28 point recipes

A simple yet savory soup made with tomatoes, cabbage and a variety of frozen vegetables.

Light lemon blitz cake with a tangy lemon curd filling made from skim milk, and a yogurt whipped topping frosting. A low-point layered dessert that tastes rich without the guilt.

Halloween face paint mixes cornstarch, water, cream, and food coloring into a homemade non-toxic costume paint. Skin-safe, kid-friendly, and ready in seconds for trick-or-treat night.

Hand print sugar cookies traced from paper cutouts of each family member's hand. Refrigerated dough shortcut, decorated with icings and candies. Memory-keeper recipe.

Roll-and-cut sugar cookies painted with egg yolk food coloring before baking. A fun decorating activity for kids with a crisp, golden result every time.

Light Greek yogurt cheesecake with a melba toast and walnut crust, topped with dried figs poached in an ouzo syrup with cinnamon stick and orange zest. A Mediterranean twist on cheesecake that skips the heaviness.

Homemade pomander pebbles made with essential oils and clay litter. A simple DIY sachet alternative to scent drawers, closets, and small spaces.

Crockpot pumpkin bread baked inside canning jars for cylindrical loaves. Pumpkin pie spice, brown sugar, currants, and a wet pumpkin batter. Edible gift idea.

Apple maple jam captures fall in a jar with finely chopped apples, pure maple syrup, and warm spices. A small-batch canning recipe with cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and cloves cooked to the jellying point.

Harvest apricot preserves cook a big batch of ripe apricots with sugar and lemon juice to setting point, then jar and seal with rum-dipped cellophane tops. An old-world summer preserve.

A fragrant homemade Chinese ten-spice blend with toasted star anise, Szechuan peppercorns, fennel, coriander, and cumin. Toast, grind, and store for marinades, stir-fries, sauces, and meat rubs.

Cocoa meringue cake: two crisp cocoa-free meringue disks sandwiched with a mocha-chocolate filling and served in a pool of bright raspberry sauce. An elegant, low-fat dessert showpiece.

Classic lobster Newburg with whole boiled lobsters in a rich sherry, brandy, and cream sauce thickened with egg yolks. Served over toast points.

Glitscher: German potato dumplings shaped into long pointed torpedoes from raw and day-old boiled potatoes, simmered until tender. Regional German comfort food from the traditional dumpling playbook.

A light, soufflé-style cheesecake made with sieved cottage cheese, grated Swiss cheese, and whipped egg whites on a shortbread crust. Not your typical cheesecake, and that's the point.

Caribbean guacamole: a tropical twist on classic guac with diced avocado, sweet papaya, lime, red chiles, and toasted coconut, served with crisp bread points. Island sunshine on a cracker.