Recipes with butter

Toffee ice cream pie with a cinnamon chocolate-cookie crust, layers of coffee-toffee-crunch ice cream, and a rich espresso ganache sauce. Make-ahead frozen dessert that holds for two weeks.

Baked brown rice casserole with beef consomme, French onion soup, sliced mushrooms, and butter. Five ingredients stirred together and baked covered for an hour. The rice absorbs the beefy, oniony broth and turns deeply savory.

Nut gingerbread with molasses, brown sugar, and ground ginger topped with chopped nuts and a brown sugar crust. A warmly spiced, old-fashioned cake that fills the kitchen with aroma.

Romanian feta and scallion omelet (Omelet cu Brânză și Ceapă Verde) with paprika, fresh dill, and a silky egg base. A Balkan breakfast classic with salty-tangy cheese and a bright herb finish.

Orange coconut cake layers a tender almond-scented white cake with a tangy fresh orange filling and fluffy boiled-sugar frosting. A vintage Southern church-cookbook bake with citrus brightness throughout.

Mushroom and spinach casserole sautees fresh mushrooms in butter, then bakes with creamed spinach, cream of chicken soup, and a buttery crouton crust. Crowd-pleasing party side or potluck bake.

Veal in a Dijon mustard cream sauce with honey, shallots, and white wine. Works with medallions for a quick dinner or stew meat for a slow braise.

Chocolate-coconut layer cake with tender buttermilk chocolate layers, flaked coconut folded through, and a rich walnut-chocolate filling between whipped cream layers.

Pan-fried fish fillet strips on a warm blanched cabbage salad with bell pepper, thyme, and lemon vinaigrette. A light, Central European-style fish and slaw supper.

Tropical macadamia nut cookies with banana, coconut, and pineapple fruit spread. No refined sugar needed. Crispy edges, soft centers, and island vibes.

Chocolate teacake loaf with cocoa, buttermilk, plumped currants, and chopped pecans. A not-too-sweet British-style cake baked in a loaf pan.

Triple chocolate cookies with melted semi-sweet and unsweetened chocolate in the batter, chocolate chips folded in, then dipped in more melted chocolate. Fudgy, crackle-topped, and loaded with nuts.

Double chocolate walnut biscotti with cocoa powder and semi-sweet chocolate chips baked twice for a crisp, crunchy cookie. Dusted with powdered sugar and perfect for dunking in coffee.

Spiced couscous with butter-bloomed cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves, tossed with currants and toasted cashews or pistachios. A fragrant Middle Eastern side dish ready in 15 minutes.

A heirloom three-layer chocolate cake with bloomed cocoa, brown sugar for caramel depth, and tangy buttermilk. Old-school Sunday dinner cake, tender enough to live up to grandma's reputation.

Slow cooker whole chicken with lemon juice, thyme, paprika, and parsley. Rub with butter, set it, and forget it for tender, fall-off-the-bone results in 8 hours.