10,000 bitter recipes

Plum torte presses Italian prune plums into a buttery cake batter, dusts with cinnamon-sugar and lemon juice, and bakes for an hour. The classic NYT September torte that freezes for winter.

Chocolate icebox cookies slice and bake from a chilled dough log. Make-ahead, freezer-friendly slice-and-bake cookies that stay fresh for weeks before baking, perfect for holiday cookie tins.

Cream puff swans made from choux pastry piped into S-shaped necks and oval bodies, filled with sweetened whipped cream and mandarin oranges. A classic French pastry showpiece.

Koulourakia me sousame are traditional Greek sesame cookies with a tender, slightly crisp crumb and toasty browned-butter aroma. Each twist is rolled in sesame seeds for nutty crunch in every bite.

A dense, buttery Spanish-style almond cake spiked with tequila añejo, orange and lemon zest, and freshly grated nutmeg. Dusted with powdered sugar for an elegant holiday dessert.

Mixed grain mushroom casserole with wild rice, pearl barley, and brown rice baked in herb-seasoned vegetable broth with sauteed mushrooms and thyme.

Impossible crustless breakfast quiche with sausage, cheese, and Bisquick that forms its own crust as it bakes. A quick blender quiche with just a few pantry ingredients.

Chocolate pecan shortbread cookies, food-processor easy. Cocoa-rich shortbread pressed thin and topped with crystal sugar and ground pecans for crunch.

Cooked pineapple salsa with tomatoes, hot peppers, cumin, lime juice, and a touch of cinnamon simmered for 30 minutes. A sweet-spicy fruit salsa for grilled fish.

Slow cooker dried beef and noodles in a creamy white sauce with sharp cheddar and green peas. A set-it-and-forget-it comfort food casserole.

Shrimp and rice: garlicky shrimp sauteed with onion, Italian herbs and white wine, finished with a sprinkle of breadcrumbs and spooned over buttery rice. A fast, comforting weeknight seafood dinner.

Festive slice-and-bake Christmas tree cookies kissed with almond extract, rolled in sparkly green sugar crystals. Shape, chill, slice, and bake for a show-stopping holiday cookie tray.

Honey fried trout: whole trout rubbed with lemon, double-dredged in cornmeal, pan-fried crispy, then glazed with honey for a sweet-savory finish. A classic streamside supper.

Lemon icebox cookies made with fresh lemon juice and zest, shaped into logs and chilled overnight before slicing and baking. A crisp, buttery slice-and-bake cookie with bright citrus flavor.

Granny's ham and potato gratin for a crowd layers parboiled potatoes, diced ham, and Swiss cheese with a mustard-garlic bechamel. Feeds 24, bakes in under an hour, and can be assembled a day ahead.

Microwave fish fillets with curry powder, cayenne, lemon juice, and butter in under 5 minutes. A fast, no-fuss way to cook flaky, seasoned fish on a busy weeknight.