French blueberry tart with a flaky homemade pate brisee and a filling of cooked and fresh blueberries. A classic summer tart served with whipped cream or creme fraiche.
Anadama bread: New England classic yeast loaf with cornmeal, dark molasses, and a famously grumpy origin story. Slightly sweet, deeply tender, with a crumb that toasts like nobody's business.
Classic chicken Kiev: pounded chicken breast wrapped around a finger of chive-butter, breaded twice, chilled, and deep-fried until golden. The butter bursts at first cut, just like it should.
Whole wheat banana bread with no added fat - applesauce replaces butter and egg whites replace whole eggs. A wholesome, low-calorie loaf that stays surprisingly moist.
Pan-seared chicken breast with leeks, lime and sundried tomatoes over zucchini noodles. Elegant, low-carb weeknight dinner with bright citrus finish.
Fresh fruit pizza with sliced apples, pears, raisins, and pine nuts on a golden pizza crust under a sweet egg-and-milk custard. An Italian-style sweet bake for brunch or dessert.
Stuffed artichokes in olive oil: trimmed artichoke hearts filled with fava bean and dill rice, then slow-braised in lemony olive oil. Classic Turkish 'zeytinyagli' meze served cold.
Fruity pineapple cake studded with golden raisins, candied cherries, and crushed pineapple, baked low and slow in a tube pan. A retro holiday loaf that ages beautifully and slices clean.
From-scratch German chocolate cake with sweet chocolate melted in boiling water, buttermilk batter with folded egg whites, and a coconut-pecan frosting cooked on the stovetop.
Apple pie streusel folds chopped apples into a sour cream custard inside a single crust, then crowns it with a buttery cinnamon streusel topping. The Pennsylvania Dutch sour cream apple pie.
French-style apple pie with sauteed tart apples in a single pastry shell, layered with a cooked vanilla custard filling and finished with an apricot preserve glaze on the crust.
Grasshopper cheesecake with creme de menthe and creme de cacao on a chocolate cookie crumb crust. A mint-chocolate cocktail-inspired cheesecake with sour cream and grated chocolate.
Homemade pizza pockets stuffed with pepperoni, pastrami, ham, mozzarella, and pizza sauce. A yeast-dough hand pie that bakes golden and travels great in lunchboxes or freezer bags.
Hazelnut and apricot biscotti, traditional twice-baked Italian cookies studded with toasted hazelnuts and dried apricots. Crisp, dunkable, and perfect alongside espresso or vin santo.
A triangular filled pastry, traditionally eaten during the Jewish Holiday of Purim.
Southern blackberry jam cake with allspice, cinnamon, raisins, and chopped nuts in a buttermilk batter, frosted with cooked caramel icing and pecan halves. A three-layer heritage cake.
Biskuitstreifle, a traditional German soup garnish of light baked egg-and-flour strips. A sponge-like savory dough cut into thin batons, dropped into broth just before serving for body and bite.
Onion and mushroom bhajis are Indian-style fritters dipped in spiced yogurt batter and deep-fried golden. Crisp, vegetarian appetizer with turmeric, cumin, coriander, and chili. Makes 10 fritters.
Old-fashioned nut-free fruitcake with candied cherries, pineapple, grape jelly, and warm spices. Baked low and slow in three pans. Safe for nut allergies.
Oatmeal pumpkin cookies fold pumpkin puree, rolled oats, chocolate chips, raisins, and nuts into a cinnamon-spiced dough. Drizzle with lemon glaze or top with chocolate candies. Makes 96.
A wholesome quick bread made with whole wheat flour, oat bran, molasses, buttermilk, chopped dates, and walnuts. No yeast needed. Makes 5 mini loaves that freeze beautifully.
Funnel cake: classic state-fair fried batter poured through a funnel in a spiral pattern, fried golden, and dusted with powdered sugar and cinnamon. The Pennsylvania Dutch carnival treat.
Create-a-casserole: a customizable baked pasta with your choice of meat, tomato sauce, and cheese. A flexible pantry dinner that uses up leftover cooked beef or chicken in 30 minutes of oven time.
