When flour and water are combined and then stirred, a protein called gluten begins to form. Gluten is wonderful if you’re making bread or bagels, but not if you want your baked goods to be delicate and tender. What that means is that you should beat the cookie dough for this lemon dessert as little as you can while still enuring the dough is fully combined.

This versatile taco marinade works wonders on any protein! Why choose just one type of meat? Marinate a few. This recipe makes enough marinade for about 3 to 4 pounds of meat.

Serve the tangy chicken lollipops with everyone’s favorite barbecue sides, like creamy coleslaw, slow-cooker cheesy corn and cowboy beans. The lollipops also make a tasty appetizer or game day snack to set out with mac and cheese bites, jalapeno popper dip or homemade onion rings. If you want to make a dip for the lollipops, try curry mayo dip or blooming onion sauce.

My sweet father-in-law, Pop Pop, would bring this chunky soup to our house when we were under the weather. We like it so much, we take it to our own friends who need comfort. It always does the trick. —Sue Webb, Reisterstown, Maryland

Sour cream and chives deliver classic loaded baked potato flavor, but they aren’t your only topping options. Other topping ideas include chopped red onion, green onions, crispy onions, pickled jalapenos, salsa, Buffalo sauce, hot sauce and ranch dressing. You can even turn cheese and bacon air-fryer potato skins into a hearty meal by topping them with your favorite chili recipe or pulled pork.

With chicken tenders, the name of the game is dipping sauce. You can lean into a homemade ranch dressing or barbecue sauce of any variety. And you could always try something different like a peanut butter dipping sauce. While it may sound simple, a really delicious homemade ketchup can be a surprisingly comforting choice too. Besides sauces, a crudités platter, air fried vegetables or even a french fry charcuterie board are delicious sides to serve with chicken tenders.

This hot fudge cake is so decadent, rich and chocolatey that you may want to serve it with a tall glass of milk and a stack of napkins. Honestly, aren’t those always the best desserts?

No, you don’t need to worry about peeling or coring the apple. The skin crisps beautifully and adds a lovely color, and most of the seeds will fall out during slicing with a mandoline or while cooking.

Still struggling? Increase the cooking time. Some brands of frozen corn dogs, particularly those labeled “jumbo,” may need to cook for a few extra minutes to heat through.