10,000 icing recipes

Lester's fruitcake is a heirloom holiday loaf: pounds of candied fruits, figs, dates, raisins, pecans, and walnuts bound in spiced molasses batter. Slow-baked, brandy-soaked, aged a month.

Smoky broiled chicken meets black beans, fresh cilantro, red peppers, and crunchy greens in this Tex-Mex fajita salad. Tossed in a tangy red wine vinegar dressing and ready in 30 minutes flat.

Crunchy ramen chicken salad with shredded cabbage, toasted almonds, sesame seeds, and a tangy soy-vinegar dressing made from the ramen seasoning packets.

Creamy Tex-Mex chicken soup loaded with shredded chicken, corn, hominy, salsa, and taco seasoning, made velvety with melted cream cheese. A cozy taco soup that simmers up in about 30 minutes.

Hearty black bean cassoulet soup loaded with three kinds of sausage, a meaty ham bone, cumin, oregano, and a splash of dry sherry. Feeds a crowd of 16 with a sour cream finish.

Turnip soup simmered in chicken consomme with bright green peas and buttery croutons. A light, elegant French-style starter that highlights an underused root vegetable.

Pineapple salad with tart apple and scallions on romaine, dressed in a soy sauce and brown sugar vinaigrette with lemon juice. A sweet-savory fruit salad in 20 minutes.

An easy meatball recipe with ground veal and pork, enriched with barbecue sauce. The tender texture of the meatballs, thanks to the combination of veal and pork, is enhanced by the rich and tangy barbecue sauce, while the beef consomme and onion soup mix add a depth of savory goodness.

Manhattan-style red clam chowder with fresh-steamed clams, salt pork, tomatoes, and thyme. The tomato-broth chowder New England purists love to argue about.

German Eierschwaemme: wild mushrooms sauteed in butter with onion and parsley, folded into soft scrambled eggs. A simple Alpine dish that showcases foraged boletes or chanterelles.

Hearty three-bean chili con carne with lean beef, roasted peppers, and warm spices for crowd-pleasing game day dinners that serve 12 from one pot.

Tangy orange zest and red lentils brighten tomato soup with unexpected citrus sparkle, finished with fresh mint for a vegetarian bowl that feels like Mediterranean sunshine.

Dump-it-all slow cooker stew with chickpeas, pinto beans, beef shank, smoked ham hock, kielbasa, and potatoes. Set it and forget it for up to 16 hours.

Hearty lentil soup with frankfurters, bacon, leeks, and carrots thickened with a browned flour roux and a splash of vinegar. A German-style one-pot meal ready in 90 minutes.

Linsensuppe mit Frankfurter, a hearty German lentil soup with bacon, leek, and sliced frankfurters thickened with a browned flour roux and finished with a splash of vinegar.

Hearty eggplant spaghetti sauce with roasted eggplant cubes, sautéed mushrooms, garlic, and red wine simmered into jarred marinara. Vegetarian, freezer-friendly, ready over pasta.