Simple Cooking

Rich, chocolaty cocoa is poured over a scoop of peppermint ice cream for a kid-friendly twist on the Italian espresso- ice cream dessert.

My mom, Betty Keller, was a creature of habit. She worked very hard at her job managing restaurants while raising five boys and a daughter as a single mother. She loved to have cookies on hand at the end of the day, and she especially loved the Keebler pecan sandie. It was part of my childhood, and it's a flavor combination, vanilla and pecan, that I associate with her. It was an adult cookie to me. There was always a bag of them in the cupboard. Or almost always. We were six kids, and we were voracious. That was a problem when it came to my mother's cookies. We had our own cookies, Oreos and Nutter Butters, but when we'd dispatched those, there would be that bag of Mom's pecan sandies, daring us. It was really hard. Those cookies were sacrosanct, but sometimes, guiltily, we ate her cookies, one by one, until they were gone. Mom had very few things she could call her own. She had no real luxuries. We didn't have winter family vacations; we didn't go to a cabin by a lake in the summer. She worked, and she gave us everything we wanted and needed. But we didn't appreciate it then. How could we know? How could I, youngest of the boys, know? But I do now. Day after day, year after year, Mom set an extraordinary example for me. An example of hard work, attention to detail, and an all-consuming love for our family that I still have today. Food is a powerful connecter of who we are to who we were, to our past, to our memories, and, for me, to a different and simpler time. Even the smallest thing—a cookie—can help us understand what we feel now while reminding us of what we once felt and who we've become versus who we were then. So much of who I am today is tied to who my mom was, the choices she made, the way she worked, and how she lived her life. What success I have today, I owe to her. All of which is why the pecan sandie is so important to me.

Greek yogurt gets transformed into a bright fresh cheese in this Middle Eastern-style dish. Spread it onto toast with jam for breakfast, or serve as part of a cheese platter.

These easy-to-assemble bar cookies free you to use whatever crunchy things you love. Can't get enough of those candy canes? Love pistachios and almonds? Crush 'em up and sprinkle 'em on.

Lightly spiced little cookies are the perfect canvas for your holiday decorations. To keep the dough logs from flattening on one side, set them in empty paper-towel rolls before freezing.

The trick to making these cookies is to go low and slow—both on the stove-top and in the oven—to prevent the egg whites from scrambling.

The best—and easiest—brownies you'll ever make. This recipe belongs in your repertoire.

Wild mushrooms add depth of flavor to this take on the French classic. Make sure your bacon isn't too smoky; it could overwhelm the dish.

This recipe works best with medium to large oysters. Have your fishmonger shuck them for you.

Vinegar is the key ingredient in the tart, refreshing beverages known as shrubs.

Roast these sweet, tangy carrots—a perfect foil for the deliciously fatty rib roast—while the beef rests.

We're big fans of Nutella, but this luxurious homemade gianduja tastes even better.

Star-shaped cookies will certainly put you in the holiday spirit, but feel free to use any cookie cutters you have in the drawer.

This cocktail is a fruitier, spritzy, almost punchlike take on the usual Old Fashioned.

Slather on sandwiches, and serve alongside ham or sausages.

Epicurious member Benjamin Tevelow of Woodside, New York, offers this easy and delicious vegetarian chili, which will satisfy even those who live for bacon. To simplify the recipe, throw this hearty chili in a slow-cooker. Simply sauté the onion, garlic, and spices in a pot, transfer that plus the other ingredients to the cooker, and cook for four hours on medium heat. Green onions, cilantro, sour cream, and grated Cheddar cheese combine for a tasty garnish.

Let’s be clear: If you’re hosting the dinner party to end all dinner parties—Grandma’s good china is out of storage, the napkins have been ironed, and you’re polishing the silver—this is the ultimate first course. At first glance it may resemble a basic pear-and-arugula salad, but look closer and you’ll find that everything about it is just a little bit special, from the Champagne vinaigrette, to the creamy, salty ricotta salata, to the rich and savory pancetta. The ingredients do cost a little more, but it’s worth it.

Crisp, tender asparagus spears get friendly with hearts of palm, cherry tomatoes, scallions, and avocado in this lovely starter salad from Epicurious member Theonike. A simple mustard-and-garlic-infused vinaigrette serves as dressing, while a sprinkle of toasted pine nuts gives this dish some crunch. Use soft, ripe avocados but wait to peel and dice them until just before serving so they retain their beautiful pale green hue.

“Vegetarian taco” is typically code for a taco with a black or pinto bean filling. But you can use heart-healthy lentils instead. Standard brown lentils are easy to find, but if you opt for French green lentils, they will take a bit more time to cook. If you’re craving lentil burritos—just add rice and tortillas.

Iceberg-wedge salads have been a restaurant staple, but this simple starter begs to be made at home. Hot pepper sauce adds zing to the blue cheese dressing, which is easy and delicious enough that you’ll want to save any extra and use as a dip for veggies or toss with cold cooked pasta for lunch. Serve with a grilled fillet of fish or steak, and you’ve got yourself an at-home meal that trumps anything you’d find on a menu.