Laura Tarlo, Recipe Tester

Those days when meal planning goes south and weeknight weariness looms, simple salvation can be found in this easy skillet lasagna made with store-bought ravioli.

So crazily satisfying you may just find yourself making Thanksgiving dinner more than once a year.

A satiating, simple meal that is Italian food at its best–full of robust flavors and easy prep. Serve as a side or on its own with a slice of homemade bread.

“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.

What makes this apple cake so incredibly moist that it stands out from the rest? Lots of things, including a lovely swirl of cream poured on top of the batter and baked right in.

Bet you already have everything you need for these brownies in your house. Which is a very good thing. (Also sorta a very dangerous thing.)

A nutty, oh-so-slightly-sweet, artisan-style loaf of homemade bread that’s a lovely Norwegian-inspired amalgam of whole-wheat, barley, oat, and rye. Amazing.

And you thought those perfect swirls of cinnamon raisin awesomeness were something you could only get in store-bought loaf. This recipe dispels that myth.

Iceberg lettuce gets a serious upgrade with this creamy vinaigrette, a handful of herbs and red wine vinegar. Not only iceberg lettuce, you’ll slather it on everything.

Maple Sriracha bacon isn’t just the title of this simple recipe, it’s the ingredient list as well. Which means you probably already have everything you need on hand.

Homemade bread that’s healthy but doesn’t taste it. Light, airy, and appealing even to kids, this is the recipe you’ve been seeking.

An updated Italian classic made with all the usual suspects along with an unexpected drizzle of pesto that turns a frugal veggie-bin catch-all into something truly astounding.

A harbinger of good fortune traditionally consumed on New Year’s Day in the South, this classic has us wanting to indulge in it each and every day before New Year’s, and not just for luck.

An easy toss-it-in-the-oven-and-forget-about-it sorta dish that’s still gonna make everyone ooh and aah at the dinner table for its tender, wine-imbued spectacularness.

A simple trick that accentuates the sweetness inherent in late-summer stone fruit. And then amplifies it even more with honey and pepper.

Tarragon chicken. A French classic for a reason. And no one but you needs to know just how easily it comes together.

The perfect excuse to justify the return of iceberg lettuce to your life.

The epitome of what healthful food ought to be, this salad not only looks stunning but, more importantly, is just as stunning to the palate.

A German classic, perfected–and embellished with the addition of bacon. Simple enough for weeknight cravings as well as lazy weekend entertaining. Beer optional.

With their intensified flavor, these candy-like tomatoes make an astonishing addition to all sorts of dishes.