Recipes with salt

For years I only ate carrot cake with a butter and cream cheese frosting, but I was surprised by this glazed carrot cake. It was actually delicious. I will not mind enjoying a glazed carrot cake any more.

This was a big hit at our house: only a little strip was left along one edge of the casserole! I used nonfat mayonnaise, and bet that nonfat yogurt would work just as well to cut down on fat. I was out of peas, so used corn. And I used leftover chicken instead of turkey. Save this one for a neat way to use up your leftover Thanksgiving turkey.

Pork tenderloin seared and roasted until juicy, served with plums slow-roasted in balsamic, vanilla bean, and rosemary. A bistro-style main that reduces its own pan liquid into a glossy, sweet-tart sauce.

A creamy microwave casserole with ground beef, cream cheese, mushroom soup, corn, and pimentos. Rich, cheesy, and ready in under 40 minutes with barely any cleanup.

Pan-seared chicken breasts topped with a zesty Mexi-corn salsa, garnished with cherry tomatoes and fresh cilantro. A quick, colorful Tex-Mex weeknight dinner ready in just 30 minutes.

Chocolate thumbprint cookies filled with orange-tinted icing and a tiny green stem, shaped to look like miniature pumpkins. A festive Halloween cookie recipe the whole family can decorate together.

Chocolate chip cake with a dense, moist sour cream crumb and a full bag of chocolate chips baked in a tube pan. Simple, buttery, and loaded with melted chocolate in every slice.

MacAyo's style beef fajitas marinated in garlic, lime, and oil, then sauteed and rolled into warm tortillas with salsa, guacamole, and sour cream. A Phoenix Mexican-restaurant classic at home.

Rich homemade eggnog with bourbon, cognac, whipped cream, and beaten egg whites dusted with nutmeg. A classic holiday punch that's thick, boozy, and impossibly smooth.

An Indian-style aloo gobi with potatoes and cauliflower stewed in cayenne, turmeric, lemon juice, and green chilies. Vegan, simple, and full of warm spice.

Indian spiced eggplant (baingan bharta style) with cumin seeds, turmeric, coriander, fresh ginger, and cilantro. Roasted until smoky-soft, then simmered with tomato and spices.

A from-scratch chocolate layer cake made with cocoa, buttermilk, cake flour, and both white and brown sugar. Creamed butter method for a velvety, tender crumb. Frost with your favorite icing.

Family tree cookies are giant chocolate cookies shaped like trees with branches for piping family names. A fun baking project with kids using cocoa dough, chocolate chips, and royal icing.

Fusilli alla Sorrentina with canned tuna, fresh tomatoes, black olives, white wine, garlic, and fresh mint. A quick Southern Italian pantry pasta.

Peach melba layer cake sweetened with apple juice concentrate instead of sugar, topped with fresh peaches, raspberries, and fruit spread. Refined-sugar-free homage to the Escoffier classic.

Horenso hitashi, a classic Japanese blanched spinach side dish dressed in dashi, soy sauce, and sugar with toasted sesame seeds. Clean, simple, and ready in 20 minutes.