150 spooned recipes

Dill cornmeal dumplings stir together flour, cornmeal, fresh dill, and shortening into drop dumplings that simmer on top of stews for tender, herb-flecked toppings. 16 minutes from spoon to plate.

Old-fashioned wine jelly made with sweet wine, lemon juice, and unflavored gelatin. A Victorian-era holiday dessert served chilled in a glass bowl with custard sauce poured over each spoonful.

Peach Melba dessert sauce: a simple compote of peaches, raspberries, and sugar simmered into a glossy ruby topping. Spoon warm or chilled over vanilla ice cream for the classic Escoffier dessert.

Cranberry sauce for holiday meringues: a glossy, ruby-red dessert sauce made from cranberry juice, sugar, lemon, and a touch of cornstarch. Perfect spooned over crisp meringues, ice cream, or pavlova.

British rhubarb fool with stewed rhubarb, orange, and a light fromage frais or yogurt fold-in. Tart-sweet pink dessert that's lighter than a traditional cream fool. Spring on a spoon.

Chilled raspberry borscht made with fresh beets, raspberries, red onion, lemon juice, and balsamic. Modern fruit-twist on the classic Eastern European cold soup, finished with a spoon of sour cream.

Quick mushroom sauce of sliced mushrooms browned in butter and finished with a splash of Worcestershire. A fast, savory pan sauce to spoon over steak, omelets, or fish. Ready in minutes.

Paprika sauce simmers sweet peppers, bacon and tomato with smoky paprika, then finishes with sour cream for a creamy, Hungarian-style sauce. Spoon it over fish or chicken in about 25 minutes.

Silky carrot leek bisque with basil, sage, and a spoonful of miso for depth. Blended smooth with reserved carrot slices stirred back in for texture. Light, warming, and ready in 45 minutes.

Groundnut sauce is a West African peanut sauce simmered with onion, tomato, and roasted jalapeño, then thickened with arrowroot for a glossy finish. Spoon over rice, grilled chicken, or roasted sweet potatoes.

One-pot chicken dinner simmers a whole chicken with tomatoes, green pepper, okra, and chili powder into a Southern-style stew spooned over rice. Honest, hearty, and feeds a crowd of 8.

Red chile pesto clams with ancho and dried red chiles, roasted garlic, pine nuts, and oregano blended into a smoky, spicy pesto spooned over steamed clams. A Mexican-Italian fusion seafood bowl.

Chicken marinara made with a fast homemade tomato sauce of diced tomatoes, tomato paste, red wine, and basil spooned over cooked chicken pieces. A 25-minute weeknight Italian dinner with pantry staples.

Yogurt jam-filled muffins bake a tender lemon-poppy seed batter with cream of wheat for texture, then get filled with a spoonful of jam through the top. Sweet bakery-style breakfast muffin.

Saucy ground beef with onion, green pepper, and Worcestershire spooned over toasted buns in 30 minutes flat. This quick weeknight sloppy joe is a budget-friendly family dinner that kids actually ask for.

Beef bones simmer with beets, cabbage, and carrots in a tangy tomato broth sweetened with garlic and lemon juice, creating a hearty Russian-Jewish soup that's rich, sweet, and sour in every spoonful.