Carolyn Malcoun

Sun-dried tomatoes do double duty in this easy weeknight dinner—we use the flavorful oil they're packed in to sauté shallots and use the actual tomatoes in the creamy sauce. Served with perfectly cooked salmon, you really can't go wrong with this recipe.

Crushed plantains add flavor and flair to this chicken tender recipe. Using a rack to cook these baked chicken tenders ensures they get crispy on all sides without a soggy bit in sight.

The simplest way to make artichokes: cook them whole and eat your way to the tender heart leaf-by-leaf. And they cook up in less than 10 minutes in the microwave!

We could eat it by the spoonful.

Lentils and rice have been served together across the Middle East for centuries; they make a nutritious and satisfying vegetarian meal. This Instant Pot version is inspired by Lebanese mujadara, a variation that combines lentils, rice and caramelized onions.

Jamaican jerk chicken is traditionally marinated at least overnight and then grilled low and slow for fall-apart tenderness. Here, we coat chicken in store-bought seasoning but cook it in a pan for a faster version. Searing pineapple caramelizes its natural sugars and releases some of its juices—making for a more flavorful salsa that plays beautifully with the seasoning on the chicken.

Meaning “with paprika” in Hungarian, paprikash is a creamy spiced stew traditionally made with meat. We’ve chosen mushrooms to give this vegetarian paprikash a hearty bite. Using a mix of varieties gives you a good spectrum of textures and flavors.

Hot Hungarian paprika gives this casserole subtle heat but you could use sweet instead. Adding sauerkraut to the mix adds bites of salty tangy flavor throughout. Try leftovers layered with turkey, Swiss and Russian dressing on a panini for a Reuben-inspired sandwich.

Rutabaga and/or celeriac give this casserole a more nuanced flavor, but you could also use turnips or kohlrabi—or make it with all potatoes instead.

If green bean casserole is a must-have in your family at Thanksgiving but you’re, well, ready for a change, give this cheesy version a whirl.

This honeynut squash recipe is bound to satisfy anyone at your Thanksgiving table. Once only available to chefs, honeynut squash (think: super-sweet butternuts) are now sold at farmers’ markets and some grocery stores in the fall.

Make this stuffing with an apple variety that holds its shape rather than turns to sauce during the cooking process, so there will be tender bites of fruit throughout. Honeycrisp, Granny Smith or Pink Lady are all easy-to-find options.

Corn pudding is a Southern favorite, often made with canned creamed corn. We prefer the texture of frozen corn, which we pair with crème fraîche for its creaminess and tang.

To add a variety of textures to these chicken tacos, we poach the chicken to keep it super-tender and moist while broiling the Brussels for a crisp mix-in. The creamy sauce rounds out the combo.

Store-bought pasta sauce just can't compare to homemade marinara--and the slow cooker makes marinara from scratch much easier. This fresh tomato recipe was developed to preserve the summer bounty from your garden or farmers' market; it freezes well for up to 6 months so you can pull out pasta or pizza sauce anytime. Keeping the skins on makes it even easier, plus they contain pectin, which helps thicken the sauce.