Savory Experiments

This classic stewed tomatoes recipe uses ripe tomatoes, onion, celery, garlic, a touch of sugar and simple seasoning. They are a dish in themselves but also a fantastic ingredient. Stewed tomatoes are one of those humble little recipes that do not get nearly enough applause. They are simple, cozy, budget-friendly and wildly useful. Serve them as a side dish, spoon them over rice, tuck them into pasta, ladle them over chicken or fish, or eat them straight from the pot with a crusty hunk of bread.

Learning how to make powdered sugar is one of those kitchen tricks that feels suspiciously easy because it actually is. Granulated sugar goes into a high-powered blender or grinder and comes out light, powdery and ready for glazes, frostings or a snowy dusting over dessert. Cornstarch is optional depending on how you plan to use it, but it helps prevent clumping and makes homemade powdered sugar behave more like the confectioners’ sugar sold at the grocery store.

This stovetop version starts with an overnight soak, then simmers the beans with onion, garlic, thyme, bay leaf and a little heat until the centers turn creamy and tender. The real trick is not treating the cooking time like a deadline. Beans have personalities- or at least ages- and some batches simply take longer than others.

These Chicken Parmesan Meatballs with Creamy Orzo have all the flavors I want from chicken parm: savory chicken, nutty Pecorino Romano, marinara and plenty of melty mozzarella, but without breading, frying or wrestling chicken cutlets. Instead, juicy baked chicken meatballs are nestled over creamy garlic and herb orzo that cooks right on the stovetop. Spoon over marinara, add mozzarella and cover the whole glorious situation for just a few minutes until the cheese gets gooey.

Herb lemon aioli is what I make when dinner needs a little help without needing a whole new recipe. It is cool, creamy, sharp in the right places and bright enough to make rich foods feel more awake instead of heavier. What makes this version especially good is how cleanly the flavors land. The garlic gives it backbone, the lemon keeps it lively, and the dill, parsley, and chives make it taste fresh instead of one-note.

Creamy horseradish sauce is one of those condiments that does a lot with very little. Sour cream gives it a cool, rich base while prepared horseradish brings that unmistakable sharp bite that makes roast beef, prime rib and steak taste even beefier. What's In This Article Toggle Why You’ll Love This Creamy Horseradish Sauce Plenty of horseradish flavor without being harsh. Sour cream softens the pungency of prepared horseradish while still letting that signature bite come through.

Grilled Dijon pork chops are everything I want from a summer dinner: tangy, savory, lightly charred and easy enough to pull off without turning the backyard into a full-service restaurant. Dijon mustard, lemon juice, Worcestershire and lemon pepper give the pork plenty of personality before it ever reaches the grill.

This no boil lasagna is an easy lasagna recipe made with oven ready lasagna noodles, hearty meat sauce, creamy ricotta, spinach, mozzarella, and parmesan. There is no need to boil the noodles first; just layer, cover, bake, and let the oven do the work. The trick to using no boil lasagna noodles is making sure they have enough moisture to soften while baking. This recipe uses marinara, cheese, and a covered baking time so the noodles cook up tender and al dente.

Homemade chocolate turtles have everything a good piece of candy needs: toasted pecans for crunch, soft caramel for chew, and enough chocolate to make the whole thing feel properly indulgent. A little flaky sea salt cuts through the sweetness and makes it extremely difficult to stop at one. What's In This Article Toggle Why This Recipe Works Every bite has three distinct textures – The pecans stay crisp, the caramel remains soft and chewy, and the chocolate forms a smooth coating over the top.

Flourless chocolate chip peanut butter cookies have no business being this simple or this satisfying. With a deeply peanut buttery center, lightly crisp edges and pockets of melted chocolate, they deliver everything I want from a cookie without requiring flour, a mixer or an afternoon blocked off for dough chilling.