Dried Fruit

Choose dates that are soft and pliable—even if that means pitting them yourself.

Sheet-pan chicken just might be the best thing since, ahem, unleavened bread.

For an easy make-ahead dessert recipe that’s also a showstopper, look no further. Pouring the cream over at the table adds a dramatic touch.

An elegant dish that may be served to the family or at a grand party. Rice is the ideal accompaniment.

Flouring the fruit in this Bundt cake recipe helps keep it suspended throughout the batter, and using a serrated knife guarantees you won’t squash or shred the slices.

Make this traditional German Kranzkuchen for a festive sweet treat to serve on Christmas morning.

Mimicking traditional semolina pasta, cauliflower "rice" takes on fragrant Persian spices in this grain-free take on couscous.

When you peel the kabocha squash for this recipe, use a vegetable peeler—not a knife. (Better to dull a $4 tool than your best kitchen blade.)

Making Stollen is not for the faint of heart. Avoiding it altogether because excellent store-bought Stollen abounds is further abetted by the invention of Stollenkonfekt, bite-size chunks of spiced, tender Quark dough studded with almonds and raisins and thickly cloaked in vanilla-scented confectioners’ sugar. They may be a relatively recent development in the world of Christstollen, which dates back to the Middle Ages, but they more than make up for their youth. In other words, want the rich, buttery, spicy flavor of Stollen without the work of a yeasted dough and the weeks of impatiently waiting for the loaves to be ready? If so, Stollenkonfekt is the thing for you.

Who doesn’t love banana bread? This one is just sweet enough, with fabulous crunch if you add walnuts and coconut, as I always do. There’s no better solution for over-the-hill bananas, and the batter comes together in less than 10 minutes. I’ve been making this recipe — created by my late dear friend Sherry — for almost fifty years; it’s incredibly reliable.

Set out a plate of these sweetly spiced cookies and watch them vanish fast.

Homemade strawberry jam and almonds top off this easy gluten-free tart.

Just in time for Thanksgiving, we’ve given the stunningly delicious Vegducken an autumnal makeover. This year’s entirely meatless take on turducken focuses on autumnal flavors with butternut squash, sweet potato, and parsnip filling in for the traditional meats. The mushroom-cranberry stuffing makes use of leftover vegetable scraps, making the dish #wasteless.

A bright tangle of shredded Brussels sprouts, raisins, and pine nuts tops silky ricotta in this snappy, satisfying toast.

This vegetarian version of the classic appetizer uses soy sauce, smoked paprika, and smoked almonds to pack so much savory flavor that no one will miss the traditional bacon. Use Gorgonzola dolce if you prefer a more mild blue cheese flavor.

Can’t decide which pie to make? Let your guests in on the fun with this do-it-yourself pie bar.

I love the taste and color of sweet potatoes and yams. They are packed with vitamins and minerals and are delicious to boot! This bread is sweet enough for dessert and savory enough for dinner.