The Bon Appétit Test Kitchen

The recipe for this cocktail-hour snack was inspired by one from contributing editors Melissa Hamilton and Christopher Hirsheimer.

Skip the bottled ranch; make this dressing all winter long to add a tangy kick to salads and crudités.

You can substitute any color of rice or quinoa to make this gorgeous (and healthful) salad, which works as a vegetarian main course or hearty side dish.

Start breakfast by making a potato pancake, then cover it with sausage, eggs, and cheese and bake until puffed and golden.

We swooned over deputy food editor Janet McCracken's pumpkin seed and cilantro pesto when she made it in the BA Test Kitchen. Now we use it on rice, pasta, roasted vegetables, and chicken, too.

Top sirloin, flank steak, or skirt steak work just as well as eye round in this Thai-inspired dish.

Thick and creamy vanilla bean-infused Greek yogurt replaces the usual dollop of whipped cream for a delicious and low-fat dessert.

Make this crumbly cake a day ahead; the early risers will thank you.

Slice the red beets last and keep them separate until serving so their color won't bleed onto the other vegetables.

Customize this one to your liking, from the fillings to the doneness.

Look for shichimi togarashi, a Japanese seasoning mix, at Japanese markets and savoryspiceshop.com.

For the softest dough, use a potato ricer or simply mash the potatoes until smooth.

These little citrus-scented cakes cook in just 10 minutes, which means that if you prepare the batter ahead of time and bake them right after the table is cleared, you can serve them warm for an extra-special touch. They're especially delicious dipped into Ginger-Yogurt Mousse with Pistachio Meringue .

Gravlax, typically made with salmon, gets an aromatic twist with grapefruit zest and crushed green peppercorns. Plan to make this at least 3 days ahead to let the fish cure.