Jeanne Kelley

The technique: Simply roll out the dough, mound the pear filling in the center, and fold the edges of the dough up and over the edge of the filling, creating free-form "sides" to hold in the fruit.
The payoff: No pressure, no crust anxiety. Just loosely shape the dough for a rustic and beautiful Thanksgiving dessert. Using unpeeled pears in this dessert saves time—and adds texture.

The technique: Instead of rolling, just combine the crust ingredients and press the sandy, crumbly mixture onto the tart pan. Start in the middle and work outward, or—if you're concerned about running out of crust as you go up the sides—start with the edges and work inward. That way, you'll have plenty of dough to form edges of uniform thickness for a pretty presentation.
The payoff: Two fewer things to do: A press-in crust eliminates the (sometimes tricky) steps of rolling out the dough and transferring it to the tart pan. This rich, slightly gooey tart is golden from the browned butter, golden brown sugar, and golden syrup.

The technique: To create a lattice top, roll out the dough, then cut it into strips. Make the lattice by draping half the strips in one direction across the filling, then draping the other half in the opposite direction, or weave the strips over and under for a classic basket-weave pattern.
The payoff: A professional-looking dessert that's sure to impress your guests. A perfect Thanksgiving treat for berry pie lovers.

The technique: Streusel—a crumbly mixture of flour, butter, sugar, and spices—often shows up on coffee cakes. The sweet, crunchy stuff also makes a great pie-topper.
The payoff: You have to roll out only one pie crust instead of two, and the streusel adds texture and flavor.

These individual desserts have a spiced fruit filling that's a modern version of mincemeat.

The technique: A single-crust pie requires only a bottom crust and is the best choice for a custard filling, like pumpkin pie.
The payoff: You have to make only one pie crust, and if it breaks or cracks it's easy enough to cobble the crust together in the pie dish. Most of the bottom crust will be covered with filling, so it doesn't have to look perfect. The topping mixture is sprinkled just inside the crust, leaving a circle of filling peeking out in the center of the pie.

The technique: No measuring, no mixing— just roll out puff pastry, trim to a circle, and transfer it to the pan. If you can find all-butter pastry, it's worth using here because of its superior flavor and texture.
The payoff: It couldn't be easier to use—or more flaky and buttery.

Sauce verte is French for "green sauce." In this recipe, the sauce gets its vibrant color from basil, green onion, parsley, and capers. Any leftover sauce can be stirred into couscous or rice, or served with grilled chicken or fish.

The combination of daikon radish, rice vinegar, and sesame oil gives this slaw an Asian flavor.

Israeli couscous is small, round, toasted pasta with grains about the size of peppercorns. Serve this dish chilled or at room temperature.

A V-slicer or mandoline is the perfect tool for thinly slicing the fennel. The fresh apricots add a nice sweetness to the salad, but feel free to skip them if they're not available in your area.

Roasted potatoes are topped with an herb salad and chopped hard-boiled eggs in this take on the summer staple.

Charring the peppers adds a smoky flavor and brings out their sweetness. Steaming the charred peppers before peeling them allows the skin to separate easily from the flesh. Be sure not to rinse the peppers as you're peeling them—you'll wash away flavorful oils and sweet juices.

Farro, an ancient variety of wheat, has a hearty texture and a nutty flavor. Here, the whole grain is tossed with bitter radicchio and earthy beets for a pretty, delicious, and healthful salad.

With a smoky paprika glaze, these Spanish-inspired skewers are irresistible.

Harissa (a spicy chile sauce from North Africa) gives the steak some heat. The meat needs to marinate for at least two hours, so plan accordingly.

Layers of homemade mixed herb pesto lend a fresh brightness to this vegetarian main.

This smoky grilled meat will be a delicious addition to your barbecue repertoire. For a casual party, serve the lamb with grilled pita bread, grilled eggplant, and tzatziki so that guests can make their own Greek-inspired sandwiches. Timing note: The lamb needs to marinate overnight.

The classic Italian sauce gets an update with the addition of parsley and tarragon.