This speedy, streamlined, sun-kissed sheet pan dinner is a combination of flavors and textures that never fails to excite: Sweet and smoky crispy-edged carrots. Spicy, garlicky chorizo. Toasty chickpeas. Sweet, chewy dates. Charred lemon. Bright, fresh herbs. Cooling, creamy yogurt. Make it year round, but especially on cold, dreary days. It's so full of bright, sunny flavors, it'll instantly and reliably transport you to a warmer, happier place.

Cold poached salmon served with a refreshing salsa of ripe summer tomatoes, cilantro, lime, and chili. Bright, light, and bursting with summer flavors—great for warm-weather gatherings.

You can make this vibrant, near-instant, green soup with ingredients you tend to have on hand—and come out with something intensely flavored that you’ve never tasted before. It's all thanks to the great Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat| New Window author and teacher Samin Nosrat, and a fateful cleanse she embarked on in the desert. “The rules of the cleanse turned everything I’d learned about classical cooking upside down,” Samin wrote for The New York Times Magazine| New Window. “Without potatoes, flour, other starches, or dairy to lean on, I had to look elsewhere to thicken and enrich the soup.” The answer: nutty, smoky tahini.

Classic salmon patties made from canned or fresh salmon blended with onions, herbs, and breadcrumbs. Pan-fried until crisp—comforting, budget-friendly, and perfect paired with lemon wedges or salad.

Salmon fillets coated with spicy rub, grilled to smoky perfection. Fiery, zesty, and bold—this dish packs heat and flavor, perfect for spice lovers who want a thrilling twist.

"If you can’t find milkfish, I think [something] like branzino would be perfect. Any round fish, [like] black bass, is a great substitute."

Obatzda, from Classic German Cooking by Luisa Weiss, is a creamy Bavarian spread made with ripe Camembert, butter, paprika, and shallots. Traditionally served with pretzels, it’s a tangy, savory staple of beer gardens and Oktoberfest tables.

Cookbook author, podcast host, and journal editor Hetty McKinnon thought she'd ruined her hummus after accidentally dumping a whole can of chickpeas, juice and all, into the blender. But she decided to press on—and discovered a luscious, super-smooth texture she’d never seen in hummus before, all without peeling chickpeas or invoking baking soda.

Unlike their more casserole-y cousins, these bright, make-ahead-friendly green beans from Maricel Presilla’s opus Gran Cocina Latina will take 5 minutes in one skillet on the stovetop on Thanksgiving Day (no oven hogging!). Despite their speed, they develop loads of flavor fast, thanks to a quick three-allium sofrito and a surprisingly simple splash of milk to hug the beans at the end. (Bonus: Nondairy milks are very welcome, too.)

Eggplant can be a mystery. Will it brown handsomely or stick to the pan? Will its flesh relax or stay stiff and chewy? Will it be sweet or bitter? Is it a boy or a girl? (This last one is a red herring. See the tip below for what you should really be looking for.)

Cream cheese and salmon mixture rolled in chopped pecans and herbs. Combines creamy texture, smoky-salmon taste, and nutty crunch. Elegant, bite-sized—great for hors d’oeuvres or party platters.

"Both of my parents are from the Caribbean, so I’ve grown up appreciating the magic that happens when sweet and savory ingredients come together. The combination of smoky mushrooms, sweet pineapple salsa, coconut undertones, and supporting acidic and savory pops of flavor is what makes this bowl so divine. And don’t you dare skip out on the cilantro aioli—it is cooling, creamy, and simply the real deal."

Salmon fillets coated in spiced Indian masala and pan-fried until crispy. Fragrant and bold, with chili, turmeric, garam masala layers—perfect with rice or flatbread for a spicy twist.

Pastry chef Jami Curl wanted the simplest possible vanilla cake to stir together at home—one that, without a mixer, you could be eating warm from the oven in under an hour. Her latest cookbook Baking Gold has lots of ideas for dolling it up with fruit and glazes and crunchy bits (pictured here: jammy strawberries and butterscotch whipped cream). And in Genius trick news: It keeps well days longer than your average cake—so you can try lots of them. Sprinkle fruit on top or stir it through before baking (Jami loves frozen blueberries, and says blackberries would also be good, but will bring a bit of extra moisture). After baking, top it with anything you’re in the mood for: Buttercream and sprinkles for a birthday cake. Toasted coconut, grated chocolate, spiced nuts. More sour cream, fresh fruit, and a sprinkle of brown sugar. And ice cream would never be a bad alternative (or addition!) to the whipped cream.

On the surface, the Boulevardier appears to be nothing more than a Negroni with the gin swapped for bourbon, and indeed it’s a great gateway cocktail for a bourbon drinker to get into the genre of aperitif-driven cocktails. But rather than the similarities, it’s the differences from the Negroni that make the Boulevardier special. First off, there is a higher proportion of base spirit: Rather than the familiar 1:1:1 Negroni ratio, the Boulevardier uses a 2:1:1 ratio, allowing the richness and natural sweetness of the bourbon to tame the bitterness of campari. Round it out with a substantial vermouth (like Carpano Antica) and there is no denying that the Boulevardier punches above its weight.

Reprinted with permission from Mark Bittman's Dinner for Everyone| New Window. As for riffing, Bittman says, "Try other nuts or seeds—cashews, even coconut or sunflower seeds—in peanut bun; then garnish with whatever bits of cooked vegetables, meat, or fresh herbs you’ve got sitting around."