Easy

Make any modifications that suit you and the preferences of your eaters: Onions in place of shallots; carrots for fennel; add garlic; omit the cayenne; a splash of cream instead of butter, as you wish.

Chef Rob Ray of Belly Acres in Memphis created this recipe as part of the Blended Burger Project™, a partnership with the James Beard Foundation that invites chefs to create delicious, nutritious, and sustainable burgers by blending mushrooms with meat. For his burger, Ray combines button mushrooms with beef for a juicy patty, then tops it with a zesty Ginger-Lime Mayonnaise.

These tacos are great any night of the week, not just Tuesday.

This simple gravy can be made in advance to avoid a last minute scramble before serving your Thanksgiving feast. Or use the rendered turkey fat and pan juices to make the gravy after roasting your bird for maximum flavor.

If you have jumped on the Sriracha bandwagon, this is the salt for you. Use it on anything that could use a spicy punch— popcorn, fried potatoes, ramen noodles, grilled seafood, and sliced tropical fruits. I like to use a big flaked salt for this one, but it works with any salt you choose.

This chili pleases all palates in my house—it's not too spicy or too mild, but it's loaded with flavor. I love the combination of black beans and chickpeas, but you can use any type of legumes you like. What really makes the chili, in my opinion, are the toppings! Some sharp cheddar, a dollop of cumin-cilantro sour cream, and diced red onions are a must. Sometimes I even add some crushed tortilla chips.

This healthier falafel dinner brings the Middle Eastern platter home with a tangy tahini sauce and an easy cabbage and tomato salad.

Like your desserts extra-salted? Just keep adding more and tasting the butterscotch until you reach your personal sweet-salty threshold.

If you like lox, bacon, or anchovies, you should thank salt—and time. That's all that it takes to turn supermarket limes into this pleasantly salt-tart-funky pantry staple, the sibling of preserved lemons.

You'll have your hands free for about 15 minutes while the chicken bakes in the oven—just enough time to whip up an arugula salad with a mustardy dressing.

When you're ready to serve, dip each pop mold in cold (not hot) water to help loosen the pops.

Serve this creamy mousse with gingersnaps instead of spoons.

Dukkah, an Egyptian nut and spice mix, creates a deeply flavorful crust for salmon fillets when tossed with puffed amaranth.

Like cheesy grits? These are really, really, really, really cheesy grits. This recipe is from Buxton Hall, one of Bon Appétit's Hot 10, America's Best New Restaurants 2016.

Think of plantains as the sister to the banana. They’re not as sweet, as they contain less sugar. They’re also higher in starch than most fruits, making them perfect for gluten-and grain-free breads. My favorite part of this entire dish is upon serving: The moment you break the egg white just enough for the golden yolk to spill over, the starchy flatbread soaks up every last bit, leaving you with a nice balance of moisture. The egg yolk is rich and bold, with the added bonus of sprinkled salt and drizzled honey—there’s nothing like it.

This chicken-and-rice dish, made in the Instant Pot, is inspired by mulligatawny soup, with fragrant spices, creamy coconut milk, bright ginger, and fresh lime juice.

Cranberry-nut bread and sweet Italian sausage pack a surprising amount of flavor into this super-simple stuffing.

We like breadcrumbs here for an old-school cutlet feel, but panko would work just fine in their place.

Use whatever jam, marmalade, or fruit preserves you like in this crowd-pleaser.

The key to balancing the richness of the cream and the sweetness of the pumpkin in this simple sauce is salty, starchy pasta water. Remember, it should taste "salty like the sea."