Walnut

A plate of fresh herbs is served at most Persian meals, often taking the place of a salad. Serve this dish as an appetizer, or do as the Persians do and leave it on the table throughout the meal. Toasted spices and olive oil poured over the cheese add a warming boost of flavor.

Parve Ellen: These filled pastries, tri-cornered to mimic Haman's hat and served during Purim celebrations, were a source of conflict in the Kassoff family growing up. Mom didn't give in to her children's entreaties not to buy any filled with prunes or poppy seeds, so a grabfest would occur amongst my brothers and me to see who could get to the apricot-filled ones first.

Using an egg white adds crunch without calories.

Adapted from a recipe by Chez Panisse alum and Top Chef Masters veteran Jonathan Waxman, this delicate, fuss-free dish proves that Brussels sprouts can be just as tasty raw as they are roasted. Use a food processor or mandoline to shave the sprouts, unless you’re really confident with your knife skills. The slaw also makes an incredible pizza topping; just wait to add the walnuts until the dough is out of the oven and the pecorino has melted.

Sometimes the simplest things are the most delicious. Epicurious member JynnJynn of Louisville, Kentucky, ensured these moist cookies are easy to make and easier to enjoy. Follow JynnJynn’s advice and add coconut, or use white chocolate and other fruit or nuts. Save a few cookies for the next day, as the banana flavor truly comes out the day after baking.

These deliciously sticky nut bars are like miniature maple pecan pies and are perfect as a dessert, snack, or indulgent breakfast. Swap out the walnuts and pecans with other varieties, or try mixing some dried fruit into the filling to add another layer of sweetness. Make a batch to share with friends—or store them in a container as a gift to yourself.

Epicurious member Marsha Klein of Barrington, Rhode Island, shared her everything-but-thekitchen-sink banana bread with our community, and it quickly became popular. Toasted walnuts and chocolate chips add texture, but this flexible recipe can easily be adapted to a baker’s whim. The chocolate-averse can substitute dried fruit—golden raisins or blueberries—for the chips; the nut-allergic, shredded coconut; the health-conscious, white whole-wheat flour.

More than one Epicurious editor considers this cake flawless: buttery and firm, sweet but not too sugary, moist but still cakey. If you’re leery of the dense, oily texture of most zucchini bread, this zucchini cake will be a pleasant revelation. And if you’re buried in a bounty of late-summer zucchini, this is a great go-to recipe to help burn through it using a short list of pantry staple ingredients. (Oh, and don’t be afraid to eat it for breakfast!)

Here’s a sweet Southern dish from the heart of Texas; the recipe originated from the Dallas-based mother of a friend of Epicurious member Tina Jones. The spuds are baked with a blend of milk, vanilla, sugar, and butter, and topped with a crunchy walnut topping. This goes with almost any roasted meat.

Homey, comforting, chocolatey goodness: that’s Mama Braun’s Christmas fudge, as captured by her daughter and Epicurious member Meridith Braun Schmalz of Ontario, Canada. As one of seven children raised on a farm in Idaho, Schmalz grew up with this fudge recipe and considers it the best there is—maybe it’s the mellow butterscotch, maybe it’s the gooey marshmallow, or maybe it’s just the dense but crumbly fudge consistency. Any way you cut it, it’s a fabulous baked gift.

There are few things better than rich and custardy bread pudding topped with sweet and sticky praline, but pair this dessert with vanilla ice cream and you’ve reached nirvana. Another option: skip the ice cream and serve this dish for brunch. If you need to accommodate a nut allergy, just leave the walnuts out; the caramelized sugar topping will provide plenty of crunch.

This recipe is a great way to use the extra zucchini from the garden or farmers’ market and is chockfull of healthy ingredients. For an even more nutritious version, substitute the same amount of applesauce for the butter, and brown sugar instead of white.

Traditionally for Jewish holidays, these little pastries are perfect any time. While making rugelach may seem daunting, this recipe gives you helpful tips that cut the time and effort required.

Can't find Treviso, the long, thin variety of radicchio? Substitute endive or any other member of the bitter chicory family to play off the sweet citrus dressing.

Transform jarred roasted red peppers into a fresh and flavorful dip seasoned with cumin and a pinch of cayenne.

This recipe is part of the Epicurious Online Cooking School, in partnership with the Culinary Institute of America. To watch it being made, and to learn how to make other dessert classics, check out the videos.

For this pretty side or meatless main salad, use medium and small squash for the best flavor. Quinoa and walnuts (or a grain and nut of your choosing) add heft.