23 litter recipes

Pasta with bitter broccoli, garlic, and chili flakes: a Southern Italian classic scented with an almost reckless 14 cloves of garlic and a hit of red pepper heat. Weeknight dinner, minimal effort.

Vermouth cream of mushroom soup builds layers of flavor with two pounds of mushrooms, dry vermouth, beef stock, and a finishing splash of aromatic bitters for a grown-up bowl that buries any canned version.

Orange sweet potatoes whipped with fresh orange juice, zest, brown sugar, and a secret splash of Angostura bitters. A lighter, butterless holiday side dish.

Wine-marinated venison chops stacked with green pepper rings, rice, onion, and tomato slices, then oven-steamed in a garlicky tomato sauce spiked with Angostura bitters. A complete one-dish meal.

Pitlai is a South Indian lentil stew with bitter gourd (karela), chickpeas, tamarind, and a ground coconut-spice paste. A tangy, complex vegetarian curry with toor dal and jaggery.

Hearty no-bean beef chili built on 3 pounds of stewing beef, half a cup of chili powder, masa harina for body, and a secret weapon: a dash of Peychaud's bitters and nutmeg at the finish.

Whole wheat cookies shaped like cat poop, rolled in Grape-Nuts, and served in a litter box. Two dough options: chocolate or gingerbread. The ultimate gross-out Halloween party hit!

Juicy, sweet and tender roasted tomatoes, creamy goat cheese, and slightly bitter mixed greens make this mouth-watering pasta dish delicious and nutritious.

Winter greens can be bitter but not when cooked this way. Perfectly complimentary flavors and belly filling warmness. If you've never tried collard greens before this recipe is more than worth the effort.

Traditional Irish ginger marmalade made with bitter Seville oranges, lemons, fresh ginger root, and preserved ginger. A bittersweet, spicy preserve that's worth the slow simmer.

Made with white whole wheat flour, butter and olive oil, and chocolate chips. This whole wheat banana and chocolate chip bread is super buttery, moist, and packed with banana flavor. You can also find chunks of chocolate in every bite.

Vinegar cake is an old-fashioned chocolate layer cake leavened with baking soda and vinegar instead of baking powder. Sour milk and unsweetened chocolate create a moist, tangy, deeply chocolatey crumb.

Fall salad: crisp bitter greens with sweet sliced pears, toasted walnuts, and crumbled Gorgonzola in a walnut-oil vinaigrette. An elegant autumn salad balancing sweet, bitter, and savory.

Insalata verde e rossa, an Italian red and green salad with dandelion leaves, watercress, and radishes in olive oil and red wine vinegar. A bitter greens salad with peppery bite.

Italian-style winter salad of shaved fennel, juicy orange slices, pink grapefruit, red onion, and bitter radicchio dressed with citrus-spiked olive oil. A bright, anise-scented cold-weather starter.

Brussels sprouts simmered in beer until tender, then finished with butter and salt. A German-inspired side dish where the beer adds malty depth and tames any bitterness.