Died and went to heaven chocolate cake is a deeply chocolate bundt that's secretly low-fat: buttermilk and hot coffee make it rich and moist with just a quarter cup of oil. Bittersweet, tender, and crowd-worthy.
Habanero chicken jerktoufee blends Cajun etouffee with Caribbean jerk spices. Chicken breast in a creamy roux-thickened sauce with tasso, habanero, and jalapeno, served over cornbread.
Carrot fruit cake loaded with raisins, candied fruit, and pecans in a spiced batter. No eggs needed. Soak with rum or brandy and store for up to 3 months.
Mrs Fields' black and white cookies: chewy chocolate cookies studded with chunks of both semi-sweet and white chocolate. The famous mall-cookie chain copycat with bakery-sized presence.
Tender flounder fillets baked in a sour cream and mushroom tarragon sauce, all made in the microwave in about 35 minutes. A quick, elegant weeknight fish dinner.
Scotch mock apple pie: a Depression-era trick that uses soda crackers, lemon juice, and warm spices to taste exactly like apple pie. No apples required.
Honey bear cookies sweeten oats with honey and brown sugar instead of just butter and white sugar. Chewy oatmeal cookies with cinnamon and your choice of chocolate, apples, or raisins.
Tangy buttermilk blue cheese bread made easy in a bread machine. Crumbled blue cheese and fresh parsley bake into a savory loaf with bold, earthy flavor.
Chocolate Velvet cake made with mayonnaise instead of butter or oil for an extra-moist crumb, topped with a broiled coconut-walnut sauce. The unexpected vintage cake that converts skeptics.
Layers of wine-braised lamb, silky eggplant, and creamy ricotta béchamel bake into this classic Greek casserole. Warming cinnamon and nutmeg make it unforgettable.
Leftover mashed potato pancakes crisp up golden on the griddle, then get topped with a fried egg and a skillet hash of shredded turkey, gravy, corn, and sweet red pepper. One plate that turns holiday leftovers into brunch.
Lemon dill turkey meatballs with artichokes: tender poached meatballs in a bright lemon-caper sauce with artichoke hearts. A Greek-leaning weeknight dinner that freezes beautifully.
Warm pear pudding cake with pecans, cinnamon, and cloves baked under a bubbling brown sugar caramel sauce. An old-fashioned comfort dessert best served hot with ice cream or whipped cream.
Creamy one-skillet chicken and potato dinner with bell peppers, onions, and melted cheddar cheese. Uses frozen O'Brien potatoes for a 40-minute weeknight meal.
Pork chops with dill cream gravy, simmered in white wine with mushrooms and scallions, then finished with sour cream. A one-skillet dinner served over rice.
Maple macadamia quick bread with whole wheat flour, buttermilk, and a warm maple-cinnamon glaze. Rich, nutty, and sweetened entirely with real maple syrup.
Thin, crisp Swedish cookies brushed with egg white, dusted with cinnamon-clove sugar, and topped with a whole almond pressed into each one. Lemon zest brightens the buttery dough. Ready in 25 minutes, makes 2 dozen.
Malted milk cookies stir malt powder into classic chocolate chip cookie dough for chewy results with the toasty, malty flavor of an old-fashioned milkshake.
German chocolate brownie cookies marry fudgy cocoa cookies with the classic coconut-pecan caramel topping. Brown-sugar dough loaded with chocolate chips, crowned candy-bar style.
Baked rigatoni with ground turkey, porcini mushrooms, and tomatoes topped with homemade bechamel, breadcrumbs, and Parmesan. A hearty one-dish pasta bake.
Pan-fried whole trout smothered in a creamy Dijon mustard sauce and sprinkled with briny chopped olives. A one-skillet fish dinner ready in 30 minutes.
Buttery pecan shortbread cookie balls dipped in vanilla frosting and rolled in tinted coconut. Melt-in-your-mouth tender, baked low and slow, and perfect for holiday cookie exchanges. Makes 48.
Double anise almond biscotti with anise extract, ground star anise, and slivered almonds in a twice-baked Italian cookie. Crisp enough to dunk in espresso or vin santo.
