10,000 low low recipes

Pressed sandwich: hollowed French bread stuffed with sliced meat, crisp bacon, melted brie, and caramelized onions, then pressed golden in a skillet. Panini-style meat lover's sandwich without a press.

Roasted red pepper and chive dressing blends flame-charred peppers with red wine vinegar, garlic, olive oil, and fresh chives for a smoky, creamy dairy-free salad dressing.

No-bake mini burger cookies made from vanilla wafers, chocolate mint patties, dyed coconut lettuce, and white frosting. A fun kids party treat that looks like tiny hamburgers.

Fresh fruit ambrosia with a blended banana and orange juice dressing, spiced with nutmeg and cardamom, topped with coconut. No mayo, no marshmallows.

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.

Frozen coffee ice cream pie with a Girl Scout Thin Mint cookie crust and chocolate ganache topping. A no-bake freezer dessert with only four ingredients.

Chocolate-dipped strawberries with semi-sweet chocolate melted in a double boiler and a touch of oil for a glossy, professional-looking finish. Just 3 ingredients.

Artichokes truffle style - paper-thin artichoke slivers fried in olive oil until golden and crisp, using the same technique applied to truffles. A simple Italian Roman preparation.

Golden-seared veal cutlets topped with a warm bourbon-spiked apricot and orange compote laced with ginger. Sweet, savory, and citrusy all at once, this elegant 40-minute dinner for four feels like a special occasion.

Gazpacho relish for hot dogs: chopped tomato, cucumber, green pepper, onion, and garlic in a sweet-tangy red wine vinaigrette. Cookout topping that beats anything from a jar.

In a Cretan zacharoplasteion (sweet shop), we were so intrigued by these coconut pastries (among the newer breed) that I tried them at home. You can expect the potato pastry to be a bit difficult to manipulate, and you can also anticipate compliments on the results. Attractive and tasty, not excessively sweet.

Anginares tarama is a Greek island appetizer of tender braised artichokes filled with creamy taramosalata, the classic emulsion of cured cod roe, lemon, olive oil, and grated onion. Old-school meze with elegant presentation.

Fresh spinach topped with spirals of sliced strawberries and drizzled with a tangy raspberry vinegar and shallot dressing. A bright, simple salad ready in 15 minutes.

Mushrooms Barcelona: fresh mushrooms sauteed in butter, finished with dry sherry, lemon juice, orange peel, toasted walnuts, and parsley. A Spanish-style tapas appetizer ready in 20 minutes.

South Indian green prawn curry with a fresh ginger-garlic-scallion paste, coconut cream, mustard seeds, and fennel. Plump prawns simmered until just tender. Serve over rice.

A four-ingredient fresh salsa built on flame-roasted poblano peppers, ripe tomato, olive oil, and cilantro. Smoky, mild, and ready in under 15 minutes for chips, tacos, or grilled fish.