Simple Cooking

The icebox has gone the way of the horse and buggy, but it didn't disappear before lending its name to the original concept of the slice-and-bake cookie. A roll of this flavorful dough—chock-full of pistachios, cranberries, and oats—in the freezer or fridge is like money in the bank. Impromptu party? Friends drop by unexpectedly? No problem! Just cut off the slices you need, bake them up, and the aroma alone will drive people crazy before they even get a chance to take a bite. You can gussy them up with a drizzle of chocolate, a dusting of shiny sanding sugar, or just leave them be. We expect you'll use this recipe as a template for a year-round supply of creative dough logs: Sour cherries and pecans, golden raisins and walnuts, chopped dates and pine nuts, or just plain chocolate chips. The possibilities are endless. Editor's Note: This recipe is part of Gourmet's Modern Menu for Holiday Cookie Craze. Menu also includes Coconut Macaroon Sandwiches with Lime Curd and Salted Brown Butter Cookies .

If you're trying to incorporate more dark leafy greens into your meals, Swiss chard is a great starter vegetable. It cooks quickly compared to kale and collards, and the stems are as delicious as the leaves. In fact, the stems are the prized portion of the plant in Provence, and that's not something kale or collards can brag about. We prefer green Swiss chard in this recipe because it cooks up a brighter green than red or rainbow chard and the stems are more tender, but if you can't find the green, don't hesitate to use other chards. Editor's Note: This recipe is part of Gourmet's Modern Menu for A Hanukkah Feast. Menu also includes Salmon with Potato "Scales" and Apple Fritters with Orange Glaze .

Green beans have a certain suave, slender elegance that makes them a classic accompaniment to rosy-red roast beef. But too often, they get short shrift: a quick drizzle of butter, a squirt of lemon, and onto the table they go. We suggest you coddle them a little this year. Try tossing them in a hot skillet with shallots and pecans that get caramelized in buttery brown sugar, and you'll see just how special green beans can be. Editor's Note: This recipe is part of Gourmet's Modern Menu for A Christmas Classic. Menu also includes Herb-Crusted Beef Rib Roast with Potatoes, Carrots, and Pinot Noir Jus and Tiramisu Yule Log .

The problem with Franco-American food trends, like the current one with macarons—those pastel puffs of sweet air that seem to be everywhere—is that its good ol' American predecessor, the macaroon, gets forgotten. The truth is, though, we never stopped loving the coconut macaroon. In fact, we craved its dense, moist chew. Retrofit the macaroon as a bite-size sandwich filled with a pucker-worthy tart lime curd, and you've caught a new trend headed straight for the stars. Editor's Note: This recipe is part of Gourmet's Modern Menu for Holiday Cookie Craze. Menu also includes Pistachio Cranberry Oatmeal Icebox Cookies and Salted Brown Butter Cookies .

Mushrooms made from meringue are the traditional edible decoration for a Yule log cake, and their cute quotient is high—they never fail to charm young and old alike. Saying they're edible is like calling a chocolate truffle edible; if you love crisp meringue, you'll adore the crunchy, airy contrast the mushrooms provide for our creamy Tiramisu Yule Log cake. Classically they're made from a white meringue, but we couldn't resist coloring ours with a little added cocoa to make the mushrooms look like cremini or baby bellas.

Cinnamon, nutmeg and a secret ingredient make this mouthwatering cheesecake anything but ordinary. Cool and creamy with just the right amount of spice...it’s absolutely irresistible!

Fantastic to take as a hostess gift, this fragrant bread is packed with goodness and a few tasty surprises.

Delicious and fast-fix sweets with a trio of favorite flavors—chocolate, marshmallow and peanut butter—are so easy to bake when you start with puff pastry sheets.

Your family will enjoy the homemade taste and old-fashioned goodness of this delectable apple strudel. It’s made with prepared puff pastry, so it’s easy and delicious.

All the great flavors of your favorite guacamole are combined in this easy-to-make soup that’s ready in a snap.

A light and flaky puff pastry crust is what makes this pot pie the ultimate. It’s a great way to turn leftover chicken and veggies into a whole new and delicious dish.

Ready in less than an hour, this satisfying twist on traditional chili tastes like it’s been simmering all day!

Potatoes cooked in chicken broth are mashed with just the right amount of butter, cream, chives and bacon to make an irresistible side dish.

Pancetta is the secret ingredient that makes this moist stuffing really flavorful. If you don’t have pancetta on hand, bacon works great too!

Reminiscent of cornbread, this enticing casserole adds the favorite flavor upgrade of corn in another form to any daily dinner.

Want to impress your guests? Then whip up a batch of these delectable puff-pastry wrapped shrimp stuffed with a mix of cheese, bacon and parsley. They’re superb!

Easy to prepare, but oh so elegant...these tempting appetizers feature asparagus spears individually wrapped with prosciutto, garlic & herb cheese and flaky puff pastry.

Company coming? Here’s an easy and elegant breakfast or brunch idea that your guests will really enjoy. It features puff pastry shells filled with egg, cheese, bacon and chopped chives!

Easy Marzipan, in some form or another, has been in existence for almost a thousand years—likely even longer. Its history is long and convoluted, but in One Thousand and One Nights there is mention of almond paste eaten as a treat, and by the 15th century it was widely documented as a popular indulgence. In fact, according to our hero, food science savant Harold McGee, Leo da Vinci even got into the marzipan-sculpting game (and lamented the philistines who unhesitatingly devoured his little works of art). These days it's mostly associated with rock-hard models of fruit, but if you've ever tried those and aren't a fan, we urge you to make a batch of your own. Fresh marzipan has a lovely delicate flavor and light texture, and is wonderful dipped in dark chocolate. Of course, if you want to get all arts-n-craftsy on what is basically delicious modeling clay, be our guest. (Leo would approve.)