Dairy
Pies-N-Thighs Biscuits
To make ahead, freeze the cutout biscuits in plastic bags. Bake frozen, increasing cooking time to 45–55 minutes.
Sautéed Greens with Labneh and Pine Nuts
If you like Greek yogurt, you'll love labneh.
Caramel-Dipped Popovers with Chocolate Mousse
These savory popovers are made with cheddar cheese, which keeps the dessert from veering into overly sweet territory.
Macaroni and Cheese
Garrett McCord, coauthor with Stephanie Stiavetti of Melt: The Art of Macaroni and Cheese, created this recipe exclusively for Epicurious. A completely traditional take on the ultimate comfort food casserole, we think this is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. Plus, it's a flexible recipe that can easily be tinkered with to suit your family's mac 'n' cheese preferences.
If you really like the crunchy topping, go ahead and add more—use an additional 1/2 cup of panko, an extra 1 1/2 tablespoons of butter, and a slightly larger handful of shredded cheese. Want more assertive cheesiness? Experiment with different Cheddars, including aged versions. And of course, feel free to add your favorite extras like raw or roasted broccoli or cauliflower, or crisp cooked bacon.
For more on mac 'n' cheese, including tips from McCord and more mix-in ideas, see Classic Recipes: Macaroni and Cheese.
Matcha Panna Cotta
Matcha, made by grinding up dried green tea leaves to a powdery consistency, has a distinct earthy, sweet flavor that carries through in this creamy panna cotta. And since you consume the leaf directly in this dessert, instead of brewing it, the antioxidant levels are even higher.
Brazil Nut & Banana Parfait
Rich in protein, the oats and nuts in this sweet, crunchy dessert will help keep blood sugar levels stable.
Dark Chocolate Waffles
With a cocoa-infused batter and chopped chocolate stirred throughout, these indulgent waffles are just the thing to make any morning feel special.
Creamy Queso with Chorizo
In defense of Velveeta: Its texture is supreme.
Roasted Butternut Squash with Spicy Onions
Make this dish ahead of time: It's great at room temperature.
Winter Squash Carbonara with Pancetta and Sage
Kabocha squash is made for purées.
Grapefruit and White Beets with Yogurt and Tarragon
Rather than fussily cutting the grapefruit into neat segments, Mattos cuts them crosswise into disks; he likes the slightly bitter flavor of the membrane itself.
Parmesan-Roasted Potatoes
Cooking the potatoes on a wire rack lets hot air circulate around them, so they get extra crisp.
Endive Salad with Toasted Walnuts and Breadcrumbs
Mattos says to get both the walnuts and the breadcrumbs very toasty and dark brown; he loves the contrast between the rich, crunchy bits and the bright, juicy endive on top.
Escarole Salad with Horseradish and Capers
Soaking the onion mellows its sharpness. If you can't find fresh horseradish, add 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish to the crème fraîche mixture.
Barley, Cauliflower, and Herbs with Burrata
A virtuous, herby grain salad with a heart of indulgent butterfat. We love the white-on-white effect of using barley, but it's delicious with basically any whole grain; try wheat berries or spelt.
Tex Mex Rice Salad Wrap
Tex-Mex ingredients like Monterey Jack, cilantro, corn and lime combine with rice to create an awesome salad. Wrap it in lettuce for a cool, crunchy and fun meal.
My Mom's Vegetable "Meatloaf" with Checca Sauce
My Mom, Veronica, is pretty much a vegetarian these days. When she invites us over for "meatloaf," this is what we get—and I like it a lot; in fact, even Todd does. The lentils and the brown rice make it hearty while at the same time kind of fluffy and light. My favorite part about it is the fresh tomato sauce, which is almost like a salsa. Checca is a Southern Italian term for this fresh sauce, which is called by different names in different regions. Some of it goes into the lentil loaf and the rest is served alongside.
Polenta "Pizza" with Crumbled Sage
This is one of those serendipitous, stumbled-upon creations. I had made a big pot of polenta, and I poured the leftovers into a baking dish in a thin layer. The next day, foraging in the fridge for lunch, I came upon the polenta, a little fresh mozzarella, a little Parmesan (or was it Pecorino?). To make a pizza of sorts, I layered on the cheeses, added a splash of oil, crumbled over a handful of dried sage leaves, and put it into a hot oven. The result was completely satisfying. So what if it's not truly a pizza?—though perhaps it has a culinary ancestor somewhere, since there's really nothing new under the sun.
Perfect Instant Ramen
You can have almost no money and still have enough to live off this stuff for weeks, months, years. Eat enough and you'll start to look for ways to make it different: add a little more sauce, a little less sauce, cook the noodles less, cook them more, add more water, less water, add an egg, scramble the egg, etc. Me, I've become a freak when it comes to my instant ramen. Don't fuck wit it, don't fuck wit me, let me do my thing. This is how I do my own thing.