10,000 bitter recipes

Corn quiche with cheese cracker crust skips the pastry entirely. Crushed cheese crackers form a buttery, savory base for a thick milk-and-egg custard packed with sweet corn kernels.

Tender cream cheese cookies studded with coconut and apricot preserves for jewel-like drops that bake up golden and soft.

Old-fashioned buttermilk yeast bread with an overnight sponge for deep, tangy flavor. This slow-rise method makes four tender loaves with a soft, airy crumb.

Russian tea cakes (also called Mexican wedding cookies): buttery nut-studded shortbread balls rolled twice in powdered sugar. A classic holiday cookie tin staple in 30 minutes.

French spinach gratin with 3 pounds of fresh spinach, butter, nutmeg, creamy Mornay sauce, and Gruyere cheese baked until golden and bubbly. A classic bistro side dish.

Delmonico potatoes baked in butter, scalded milk, and Swiss cheese with garlic and white pepper. Classic steakhouse-style gratin with a browned cheesy crust over tender, creamy slices.

English farmhouse vegetable soup simmers carrots, leek, onion, celery, and potatoes in lamb stock with a bouquet garni. Potatoes break down to thicken the broth naturally.

Madeleines are delicate French shell-shaped sponge cakes, scented here with orange flower water and made from a simple batter of eggs, cake flour and melted butter. Buttery, light, and dusted with powdered sugar.

Biscotti nocciole cioccolato, Italian hazelnut chocolate biscotti twice-baked with Frangelico liqueur. Crisp, dippable, coffee-shop style cookies that keep for weeks.

This spectacular stuffed pumpkin can be the centerpiece of your Thanksgiving table.

Barbadians make Black Cake for weddings, birthdays and at Christimas time. Indeed, no Christmas holiday is felt to be complete without black Cake. People from many of the islands make a similar cake. This Black Cake derived from the British Plum Pudding which is a must on their Christmas menu.

This is a classic recipe, these chocolate pound cakes are always great!

Babe's Pecan Pie is a classic Southern pecan pie with dark corn syrup, butter, vanilla, and coarsely chopped pecans in a flaky crust. Simple, sticky-sweet, and utterly irresistible at the holiday table.

Pimento-stuffed olives wrapped in sharp cheddar dough with a kick of cayenne, baked until golden and puffed. A retro cocktail party appetizer that never goes out of style.

Homemade kiwi fruit jellies made with fresh kiwi puree, lemon juice, and pectin, then cut into shapes and rolled in sugar. A bright, tangy candy that looks as good as it tastes.

Baked sweet potatoes glazed with maple syrup, brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon. A classic Thanksgiving side dish that works with fresh or canned sweet potatoes.