5 Ingredients or Fewer

I like spreading Quark on my morning slice of bread and topping it with jam, but you can also mix it with salt and herbs and dollop it next to boiled potatoes for a light meal. Using buttermilk will result in skim Quark, which is best for baking recipes. If you want a creamier Quark to eat as is, simply stir a little heavy cream into the Quark to loosen and enrich it. (Mixed with high-quality fruit preserves, this makes for a luxurious little snack.)

While you can make a very nice vanilla sugar by simply plunging a vanilla bean into a jar of sugar and leaving it there (for a really, really long time), I actually like to make a slightly fancier version by processing vanilla and sugar together until the bean is all broken down and the sugar is speckled with countless tiny beans and specks of pod. The sugar is more intensely flavored than regular vanilla sugar. Packaged in a pretty glass jar, it also makes for a great gift.

This simple, four-ingredient pie has a bright and tangy yet sweet and creamy filling.

A healthy dose of olive oil gives this rosemary-infused bread a rich, moist crumb and pale golden hue; it also helps it keep a little better than other European-style breads. Among other things, this is a wonderful and unconventional loaf for sandwiches.

Most kids today only know pre-popped or microwave popcorn. For more flavor and the much-deserved anticipation, there is nothing like the stovetop method. For best results use a heavy-bottomed pot with a tight-fitting lid and a good handle.

Elevating the humble onion: Roasting them in their skins retains their natural sugars, and they get meltingly soft without disintegrating.

Blanched almonds go into a blender with water and oil and come out as a luscious aioli. Because the nuts aren't toasted, the sauce doesn't actually taste very nutty. It's more decadent than yogurt, more subtle than mayo.

Any heavy cream that's beaten long enough turns into butter, of course. But by incorporating one extra step in the process—culturing the cream with buttermilk or yogurt, essentially turning it into tangy, funky crème fraîche—this recipe reaches a whole new depth of flavor.

Can’t get enough of pumpkin pie spice? With this easy whipped cream, you can add it to everything: our awesome Build-Your-Own Thanksgiving Pie Bar, the ultimate autumn icebox cake, and, yes, even your next latte.

Serve these luscious butterscotch-glazed apples with Cinnamon-Oat Crumble Topping for a quick apple crisp, atop pancakes or a Dutch Baby for a delicious fall-flavored breakfast, or alongside our Build-Your-Own Thanksgiving Pie Bar.

This all-butter pie crust relies on a hint of red wine vinegar for balance and it's tenderizing effects.

When working with a large quantity of greens, it’s much easier to sauté them if they’re blanched first. Their time in the olive oil is more for flavoring and reaching the ideal texture.

Be sure to add the sausage just before the last toss to maintain all those delicious crispy bits.

This twist on the classic whiskey cocktail is the perfect companion to the fall season.

Use a wide spatula to peek underneath your galette to make sure the bottom is golden brown all the way across.

This simple gravy can be made in advance to avoid a last minute scramble before serving your Thanksgiving feast. Or use the rendered turkey fat and pan juices to make the gravy after roasting your bird for maximum flavor.

If you have jumped on the Sriracha bandwagon, this is the salt for you. Use it on anything that could use a spicy punch— popcorn, fried potatoes, ramen noodles, grilled seafood, and sliced tropical fruits. I like to use a big flaked salt for this one, but it works with any salt you choose.

Like your desserts extra-salted? Just keep adding more and tasting the butterscotch until you reach your personal sweet-salty threshold.

If you like lox, bacon, or anchovies, you should thank salt—and time. That's all that it takes to turn supermarket limes into this pleasantly salt-tart-funky pantry staple, the sibling of preserved lemons.

You'll have your hands free for about 15 minutes while the chicken bakes in the oven—just enough time to whip up an arugula salad with a mustardy dressing.