A pinch of nutmeg and a sprinkling of salt amplify the butterscotchy flavor of chocolate chip cookies. while a blend of milk and dark chocolate chunks provide alternating bites of creamy sweetness and bitter intensity. You can bake the cookies until they're golden brown and crunchy, but I prefer to pull them while they're still a wee bit pale so they stay soft and fudgy, crisp only around the very edges. See photos on pages 28 and 33. **BROWN BUTTER:** Ready for a total knockout? Up the butter to 10 ounces (2 1/4 sticks) and use 2 eggs. In a 2 quart stainless steel sauc jer, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Increase to medium and simmer, stirring with a heat-resistant spatula, while the butter hisses and pops. Continue cooking and stirring, scraping up any brown bits that form on the bottom of the pan, until butter is golden yellow and perfectly silent. Pour into the bowl of a stand mixer, mak- ing sure to scrape up all the toasty brown bits, and cool until semi-solid and opaque. Proceed with the recipe as directed, incorporating the second egg after the first. **DOUBLE CHOCOLATE:** For soft cookies with a brownie-like chocolate intensity, reduce flour to 6 ounces (1 1/3 cups) and sift with 6 ounces (2 cups) Dutch-process cocoa powder, such as Cacao Barry Extra Brute. Prepare dough as directed, but flatten each portion into a 3/4-inch disc. Bake 8 minutes for small cookies, 10 min- utes for large. **HOMEMADE FAMOUS AMOS:** Hypercrisp and crunchy, these bite-sized cookies get an extra layer of flavor and crunch from 4 ounces (1 cup) toasted pecans. Chop along with the choco- late, and proceed with the recipe as directed. Divide into 1 tablespoon (3/4 ounce) portions and bake until golden, about 15 minutes. Makes 64 cookies. **MALTED MILK CHOCOLATE:** This variation is best with a blend of milk chocolates, one fairly Intense and the other a touch milky, such as a mix of Endangered Species 48% and Valrhona's 32% Dulcey. Increase white sugar to 14 ounces (2 cups) and omit brown sugar. Along with butter, add lounce (4 teaspoons) barley maltsyrup and 2 1/4 ounces (1/2 cup) malted milk powder. **MAPLE WALNUT:** Toss 6 ounces (1 1/2 cups) toasted walnut pieces with the flour and choc olate. Increase white sugar to 10 1/2 ounces (1 1/2, cups) and omit brown sugar. Along with the butter, add 4 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 3 ounces (1/4 cup) grade B maple syrup. For either size cookie, bake about 2 minutes longer than directed. **WHITE CHOCOLATE MACADAMIA NUT:** Reduce chocolate to 9 ounces (1 2/3 ccup) of your favorite white chocolate, mixed with 7 ounces (1 1/2 cups) lightly toasted macadamia nuts. **GLUTEN-FREE:** Replace the all-purpose flour with 4 ounces (3/4 cup) white rice flour, 4 ounces (1 cup) oat flour, and 4 ounces (1 cup) teff flour.

This is my favorite recipe for banana bread, loaded with coconut oil, oat flour, and thick Greek yogurt so it's always tender and moist. I use a blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves to boost the natural flavor of banana, making this loaf less spicy than banana-y. If you really want to step up your game, forget butter—try topping a slice with a dollop of thick and fruity banana whipped cream.

Soft, coarse-textured white sandwich bread, perfect for toast

These fruity, oaty bars are inspired by Icelandic Hjónabandssæla (often translated as "happy marriage cake"), but perhaps closer to an American bar cookie in execution. They're hearty and rich, thanks to plenty of rolled oats and butter in the crust and crumb topping, with a flavorful layer of jam or fresh fruit in between. What kind? That's all up to you!

Freeze-dried fruit gives this simple riff on no-bake cheesecake an all-natural burst of color and flavor. It's creamy, tart, and light—a rich but refreshing dessert for spring or summer. The basic recipe calls for freeze-dried strawberries, but feel free to use an equal weight of whatever type of freeze-dried fruit you can find—check out the note below for tips on how to intensify the flavor of other fruits.

Ask 30 people how to make this simple Taiwanese recipe, and you’ll receive 30 different responses Some fry the chicken before braising it, use more oil, less wine, different blends of soy sauce Debates rage over how thick the sauce should be, over which parts of the chicken to use