Cream Cheese

Make a perfect, moist carrot cake at home by avoiding these common mistakes—and by following this recipe.

Yes, we think it’s a great idea to eat giant chicken nuggets for breakfast. But this delicious, indulgent dish works for dinner (and lunch, too). If you prefer white-meat chicken, use skinless, boneless breasts that have been cut in half crosswise.

Did we mention this honey cake recipe also happens to be gluten-free? (There is also a cream cheese frosting.)

We love a classic cream cheese sandwich. Here are 4 riffs to make happen.

Room temperature cream cheese and butter are key to a smooth frosting (cold ingredients will form hard beads). Take them both out of the refrigerator three hours ahead of time.

If you don't have a large pastry tip, simply cut off the tip of the pastry bag and pipe through the opening. The finished pies might not be quite as perfect, but they'll still taste good.

Taste a fig first to see how sweet it is... and thus how much honey you want to add.

Everything good about a lox and bagel sandwich (minus the bagel).

Let your cheese ball hang out in the fridge until firm. It will be easier to roll in the nuts.

If you have leftover "everything" spice, stir it into Greek yogurt drizzled with olive oil for a savory breakfast.

You want all of your cheese ball ingredients at room temperature to make sure the goat cheese mixture is smooth and homogenous.

Use a frozen whole grain waffle, or freeze leftover homemade waffles between sheets of waxed paper.

Throw this spread together a day in advance—the flavors will meld and intensify as it sits.

Textures matter: Baking the cheesecake in a water bath insulates it, so it stays creamy and moist; the crunchy streusel topping adds contrast.

Hot-smoked salmon, unlike cured, is fully cooked.

For this deviled ham recipe (and everything else), we love Benton’s brand, made in Tennessee.

Greek yogurt lends an unexpected tanginess to this light no-bake cheesecake. 

Cream cheese makes this pound cake recipe extra moist.

Chicago chef Paul Kahan’s pairing of grilled toast, fresh cheese, and buttery smoked sablefish works with any smoked fish, from flaky whitefish, trout, or bluefish to thin slices of salmon. Try it alongside the rest of his summer cookout menu: Grilled Chicken Liver Pate and Blackberry Crostini, Roasted Beets with Hazelnut Vinaigrette and Burrata, Marinated Kale and Green Bean Salad, Dilly New Potato Salad with Summer Sausage, Grilled Lamb Skewers with Carrots, Feta, and Mint, and Country-Style R.…