Our Very Best Recipes

The sweet potato is arguably the most versatile veggie in the produce department. It can easily be the star of any meal, from pancakes for breakfast to the main event of dinner and can even do dessert. While baking sweet potatoes in the oven can take up to an hour, microwaving a sweet potato takes a mere five minutes. Here’s the very best way to do it, so that you can dig into your tender, steaming sweet potato ASAP. It’s lightning fast.

It has a vanilla-citrus kick.

It’s a new classic.

Recently I was walking my younger brother through the basics of homemade granola. Over the phone, he lamented that most recipes felt too fussy and ingredient-heavy for the simple, not-too-sweet, easy granola he craved.Basic (but very good) granola requires just a handful of ingredients: rolled oats, a sweetener, some cooking oil, and maybe nuts or dried fruit. Once you master this basic formula, it’s easy to customize a mix for your own preferences.

So nostalgic.

Mashed potatoes have found their match.

I’m on the record as saying Thanksgiving leftovers are perfectly good reheated. I don’t need too many ways to eat leftover Thanksgiving stuffing, for instance; straight out of the dish is generally quite good enough (although pan-frying as a reheating method is pretty sublime).But mashed potatoes often aren’t as good reheated as they were fresh, so here’s what I made: crispy, creamy, cheesy mashed potato puffs.

Summer has given way to fall, and gone are the long days, trips to the beach, and perfectly ripe heirloom tomatoes at the farmers market. But there are some pretty great things about fall as well — there’s pumpkin, for example, not to mention all the apples, hearty greens, and root vegetables that start showing up at the market.

Every time we make vegetable stock, we wonder why we ever bother buying it in the store. It’s so easy! Chop up some vegetables, cover with water, and simmer. Done. You’ll have enough stock to make your comforting soups, hearty casseroles, and rice pilaf for weeks to come, and all in just a little over an hour. It’s perfectly balanced. When making a basic vegetable stock, you want vegetables with neutral, but savory flavors.

It’s a skillet dinner win.

I can't stop making them.

Even if you're just getting started these will make you feel like a star baker.

With spiced apples and powdered sugar glaze.

It’s as quick and delicious as she promises.

No microwave required.

You definitely have time to make a one-minute tomato sandwich.

So good, I can’t stop making it.

It’s so easy.

Lift it from its side-dish status and bring it to the center of the plate.

Your pies will thank you.

Every summer shindig needs a refreshing cocktail. And since summer is a time for kicking back and relaxing, skip the made-to-order drinks — it's time for pitcher cocktails!

Watch this video and choose which recipe to make first!

Have you made an airy pavlova or crunchy meringue lately? Or did someone in your family abscond with all the egg whites for his breakfast scramble, leaving you with an excess of egg yolks? Don’t be annoyed! Step up to the challenge and look at this as an opportunity to use these protein-packed, sunny spheres in new recipes. We promise that whatever you choose to make, it’ll be delicious.

Don't waste it!

You can sleep in this morning!

This drink has everything.

It’s unreal.

I used to be obsessed with discovering new ways to cook potatoes. Now I’m just obsessed with creating new varieties of smashed potatoes. Ever since I first came upon the brilliant technique, in which small boiled potatoes are smashed, slathered with oil, and baked until crispy, I can’t stop experimenting. My kitchen has turned into a smashed potato factory, and each piping-hot batch is better than the last. It’s all about the garlic butter.

They’re legendary.

They’re guaranteed to disappear fast.

Have you heard of porcupine meatballs? They’re an old-school dish that are ready for a comeback. (You heard it here first!) Despite their rather funny name, porcupine meatballs are just beef meatballs made with white rice that get slowly cooked in a simple tomato sauce. The resulting meatballs are tender, flavorful, and perfect for serving on top of mashed potatoes, buttered noodles, or honestly, more rice.

Editor’s Note: We’ve updated this recipe and think you’ll love it! If you’re looking for the previous version, don’t worry — you can still find it under weekend apple pancake.When it comes to breakfast, I’m a pancake gal through and through. Three-ingredient cottage cheese pancakes are a staple on weekday mornings.

Whether you want a recipe that can be made a full day ahead or just an hour ahead, there's something here for you.

It might just be my favorite Ina Garten recipe of all time.

A perfect match.

