Alison Roman
Senior food editor, emeritus
Alison Roman is a former senior food editor for Bon Appétit and columnist for the New York Times cooking section. She is the author of bestselling cookbooks Nothing Fancy, Dining In, and Sweet Enough and the host and producer of CNN’s (More Than) A Cooking Show with Alison Roman, the creator of a bi-weekly YouTube series called Home Movies, and the author of a bi-weekly newsletter titled A Newsletter. alisoneroman.com
techniques
10 Essential Thanksgiving Techniques Every Cook Should Know
The 10 time-tested techniques you’ll need to ace the holiday classics, from fluffy mashed potatoes to, yes, a truly moist bird.
Recipes
How to Make Nachos with Thanksgiving Leftovers
What to do with all those containers of turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, and cranberry sauce? Turn them into nachos, the awesomest snack imaginable
Recipes
Soba and Maitake Mushrooms in Soy Broth
This soup is trendy ramen’s healthier sibling: The buckwheat in soba is nutritious and a good source of fiber (in a flavorful maitake mushroom soy broth, too).
Recipes
Honey-and-Rye-Glazed Ham
The traditional boozy glaze is punched up in this rendition with honey, molasses, and brassy red chiles
Recipes
Rosemary and Toasted-Caraway Shortbread
Though always delicious in its simple, unadulterated state, shortbread is also ripe for innovation, like this slightly savory version with rosemary and toasted-caraway.
Recipes
The Most Royal of Icings
This royal icing recipe is the only decorating icing you'll ever need.
Recipes
Roasted Root Vegetable Salad with Mint and Pistachios
A great way to use up different winter vegetables that you might have around. Feel free to increase the amount of some and eliminate others, depending on your preference, but make sure to cut them into similar sizes so they'll cook in roughly the same amount of time.
Recipes
Roasted-Almond Thumbprints
The great thing about these roasted-almond thumbprint cookies? They can be any shape or size, and the fillings are customizable.
Recipes
White Beans with Broccoli Rabe and Lemon
If you like bold, assertive flavors—like broccoli rabe and lemon—this rustic white bean side dish is the recipe for you. Try it with roast chicken or pork tenderloin.
Recipes
Pan-Seared Sausage with Lady Apples and Watercress
A simple white wine pan sauce brings this one-skillet dinner together.
Recipes
Crispy Chicken Breasts with Chermoula and Escarole
Chermoula, a spice and herb sauce popular in Morocco and Tunisia, can be used as a marinade or condiment for these crispy chicken breasts over escarole.
Recipes
Split Pea Soup
If you want to make this split pea soup but you don’t have a ham bone, use two ham hocks instead.
Recipes
Mustard-Crusted Branzino
This Mustard-Crusted Branzino is great butterflied—a quick and easy method for cooking a whole fish. Ask your fishmonger to do it for you.
Recipes
Yeasted Brown-Butter Waffles
Once you make the batter, all you need to do the next morning is plug in the waffle iron.
Recipes
Dilly Rolls
Yeasted doughs might seem daunting to novice bakers, but these rolls are very simple to make.
Recipes
Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes
Losing the mashed potatoes would just be insane, but even classics can be tweaked. The tang of sour cream gives the illusion that this recipe is not as rich as the cream, butter, and milk would imply. The next day? Form leftover potatoes into cakes and fry them up—in butter, of course.
Recipes
Pumpkin Seed Brittle
Kick off the holiday sweet(s) season by sending guests home with this crunchy, easy-to-make-ahead brittle.
Recipes
Chile-Rubbed Turkey
Look to Mexico, where turkey has been the big bird for centuries. Continue the theme by using the leftovers for tacos (corn tortillas, shredded meat, lime…). We promise you won’t miss your sandwich.