Simple Cooking
Chocolate-Coconut Pound Cake
Crunchy, toasty coconut chips transform a simple loaf cake.
Buttermilk Rye Crepes
Yes, you could serve these crepes before they've been caramelized in sugar, but why deprive yourself?
Lamb Stir-Fry with Pomegranate and Yogurt
Affordable leg of lamb is a great way to break out of the usual beef-chicken-pork rut, especially when used in a quick-cooking but complex-tasting dish like this.
Short Rib Pot Pie
Top the most amazing beef stew with the flakiest pie crust and discover the most comforting dish you’ll eat all winter.
Corned Beef Hash
This recipe is a two-step process, but nothing about it is difficult. Start by cooking the beef the day before (if you also want to have it for dinner that night, just double the recipe). It's chilled overnight, becoming even more flavorful. The next day, shred the cooked corned beef and throw the hash together, then bask in your accomplishment.
Green Mango Salad
Done well, this should be crunchy, fresh, spicy, sour, and a little bit funky. Taste as you go and adjust as needed.
Peanut and Scallion Relish
A favorite, try this versatile crunchy peanut mixture with braised-chicken-thigh lettuce wraps.
Spicy Kimchi Tofu Stew
This fiery Korean stew is my weekend detox. It's spicy, clean, and capable of reversing any damage the previous night may have caused.
Massaman Chicken
Prepared curry paste speeds up this nuanced dish.
Slow-Roasted Pork Shoulder with Mustard and Sage
Serve this over a bed of soft polenta for catching the juices, with a simply dressed salad on the side.
Roasted Shrimp with Chile Gremolata
We like to serve this main with couscous, rice, or grilled bread to sop up all of the shrimp's intensely flavored cooking liquid.
Spicy Honey-Glazed Parsnips
Some parsnips can have a woody core, which you'll want to cut away before cooking.
Cabbage and Asian Pear Slaw
This hits all the notes of a great slaw: creamy, tangy, and crunchy.
Calabrian Chile Oil
This versatile oil is a great way to bring heat to just about any dish.
Classic Moonpies
Moonpies are traditionally thrown from Mardi Gras floats in New Orleans, and Mobile, Alabama, but with this easy recipe you can make your own chocolate-dipped graham cracker and marshmallow treats to enjoy at home—no parade or crowds required.
For more on moonpies and Mardi Gras, see Make Your Own Moonpies.
Flaky Bread
An unfloured surface provides some traction, so it's easy to roll the dough very thin.