Blackberry and raspberry muffins with a pecan brown sugar streusel topping. Lemon zest in both the batter and the crumble adds a bright citrus note.
Light, puffy souffleed crepes made with beaten egg whites folded into a classic crepe batter. Cook in a crepe pan or bake as a flat souffle, then fill with fruit, brandy, or vanilla.
A simple lemon-scented butter cake split in half, layered with vanilla pudding, fresh berries, and clouds of whipped cream. Old-school German Erdbeertorte energy with minimal effort.
Berlinerkranzer are buttery Norwegian Christmas wreath cookies scented with orange, brushed with sugared egg white and trimmed with candied cherry holly berries. A delicate Scandinavian holiday tradition.
Vasilopita, a traditional Greek New Year's cake with a lucky coin baked inside, topped with slivered almonds and sesame seeds. Rich butter cake with whipped egg whites.
Rich flavor and a moist texture with warm cinnamon and allspice.
Flourless walnut cake topped with a rich coffee cream made from dark chocolate, Madeira, and whipped cream. A European-style frozen dessert garnished with crystallized flowers for an elegant finish.
Welsh cocklecakes deep-fried in a light batter with parsley, served alongside warm laverbread and lemon. A traditional coastal Welsh dish with crispy, briny fritters and seaweed.
Caramel apple dessert with diced apples and crushed pineapple folded into a cooked custard and whipped topping, topped with crushed peanuts. A creamy, no-bake fruit salad with crunch.
Granny Smith applesauce tarts with golden hot-water pastry shells filled with honey-sweetened, lemon-brightened chunky applesauce. A lighter, old-fashioned dessert.
Vegetarian mushroom gravy built on browned flour, miso, soy sauce, and sea kelp for deep umami without meat. Pour over veggie burgers, mashed potatoes, or whole grains.
Blue cornmeal crepes made with eggs, milk, and clarified butter for a thin, tender wrapper with earthy corn flavor. Fill with salsa, crabmeat, or your favorite stuffing.
Norwegian lefser made with rye flour, whole wheat, and all-purpose flour rolled paper-thin and oven-baked until soft. A traditional Scandinavian flatbread with no yeast required.
Four flavor pound cake with lemon, vanilla, almond, and rum extracts in a light oil-based batter with folded egg whites. Served with fresh strawberries.
It was nice and moist, if a tad on the heavy side. The recipe is actually for cupcakes, but can make one big layer. The frosting is outstanding, a definite keeper.
Chocolate bar Easter cake made by melting real milk chocolate bars into the batter with sour cream, brown sugar, and vanilla. Rich, moist, and ready for your favorite frosting.
Sandcake is a Scandinavian butter cake made with three flours: all-purpose, potato flour, and rice flour. Incredibly fine-crumbed, tender, and rich with a golden crust.
Holiday gingersnaps with crackled sugar tops, deep molasses warmth, and a full tablespoon of ground ginger for serious snap. Chilled dough rolls into tidy balls that bake up crisp at the edges and chewy in the center.
Vegetarian gravy made from bean cooking liquid, whole wheat flour, soy sauce, and sea kelp. Rich, savory umami flavor with no meat drippings needed.
Chocolate oatmeal pie with coconut, rolled oats, and chocolate chips in a corn syrup custard, baked in a press-in oil crust. A chewy, fudgy Southern-style pie with crunchy texture.
This coffee cake is a great morning treat either with the family or with a friend. It is moist and soft. Great served warm or at room temperature.
Rich steak and Guinness pie with beef chunks braised in dark Irish stout under buttery pastry. Classic pub food for St. Patrick's Day or cozy winter dinners.
Crustless garden quiche with mushrooms, onion, shredded carrots, and light processed cheese in a cholesterol-free egg and skim milk custard. No pie crust needed for this lighter take.
Melomakarona are traditional Greek honey cookies made with orange juice, olive oil, and butter, filled with a walnut-cinnamon mixture and dipped in warm honey syrup.
Chocolate chip walnut pie with melty chocolate chunks, toasted walnuts, and brown sugar baked into a flaky pastry crust. Cookie-meets-pie hybrid that begs for vanilla ice cream on top.