Easy

To make these cakes, I use the reverse creaming method, as opposed to the more common creaming method. Instead of beating air into the sugar and butter, adding the eggs then stirring in the dry ingredients, the reverse creaming method requires the butter to be rubbed into the dry ingredients, followed by milk and eggs. As well as being simpler, with fewer stages, I think this method produces a better textured, more even sponge. When you rub the butter into the flour and sugar, the flour particles get coated in fat, which minimizes gluten formation in the cake. Gluten is the essential component in bread, but in cakes too much can produce a tough and chewy sponge.

The ingredients for a meringue are very simple; you need double the weight of sugar to egg whites. It is easy to make any quantity of meringue if you follow this 2:1 ratio.

Make this salad ahead of time to allow the flavors to become bolder. This is delicious in a bowl as a refreshing summer meal. Or serve this on top of a plate of assorted greens or bowl of cooked grains, rolled up in a tortilla, or as a topping for baked potatoes.

Packaged baked tofu is tasty and not all that expensive, but homemade baked tofu is even better. The trick to this chewy, savory transformation of bland white tofu is to make sure it’s well pressed and to let it marinate for plenty of time.

When you have a chocolate glaze recipe that’s as versatile and simple as this one is, it’s easy to rely on it time and again. It’s so quick to prepare that you can wait until the last minute to mix it up. Or you can make it ahead and reheat it to a pourable consistency when you need it. This makes a hefty amount, so if you don’t use all of it, just store the leftovers in a sealed container and refrigerate until needed.

A quick toss in sweet, softly spicy Korean red pepper sauce makes these wings irresistible, while sliced scallion adds a fresh finish.

Combine garlic and your favorite hardy herbs like rosemary, thyme, or oregano, for a marinade that's quick, easy, and oh-so-delicious on these grilled wings.

Fragrant, complex curry powder and creamy, tangy yogurt create a tenderizing marinade for these easy grilled wings.

A simple Buffalo-style hot sauce delivers a big punch of flavor to these grilled wings. Brush a little sauce on the wings at the end of grilling for caramelized flavor, then toss them in more sauce before serving for full spicy saturation.

Crisp-tender grilled green beans on a bed of creamy whipped ricotta is the ultimate simple summer side.

Turn the classic iced tea and lemonade combo into a frozen cocktail for all of your backyard parties. Freeze the drink components into ice cubes before blending for an icy drink that isn't watered down.

A creamy Italian vinaigrette acts as both the marinade and the dressing for this super-easy grilled chicken and tomato number.

Let it rain with the kosher salt—for the best flavor, you want to season these simple steaks really well before they get grilled.

In this easy grilled dinner, store-bought pesto works as both a simple marinade for the chicken and a finishing sauce.

A fresh, bright pineapple dressing ties together this irresistible steak dinner.

Buttering the bread before you waffle it ensures a crispy, golden brown exterior. Adding the maple butter right as the sandwich comes out of the waffle iron means the sweet, rich mixture soaks into the still-warm bread

Iced tea with tapioca pearls that are sucked from a large straw are perhaps Taiwan’s most famous culinary export.

Grilling the watermelon adds a savory depth to the fruit, giving this refreshing summer salad much more flavor than you’d imagine from this simple combination.

This simple jam is full of fresh peach flavor with hints of vanilla and bourbon.

A luxurious almond cream makes this one-hour summer stone fruit dessert taste like an all-day labor of love.