Ellen Fuss, Recipe Tester

Who knew the secret to the best banana bread was the addition of vanilla pudding mix, dark chocolate, and coconut?

These subtly flavored, relatively healthful (shhhh!) sliders are the sleeper hit at The Meatball Shop. Not hard to understand why.

These sassy brownies lack nothing in terms of the classic s’more and come together any time you have a craving. No campfire required.

Don’t let those leftover Easter eggs go to waste. This easy egg salad with caramelized onions is so lovely, you won’t even notice that there’s no mayo.

No one should ever have to choose between a fudgy brownie and a chocolate cookie.

We’ve discovered the secret to making next-level ragu sauce. Dried mushrooms. Go on. See for yourself.

Mushrooms and butter and garlic. Think you’ve been there, done that? Trust us, you haven’t. Not like this, anyway.

Dense and rich, this gluten-free cake is a fave among the Portuguese, and anyone who’s ever tried it. Its unforgettable taste comes from almonds, lemon, cinnamon, and vanilla.

“This was beyond the best carrot cake I have ever had.” That’s what we’re hearing about this cake, which ingeniously relies on puréed, rather than grated, carrots.

A Mediterranean classic that’s healthy as can be although you’d never guess it from the indulgent taste.