Food Processor

A Vietnamese-inspired ginger dressing and plenty of cooling, crunchy cucumbers takes kale salad from "not now" to "hey, wow!"

This zesty spin on the old party classic matches hot-smoked salmon with beet horseradish, two kinds of soft cheese, and crunchy veg and herbs. Serve it with bagels or pumpernickel bread.

Traditionally, baklava is a Middle Eastern dessert, but we fell head over heels for this savory rendition. Roasting coaxes out the earthy magic in hearty root vegetables and fennel, which are then tossed with fresh dill and baked in walnut-layered phyllo until it's golden brown.

A quick spin in the food processor is all it takes to mix up these rustic whole-wheat crackers.

Capture the holiday spirit with this warm spiced cake, packed with nutmeg, cinnamon, and clove.

While you can make a very nice vanilla sugar by simply plunging a vanilla bean into a jar of sugar and leaving it there (for a really, really long time), I actually like to make a slightly fancier version by processing vanilla and sugar together until the bean is all broken down and the sugar is speckled with countless tiny beans and specks of pod. The sugar is more intensely flavored than regular vanilla sugar. Packaged in a pretty glass jar, it also makes for a great gift.

A healthy dose of olive oil gives this rosemary-infused bread a rich, moist crumb and pale golden hue; it also helps it keep a little better than other European-style breads. Among other things, this is a wonderful and unconventional loaf for sandwiches.

To make sure these crisp, mayonnaise-free fishcakes stay together in the skillet, chill well before cooking.

An earthy-yet-light spread that's great with crudité or on sandwiches and toast.

A bright tangle of shredded Brussels sprouts, raisins, and pine nuts tops silky ricotta in this snappy, satisfying toast.

Unstuffed wonton wrappers take the place of traditional dumplings in this simple and weeknight-friendly vegetarian soup.

Adding ground pistachios creates a substantial dough that complements the leeks for these galettes.

Jump right into fall baking with this flavorful, bready cake topped with tart sliced apples and an irresistible cinnamon-oat streusel.

This green pesto owes its intense and powerful flavor to the use of kombu. It’s such an easy recipe that you can experiment with the ingredients as much as you like. The arugula and basil, for instance, can be substituted with any leafy green of your choice. And the pine nuts can be replaced by any other type of nut, such as cashews or hazelnuts. You can even use sunflower seeds! Serve the pesto on crackers, on a grilled vegetable sandwich, or with a bowl of pasta.

Turn your favorite halloween candy into a giant version to feed a crowd.

Think gnocchi are too time-consuming to make during the week? Think again!

Medrich's version of these golden orange yam and coconut cookies from Spain is delicate and flavorful.

Forget the standard dinner rolls this Thanksgiving—what your table needs is this gorgeous flavor-packed bread.

Eric Ripert's original version of this dish at Le Bernardin in NYC is prepared with half as much pasta—usually super-delicate angel hair—and is painstakingly and exquisitely plated. I’ve doubled the pasta here to make it more of a family-style dish; there is still enough sauce to coat each strand of spaghetti. A few judicious pinches of bonito flakes make an economical and visually appealing substitute for the pricy caviar, and the dish can also stand with no garnish at all.

A vinegary red bell pepper mixture cuts through the richness of this classic Italian-American appetizer for a bite that's salty, smoky, and sweet.