If you ask me about comfort food, I will answer promptly: slow-cooked beef brisket. This old-fashioned pot roast, cooked quietly in the slow cooker all day with just a handful of ingredients and a mess of caramelized onions, makes a rich broth and meat that melts in your mouth. Sunday dinner, weeknight supper — whenever you eat it, this is a classic dish both convenient and comforting.

Cranberry sauce is the jewel of the Thanksgiving table and often the only spot of brightness on a table full of brown, orange, and tan dishes. While canned cranberry sauce is available year-round, you have to wait until October for fresh cranberries to come to market. Once the ruby-red fruits arrive, it’s your cue to make this easy sweet and tangy sauce for your Thanksgiving celebration.  Only three ingredients.

Ready for fall!

It’s fast and fancy.

Apple crisp is the lazy baker’s best friend. It delivers all the flavor and satisfaction of apple pie, but in half the amount of time. Tender, lightly sweetened, warmly spiced apples get dressed up with a sprinkle of buttery old-fashioned oats that crack under the pressure of a spoon. It’s truly the only crisp recipe you need for fall and Thanksgiving.Apple crisp requires just a few basic ingredients, an abundance of apples, and a warm oven.

Summer brings with it so many vegetables that are hard to get enough of. But of all of them, I think it’s safe to say sweet corn is always the one that steals the show. Those sweet, tender-yet-crisp kernels are all too easy to love (especially when they’re grilled!). And since fresh corn is only in season for a couple months a year, we want to get our fill every chance we get.

It’s all about the dressing.

At the intersection of easy and fancy.

No mixer needed.

Buttery crumbs meet warm cinnamon for coffee cake bliss.

It’s a tiki classic.

It's so easy.

From cakes and cookies to pudding and gooey caramel brownies.

It’s fall in a bowl.

On Thanksgiving, I don’t think any dish inspires quite as much love and jealousy as classic stuffing. Or, for that matter, technical debate over stuffing vs. dressing. Sure, if it’s baked inside the turkey it’s stuffing, and if it’s not, it’s dressing. But to me, it will always be stuffing — it sounds so much more satisfying than dressing, which brings to mind vinaigrette. And on my table, the stuffing is always some version of this classic sage and onion mix.

Light and creamy.

The whole family will love them.

Cheers to our favorite teachers!

The sauce is like striking gold.

Your future self will thank you.

Calling all lovers of chocolate and peanut butter!

Get ready to put that appliance to work!

Socca is a popular street food in Nice, France, and is often enjoyed as an appetizer with a glass of crisp rosé. In our own kitchens, this classic dish can be a go-to, any-time-of-day recipe. Learn how to make it by heart and it might just be one of those recipes that comes close to changing your life. We’ve recreated this street food for home.

Because you know you have a bottle somewhere in the liquor cabinet.

It’s ready in about 30 minutes.

You don't even have to peel it!

Simple and delicious.

Crackly edges and creamy centers every single time.

It cooks in under 10 minutes.

All you need is two ingredients.

We've got something for everyone.

Turn it into a brand new meal.

It truly wows.

It’s a celebration of summer vegetables.

Crispy edges meet juicy blueberries for breakfast perfection.

Use up your bounty.

The pantry staple is a mealtime hero.

All of the flavor, none of the frying.

Spoiler: They’re a thousand times better than I thought they’d be.

They're light, fresh, and full of flavor.

There's more to it than you think.

On Wednesdays we drink pink.

Start your mornings right.

Trust me.

You'll quickly fall in love with these sweet and savory spreads.

Cooking eggplant is quite easy and works in a million different ways: grilled eggplant, roasted eggplant cubes, stir-fried eggplant, and stuffed eggplant, to name a few. (You just want to know what mistakes to avoid when cooking it!)But whenever fall rolls around I find myself consumed by an abiding drive to cook everything in the oven. And baked eggplant is one of the best and easiest things to do! Here’s how to make it. This method is incredibly easy.

Are you convinced that the only way to enjoy a perfectly smooth and creamy smoothie is a trip to the smoothie shop? While a good blender helps, I’ve found an ingredient that can turn any thin and icy smoothie into a super-rich and satisfying one — and no, it’s not a frozen banana. Frozen bananas or thick Greek yogurt are often added to smoothies to make them creamier, but I prefer avocados! Bananas have a distinct flavor that not even the tartest berry can hide.

