Recipes with water

Onion and tomato tart with anchovies bakes caramelized onions, tomatoes, briny anchovies, and Nicoise olives on a thin yeasted crust. The Provençal pissaladière at home.

Vinson's pecan pie is a classic Southern double-batch recipe with whole pecans, Karo corn syrup heated to blend smooth, eggs, and vanilla. Makes 2 pies for holiday tables.

Three-layer chocolate almond cake with cocoa buttermilk layers, almond cream filling, and rich chocolate frosting. A showstopper from-scratch layer cake.

Slow-simmered strawberry-rhubarb compote with just four ingredients cooked low for hours until thick and jammy. A versatile fruit topping for yogurt, ice cream, or toast.

Sweet bell peppers stuffed with a scalloped corn filling of sauteed onion, green pepper, cilantro, and chili powder bound with egg whites and milk. A light vegetarian side that pairs with any summer main.

Theada's beef jerky uses an old-school boil-and-bake method with a salt-vinegar brine, finished with Liquid Smoke and A-1 sauce. A pantry-friendly homemade jerky that skips the dehydrator.

Molasses barbecued ribs get a salt-vinegar brine soak, then a grill basting of dark molasses sauce loaded with onion, pepper, celery, tomato, cloves and allspice. Smoky, tangy, sticky, and built for summer.

Veal stock roasts meaty veal bones with onions, carrots, leeks, and garlic until deeply browned, then simmers gently for 6 to 8 hours into a clear, rich foundation for sauces and soups.

Sugar-free fresh strawberry spread made with ripe berries, lemon juice, and unflavored gelatin. Low-calorie, no pectin needed, and ready in 15 minutes. Tastes like real fruit, not jam.

Noodle seafood soup, a quick 20-minute one-pot meal using ramen noodle packets, shredded cabbage, carrots, imitation crab, and toasted sesame oil for an Asian-inspired bowl.

Chocolate raspberry buttercream bars with a fudgy brownie base, raspberry jam layer, silky French buttercream, and a chocolate drizzle top. A bakery-style dessert worth the effort.

Double chocolate drop cookies with melted unsweetened chocolate in the batter, semi-sweet chips throughout, and a from-scratch chocolate frosting on top.

Rice pilaf with green peas, bay leaves, and a whole cinnamon stick cooked in the Middle Eastern soaked-rice method. A fragrant vegetarian side with toasted, fluffy grains.

Fireside cranberry apple tea made with cranberry juice, cinnamon-apple herbal tea bags, and brown sugar. A warm, caffeine-free winter drink ready in minutes.

Orange biscotti with fresh orange zest, rum, and olive oil, rolled thin, cut into scalloped strips, and baked twice with a butter-sugar glaze. Crispy Italian cookies for dipping in coffee or dessert wine.

Sour cream chocolate cake using a cake mix enriched with sour cream and brown sugar, topped with a broiled sour cream and brown sugar glaze. Extra moist and finished in minutes under the broiler.