Buttery almond slice-and-bake cookies dipped halfway in melted chocolate and finished with sprinkles. A 5-dozen batch of elegant yet easy cookies that look bakery-bought.
Angel hair pasta tossed in a lemon-pesto vinaigrette with broiled chicken, blanched zucchini, and toasted pine nuts. Serve warm or chilled for an easy summer meal.
Puffy, souffle-like cornmeal spoon bread loaded with crispy bacon, sharp cheddar, and garlic. Baked golden and scooped warm from the dish, it's Southern comfort at its finest.
Emeril-inspired masa corn cakes with chili powder, topped with white wine chive cream and caviar. An elegant appetizer that turns simple corn into something show-stopping.
Grasshopper pie with a chocolate wafer crust, mint-chocolate liqueur custard set with gelatin, and grated chocolate garnish. The retro 1950s dinner-party showstopper.
Redfish with Mousquetaire Sauce flavored with mustard and lemon juice, once popular in New Orleans.
Peanut butter meringue cream pie with a silky stovetop custard, a whisper of ginger, and golden-peaked meringue. A diner classic with proper technique behind every step.
Sugar-free cherry pie with a golden meringue topping, made diabetic-friendly with sugar substitute. Tart unsweetened cherries in a creamy custard filling make this guilt-free treat sing.
No-bake yogurt pie with cream cheese, honey, and orange zest sets in a graham cracker crust and gets topped with fresh strawberries for light summer desserts.
Light, custardy Southern spoon bread made with white cornmeal, butter, milk, and whipped egg whites. Puffs up golden in the oven and gets scooped right from the dish.
Hungarian tarts with a cream cheese pastry shell and five filling options: almond, pecan, walnut, coconut, and farmer's cheese. A traditional holiday baking project.
Apple pie with apricot glaze layers tart Granny Smith apples over a custard pastry cream and finishes with a layer of apricot preserves under the top crust. A French-style twist on classic American apple pie.
Savory chicken pot pies built properly: poached chicken, tarragon-scented gravy made from real stock, pearl onions, potato, broccoli, and mushrooms, all tucked under a rich pastry crust cracked with steam vents.
Flourless chocolate espresso torte for Passover with a full pound of chocolate, espresso, butter, and eggs. No flour or leavening needed. Dense, crackly-topped, and dusted with powdered sugar.
Oysters Lafitte: oysters on the half shell topped with crabmeat in dill cream and a tarragon béarnaise, broiled until golden. A French Quarter classic for the brave home cook.
This makes a delicious filling for cakes and tarts and can also be used as a spread for biscuits, scones or croissants.