French-style potato pancakes with diced cooked turkey, scallions, chervil, ripe olives, and Dijon mustard. Crisp-edged hash brown cakes that turn leftovers into dinner.
Streusel and cream pear kuchen with a yeasted hot-roll base, sweet cream cheese filling, cinnamon-pecan streusel, and fanned poached pears on top. A German-style coffee cake worthy of a holiday brunch table.
Pfeffernusse-style German pepper cookies with white pepper, cinnamon, mixed spice, candied peel, and lemon zest. Small, puffy spice balls dusted in powdered sugar.
A buttery banana sour cream cake swirled with cinnamon-brown sugar, chopped walnuts, and chocolate chips. Part coffee cake, part banana bread, all comfort. Feeds 16 happy people.
Microwave broccoli mushroom scallop topped with sharp cheddar and paprika. A retro side dish on the table in 30 minutes.
Banana fritters in a nutmeg-spiced batter, deep-fried until golden and tossed in powdered sugar. A quick stovetop dessert ready in under 25 minutes.
Light apple cake made with whole wheat flour, apple juice concentrate, egg whites, and cinnamon-coated apple layers. Low-fat and naturally sweetened in a ring mold.
Delicate homemade crepes filled with flaked trout in a creamy sauterne wine sauce with garlic and onion. Makes 20 crepes for an impressive brunch, appetizer, or French-inspired dinner.
Drunken crawfish pie tucks two pounds of crawfish tails into a buttery brandy-spiked cream sauce with the Cajun holy trinity, sealed inside a double crust and baked golden. A Louisiana classic that turns brunch or supper into an event.
A light and fluffy chiffon cake is a perfect dessert to satisfy your sweet tooth!
Bolillos: crusty Mexican-style hard rolls with a golden cornstarch-glazed crust and soft, chewy interior. Made with bread flour, honey, and yeast. Freezer-friendly!
Loaded drop cookies packed with chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, coconut, oatmeal, nuts, and candy-coated chocolates on top. These kitchen sink cookies have everything but the sink.
Americanized version of Maggie Beer's recipe I saw on Masterchef Australia 2011 the other day.
Almond cinnamon-raisin biscotti with brandy and vanilla, twice-baked in the classic Italian style. Crisp, lightly spiced cookies for dipping in coffee, tea, or a glass of vin santo.
Layered crab gratin over linguine with mushrooms, white wine, clam juice, and tarragon in a light cream sauce, baked and broiled until golden. A refined seafood pasta bake.
Swedish meatballs spiced with warm nutmeg and ginger, broiled until browned, then simmered in a silky beef gravy made from the drippings. Tender, old-fashioned meatballs for noodles or mashed potatoes.
Millionaire's shortbread with a buttery shortbread base, chewy homemade caramel middle, and a smooth chocolate top. Three layers of British confection in every square.
Traditional New Mexican fry bread made with just 5 pantry ingredients. Simple dough kneaded smooth, rolled thin, and deep-fried golden in minutes. Serve with honey.
Fruitcake biscotti studded with dried cranberries, tart cherries, candied orange rind, and almonds. Twice-baked for that signature crunch with lemon and almond extract.
Christopsomo: a traditional Greek Christmas bread with semolina, citrus zest from oranges and tangerines, currants, golden raisins, and a warming blend of cinnamon, anise, coriander, and cloves.
Crispy golden crab and avocado fritters with salsa and green onions, fried to a crunch outside while staying creamy inside. Makes 4 dozen party-ready bites you can prep ahead.
Try these colorful and scrumptious muffins that go hand-in-hand with a sunny day.
Rock shrimp chowder built on a rich homemade shrimp-shell stock, spiced with curry, chili, and thyme, with potatoes, peppers, and tomato. The shrimp go in last to stay tender. A warmly spiced seafood chowder.
No-knead bran bread made with whole wheat flour, bran, honey, and yeast. A sticky dough that rises once, pours into a loaf pan, and bakes into a dense, hearty loaf.
Spaghetti tossed in a from-scratch cream sauce with nutmeg, Marsala wine, and Parmesan, loaded with flaked tuna, sliced mushrooms, and green pepper, then baked until bubbly. Classic tuna tetrazzini the way it was meant to be made.