American

The key to tender, delicious fried chicken is a good long soak in buttermilk. As it turns out, the same holds true for this roasted version of fried chicken. What you'll end up with is moist, delicious chicken on the inside, with a crunchy, crispy coating. That's exactly what I look for when I'm craving fried chicken.

Here, cauliflower lightens traditional mashed potatoes and blends in seamlessly. A touch of butter is all you need to make them rich and sumptuous. Steaming the vegetables instead of boiling them helps preserve their vitamin C.

You know the Juicy Lucy, right? It's a cheese-stuffed burger that was born in Minneapolis in the 1950s, and legend has it that it got its name when the first patron took a bite and exclaimed, "That's one juicy lucy!" Well, my friend Erin Meister, who blogs as The Nervous Cook, sent me her take on it: a marinated portobello mushroom cap stuffed with a runny-yolk egg. A total umami bomb and, like the Juicy Lucy, a mess to eat. But when you're cooking for yourself who cares if you have egg on your face? Erin marinates the mushroom in a miso-vinegar mixture, but since I usually have Sesame Miso Vinaigrette on hand, it's perfect to use here, too. If you don't have it, substitute 1 tablespoon of white miso in 3 tablespoons of rice vinegar. If you don't have a grill, don't sweat it; you won't get the smoky tinge, but this works just fine instead, using a cast-iron skillet or grill pan fitted with a lid (or aluminum foil).

Serving mac and cheese in the skillet it's baked in amps up the homey comfort factor. The secret ingredient in this bread crumb-topped beauty is the finely chopped cauliflower that blends in subtly with the pasta. Using three different cheeses guarantees maximum flavor and meltability.

The Suffering Bastard is a 1940s tiki standby that was originally made with bourbon and gin as its base. This variation utilizes cask-strength True Blue corn whiskey from Balcones Distilling in Waco, with a nod to that city's famous teetotaling population.

The only thing better than a favorite dessert is two faves in one— without twice the calories, of course.

Taste absolutely sinful…but they're not. You can make them up to two days ahead and store in an airtight container.

Traditional Caesar dressing can pack 17 grams of fat in a measly 2 tablespoons. We did much better by making light mayo, not oil, the primary ingredient.

Green Goddess Dressing is a perfect example of the magic of anchovies—they amplify and deepen the herbal flavors in this sauce without ever announcing their presence. For more recipes and tips, see our Homemade Salad Dressing Primer.

Russian dressing and Thousand Island dressing are often confused because both begin with a base of mayonnaise and ketchup or ketchup-style chili sauce, which results in a pink salad dressing. But where Thousand Island is a bit sweet and studded with pickle relish, Russian dressing is on the spicier side, with a hint of heat from horseradish and hot sauce. For more information about salad dressings and tips on making them from scratch, see our Homemade Salad Dressing Primer.

To make this recipe vegetarian, omit the bacon and add a splash of oil.

Part of what gives this cake its light texture is beating the butter and sugar well, so don't rush this step.

Use a pre-made custard as your base and paddle in a sweet-and-boozy cherry and bourbon topping.

Two tips: To save time, you can buy 2 steamed whole lobsters or 2 cups of cooked lobster meat. And, when prepping the corn, save your cobs for corn stock.

This recipe calls for baking one giant cookie, a way to ensure even, consistent ice cream sandwiches.

"A crunchy, cheesy topping gives squash big flavor and texture." —Chris Morocco, associate food editor

This riff on gazpacho gets unexpected sweetness—and great color— from the addition of cherries and a peach.

How do you make grilled corn taste even better? Douse it in flavorful herb butter.