Simple Cooking

There are many different styles of barbecue and more than one kind of barbecue sauce. This one originated in Alabama, and if you know what’s good for you, you’ll dip your fried chicken in it.

Save your fresh berries for eating out of hand: Frozen blueberries have a more intense color and concentrated flavor then fresh ones, so your granita will be deep violet and sweet.

Set this up on Sunday and have tapas at home when you get back from work, all week long. This recipe is from Morcilla, one of Bon Appétit's Hot 10, America's Best New Restaurants 2016.

Here’s a healthful nondairy version of creamy Alfredo sauce; it’s just a bit more sophisticated than vegan mac and cheese and every bit as comforting. Young eaters might like this just as is, but do try to nudge them toward the veggie toppings or the stroganoff variations.

The first “real” recipe I ever tried was for the famous orange Julius. It was back in home-ec class and the no-fail recipe instantly became my favorite. Now I’m giving traditional orange Julius an upgrade by combining the vitamins C and A, potassium, fiber, and carotenoids found in sweet potatoes with tangy orange. This is a winning combination, light and refreshing with pops of citrus, yet dense and filling because of the sweet potato. Enjoy this as a meal or post-workout drink, or split it with a loved one for a snack! It’s ridiculously good.

Zucchini is a surprisingly chameleon-like vegetable—I find myself using it frozen in morning smoothies, pureed in desserts, and, now, grated in pizza crust! Zucchini pizza is a great way to sneak in extra servings of vegetables, and it is naturally lower in carbohydrates and higher in fiber compared with traditional crusts.

Think of plantains as the sister to the banana. They’re not as sweet, as they contain less sugar. They’re also higher in starch than most fruits, making them perfect for gluten-and grain-free breads. My favorite part of this entire dish is upon serving: The moment you break the egg white just enough for the golden yolk to spill over, the starchy flatbread soaks up every last bit, leaving you with a nice balance of moisture. The egg yolk is rich and bold, with the added bonus of sprinkled salt and drizzled honey—there’s nothing like it.

This chicken-and-rice dish, made in the Instant Pot, is inspired by mulligatawny soup, with fragrant spices, creamy coconut milk, bright ginger, and fresh lime juice.

Cranberry-nut bread and sweet Italian sausage pack a surprising amount of flavor into this super-simple stuffing.

We like breadcrumbs here for an old-school cutlet feel, but panko would work just fine in their place.

Use whatever jam, marmalade, or fruit preserves you like in this crowd-pleaser.

The key to balancing the richness of the cream and the sweetness of the pumpkin in this simple sauce is salty, starchy pasta water. Remember, it should taste "salty like the sea."

These buttery, flaky twists have a crispy, warmly spiced glaze.

To crush candies easily, minus any peppermint shrapnel, place them in a resealable plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin, meat mallet, or the back of a large spoon.

An overnight rest and fresh cake yeast help this simple, easy-to-make loaf develop the flavor and texture of traditional sourdough.

Anybody who knows me knows that I have a soft spot for cupcakes and soy chai lattes, so combining these two creates my own piece of heaven. These cupcakes are moist, tender, and lightly spicy, thanks to the combination of ginger and cardamom. Go ahead and pair with a steaming hot chai latte...you won’t overdo it.

There is no better beach or picnic sandwich: It feeds a crowd, gets better as it sits, and is a hearty meal built inside a loaf of bread. About that bread: Unless you live in New Orleans and can get the real thing, opt for a ciabatta or other loaf with a sturdy but not too crusty exterior.

Honey cake emerges from its hibernation around the High Holidays in the fall, when honey and other sweet foods are eaten to usher in a sweet new year. But as much as this is an early fall cake for the holidays, its warming spices make it a perfect winter cake that works both for dessert and in the morning with a cup of coffee.

It only takes 22 minutes to make this classic savory noodle dish at home.

The Cubano’s cuter cousin, the Media Noche was sold as a late-night snack in Havana’s cafés. Calling for the same blend of sweet-cured ham, Swiss cheese, and pickles, it works best with juicier cuts of pork—though what really sets it apart is the egg-rich Pan de Media Noche.