American

This recipe is part of the Epicurious Online Cooking School, in partnership with the Culinary Institute of America. To watch it being made, and to learn how to make other dessert classics, check out the videos.

Editor's note: This recipe is part of a special Thanksgiving menu created by chefs Allison Vines-Rushing and Slade Rushing of MiLa restaurant in New Orleans. The licorice root is optional, but if used, will add a slightly sweet, woody flavor to this fall soup. If you can't find it locally, the chefs recommend Gourmet Spice Company as an online source. We have yet to come across a person who does not like butternut squash soup. Even staunch vegetable haters fall for it. (Maybe its sweet richness makes them think that it can't be healthy.) When it is on the menu at the restaurant, probably eighty percent of our customers order it, leaving the cooks to complain about how much they have to make. And if you peek through the kitchen doors, you will undoubtedly see one of us with a steaming hot bowl of it in our own grubby hands.

Tim Love, Woodshed Smokehouse, Fort Worth, TX: "Charred mustard and citrus make for a great combo, especially when combined with a marbled steak."

Cheddar, Gruyère, and Brie help push this over the top. Use local, artisan-style cheeses, if you can.

Strawberries are full of vitamin C, which does double duty: It helps you burn more fat during exercise and helps build skin-firming collagen, resulting in a slimmer, prettier you!

Raspberries are packed with polyphenols, which may protect our brains, helping to keep us sharp.

When blueberries are at their best (and most abundant), let their flavor shine in simple recipes. This cobbler can be assembled in minutes, and its ragged topping is both tender and crunchy. It's especially good with vanilla ice cream.

Grunts get their quirky name from the fact that the fruit, which is topped with dumplings and cooked on the stove in a covered skillet, can make a grunting sound as the dessert steams. Molasses adds sweetness and a lovely depth of flavor.

Simmering a whole chicken guarantees a great base for Reusing's take on tortilla soup: "You get everything out of a whole chicken without a lot of work. Anyone can do it." Build even more flavor by using corn cobs to bolster the broth. When serving, lay out the garnishes and salsa so guests can customize their bowls; those finishing touches bring the dish together.

To get a super-light mousse, you'll need to properly fold together the whipped cream, egg whites, and melted chocolate.

Chocolate has the incredible ability to stand alone quite nicely while playing along with loads of other prominent ingredients—without being a bully. And that is why a brownie sundae can be so frustrating: How can you settle on one ice cream flavor or a single sauce?
We figured Father's Day is the right time to have a brownie sundae your way. Dads have soft spots for cuteness, so serving up a brownie raft supporting mini-scoops of three different ice creams adrift in three different sauces will tickle him to no end. Feel free to use whatever ice cream flavors are the family favorites. Editor's Note: This recipe is part of Gourmet's Modern Menu for A Father's Day Feast. Menu also includes Pretzel Bites with Quick Cheddar Dip and Grilled Rib Pork Chops with Sweet and Tangy Peach Relish.

Packed with oats, nuts, and seeds, this energy booster can be made up to 1 week ahead. Serve it as a snack, or for breakfast with yogurt and any kind of seasonal fresh fruit.

Choose baby backs or spareribs, then follow our three simple steps: Season, bake, and grill.

Five ingredients and five steps will get you to burger heaven.

This triple-decker amplifies the classic fLavors of a BLT with sliced hard-boiled eggs, chive mayo, and a bundle of fresh herbs.

This sophisticated mashup of the campfire classic uses Nutella to bind the graham cracker crust and coffee to deepen the chocolate flavor in the rich ganache filling.

You may never bake a cheesecake again; Laiskonis sets his super-light filling with gelatin instead of eggs and flavors it with a refreshing hit of citrus.

Creamy white beans, fresh basil, and crunchy young vegetables are combined in a light but substantial salad that takes advantage of the first fruits of the spring garden. Use a mild honey, like clover or wildflower. —Chef Sam