These brownies are not a mocha-macchiato-molten-center brownie, a death-by-triple-truffle brownie, or a cheesecake-chocolate-crack brownie. They're just a good 'ole basic brownie. No hoopla, nothing fancy, but soul satisfying good. More

This shortbread has a tender crumb complimented by a polished, wedge presentation. Feel free to adjust the levels of sugar and salt to your personal taste, and don't be afraid to add fresh herbs to the dough, such as chopped rosemary or thyme. More

The recipe may look like it calls for a lot of sugar, but it's worth it. This sherbet is lush, velvety and, if I say so myself, better than any I've had from a scoop shop. More

When I first heard about this dish from a Southern friend, I had visions of spinach topped with sliced strawberries and maybe a little feta cheese and tossed with pretzel crumbles. But this dish is more akin to a Jell-O No Bake Cheesecake than a Caesar. The combination of a salty crushed pretzel crust, rich whipped cream, and strawberry gelatin intrigued me. More

Sweet and salty, jiggly and smooth, creamy and addictive, there's good reason why this dish is a favorite at church picnics and barbecues down South. You might find yourself dipping into the leftovers for breakfast. More

Corn is ubiquitous in Latin American cuisine. It's used in every conceivable fashion, from the instantly recognizable tortilla to more obscure fermented beverages, like chicha de maíz. Torta de elotes—corn torte or cake—is on the more popular side and is made in several countries. It's rather similar to corn pudding: fresh corn is ground to a pulp, then combined with eggs, sugar, and other flavorings, such as sweetened condensed milk or cheese. More

Understated and unpretentious, this simple custard is a great dessert to end your day with. More

I come from a long line of New Englanders. Hearty folk who've weathered close to three centuries of blustery Maine winters. They're no fuss and no nonsense. And they like Grape-Nuts...for dessert. If that sounds a bit austere to you, don't feel sorry for them, Grape-Nuts Pudding is wicked simple to make and as comforting as any dessert you might find on your Nana's table, if your Nana was from Down East. More

I was at a meeting, munching on the freebie cinnamon breadstick-pizza-thing that came with the pizza we ordered, and it dawned on me (the meeting wasn't particularly compelling) that this was basically pizza dough topped with cinnamon and sugar. So I decided that I could do a whole lot better than this rather plain pizza dough. More

[Photograph: María del Mar Sacasa] Notes: One sleeve of Ritz crackers has about 40 crackers. You'll need about 40 crackers to yield 1 1/2 cups of crumbs needed for the frosting. Use the remaining sleeve to garnish the cupcake parfaits.... More