by Eric Kim — 12 Oct 2023 Pineapple ham pizza, sometimes referred to as Hawaiian pizza, was reportedly named after a brand of canned fruit, Hawaiian Pineapple Company. Sam Panopoulos, a Greek immigrant in Canada, used that fruit to create the ambrosial combination in 1962. But here, skipping canned pineapple in favor of fresh fruit and using cubed ham, ideally leftovers from a bone-in roast, means juicier meat and more vibrantly flavored pineapple. The comforting mellowness of Marcella Hazan’s famous tomato-butter sauce works well with the tangy fruit and savory pork, but use whatever pizza sauce you like. As with any homemade pie, bake this hot and fast, as close as possible to your oven’s heat source, either on the highest or lowest rack depending on the model. Featured in: Pineapple and Ham Belong Together

By Ali Slagle — This weeknight meal is silky, slurpable and so quick to pull off. It follows the tradition of wafu or Japanese-style pasta, and combines brown butter, udon and spinach, but the classic combination of savory sauce, chewy noodle and green vegetable allows plenty of room for improvisation. Instead of soy sauce, you can add umami with Parmesan, miso, seaweed or mushrooms. Instead of black pepper for heat, grab ginger or chile flakes, oil or paste. For more protein, boil eggs or shelled edamame in the water before the udon, or add tinned mackerel or fresh yuba along with the sesame seeds. Udon noodles, found fresh, frozen or shelf-stable, are singularly bouncy and thick; if you can’t find them, use the thinner, dried style that resembles linguine.

Arby’s Beef & Cheddar made at home

by Vivian Chan-Tam In 1987, chef Andy Kao and Andrew Cherng, a founder and chairman of Panda Express, developed orange chicken, a dish of fried chicken pieces coated in a sticky citrus sauce. The top-selling dish was inspired by a Taiwanese fried chicken dish, a Sichuan beef stir-fry with dried tangerine peels and the sweet-and-sour flavors popular in the Jiangsu region of China. In this version, boneless, skinless chicken thighs are coated in cornstarch, deep-fried until crisp, then tossed in a sweet and tangy sauce made with fresh orange juice. Adjust the heat to your preference with crushed red pepper, and serve over a bed of fluffy jasmine rice.

“Irish Dog Food”

Sprinkle the warm rice mixture with sushi vinegar just before topping with chicken. It’s a flavor explosion!

By Kia Damon Updated Feb. 9, 2024 It’s hard to imagine that anything could be divisive about a sandwich of sautéed beef, crisp-edged onions and oozy cheese, but the Philly cheesesteak’s origin and ingredients are hotly contested in the city of brotherly love. Variations abound, but the standard is made with thinly sliced rib-eye (although you can also find it made with more affordable brisket). In this recipe, either cut of beef can be used, and using presliced meat, commonly found in the freezer section at Asian markets, is a smart short-cut. The tender meat is topped with sweet, nearly caramelized onions and a blanket of sharp Provolone, or Cheez Whiz, the bright yellow cheese sauce, spooned over the top.

By Lidey Heuck This recipe turns the classic potato-chip flavor into a dinner party-worthy side dish. The potatoes get a double hit of vinegar: First, they are roasted in a simple vinaigrette, then are tossed with another smack of acidity just before serving. Use white-wine vinegar for a stronger vinegar flavor, or apple cider vinegar if you want a subtler flavor. NYT 5 stars (1700 comments!)

By Lidey Heuck Published Jan. 25, 2024 Crunchy, creamy, sweet and sour, this classic salad has only slightly evolved from the original recipe that was first published in 1896. Oscar Tschirky, the chef at New York’s Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, developed the recipe using just three ingredients — apples, celery and mayonnaise — and this one closely mirrors that version. Besides the three staples, walnuts and grapes provide additional texture, and a splash of lemon juice brightens up the creamy dressing. Feel free to improvise, adding other crunchy ingredients like chopped raw broccoli, sunflower seeds, raisins or sliced pitted dates. This salad can be made a few hours in advance and stored in the refrigerator before serving. Serve as a side salad, or add cooked chicken to the mix for a satisfying lunch.

Inspired by Salt & Lavender’s great cream sauce, I prefer this simpler version, with fresh tarragon & parmesan. Serve with steamed asparagus. So good!

By Zainab Shah — 21 March 2024 Broccoli florets are simmered in coconut milk and almond butter then topped with slivered almonds, resulting in a nutty, luxurious main or side in just 30 minutes. Malabar pepper, grown and commonly used in the south of India, has a delicate lingering heat. (You could use another black pepper, but if the former is an option, try it.) Garam masala dials up the spice and an onion provides subtle sweetness. Serve with rice or roti.

By Kay Chun Yakisoba is a Japanese stir-fried noodle dish with a rich Worcestershire-flavored sauce. This veggie-packed version combines carrots, bell peppers, mushrooms and kale for a fun mix of textures and flavors. The key in this dish is to sauté the yakisoba noodles first, creating a dryer, firmer noodle that won’t fall apart in the sauce. The tangy-sweet sauce consists mainly of pantry condiments and can be made the day before. Leftovers can be enjoyed the traditional street food way: reheated and served in buttered hot dog buns topped with Japanese mayo and pickled ginger.