Chive

Great pimiento cheese is all about spice. Red peppers and hot sauce are essential to cutting through the richness of the cream cheese and cheddar.

Love beef stew and braised short ribs? Consider giving oxtails a try. These surprisingly meaty cuts contain a ton of collagen, which melts into the stew to create an ultra-rich, ultra-silky texture and flavor. In fact, you might end up needing to thin the finished stew with water before serving.

Juicy, jewel-toned, peak tomatoes need little meddling: Thick slices of toasted country bread spread with a garlic-mayo schmear and sprinkling of sesame, chives, and lemon zest add just enough interest.

Philosophical question: Is it still a wedge if it isn't smothered in blue cheese and bacon? It's debatable, but we do know that this is a healthyish wedge salad we'd happily eat every day. It's got the rich part—a creamy tahini dressing that's so thick it anchors the greens. It's got the crunchy stuff—seeds and coarse salt. And it's got freshness—actual lettuce and herbs. Iceberg who?

This gorgeous tumble of carrot ribbons and mixed herbs provides a crunchy, fresh counterpoint to any rich meat main.

Slow-cooking a "roast" chicken yields moist, juicy meat but flabby skin—the easy fix is to run the carved chicken under the broiler to crisp the skin before serving.

Cover a just-baked, garlic-scented pizza crust with a crisp salad of Bibb lettuce, blue cheese, prosciutto, and pickled onions, plus plenty of red wine vinaigrette.

Pull-apart bread is the very definition of fun. Just plop it down in front of a table of people and watch it disappear within 2.4 seconds. It really is that good, and can pass as an appetizer or accompaniment to a pot of soup.

If you want to stuff the roast as pictured, ask your butcher for a butterflied leg, not tied. Double the ingredients for the rub recipe and smear half onto lamb, then roll and tie it, and smear with the rest of the rub before roasting.

Eggplant gets a big lift from buttery avocado and an irresistibly kicky, creamy sauce.

You don't have to fire up the grill to enjoy a taste of barbecue. This pork chop dinner makes use of the broiler to get those smoky, charred flavors on the table anytime you want them.

Make extra seasoned butter to eat with pasta, on crusty bread, or, as the name implies, with shellfish.

The longer you can let this chicken rest in the marinade (up to 24 hours), the better the warm, aromatic, fiery spices will penetrate the meat.

A quick and easy hollandaise sauce adorns this classic combination of buttery English muffins, savory Canadian bacon, and perfectly poached eggs.

By baking the eggs and toppings in a jelly roll pan, you can then roll it all up into a tight spiral, slice it into portions, and share. It’s very easy, and looks pretty fancy, too.

Homemade mayo, much like hollandaise sauce, takes a little practice to get the knack. It’s like learning to ride a bicycle—once you’ve mas­tered the technique, it’ll be with you for life. Be sure to come prepared, armed with a whisk and some extra patience. It’s really all about whisking continuously as you slowly stream the oil into the egg yolks, little by little, letting the yolks take in every drop of oil. Slow and steady wins the race—this exquisite, delec­table, over-the-top-awesome race.

Sauté hot Italian sausage meat with ginger and garlic, mix with veg, and dinner’s a wrap!

This is a little bit like making a ranch dressing and putting it on pizza. Which can’t possibly be a bad thing.