Recipe Sifter

Whole wheat pumpkin tea cake sweetened with honey and brown sugar, spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves, and topped with chopped hazelnuts. A lighter autumn loaf for afternoon tea or breakfast.

Tortilla black bean soup simmers black beans with celery, onion, and red bell pepper, finished with cilantro and served over warmed corn tortillas in each bowl. A rustic Mexican classic.

Homemade frozen yogurt pops with just three ingredients: low-fat yogurt, frozen fruit juice concentrate, and milk. A healthy kids' snack that freezes in 2 hours.

King cake for Mardi Gras, a sour cream yeast dough rolled with cinnamon-sugar butter, shaped into an oval ring, and decorated with purple, green, and gold sugars. New Orleans tradition at home.

Old-fashioned chicken spaghetti casserole made from scratch with a whole stewing hen, creamy mushroom roux, hard-boiled eggs, and melted cheddar. Makes two casseroles so you can freeze one for later.

Homemade Dijon mustard from scratch: dry mustard whisked into a wine-onion-garlic infusion, sweetened with honey and kicked with hot pepper sauce. The sharp, complex condiment that beats anything in a jar.

Louisiana-style roasted duck rubbed with a vinegar-salt-pepper paste, stuffed with aromatics, and slow-roasted until tender. A Cajun family recipe with old-school technique and deep flavor.

Asian-style grilled flank steak marinated in soy, sesame oil, lime, ginger, garlic, and chili sauce. Scored and grilled medium-rare with a reduced-marinade glaze drizzled over thin against-the-grain slices.

Low Fat Zucchini Bread: a guilt-free spice loaf made with fat-free sour cream, egg whites, and bright lemon zest. Tender crumb, classic cinnamon flavor, no oil or butter required.

Slow cooker shredded beef sandwiches made with a beef roast, Italian dressing mix, and wine left to simmer overnight. A five-ingredient crockpot recipe that pulls apart with two forks and tastes even better the next day.

A from-scratch turkey chowder simmered from the carcass with carrots, celery, potatoes, and diced turkey, served with a caramelized cranberry compote and sour cream. The most elegant way to use your Thanksgiving leftovers.

Chocolate chip snack cake with cream cheese pockets: a no-egg, no-butter chocolate cake topped with dollops of sweetened cream cheese, chocolate chips, and walnuts. The retro depression-era "crazy cake" upgraded.

Mexican style lasagne with enchilada sauce, black beans, cottage cheese, and cheddar, layered with uncooked noodles that bake right in the sauce. Vegetarian, feeds 6 to 8, one pan cleanup.

Black bean soup with cumin, slow-simmered with onion, garlic, carrots, and celery then pureed smooth. Garnished with chopped egg and scallions.

Grilled napalm shrimp skewers marinated in a blended habanero-cayenne butter sauce with cumin, brown sugar, and Worcestershire. Seriously spicy grilled shrimp for heat seekers.

Elegant red wine fruit soup with poached pears, candied orange slices, pineapple, and a crème fraîche finish. A stunning French-inspired dessert layered with star anise, vanilla, and cardamom.