When I was young, my mother made lots of different kinds of cookies in the weeks leading up to Christmas. These "snowflakes" (which technically aren't really cookies, but no matter) were among my favorites because they were simple enough that my sister and I could actually help my mother make them. We often filled tins with these to take to our teachers before school let out for Christmas vacation. I've never been a huge fan of the bland sweetness of white chocolate, but when it's combined with something salty—like pretzels, or the salted peanuts in these snowflakes—I can be swayed. Really, these snowflakes are just Rice Krispies treats for grownups. Of course, if you don't like white chocolate, or Rice Krispies, you can experiment with milk or dark chocolate or use different types of cereal (I think Cheerios would be pretty good). Best of all, the snowflakes take all of 15 minutes to make, leaving you with plenty of time to write cards or wrap presents or do whatever else you don't have enough time to do.

Cafe enjoyment is often about strategy—where you sit, how to coax the barista into making your coffee just so, making sure you get there before your beloved cinnamon roll is snapped up by someone else. Recently, my husband Tad and I figured out that if we wanted to be able to get a table for four on the weekends at our favorite local spot—Iris Cafe—we needed to arrive just before 9 am. We've managed to do it but it's not pretty. One of our kids usually leaves the house half pajama'd, and we end up sprint-walking -- no stopping to indulge one's curiosity in a sidewalk crack! -- there. But it's worth it so we can sit, each in our own seat, and stare at each other, half awake, as we gulp coffee and eat soft-boiled eggs with mashed avocado on toast.

Lightly adapted from Melissa Clark's In the Kitchen with a Good Appetite. Her version has whole cumin, coriander and brown mustard seeds. It's a spice mixture that's very adaptable, obviously; my current version is below. Also, if you don't have sliced almonds, substitute some chopped almonds or cashews.

The perfect no-cook dish for last-minute summer dinners.

I saw a grilled cheese with mustard on a menu years ago, and since then, on the rare occasion that I’ll throw caution to the wind and make or order a big grilled cheese sandwich, I have to have some mustard on the side. Mustard makes almost everything better, I’d argue; one of my friends at work and I bonded over our shared love of the condiment. When an open jar is in my midst, I will put it on whatever is closest, especially if that something is a thick slice of buttery brioche with plenty of melty cheese and peppery mustard greens. Are you drooling? If it’s breakfast time where you are, perhaps consider throwing a fried egg into the mix.

Once enjoyed exclusively in its native Italy, the Aperol spritz has become world-famous over the last couple of decades for its powerfully refreshing qualities, bright color, lower alcohol content, and overall simplicity. If you’re hunting for a poolside pour or perfect porch sipper, look no further than this light, colorful summer drink that’s as easy to assemble as it is to swig.

This is an old favorite of mine that I first created about 14 years ago after sampling something like it at a Chinese restaurant.

Until not so long ago, pulses—the dried seeds of legumes like beans, peas, and lentils—had a bad reputation: relegated to the health food category and generally seen as a bit “worthy”—the food of hemp trouser-wearing hippies. Now, thanks many people eating less meat but searching for new sources of sustenance, deliciousness, and protein, pulses have been put in the spotlight. This is their moment and your chance to get better acquainted with them.

Wylie Dufresne, an early leader in the molecular gastronomy movement, gets around the classic custardy-eggs-must-happen-slowly rule in a smart and rather deviant way—he cranks up the heat and whisks swiftly, finishing his tiny-curded eggs in about a minute. Then he makes up for the punishing treatment by melting in a generous amount of cream cheese, which quickly restores the eggs to custard-like status. Recipe adapted slightly from Du's Donuts via Bon Appetit (March 2018). To see the full story, head here.