Recipe Sifter

Vegan leek and kasha pie: Eastern European-inspired casserole with toasted buckwheat groats, sauteed leeks, and a tofu-bechamel topping crisped under bread crumbs.

A vegetable-loaded Italian minestrone with eggplant, beans, spinach, cabbage, and pasta, finished with a swirl of homemade pesto alla Genovese. Rustic, hearty, and full of garden-fresh flavor.

Saffron-infused rice topped with slow-cooked black beans and a fresh tomato-cumin garnish. A vibrant, naturally vegan bowl built from three simple components.

Granny's icebox sugar cookies sliced from a chilled log, sprinkled with sugar and nutmeg, and baked into crisp-edged, soft-centered rounds. The make-ahead slice-and-bake recipe with old-fashioned charm.

Apricot walnut crescent cookies with a flaky sour cream pastry rolled around apricot preserves and ground walnuts, dusted with powdered sugar. An Eastern European holiday classic.

Cranberry wine gelatin mold with fresh cranberries simmered in red wine, set with raspberry gelatin, and studded with chopped walnuts. A jewel-toned holiday side or dessert.

Rosemary onion focaccia with caramelized Spanish onions, fresh rosemary throughout the dough, and a cornmeal-edge crust. Bread machine kneading meets oven-finish for bakery-style results.

Traditional saffron cake with whole wheat flour, currants, candied peel, and nutmeg. A Cornish-style yeasted fruit bread infused with overnight saffron water for golden color and floral depth.

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Homemade cinnamon bread with a soft, honey-sweetened yeast dough rolled with a thick cinnamon-sugar filling and shaped into S-coils in the pan. Makes 3 loaves or can be shaped into dinner rolls.

Guisado rico, a Mexican pork stew with roasted loin simmered in green chiles, tomatoes, beer, and chicken broth. Served in bowls with cilantro, refried beans, and warm tortillas.

Fresh mango chutney: a raw, uncooked chutney of ripe mango, jalapeño, red onion, ginger, and black beans. Bright, spicy, fiber-packed condiment for grilled fish, chicken, or tacos.

Lamb chops Creole: shoulder lamb chops braised under a tomato, green pepper, and onion sauce with cayenne and chili powder. Old-school Louisiana home cooking at its best.

English muffins baked as a loaf with yeast, baking soda, and cornmeal-dusted pans. No kneading, no shaping, no griddle. Slice, toast, and get those signature nooks and crannies.

Apple Cake for the barbecue. This is absolutely the best apple cake that I have ever had, or made!

Peach and sour cream tart with fresh-poached peaches arranged in a sweet pastry shell, filled with a sour cream custard, and topped with sliced almonds. A classic French-style summer fruit tart.