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Mary-Frances Heck

New England Clam Chowder

Channel New England with this rich and warming one-pot clam chowder. If fresh clams are unavailable (or you're running short on time), substitute two 10-ounce cans of baby clams and 6 cups of bottled clam juice. This is part of BA's Best, a collection of our essential recipes.

Homemade Mint Tea as a Digestif

Thank the Moors (and the Spaniards) for this one

Cranberry Shortbread

This super-simple shortbread gets festive thanks to a tart cranberry-grapefruit compote.

Day-After Turkey Stock

You can use this rich stock, made from the turkey carcass, for risotto or soup over the long weekend, or freeze it for the new year.

How to Cook with Dried Porcini Mushrooms

Yes, you do. And we suggest you try them dry

Chicken in Garlic-Almond Sauce

Want a braise but want it quick? Try this Spanish dish, known as pollo en pepitoria. It’s as delicious as it sounds.

Ice Cream, Sherbet, and Sorbet

If not, we'll give you the scoop

Easy Marinades with 5 Ingredients or Less

*And* we have a fool-proof formula for developing your own

Our Master Recipe for Homemade Hot Sauce (A Chile-Fueled Act of Love)

Real hot sauce lovers know how to preserve the fragrant heat of summer's fresh peppers, and that's the truth

Move Over, Quinoa. It's Time for Kaniwa

The seed is our new favorite salad topper

What's Cold, Yellow, and Best Taken with a Plate of Salt?

Hint: You'll see one (or a bunch) on Cinco de Mayo

Allow Us to Bust the Salad Dressing Ratio Myth

There's a better tool to use to determine the perfect balance: your taste buds

A Creole Spice Cabinet Staple for Big Easy Flavor

File powder (pronounced fee-lay) adds body and an herbal, tea-like flavor to stews

Step-by-Step, How to Make Scotch Eggs

We've fallen hard for this gastropub staple of cooked eggs swaddled in sausage meat, then breaded and fried

How to Shuck a Clam (You Know You Want To)

Why ask your fishmonger to do it when you have the chance acquire a bada#$ new skill?