Tamiko Lagerwaard, Recipe Tester

Sure, made-from-scratch stock like grandma used to make is frugal beyond belief. But wait till you see what it does for your cooking.

• Quick Glance
• 10 M
• 6 H
• 2

These little lovelies contain sugar and spice and everything nice–including an oh-so-buttery oat streusel and a batter so enticing you’d never, ever guess it’s good for you.

• 20 M
• 55 M
• 14

The traditional and incendiary Thai condiment has incited quite the following. Here’s how to save yourself a trip to your local Asian market.

• 5 M
• 7 D
• 58

Fresh figs alone, while stunning if savored by you alone in the kitchen, isn’t exactly what you want to serve guests. Here’s what you do want to offer them.

• 10 M
• 10 M
• 14

One of our most requested recipes. Easy, elegant, and pretty much foolproof. Sorta impressive for something that you toss together in less than 15 minutes, wouldn’t you agree?

• 15 M
• 15 M
• 26

Some things never go out of style. Witness this throwback to the 50s recipe for drumsticks rolled in crumbs of any sort. Potato chips. Wasabi peas. Rice crackers.

• 20 M
• 50 M
• 17

Schnecken translates from German quite literally as snails, although to us it means gooey, sticky pecan caramel buns.

• 30 M
• 4 H
• 21

This stunning Southern belle and its dozen tiers—yup, 12—is astonishingly easy peasy to make thanks to a savvy cake-baking tactic.

• 1 H, 15 M
• 2 H
• 46

No ice cream maker required. Just watermelon, citrus, sweetness, mint, and a little time in the deep freeze. Vodka optional. Then all you do is scoop it up and plop it in a pretty bowl.

• 20 M
• 20 M
• 21

Drizzle, douse, souse, or otherwise acquaint this emerald elixir with grilled steak, chicken, chops, seafood, or heck, anything.

• 5 M
• 5 M
• 13

These gooey, slurpy, peanut butter-y wonders are the true test of a Chinese restaurant’s worthiness. Although now you don’t have to leave it to chance. You can simply make them at home.

• 20 M
• 20 M
• 6

The asparagus in this salad is sublimely sweet and is beautifully balanced by salty pecorino and tart zinginess of lemon.

• 20 M
• 20 M
• 1

This simple yet spectacular riff on coffee cake—there’s actually coffee in the cake—is rich and robust and rousing in that way only espresso can be.

• 15 M
• 1 H, 15 M
• 43

Don’t let these delicate, diminutive cakes with the froufrou French name fool you. They’re a cinch to toss in the oven–and even easier to toss in the mouth.

• 15 M
• 45 M
• 15