Nancy Oakes

Chef Nancy Oakes was initially underwhelmed when developing this dish. "The eggs were just poached and a little squishy," she says. "Frying them in breadcrumbs made things more interesting." For maximum crispiness, chill the poached eggs before giving them a pre-fry roll in the egg whites and panko.

This dip is similar to the original green goddess dressing, which was created in the 1920s at San Francisco’s Palace Hotel. Here, sour cream stands in for mayo.

This dessert is a pecan pie-apple pie hybrid.

Brandade is a salt cod puree from Provence. In this all-American take on the dish, an heirloom bean puree is mixed with Dungeness crab and two kinds of cheese.

A bacon-herb butter goes under the skin before roasting, which infuses the turkey with flavor. Be sure to get started at least one day ahead.

Apple juice and dried blueberries bring subtle sweetness to the filling. Like your desserts sweeter? Add one or two tablespoons of sugar.

The tubers of a North American sunflower, Jerusalem artichokes (also labeled "sunchokes") are available in the produce section of many supermarkets.

A gorgeous, satisfying vegetarian main course that's easy to make. Quinoa requires no pre-soaking, so it's as simple to do as rice.

Roasting the fish in salt makes it very moist — without, surprisingly, making it taste too salty. The lemony salsa verde adds zing and freshness that contrast nicely with the roasted fish.

Instant Party: Crispy fish tacos, pickled onions and jalapeños, lime cream, salsa verde, and guacamole — it all adds up to one fun party. Set everything out, and let everyone assemble their own.