Mary Frances Heck

Salty, rich pancetta balances bitter broccoli rabe in this savory, chile flake–spiked bread pudding.

As summer progresses and apricots go out of season, try these desserts with ripe plums instead.

This textured spread is great served with cured meats. If you wind up with leftovers, use it on sandwiches.

Bigger picnic? Simply roast two birds at the same time.

Adding veggies to the marinade while warm helps them absorb more flavor.

Muddled peas add a fresh twist.

It's not traditional, but we love the heat that fresh ginger adds to salsa.

Martini drinker? Try this Italian take on the Vesper, which uses the slightly sweet aperitif Cocchi Americano.

This weeknight chicken soup goes Greek with orzo, lemon juice, and a handful of fresh dill.

It goes without saying, but the sweeter and riper your strawberries, the better this adult slushie will taste (and look).

We like skirt steak because it's a tasty and affordable cut. Slice it thinly so it's tender.

The Brits live on easy-drinking Pimm's in warmer weather. For a bit more character, we add dry Sherry to the mix.

A red wine float turns the classic, summery whiskey sour into a cold-weather favorite.

This is a cocktail everyone should master. Bonus: It gives you a chance to experiment with all those new bitters.

Dark chocolate and espresso add the slightly bitter notes needed to balance this dessert. Remember, the higher the cacao percentage, the less sweet the chocolate.

Chicken wings are great for stock. They're flavor-making powerhouses of bones, meat, and skin and are easy to find. Some supermarkets sell backbones and carcasses; feel free to use them toward (or instead of) the four-pound total.

Don't bother peeling the onions; their skins add a nice, rich brown color to this vegetable stock. If you'd like, remove the skins for use in dishes when a lighter color is preferred, such as in risotto or cream sauces.

This dense quickbread is traditionally baked in empty coffee cans.

This classic gravy recipe includes options for jazzing up your gravy with a bit of white wine, Worcestershire, or apple cider. 

This super-simple shortbread gets festive thanks to a tart cranberry-grapefruit compote. Use a five-hole zester to form ribbons of grapefruit zest.