Classic two-layer butter cake with separated eggs and folded whites for height. Topped with a tangy lemon-buttercream frosting (or chocolate variation). The American birthday cake.
Authentic New Mexican chili with cubed round steak (no ground beef), pure New Mexico chile powder, garlic, and water. No tomato, no beans, no filler.
Beer-battered fried oysters served in their shells over spinach chiffonade with mango remoulade. A tropical Cajun-Creole appetizer that turns heads at any cocktail party.
Mini chess cake tarts in cream cheese pastry shells with a choice of pecan brown sugar filling or coconut filling. Bite-sized Southern tea-tray classics.
No-egg raisin cake with brown sugar, walnuts, cinnamon, and ginger baked low and slow. A Depression-era pantry cake that's moist, spiced, and surprisingly rich.
Favorite never fail pie crust uses shortening, vegetable oil, and a touch of corn syrup for a tender, flaky crust that rolls out without tearing. Beginner-friendly and forgiving.
Fried mozzarella slices double-breaded with Italian breadcrumbs, layered with spaghetti sauce and Locatelli cheese, then baked until bubbly. Italian-American comfort food.
Make your own irresistable chocolate cake with this simple recipe that is extremely easy to follow and understand.
Spiced applesauce bread with whole wheat flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. A moist, warmly spiced quick bread loaf with no butter needed.
This hand-mixed cheddar bread uses cottage cheese for a tender, moist crumb and bakes in a casserole dish for thick, crusty slices. Two rises develop flavor while sharp cheddar gets folded in before the final proof.
Chewy oatmeal cookies with brown sugar, white sugar, and quick-cooking oats. A simple, no-frills oat cookie that's soft in the center with golden edges.
Cats Tongues (Langues de Chat) are delicate French butter cookies piped into thin finger shapes with browned edges and a pale, crisp center. Made with just butter, powdered sugar, egg whites, and flour.
Country-style braised chicken: flour-dredged chicken breasts browned, then simmered in a marjoram-scented broth and white wine that turns into a silky pan gravy. Spoon it over biscuits or rice.
Cinnamon sugar cookie strips with a walnut crunch topping, pressed into a pan and baked until golden. A simple egg wash gives these crisp, buttery bars their signature shine.
Yeast-raised honey doughnuts fried golden and stuffed with a chunky filling of dried apricots, apples, and walnuts bound in honey. A festive, fruit-forward treat for the holidays.
Stuffed mushroom pancakes filled with ground mushrooms, onions, and bread, folded envelope-style, coated in breadcrumbs, and fried in butter. An Eastern European savory crepe.
Peanut butter chippies: chewy peanut butter cookies loaded with chocolate chips and chopped peanuts. Three ways to love peanut butter in every bite.
Pecan pumpkin pie built on a jar of spiced pecan-pumpkin butter, eggs, and heavy cream poured into an all-butter homemade crust. Three ingredients in the filling, a smooth, deeply spiced custard out the other side.
Roast chicken rubbed with cinnamon, cumin, and coriander served with a spiced mushroom, parsnip, carrot, and hazelnut stuffing plus a sherry pan gravy.
Slow cooker dried beef and noodles in a creamy white sauce with sharp cheddar and green peas. A set-it-and-forget-it comfort food casserole.
Parslied buttermilk biscuits baked at 500F for a golden crust and fluffy, tender center. No rolling pin, no cutting, just hand-shaped drop biscuits with fresh parsley in under 30 minutes.
Spinach garlic soup is a creamy blended soup with fresh spinach, shredded carrots, eight cloves of garlic, and a nutmeg-scented finish. Silky, vivid green, on the table in 40 minutes.
Chocolate decadence cake, a near-flourless, truffle-dense round of melted chocolate and butter. Baked briefly so the center stays fudgy, cloaked in whipped cream and pooled with tart raspberry sauce.
Sunflower seed bread machine recipe with whole wheat flour, oats, honey, and raisins. A small, hearty multigrain loaf with crunchy seeds and bursts of sweet fruit in every slice.
