10,000 carob recipes

Easy to make homemade almond that tastes better than anything you can buy at the store. Simple, natural, just one ingredient.

Old-fashioned sour cucumber pickles brined in vinegar, sugar, dry mustard, and alum with no cooking required. A three-month cold-cure refrigerator pickle.

A no-bake chocolate icebox cake layered with cubed pound cake and mocha-spiked chocolate pudding set with gelatin. Chill, slice, and serve. The easiest chocolate dessert you'll ever make.

No-cook tortilla rollups with cream cheese, ranch, chunky salsa, and cheddar on whole wheat tortillas. Chill, slice into pinwheels, and watch them vanish at any party.

Chipotle grilled trout rubbed with a smoky paste of chipotle peppers, walnuts, and parsley, then grilled fast. The walnuts thicken the rub into a pesto-like crust. Great with hush puppies and salsa.

Banana orange juice breakfast smoothie with egg and vanilla. A creamy, protein-rich morning shake blended in under 10 minutes with just four ingredients.

Polenta Toscana with rosemary and toasted walnuts sauteed in olive oil, stirred into creamy polenta. Serve it soft or cool it and slice into crostini. A simple Tuscan vegetarian side or appetizer.

Long and slow simmer beef shank soup extracts every bit of flavor down to the bone.

Orange barbecued chicken marinated overnight in orange juice concentrate and teriyaki sauce. Grilled over charcoal and basted for a sweet, glossy, caramelized finish.

Pasta salad with roasted red peppers, fresh basil, and mozzarella in a white balsamic and grainy mustard dressing. A bright Italian-leaning pasta salad that travels well to picnics and potlucks.

Made this while cleaning out the refrigerator... thus the name. John

Homemade deviled ham spread with warm spices, hot mustard, anchovy paste, and a whisper of sherry. Skip the canned stuff and make a version that actually tastes like something.

Potato crisps with sour cream and caviar are crispy mini potato pancakes topped with cool sour cream and salty salmon roe. An elegant 35-minute cocktail appetizer that looks restaurant-worthy.

Creamy, nutty truffles made from just cream cheese and chopped pecans, rolled into balls and dipped in sugar-free chocolate coating. No baking, no fuss, and about 25 bite-sized treats ready in 30 minutes. A dietetic candy that feels indulgent.

Great for using up any vegetable leftovers like carrots, peppers, tomatoes, and spring onions. Also, try baking sweet potatoes for a change.

Iced mocha coffee shake: chilled brewed coffee blended with cocoa, sugar, and milk, topped with whipped cream and grated chocolate. The cafe drink you can make at home for half the price.