46 saver recipes

Sunglasses-shaped sugar cookies with crushed Life Savers melted into the lenses for colorful stained-glass centers. A fun baking project kids love.

Herbed whole wheat bread crumbs use up stale bread with basil, thyme, chervil, garlic, and shallot. A pantry-saver that beats every store-bought crumb on flavor, freezer-friendly for months.

Freezer-mix lasagna layers cottage cheese, mozzarella, Swiss, and Parmesan over a make-ahead beef-tomato sauce base. A retro time-saver dinner pulled from the freezer.

Literally 5 minutes of cooking time. Start to finish this baby bok choy about 10 minutes and is packed with flavor.

Beef tips marinated in red wine. Pancetta (or bacon), garlic and onion. Simple flavors highlighted by earthy mushrooms, simmered long and slow.

Spicy pumpkin pie with two teaspoons of cayenne pepper hidden in the warm spice blend, balanced by honey, half-and-half, and ground pecans. A Thanksgiving showstopper that surprises every guest at the second bite.

This focaccia turns out crusty outside and fluffy inside, onion and sage add the deliciously refreshing flavor, mozzarella gives the mildly cheesy flavor, and olive oil brings the tang to the bread. Eating it plain is absolutely tasty and it can be made into a delicious sandwich!

Much better than classic Macaroni and Cheese. This version still has lots of cheesy flavor but is baked with juicy tomatoes and lots of mushrooms. Serve with a simple salad and make with whole wheat macaroni for a serious boost to the health value that's packed with flavor. A great family casserole.

Homemade smoked turkey sausage stuffed into natural casings with potato, paprika, sage, red pepper flakes and a touch of nutmeg. Ground, stuffed and smoked for 4 hours of real pit flavor.

Low-fat ricotta cheese and goat cheese on top of the phyllo, mixed mushrooms with leeks cooked in white wine, on top of the cheese, delicious...

Wild venison steaks slow-braised in cream of mushroom soup with sliced onions and a splash of Worcestershire. A hunter's-camp classic that turns lean, gamey meat fork-tender.

Thick seitan steaks baked until firm, then simmered in a savory tamari broth with kombu and fresh ginger for deep umami flavor. Brushed with sauce and broiled until lightly charred, these vegan steaks have real chew and satisfying meatiness.

Halloween Jack-o-Lantern frosties: hollowed oranges filled with a blended orange-yogurt smoothie, decorated with icing faces and candy for a festive kid-friendly treat.

Cheese and chile squares, a baked appetizer of cottage cheese, Longhorn cheddar and Monterey Jack layered with green chiles and a tabasco-spiked egg custard. Cuts into 24 crowd-ready bites for parties.

Shape-holding cutout cookies with almond and vanilla extract that keep every detail from imprinted cookie cutters. Soft, flavorful, and ideal for royal icing.

This is an awesomely flexible dinner. You basically chop everything up, douse it in oil and some salt, pepper or whichever spices you're in the mood for (or grab first!) and chuck it in the oven for an hour or so.