Simple Cooking

A handmade sausage mix takes the place of cocktail franks in this new party classic. A couple of these will keep those Manhattans you're swilling in check.

Russets are ideal for latkes. Their high starch content means you won't need flour to bind the pancakes. The result? More potato, and a crunchy (not cakey) texture.

These peel 'n' eat chestnuts are truly finger-licking delicious. Make sure to score the nuts deeply so that the peels will open as they roast.

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.

Low-fat yogurt with fresh oranges is a quick, sensible alternative to an ice cream sundae; the red wine gives the caramel a fruity acidity.

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

Blanching the mustard greens and kale ahead of time both softens them up and helps keep their color.

This tart (pronounced FISH-deh-kakah) has a moist, cakelike filling. For the best flavor, forgo pre-ground cardamom; take the time to shell and grind whole seeds. Hesitant about rolling out pie crusts? This recipe is for you; the crust is simply pressed into the pan.

The classic technique of covering simmering vegetables with a parchment-paper round (known as a cartouche) yields perfectly moist, evenly cooked pieces.

The fried olives used to garnish this colorful salad just might become your new favorite. Try scattered over crostini or salads.

This heady mulled wine recipe is perfect for the holiday season—or any time you’re looking for something fragrant and cozy.

Browned edges mean great flavor for this side. If the squash hasn't browned, roast it a little longer.

Throughout France, these traditional fried cookies are called "marvels" for good reason. For crisp, golden results, be sure that the oil is hot enough before you begin.

These buttery, heart-shaped French cookies are great for dunking into hot cocoa—or serving with coffee.

Unlike your traditional holiday ham, fresh ham is uncured and unsmoked. We pack it in an herb cure for several days for incredible flavor and juiciness. When roasted, the skin transforms into addictive, crispy-sweet cracklings that may cause fighting among guests.

Rich, chocolaty cocoa is poured over a scoop of peppermint ice cream for a kid-friendly twist on the Italian espresso- ice cream dessert.

My mom, Betty Keller, was a creature of habit. She worked very hard at her job managing restaurants while raising five boys and a daughter as a single mother. She loved to have cookies on hand at the end of the day, and she especially loved the Keebler pecan sandie. It was part of my childhood, and it's a flavor combination, vanilla and pecan, that I associate with her. It was an adult cookie to me. There was always a bag of them in the cupboard. Or almost always. We were six kids, and we were voracious. That was a problem when it came to my mother's cookies. We had our own cookies, Oreos and Nutter Butters, but when we'd dispatched those, there would be that bag of Mom's pecan sandies, daring us. It was really hard. Those cookies were sacrosanct, but sometimes, guiltily, we ate her cookies, one by one, until they were gone. Mom had very few things she could call her own. She had no real luxuries. We didn't have winter family vacations; we didn't go to a cabin by a lake in the summer. She worked, and she gave us everything we wanted and needed. But we didn't appreciate it then. How could we know? How could I, youngest of the boys, know? But I do now. Day after day, year after year, Mom set an extraordinary example for me. An example of hard work, attention to detail, and an all-consuming love for our family that I still have today. Food is a powerful connecter of who we are to who we were, to our past, to our memories, and, for me, to a different and simpler time. Even the smallest thing—a cookie—can help us understand what we feel now while reminding us of what we once felt and who we've become versus who we were then. So much of who I am today is tied to who my mom was, the choices she made, the way she worked, and how she lived her life. What success I have today, I owe to her. All of which is why the pecan sandie is so important to me.

Greek yogurt gets transformed into a bright fresh cheese in this Middle Eastern-style dish. Spread it onto toast with jam for breakfast, or serve as part of a cheese platter.

These easy-to-assemble bar cookies free you to use whatever crunchy things you love. Can't get enough of those candy canes? Love pistachios and almonds? Crush 'em up and sprinkle 'em on.

Lightly spiced little cookies are the perfect canvas for your holiday decorations. To keep the dough logs from flattening on one side, set them in empty paper-towel rolls before freezing.