Za'atar

The Middle Eastern equivalent of salt and pepper. (By Aliza Green)

Parmesan Kaiser Rolls

Knotted rolls topped with Parmesan and poppy seeds, and substantial enough to stand up to the juiciest of burgers. (By Amy Wisniewski)

Potato Salad with Peas and Mint

Pasta carbonara becomes potato salad. (By Aida Mollenkamp)

Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes

Buttermilk tarts up classic mashers. (By Regan Burns)

Icebox Sugar Cookies

Make a big batch and keep it in the freezer. (By Aida Mollenkamp)

Gingerbread Cookies

Soft, chewy, spicy, and full-flavored. (By Aida Mollenkamp)

Charred Eggplant Salad

Grilled eggplant teams up with red onions and sweet tomatoes. (By Adapted from Laurence Jossel)

Roasted Pepper and Spicy Sausage Grilled Pizza

Smoky grilled pizza topped with spicy sausage and roasted peppers. (By Kate Ramos)

Kava Shake

A creamy choco-coconut milk shake laced with an herbal kava twist. (By Adela Jung)

Chopped Chicken Livers

Rich, earthy chicken livers mixed with sherry, hard-boiled eggs, and lots of black pepper. (By Kate Ramos)

Mashed Reds

Creamy mashed red potatoes with chopped herbs. (By Francine Maroukian)

Mint and Lime Iced Tea

Sweet Southern-style green tea laced with lime juice and mint. (By Aida Mollenkamp)

White "Groom's" Fruitcake

Buttery and citrusy, this fruitcake is delicious either fresh or aged for months. (By Aida Mollenkamp)

Spiced Dark Fruitcake

Warm holiday spices, dark molasses, and sweet dried fruit make this fruitcake a classic. (By Kate Ramos)

Caribbean Black Fruitcake

Don’t be fooled by its innocent chocolaty appearance— this Caribbean cake is spicy, boozy, and every bit as wicked as devil’s food cake. (By Amy Wisniewski)