Hot mulled cider is a must-have at all our fall and winter shindigs. It’s a great non-alcoholic drink option for holidays like Thanksgiving — guests of all ages never seem to turn down a mug, but grown-ups can also take the opportunity to do a little self-spiking and mix with their alcohol of choice. Slow-cooker mulled cider is the easiest way to serve a crowd.

Sometimes the only thing that can solve a long, hectic weekday is a splash of cream. In those cases, turn to this comforting creamy tomato pasta. Al dente short noodles, such as penne pasta, are tossed in a quick tomato cream sauce and finished with lots of chopped fresh basil and grated Parmesan for the kind of meal the whole family can agree on. It will put a smile of everyone’s face, no matter the kind of day they had! Here’s how to make it.

From scratch tomato sauce in just over half an hour.

They'll steal the show.

Planning weeknight dinners can be tough — especially when you’re pressed for time. Busy schedules often lead to trips through the drive-thru or eating out, but nothing compares to a delicious home-cooked meal with the family.

You might want to make a double batch.

Bring on the baked beans and coleslaw.

It'll change your mind about chilled soup.

Who needs turkey when you've got stuffing on the table?

So lemony!

The '90s are back, baby.

Eggplant is the star of caponata, a stewed eggplant and tomato dish that hails from Sicily. Being such a classic dish, the internet is full of varieties and spins, but this eggplant caponata recipe highlights how simple it can be to make. Cooking the eggplant just right is the key to the correct texture and flavor in the dish. Eggplant acts like a sponge and soaks up and carries flavors through each bite.

It cooks in only 15 minutes.

When you have a glut of fresh summer fruit, sorbets are the answer. Sorbet is a simple combination of fresh fruit or fruit juice with sugar. That’s it!You don’t really need a recipe — just a basic template to follow and a little creativity. Strawberry-peach sorbet? Mint-infused watermelon sorbet? Raspberry-rosé sorbet? Yes, let’s make all of these this summer.Let me show you just how easy homemade sorbets can be with this step-by-step recipe. Just three ingredients.

It’s a summer staple.

One is never enough.

No more sad desk lunches!

It will be love at first bite.

It has a bold Cajun flavor.

It's the ultimate way to round out pizza night.

Don't forget the Rice Krispies treats!

It’s a serve.

Simple and delicious for those nights when you need something easy.

We’re here for the feta.

It's what August tastes like.

When you want to take chicken to the next level, a great marinade can do all the heavy lifting for you. With the right mix of ingredients, these marinades are easy, bold, and ready to transform whatever cut you’re working with.We’ve got the easiest 3-ingredient marinade for juicy grilled chicken, and an all-purpose fajita marinade that’s perfect for sizzling chicken fajitas on a weeknight.

Somehow Labor Day weekend is upon us. It’s been a very short summer — it seems like we were just firing up our grills for Memorial Day, and yet that also feels like a long-distant memory now. Since we are all out of our normal rhythms, the long weekend might’ve snuck up on you. If you’re planning on getting outside and cooking this weekend, we’ve got some side dish options for you.

My Italian in-laws approve.

Born and raised in Los Angeles County, I grew up eating tortillas several times a week, often handmade from the taco stand. Today my husband and our girls regularly make corn tortillas from scratch and homemade flour tortillas, but I have no qualms about buying giant bags of both corn tortillas and flour tortillas at the store. Tortillas, whether they’re corn or flour tortillas, are super versatile and can be transformed into any number of dishes.

Versatile and delicious!

Burrata makes everything just peachy.

They're too juicy and sweet not to consume them three times a day.

There’s nothing quite like it.

It’s easy to think of fresh parsley as a just a garnish to sprinkle over dinner, but it’s such a versatile herb! Chop it up and add it to your favorite salads; blitz it into a sauce, like fresh chimichurri or mojo verde (Spanish green sauce); or stir it into a hearty grain bowl or marinated bean salad.You can make a flavorful compound butter to use on grilled salmon or roasted summer vegetables.

I’m a firm believer that make-ahead dinners are one of the very best gifts you can give to your future self. Walking into the kitchen at the end of the day knowing that dinner is prepped, cooked, and just waiting to be reheated feels like a total treat. And not only that, but dinners like classic beef chili and slow cooker beef stew happen to taste even better a day, even two or three, after they’re made.

All you need are 5 ingredients and 5 minutes.

It takes hardly any effort but has so much flavor.

Stay cool on those hot summer days.