Dawn Perry
Digital Food Editor, Emeritus
Dawn Perry is the author of Ready, Set, Cook; How to Make Good Food With What's on Hand and a former digital food editor at Bon Appétit. Before joining Condé Nast, she developed recipes in the kitchens of Martha Stewart’s Everyday Food, and Real Simple. She got her culinary start at Le Cordon Bleu in San Francisco and has since worked in professional kitchens and private homes on both coasts. After BA, she returned to Real Simple as food director and made stints editing for Delish and Marley Spoon before co-founding her own direct-to-consumer line of baked goods, Superkind Cookies. She once made a burger for President Barack Obama.
Recipes
Perfectly Spiced Pumpkin Cake
Warm, cozy, and plush—and the cream cheese frosting doesn’t hurt.
Recipes
Simplest Plum Tarts
Transform puff pastry, ripe fruit, and a slick of jam into a patisserie-chic dessert.
Recipes
BA’s Best French Toast
A long soak is the secret to this French toast’s supremely custardy interior.
Recipes
Spatchcock Turkey With Anise and Orange
There are many (many!) Thanksgiving turkey recipes out there. But this roast spatchcock turkey recipe with its aniseed and orange dry brine is, as former BA test kitchen director Carla Lalli Music put it, “for people who want a turkey that actually tastes good, and not a turkey that just looks good.” (Watch her make this recipe.)
Recipes
BA’s Best Mac and Cheese
This homemade mac and cheese is our Platonic ideal: It is deeply cheesy and creamy and has a crunchy crust. Plus, it doubles easily for a crowd.
Recipes
BA’s Best Cheesecake
A whole vanilla bean takes this supremely creamy, wonderfully rich, classic New York–style cheesecake to pro-level.
Recipes
BA’s Best Banana Bread
Dark brown sugar and a dollop of mascarpone make for superior tenderness. Walnuts optional but encouraged.
Recipes
Ratatouille
Simple to make, packed with flavor, and adaptable to whatever vegetables you have on hand, ratatouille belongs in your summer cooking rotation.
Recipes
Baked Ziti
With its creamy Parmesan béchamel and tangy pancetta-enriched marinara sauce, this baked ziti recipe is one of our favorite uses for a casserole dish.
Recipes
Spinach Artichoke Dip
Make spinach artichoke dip for a crowd! Make it for a party for one! But definitely make it. This version won’t disappoint.
Recipes
Bucatini with Butter-Roasted Tomato Sauce
Because you need more butter-roasted things in your life.
Restaurants
All We Want for Dinner Are These Cucumbers With Crispy Beef
A beef-and-cucumber dish that you never saw coming.
Recipes
Spicy Beef and Cucumbers with Black Vinegar
Never cooked cucumbers before? This recipe should convince you to give the method a try, especially when they’re quickly tossed in a hot pan and kept crisp, as they are here.
Recipes
3-Ingredient Orecchiette With Sausage and Fennel
Be sure to add the sausage just before the last toss to maintain all those delicious crispy bits.
Recipes
3-Ingredient Caramel-Pear Galette
Use a wide spatula to peek underneath your galette to make sure the bottom is golden brown all the way across.
Recipes
3-Ingredient Chicken Breasts Stuffed With Ham and Cheese
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.
Recipes
3-Ingredient Fudge Pops
When you're ready to serve, dip each pop mold in cold (not hot) water to help loosen the pops.
Recipes
3-Ingredient Frozen Mud Pie
A hot knife is the easiest way to cut dense or frozen treats: Dip a sharp blade in hot water (or run under a hot faucet) and wipe dry before cutting. Repeat before slicing each piece for extra tidy edges.
Recipes
3-Ingredient Blueberry Champagne Granita
Save your fresh berries for eating out of hand: Frozen blueberries have a more intense color and concentrated flavor then fresh ones, so your granita will be deep violet and sweet.