Our Fireball Pumpkin Pie gets a subtle kick from cinnamon-flavored whiskey. However, despite whatever you may think of Fireball, the whiskey doesn’t overpower this traditional pie at all—instead, it adds a sweet, cinnamon flavor to the filling and whipped topping. You can substitute any whiskey or bourbon here, but the cinnamon flavor won’t be as strong. You’ll want to pull the pie out of the oven before the filling has completely settled—look for a slight jiggle in the center with about a 4-inch radius. The filling shouldn’t be sloshing around when you pull, but rather, have a nice, Jell-O wiggle to it The pie will continue to bake as it cools down, and pulling it while it’s still wiggly will help prevent cracks that form with over baking. The whipped cream can be made ahead of time and will last in the refrigerator for up to 2 days—simply rewhip it slightly before serving. Speaking of serving, this would pair nicely with coffee or tea, whiskey shot optional.

If you’re looking for a way to mix your mac and cheese up, your search is over. Our Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese is creamy, spicy, and decadent, with bite-sized pieces of tender chicken breast and a subtle hint of blue cheese. There’s plenty of buffalo chicken flavor, minus the atomic shade of orange you find in other buffalo dishes. The panko topping stays nice and crispy, making for little hits of crunch that perfectly complement the pasta’s toothiness and tender chicken. The sauce coats everything nicely, but not to the point of being overly goopy. The raw green onions on top add some extra crunch and freshness. This dish is super family-friendly, and can even be made in one pot—just skip the baking dish, add the blue cheese and panko, and stick the pot directly in the oven. If you don’t have time to cook chicken, you can use 3 cups of shredded rotisserie chicken of leftover chicken instead. This makes a great party or potluck casserole, but it’s also a winning side at a family dinner. Best of all, it makes great leftovers. Serve with a nice green salad dressed with a slightly sweet vinaigrette and a crisp glass of cold white wine or a cold beer.

Separately, apple pie and cheesecake are classic, beloved desserts, but combined, they’re heavenly. For our Apple Pie Cheesecake, we’ve taken a classic cheesecake but made it creamier and richer, mostly thanks to the use of brown sugar, and added cinnamon to the crust. Those same notes are reciprocated in the apple pie topping, and paired with sweet, buttery caramel sauce, you’ve got one irresistible dessert. If you’re not feeling apples, though, this classic cheesecake recipe stands up to any desired topping. One more thing: Don’t fear the water bath, because it’s a foolproof method. Baking the cheesecake in a water bath allows the custard to set a little more gently, with even cooking temperatures all around. Letting the cheesecake cool in the oven for about an hour before taking it out allows the temperature to come down slowly and prevent cracking.

Green bean casserole is great, but we just made it better. Our French Onion Green Bean Casserole is cheesy, creamy, and decadent, with a nice balance of Gruyere béchamel sauce, fresh blanched green beans, caramelized onions, and shaved Parmesan. On top there’s a thick layer of Parmesan and panko, which adds crunchiness while stepping away from traditional toasted onions and adds some serious flavor. Using dry sherry and time give the flavor a new twist, more like what you’d find in French Onion Soup, and elevate the feel of this traditional casserole. Be sure to take time with caramelizing the onions. If you turn up the heat too high or try to caramelizing them too quickly, the onions will burn. Feel free to swap out the panko topping for classic bread crumbs or saltine crackers if you’re looking for a more traditional feel.

  The sweet, clean flavor of crab shines in this recipe for Classic Crab Cakes. This light but filling seafood staple mainly relies on ingredients that are already in your fridge and pantry and comes together in less than half an hour. We've also included a salmon variation if you're not in the mood for crab. 

You know that pasta salad from childhood (you know the one—rotini, canned olives, underripe grape tomatoes, cubed cheese)? It showed up at cookouts, sleepovers and every occasion in between, and it holds a special place in hearts a plenty—or at least it does around our office. So, we made a few swaps to create a fully grown uptake that still hits all the nostalgic notes we crave. Think a more sophisticated nood (we went orecchiette, but you can go with whatever you like!), buttery Castelvatrano olives (i.e. the best olives), juicy-sweet heirloom cherry tomatoes for dynamic color, hunks of savory salami, rich and creamy mozzarella pearls, radishes for fresh crunch, and an easy, from-scratch Italian dressing. Sure, it may require a trip to the grocery store’s olive bar, but trust us, it’s so worth it.