Basil recipes

Your basic burger recipe with ground beef, onion powder, salt, and pepper. The secret is a light touch when mixing and shaping. Overworked meat makes tough, dense patties.

Basic chocolate cake made with melted unsweetened chocolate, buttermilk, and cake flour for a moist, tender two-layer cake. A reliable foundation for any frosting.

Easy homemade pie crust with a vinegar-and-egg dough that stays flaky and tender. Uses both margarine and shortening for a workable pastry that rolls out without cracking.

Simple homemade chicken soup with diced chicken, carrots, celery, and onion in a quick chicken bouillon broth with fresh parsley. Comfort food in an hour.

Classic French onion soup with slow-browned onions in olive oil, topped with toasted bread and bubbly Gruyere cheese. Simple, warming, and ready in under an hour.

Fluffy drop biscuits made with cake flour for an extra-tender crumb. No rolling or cutting needed, just drop spoonfuls onto a cornmeal-dusted baking sheet and bake.

Dad's basic omelet: three eggs beaten with water (never milk), cooked in butter and peanut oil for a tender, fold-in-half breakfast classic. The blank canvas for any filling.

Butterscotch brownies (blondies) made by melting butter with brown sugar for that toffee-deep flavor, then folding in nuts for crunch. One bowl, 25 minutes, and a chewy fudgy texture that beats any boxed mix.

Basic miso soup with wakame, onion, carrot, and a swirl of miso paste stirred in off-heat for an authentic Japanese starter ready in 20 minutes.

Classic Italian focaccia with a slow double rise, generous olive oil, and a customizable topping. Authentic Ligurian flatbread for snacking, sandwiches, or alongside soups and salads.

Basic cheesecake recipe done right: three pounds of cream cheese, sour cream, heavy cream, and a foil-wrapped water bath for the silkiest, crackless slice you'll ever cut.

Basic cooked beans in a pressure cooker: master method for transforming any dried bean into tender, flavorful beans in about an hour. No canned cans required, batch-friendly, freezer-ready.

Vegan whole wheat biscuit crust made with pastry flour, soy milk, and a touch of honey or maple syrup. Use as a pot pie topper or rolled-out base for fruit cobblers.

Basic Cincinnati chili simmered, not browned, so the beef stays fine and silky, spiced with cinnamon, allspice, and cumin. Ladle it over spaghetti for a 3-way or onto a hot dog for a classic cheese coney.

A bare-bones homemade sausage base of ground beef and cracked black pepper, stuffed into casings and left to dry. The blank-canvas starting point for building your own Italian, breakfast, or smoky sausage blends.

Basic sausage gravy gets a flavor upgrade with sage, a whisper of nutmeg, and sauteed onion folded into the classic creamy roux. Pour this peppery Southern gravy over hot biscuits for breakfast that sticks to your ribs.