Simple Cooking

A habit-forming graham cracker crumble takes peaches and cream to another dimension.

To help prevent the ice cream bars from melting while you are cutting and dipping them, choose a vanilla ice cream that freezes solid. How can you tell? Squeeze the pint in the freezer case to test which brand feels hardest.

How can you look at this and not crave brisket tacos?

Mussels steam in the same saucepan as chili-and-fennel-spiced tomato sauce in this effortless supper.

One in ten Padróns or shishitos is actually spicy. Pepper roulette!

Need cookies in a flash? These butterscotch "buttons" come together fast and don't require an oven, which means you can have a treat any time you want it.

Turn store-bought ice cream sandwiches and chocolate-peppermint whipped cream into a towering, show-stopping dessert for your Labor Day cookout.

Spiced with cinnamon, ginger, and cloves, this cozy drink is a festive jumpstart to the quickly-approaching holiday season.

On a cold winter day, this hearty soup is practically a meal in itself.

You can swap the condensed milk for regular milk, but the simple syrup is essential for the finished texture.

Progression of a tomato sandwich: On buttered bread with salt; on bread with mayo and cheddar; seasoned and grilled with cheddar and mayo. They’re all pretty perfect, but we’ll take the advanced version, thanks.

There’s no law that says watermelon salads must incorporate feta. This renegade combination is at once sweet, tart, and savory—the kind of dish that’s as comfortable at the breakfast table as it is at a potluck.

Our homage to lahmacun, the Middle Eastern flatbread.

A bright berry filling and a buttery flaky crust make this hand-held pie totally irresistible.

When shopping for this salad at the market, pick heavy, aromatic cantaloupes with stem ends that yield slightly when pressed.

This meltingly tender pork shoulder is the ultimate make-ahead summer dinner party main. A fresh chimichurri-style basil sauce balances the rich pork with bright zesty flavors.

This couscous salad is just right for a late summer barbecue.

This simple, tomato-lovers' pizza is inspired by a classic pie served in Trenton, New Jersey.

Granita is a light dessert, one you could enjoy any day of the week. The hibiscus flowers make it extra special and elevate the simple ice to dinner-party status. The trick to the granita's texture is to stir, or mash, it several times during freezing. This prevents it from freezing in a solid block.

Any side dish or salad that includes corn is pretty, but fava beans and striking-looking breakfast radishes—with their elongated shape, rosy red color, and creamy-looking root ends—make this dish more appealing and appetizing than most. Like most chefs, I love favas, but if you can’t find them or think they are too much trouble, replace them with lima beans.