar vinaigrette. A fresh, no-cook sandwich using leftover turkey.

Applesauce raisin and nut cake bakes a moist, cinnamon-scented sheet cake using hot applesauce, butter, raisins, and chopped nuts. Old-fashioned thrifty home cake, no eggs needed.

Slow cooker baked beans from scratch with bacon, molasses, pineapple chunks, dill pickles, and green olives. A tangy, smoky, loaded side dish that simmers all day long.

Salt cod and potato casserole (bacalhau) baked in tomato-parsley broth. A traditional Portuguese-style dish with flaked cod, sliced potatoes, and olive oil.