Michael Graydon Nikole Herriott

English short ribs are cut lengthwise along the bone, so the meat sits on top. With a day or two of notice, any butcher should be able to cut them to order.

This tangy and slightly tropical curd recipe makes a good layer cake or meringue pie filling. Or, you know, dip shortbread cookies into it. If gifting this, transfer it to a glass jar and make sure the lucky recipient knows to keep it chilled.

Mix equal parts yellow and blue food dye to make green.

The lime juice and oil will keep the avocado from turning brown, but it’s a good idea to make this pico de gallo recipe right before you serve it.

There’s no stock in this wintry vegetarian stew recipe—it relies on the starchy bean cooking liquid for its flavor (which is a polite way of saying sorry, but you can’t use canned beans here and get the same results).

This dead-simple walnuts recipe is sweet and savory, which means you can take it in either direction. It’s an amazing sundae topping and would transform an ordinary bowl of oatmeal into a thing of greatness, but you could also serve it on a cheese board or as a condiment for roast pork chops. Choices!

Don’t have an acorn squash for this chicken thighs recipe? Use butternut. Not into mustard greens? Use kale, Swiss chard, or spinach.

Golden raisins would also work nicely in this yogurt dip recipe instead of the dried apricots. You want a little sweet to play against the bite of the garlic and the brightness of the herbs.

Natural dyes work best in royal icing (pictured here) or buttercream frosting, not cake batter. Here's how to make yellow food dye and blue food dye.

First of all, zoodle is a made-up word for vegetables that have been cut to look like noodles. Make this recipe vegetarian by substituting 8 oz. fresh shiitake mushrooms in place of the bacon and using a vegetable stock or water.

Not feeling the squares in this phyllo bites recipe? Use a pizza cutter to cut crackers into any shape you like!

We love the look of the homemade extra-long sprinkles on these whoopie-pie-type cookies, but they take a steady hand and a wealth of patience to shape. Use any store-bought sprinkle in their place.

Mix equal parts blue with red food dye to make purple.

This punch recipe easily scales down by half, or even all the way to festive drinks for two.

A homemade cranberry simple syrup puts this sparkling cocktail recipe into fancy party-worthy status. Use leftover Campari to make your very own Negroni or Americano.

Skip the $$$ vintage bubbly for this cocktail recipe. Go with an affordable Champagne, cava, Prosecco, or other dry sparkler for this spritz recipe.

When great dips get together, it’s magic. This recipe boasts all the beauty of a creamy onion dip with the irresistible appeal of queso.

Flouring the fruit in this Bundt cake recipe helps keep it suspended throughout the batter, and using a serrated knife guarantees you won’t squash or shred the slices.

For a smaller batch and an easier time mixing the cereal, divide the recipe in half (but use an 8x8" pan).

Known as mendiants in France, these adorned chocolate bites are a holiday tradition.