10,000 sugar recipes

Old-fashioned peach gingerbread upside-down cake: molasses-spiced gingerbread baked over fresh sliced peaches, then topped with butter-glazed peaches and a preserves brush. Late-summer dessert perfection.

Classic Southern sweet potato pie with a spiced, custard-like filling made from fresh sweet potatoes, brown sugar, nutmeg, and vanilla in a flaky crust. A holiday staple.

Upside-down rhubarb cobbler with the biscuit batter on the bottom, sugared rhubarb piled on top, and a buttery streusel crown. The cake rises up through the fruit during baking.

Brownie peanut butter bites with a whole mini Reese's cup baked inside each fudgy mini muffin. Five-ingredient party dessert that disappears fast at any gathering.

Southern soft-shell tacos loaded with canned chili, instant rice, salsa, and cheddar cheese in warm flour tortillas. A 30-minute weeknight dinner with zero fuss and maximum filling.

Creamy Irish coffee with whiskey-spiked whipped cream floated on hot sweetened coffee. Irish whiskey in both the coffee and the cream for a double hit of warmth.

After a few potsticker recipes, I finally made my very first bunch of pot sticky buns (another popular food in China). They came out soft, and quite delicious. Nicely browned and crispy at the bottom. It's an excellent way to use up some of our fresh veggies.

Pineapple glaze for baked ham made with crushed pineapple, brown sugar, lemon juice, and mustard. Thick, sweet-tangy, and ready in 10 minutes on the stovetop.

Thin-cut pork chops browned in butter, layered in a casserole with cream of mushroom soup, Parmesan, and paprika. A retro weeknight dinner that comes together fast.

Pecan cashew popcorn balls coated in buttery caramel made from scratch with a candy thermometer. A crunchy Halloween treat with pecans, cashews, and 8 cups of popped corn.

Lemon zucchini cookies with walnuts and a tangy lemon glaze drizzled on warm. A soft, cake-like drop cookie that sneaks garden zucchini into a bright, citrusy treat.

Pork loin roast studded with garlic and parsley, then slow-roasted with frequent basting in a chicken broth, white wine, and star anise glaze. The anise gives the meat a subtle warm-spice depth that sets it apart from a standard roast.

Sauteed sturgeon topped with a silky vermouth and dill butter sauce. A restaurant-style fish dinner with a classic French-inspired reduction.

Nectarine-orange marmalade simmers ground nectarines and oranges with sugar into a glossy, peel-flecked spread. A small-batch summer preserve that yields four half-pints of bright, fragrant jam.

Breezy brownies made with Hershey's-style chocolate syrup, pecans, and a poured fudge frosting cooked stovetop. Old-fashioned pantry brownies with a glossy chocolate top that sets like candy.

Whole wheat aebleskivers are spherical Danish pancakes cooked in a special cast-iron pan, with whipped egg whites folded into a buttermilk batter. Tender, golden, and built for jam, syrup, or fruit fillings.