Buttermilk quick bread loaded with chopped dates, pecans, and orange zest, then soaked with a tangy orange glaze while still hot. Yields two moist, citrus-forward loaves.
Homemade chocolate cream pie with a stovetop cocoa custard filling poured into a baked shell. Old-fashioned, no-bake-friendly, ready for meringue or whipped cream on top.
Great Chocolate Cake (and Strawberry Shortcake) recipe
Coconut sheet cake soaked in lemon syrup with a drizzled cream cheese frosting. A Middle Eastern-inspired dessert with shredded coconut, lemon zest, and a sweet syrup that keeps it incredibly moist.
Broccoli spears with a homemade Swiss cheese sauce made in the microwave. A quick two-serving vegetable side dish with a creamy, melty cheese topping in 30 minutes.
Flaky buttermilk biscuits with fresh parsley, chives, and oregano. Cold butter cut into flour creates tall, layered biscuits with an herb-flecked crumb.
Lemon sours are three-layer cookie bars with a buttery shortbread base, coconut-nut filling, and tangy lemon glaze on top. A sweet-tart bar cookie that cuts into neat squares.
Butternut and acorn squash soup with Gruyere cheese and fresh apple slices. Pureed smooth with a roux-thickened broth, then finished with julienned squash for added texture.
Holiday almond wreath cookies piped from a star tip and decorated with red and green candied cherries. Buttery almond shortbread in a festive Christmas-tin shape.
Double-crusted spinach and mozzarella pie in a homemade yeast dough, filled with garlicky greens, black olives, and sweet raisins. Southern Italian comfort baked rustic.
Rich yeast bread loaded with chunks of semi-sweet chocolate and walnut pieces, made with butter, eggs, and a simple batter method. No kneading required. Makes two loaves.
Cinnamon chocolate sheet cake with a boiled cocoa-margarine base, buttermilk batter, and chocolate cream cheese frosting. A Texas-style sheet cake with warm cinnamon spice throughout.
Chocolate sour cream cake built on melted unsweetened chocolate, brown sugar, and a finishing splash of boiling water that blooms the cocoa into deep, fudgy darkness. Tender, moist, old-school layer cake at its honest best.
Mint chip brownies loaded with mint chocolate chips and chopped walnuts in a fudgy cocoa-based batter. One bowl, no melting chocolate, and ready in 35 minutes.
Mint-chocolate brownies with a fudgy crumb and cool peppermint punch, built from melted mint morsels stirred straight into the batter. Easy one-bowl dessert for the holidays or any day.
Mocha nut rounds are slice-and-bake icebox cookies flavored with instant coffee and semi-sweet chocolate. Edges dipped in milk chocolate, then rolled in chopped pistachios for a striking holiday cookie tray finish.
Creamed cucumbers boil cucumbers tender, then toss in a paprika-spiked béchamel of butter, flour, and milk. A vintage Scandinavian-leaning side dish for fish and roast pork.
Double chocolate chunk cookies with cocoa powder in the dough and 18 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate chunks. Fudgy, rich, and loaded with melty chocolate in every bite.
Lincoln almond cake: a tall white butter cake with chopped blanched almonds folded through, lifted by stiff-beaten egg whites and baked in a bundt pan. Tender, fragrant, snowy-white.
Mocha butterball cookies with cocoa, instant coffee, chopped nuts, and a powdered sugar coating. No-spread, no-chill cookie dough ready to bake in 25 minutes.
Armenian lavosh flatbread with a simple yeast dough rolled thin, topped with sesame or poppy seeds, and baked crisp. Ancient cracker bread, perfect for cheese boards and dips.
Vegan oat waffles made with rolled oats, whole wheat flour, dates, and water. No eggs, no oil, no dairy. Blended smooth and cooked until crispy golden.
Veal paprika simmered in white wine with mushrooms, onion, and sour cream over buttered noodles. A Hungarian-inspired comfort dish with a rich, velvety sauce.
Coconut cookie nests in pastel colors with a chocolate egg in each. A macaroon-style Easter cookie with crisp edges, chewy centers, and room for candy eggs on top.