Make Ahead

Shortening makes for the flakiest pie crust. But you won't miss the buttery flavor-there's plenty in the filling.

Use a very sharp cheddar to make this—it's the difference between pimiento cheese and cheesy mayonnaise.

We love leeks. All you need are olive oil, salt, and the heat of the oven to coax some magic out of leeks.

Keys to great chips: A lower frying temp gets the moisture out; a vinegar soak ensures they're crisp.

Meat-free but not too virtuous, it's healthy and satisfying.

Parmesan crisps turn this simple fall salad into something extra-special.

I have such fond memories of helping my mom make lasagna as a kid. I was in charge of layering the noodles, sauce, ricotta and mozzarella. Today, my lasagna is a bit lighter than my mom's. Rather than making it as a large tray, I prefer to make them into rolls—which I load up with vegetables—for better portion control. And here I swap tomato sauce for a wonderfully savory Butternut squash sauce with shallots, garlic, and Parmesan cheese.

A smoky Aleppo pepper and brown sugar rub give this meltingly tender roast an addictive crust. Drizzle the shreddable pork slices with an herby vinaigrette at the table for a vibrant finish.

"Because it's cheese! And nuts! In ball form! Best of all, it's infinitely riffable, as these recipes demonstrate. Hurrah, freedom! Hurrah, cheese balls!"

Cream of tartar is optional, but it keeps the sugar from crystallizing, making this caramel foolproof.

The keys to achieving razor-edged triangles: Let the sandwiches cool slightly, then slice with a serrated knife.

Homemade stock made from a whole bird has two upsides: You get a rich, balanced liquid for the gumbo, and plenty of tender poached chicken meat.

If you can't find both red and yellow beets, just use all of one or the other, and pickle everything in one bowl. The pickles keep, refrigerated in an airtight container, for up to 2 weeks, making them perfect for snacking with holiday leftovers.

Our ultimate version of this breakfast classic combines a rich, buttery dough with the warming flavors of cinnamon and nutmeg and the crunch of pecans.

Instead of tossing all of the ingredients together in this healthy, mayonnaise-free take on potato salad, the potatoes are served on a bed of the creamy avocado-chia dressing. The contrast of the purple potatoes against the green dressing is a real showstopper. If purple potatoes aren't available, this recipe also works well with red-skinned potatoes.

Like some sort of drug dealer, Joe (aka the big boss) has been known to keep a small plastic bag of this addictive Mexican spice rub in his glove box. And indeed, it's never a bad thing to have on hand. Although the recipe has a few steps to it, it's well worth the effort. At the restaurant, we use it to season everything from corn on the cob to chicken to our Spring booty taco. When cooking with it, just beware that it's quite salty. Also, it keeps for a long time, which means that you may want to make a double batch.

Telmo grew up in a Mexican neighborhood in San Jose, California. On warm evenings, he could be found at a busy roadside seafood joint called La Costa spooning up refreshing bites of coctel de camarón, or "shrimp cocktail." Served in a tall Styrofoam cup, the La Costa cocktail combines a sweet (but not cloying), tangy, and spicy tomato-based sauce, briny poached shrimp, avocado, cucumber, and pico de gallo, all topped with some shakes of a salsa picante and served with tostadas or saltine crackers. Our version is made with roasted fresh tomatoes instead of the traditional ketchup to brighten it up. The resulting sauce is more like a gazpacho than the typical country club-style cocktail sauce. The cocktail can be assembled a couple of hours ahead of time, but not too far in advance, as the shrimp becomes rubbery if left in the lime juice for too long. To make this shrimp cocktail into easy party fare, spoon it onto small store-bought tostadas, garnish with a little cilantro, and serve.

This cowboy-style "bowl of red" is all about tender chunks of beef chuck and a five-chile-pepper purée.