Recipes with water

Try something new for dessert with this scrumptious treat made with dates, walnuts and chocolate chips.

Homemade low-calorie cranberry concentrate with lemon, simmered and strained into a tart syrup. Refrigerate or freeze in cubes for instant cranberry drinks all season long.

Grandma's chocolate layer cake: a classic two-layer butter cake with melted chocolate and a tender crumb. An old-fashioned scratch cake for birthdays and celebrations.

Simple walnut raisin cake with brown sugar and warm spices, simmered then baked low and slow for moist tender squares ready in an hour.

Hot water pie pastry using the whipped shortening method. Boiling water and milk create a smooth, easy-to-handle dough for a flaky two-crust pie without the fuss of traditional cold methods.

Chocolate cream torte made from four cocoa cookie layers stacked with whipped chocolate cream filling. Chills overnight so the cookie layers soften into cake-like slices.

Slow cooker baked beans with navy beans, salt pork, molasses, and brown sugar. Cooked low and slow for up to 14 hours, these old-fashioned crockpot beans are thick, smoky, and deeply sweet.

Giant chocolate chip cookie made from yellow cake mix, baked on a pizza pan. A 5-ingredient, semi-homemade cookie cake that's ready in under 30 minutes.

Baked rice and beans casserole with cheddar cheese, cottage cheese, yogurt, and shredded carrots. A low-calorie vegetarian one-dish meal with a bubbly cheese top.

Chilled berry buttermilk soup with blueberries or strawberries, orange zest, and tangy buttermilk blended until smooth. A cold fruit soup that works as a refreshing summer starter or light dessert.

Oatmeal pancakes with chopped Jonathan apples and pecans, cooked in butter until golden. Hearty, rustic breakfast pancakes with fruit baked right into every bite.

Spicy split pea soup: a vegan one-pot soup with split green peas, carrots, celery, and a cayenne-paprika kick. Naturally thick, high-fiber, and budget-friendly comfort food.

DIY whole wheat pie crust skips the shortening, using grated frozen butter and tender whole wheat pastry flour for a flaky, nutty all-butter crust. An egg and ice water hold it together. Roll, fill, and bake sweet or savory pies.

Sun-sational lemon cheesecake with a graham cracker crust, creamy citrus-scented filling, and a bright homemade lemon curd glaze. A proper springform showpiece with sunny citrus flavor.

Shredded Brussels sprouts sauteed in butter over high heat with a squeeze of lime juice. A fast, crisp-tender side dish that converts sprout skeptics.

Buttermilk cheese bread for the bread machine with sharp cheddar, buttermilk, and a dual-rise from yeast and baking powder. Load it up, press start, and walk away.