Simple Cooking

This beet-tahini dip starts off sweet, then gets a little spicy.

Not to be mistaken for baba ghanoush, this eggplant and tahini dip leans on spices rather than citrus for its flavor.

This Swiss chard–based dip is not only visually stunning but also has the perfect balance of earthy, sweet, and acidic flavor.

A classic Southern cake, after winning first prize at the county fair in Columbus, Georgia, Lane Cake also earned the name “Prize Cake.” 

This cake has been a favorite since 1965, when a girl won a baking competition with her grandmother’s secret family recipe.

This easy grilled salmon in foil recipe is totally foolproof, resulting in flaky fish with a garlic-herb butter sauce. And did we mention cleanup is a breeze?

The best gin and tonic is all in the technique, because the most important ingredient in a G&T is not really the gin, or even the tonic. It’s carbonation.

Bananas Foster, a flambéed dessert of halved bananas in a syrupy rum sauce, is a New Orleans favorite that never fails to please. Don’t forget the ice cream.

Chef Reem Assil’s cookie bar version of ma’amoul—a holiday cookie enjoyed for Eid, Christmas, and Easter—is scented with espresso and orange blossom water.

This classic Roman pasta only has a few ingredients, but they merge into a surprisingly silky, flavor-packed sauce.

This easy pork roast is a hands-off dinner party main thanks to your slow cooker.

Drizzle this pickled peppercorn vinaigrette over slow-cooked meats or roasted vegetables to brighten things up.

Pickled tomatoes brighten up this classic breakfast casserole.

Add these pickled tomatoes to eggs, soup, sauce, or salsa.

French toast meets bread pudding and cheese blintz with whispers of Danish in this breakfast bake from Vivian Howard.

Almost anything—apples, pears, berries, watermelon—can be used in these fruit preserves from Vivian Howard.

Chef Reem Assil's version of Ma'amoul Med Bil Ashta—a holiday cookie enjoyed for Eid, Christmas, and Easter—that's famous in Lebanon.

Lemony sticky buns are the best buns.

This delicate soup relies on egg yolk and cornstarch prevent the yogurt from curdling as it cooks.

Mapo tofu, with its fragrant sauce of chiles, fermented black beans, ground pork, and Sichuan peppercorns, is a classic example of Sichuan’s famed ma la flavor.