Serves 12

For this recipe, we recommend using light or mild molasses so it won’t overpower the subtle bourbon flavor.

Serves 4

The pasta and sauce cook in just about the same amount of time. If you like the fruitiness of extra-virgin olive oil, toss 1 tablespoon into the sauced pasta before serving.

Serves 3 to 4

Try not to purchase heads of garlic that contain enormous cloves; if unavoidable, increase the foil-covered baking time to 40 to 45 minutes so that the largest cloves soften fully. A large Dutch oven can be used in place of a skillet, if you prefer. Broiling the chicken for a few minutes at the end of cooking crisps the skin, but this step is optional. Serve the dish with slices of crusty baguette for dipping into the sauce and onto which the roasted garlic cloves can be spread.

Makes enough sauce for one pound of pasta.

The nuts in this recipe are unsalted. If you are using salted nuts, reduce the salt in the recipe by half and carefully adjust the seasonings once the cheese is added.

These pestos will keep in the refrigerator with a thin layer of olive oil covering the surface for a day, or at the most two days, before losing their very fresh flavor. They should be tossed with piping hot pasta with a few tablespoons of pasta water added, if needed.

The sauces are also quite good over boiled or steamed potatoes, grilled fish or chicken.

Makes enough sauce for one pound of pasta.

This is a good all-season pesto.

These pestos will keep in the refrigerator with a thin layer of olive oil covering the surface for a day, or at the most two days, before losing their very fresh flavor. They should be tossed with piping hot pasta with a few tablespoons of pasta water added, if needed.

The sauces are also quite good over boiled or steamed potatoes, grilled fish or chicken.

Serves 4 as a main course or 6 to 8 as a side dish

If you’re in a hurry or prefer to sprinkle the dish with crumbled common crackers (saltines aren’t bad either), you can skip the bread crumb step.

Serves 6 to 8, or 10 to 12 as a side

It’s crucial to cook the pasta until tender—just past the “al dente” stage. In fact, overcooking is better than undercooking the pasta. Whole, low-fat, and skim milk all work well in this recipe. The recipe can be halved and baked in an 8-inch-square, broilersafe baking dish. If desired, offer celery salt or hot sauce (such as Tabasco) for sprinkling at the table.

Makes about 2 cups

Don’t worry if the mixture seems loose after cooking. It will thicken as it cools.

Serves 4 to 6

This recipe can be doubled and prepared in a Dutch oven, but the cooking time will need to be doubled as well.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
While developing our Smokehouse Mashed Sweet Potatoes recipe, we found that the right temperature and the right slice were key. We thinly sliced the sweet potatoes and cooked them covered, on the stovetop, on low heat with a small amount of butter and cream. The low heat allowed the potatoes in our recipe to release their liquid, which produced the steam that cooked them.

Serves 6 to 8

If you prefer to use kosher salt, you will need 1½ cups of Morton or 2½ cups of Diamond Crystal.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
Some Syracuse Salt Potatoes recipes call for three cups of salt, but we found that to be excessive. We reduced the salt content dramatically to create a potato recipe with a well-seasoned (not too salty) crust and ultra-creamy interior. Both kosher and non-iodized salt worked equally well. And small white or red potatoes, left whole and unpeeled, worked best in our Syracuse Salt Potatoes—if cut or peeled, the potatoes absorb too much salt. Adding chives and black pepper brought this dish to a new level.