640 better recipes

Greek-style green beans and potatoes braised slow in tomato until meltingly tender, finished with a fresh hit of mint. A vegan side or light main that's even better the longer it simmers.

Beef and beer braise with chuck, mushrooms, onions, and bell peppers slow-simmered in beer with ketchup and mustard. Hearty pub-style stew that gets better as it sits.

No-bake bourbon whiskey balls rolled in powdered sugar with vanilla wafer crumbs, pecans, and cocoa. A classic Southern holiday treat that gets better the longer it chills.

Pickled herring in a sour cream and vinegar marinade with sweet onions. Old-world Scandinavian smorgasbord classic that gets better after a day or two in the fridge.

Red cabbage slow-braised with toasted caraway seeds, currants, red wine, and vinegar until sweet and tangy. A vegetarian Northern European side that tastes even better the next day.

Italian braised lamb and potatoes with pecorino cheese, red capsicum, and garlic simmered in stock until fork-tender. A make-ahead casserole that tastes even better the next day.

Traditional German lebkuchen: honey-and-molasses spice cookies studded with citron and nuts, finished with a brushed sugar glaze. A heritage Christmas cookie that gets better as it ages.

White chocolate brownies (blondies) with chunks of semisweet chocolate folded into a tender, butter-rich batter. Sweet, dense and dotted with dark chocolate pockets. Better than the box mix.

Layered Creole vegetable casserole with okra, lima beans, corn, peppers, and tomato, topped with crumb-coated sautéed okra. A vegetarian gumbo-inspired bake that gets better the next day.

Homemade ricotta cheese: three-ingredient fresh cheese from whole milk, vinegar, and salt. Slow-curdled the traditional way for silky, delicate curds. Better than any tub at the store.

Italian-style pork tenderloin roasted and marinated in balsamic vinegar, rosemary, sage, and pink peppercorns. A make-ahead dish that gets better up to 3 days in the fridge.

Fork-tender slow-roasted beef brisket on a bed of paper-thin onions with paprika and allspice. Roasts at 300F for 3 hours and slices even better the next day.

An ideal fruit salad or dessert for Winter, because the tropical fruits are available year-round and ripen naturally. The riper and more fragrant the fruit, the better the salad.

No-bake chocolate wine balls rolled in sugar, made with crushed vanilla wafers, ground walnuts, honey, and sweet red wine. They get better with age, like a fine confection should.

Homemade oven-baked croutons from day-old bread, slow-dried at low heat until golden and crunchy. One ingredient, any herbs you like, and better than anything from a bag.

Oven-dried tomatoes, a simple slow-roast technique that concentrates summer tomatoes into chewy intensely sweet jammy slices. Better than store-bought sun-dried, with infinite uses across the kitchen.