10,000 low low recipes

Bananas glazed in butter, brown sugar, and fresh orange juice, then topped with shredded coconut. This tropical microwave dessert is ready in 15 minutes and can be served warm or chilled.

Macaroon meets chocolate chip cookie in this co-winner in the drop cookie category, with a twist of cinnamon, nutmeg and mint; it's from Jessica Wall-Valadez of Milwaukee.

Nutty plum crumble with peanut butter rubbed into a whole wheat and oat topping over fresh sliced plums. A single-serving vegetarian dessert with a crunchy, protein-rich crumble.

Indian eggplant and spinach curry with popping mustard seeds, garlic, ginger, turmeric, cumin, and coriander. A vegetarian side dish with bold, warming spice.

Small-batch walnut brownies baked in a loaf pan with cocoa powder, one egg, and vegetable shortening. Dense, fudgy, and scaled for two to four people instead of a crowd.

Santa Claus cookies decorate flat sugar cookies with red sugar caps, miniature marshmallow tassels, currant eyes, cinnamon candy noses, and coconut beards. A festive holiday craft cookie kids can help build from baked rounds.

Traditional Portuguese salt cod and rice simmered with onions, tomatoes, and olive oil. A rustic northern Portugal classic with short-grain rice.

Hearty vegetarian chili with meatless crumbles, dried apricots, and warm spices, simmered in beer and tomato sauce for a sweet-savory twist on classic chili.

Roger's scallop tarts: delicate pastry cups filled with garlic-cream cheese, seared scallops, and a tiny crown of caviar. A classy, bite-sized seafood appetizer.

Decorating and preserving directions for Ha'Penny Friendship Bread: slit the top crust, tuck in a copper penny, tie with ribbon and wheat, then seal the loaf with glossy polyurethane for a keepsake that lasts.

Roasted curried almonds glazed with mango chutney, turmeric, and curry powder. A 20-minute spiced snack that's golden, crunchy, and ridiculously addictive. Only 4 ingredients.

Potato and loaded vegetable salad is a mayo-free, vegan picnic salad: cubed potatoes, peas, carrots, celery and bell pepper tossed in a bright blended lemon-garlic dressing with a hint of coconut and hot sauce.

Rich West Indian Christmas cake soaked in rum and sherry with dried fruits, warm spices, and browning for deep color. Start the fruit a month ahead for a dense, boozy holiday cake worth the wait.

Frozen banana pops dipped two ways: chocolate sauce with shredded coconut, or peanut butter rolled in crunchy nuts. Kid-friendly no-bake dessert ready for the freezer in minutes.

Chocolate peanut butter fondue with semi-sweet chocolate and creamy peanut butter, served with fresh fruit, cake cubes, and marshmallows for dipping. Ready in 20 minutes.

A crusty Cajun yeast bread loaded with three kinds of pepper: black, cayenne, and hot sauce. Polenta adds grit and crunch while garlic and parsley bring herby depth. Baked with steam like French bread.