Roast

Bone-in turkey breasts are easy to find, and as impressive as a whole bird when you roast them in butter and herbs.

Got some burned bits? Great job! The natural sugars in the root vegetables, along with the brown sugar, will caramelize, giving you a little bitterness to counter all that sweetness.

The secret to these ribs is the stunning glaze—these have great depth of flavor with a beautiful hit of sweetness and spice. Marinate them overnight for best results!

Make sure the butcher cuts the marrow bone in half for you.

Sweet and spicy pork belly lettuce wraps—served with a refreshing cucumber salad—are a cool, crunchy dinner for sweltering August nights.

One of the centerpieces of Butch Anthony's outdoor dining room is a massive firepit-grill outfitted with vintage Dutch ovens, which were buried in embers to cook these chickens. We've adapted the method for a regular oven.

Folks in St. Louis pride themselves on their ribs. You could say it's the city's signature dish. Growing up in the projects like we did, we didn't have a barbecue pit or a smoker, so when we wanted ribs, my mom came up with this way of doing them in the oven. Another way she'd make her ribs was to cut the rack into small slabs of two or three ribs, marinate and season them, and then fry them up—just like you'd do a pork chop. Serve with potato salad or mac and cheese.

Beets are typically prepared with sweet and sour flavors. In this recipe, roasting brings out the sweetness and a balsamic glaze adds the piquant notes.

Smoked Paprika adds sweet, smoky flavor and beautiful color to roasted turkey. Everyone will be thankful for this centerpiece of the holiday table.

A sweet-smoky rub featuring smoked paprika, brown sugar and cinnamon complements salmon's moderate flavor and moist meaty texture. Served on a bed of sautéed spinach, this dish makes a lovely presentation for entertaining.

Brine a turkey breast to add flavor and moistness. Pick up some local apple cider to make a flavorful gravy to serve with the turkey.

Coarsely cracked Peppercorn Mélange is the key ingredient in the spice rub for this special-occasion beef rib roast. The seasonings flavor the meat and develop a spicy crust. Be sure to allow a 15-minute standing time before carving so the meat temperature will rise and the meat will carve more easily.

During the developing and testing process for this book, this dish became Hubby's new favorite. Totally unexpected—I was sure he'd steal a line from the kids and say, "Thank you anyway, but this is not my taste." (We taught them to say that instead of "Ooo, yick!") It's just not the usual stuff and spices he goes for, but apparently the combination was soooo his taste. And mine, too. It's one of those winner recipes that will make you dance around your kitchen. You may hug me now.