iron-pressed chicken

Photo: Linda Xiao

Iron-Pressed Chicken
Chef Marcus Samuelsson, author of The Red Rooster Cookbook, splits the chicken and pan-sears it with a cast-iron skillet on top. "The extra weight presses it onto the pan," he says. "That makes the skin crispy—and for me, chicken's all about the skin."

Get the recipe: Iron-Pressed Chicken
caramelized onion-tomato soup

Photo: Linda Xiao

Caramelized Onion-Tomato Soup with Jarlsberg Croutons
The best homey fare has warmth, familiarity—and cheese. "This gooey crouton stack is where it all comes together," says chef Ashley Christensen, whose new cookbook, Poole's, is named for her North Carolina diner.

Get the recipe: Caramelized Onion-Tomato Soup with Jarlsberg Croutons
spinach and fet rugelach

Photo: Linda Xiao

Spinach and Feta Rugelach
"Thanks to all the butter it contains, you can pretty much bake piecrust forever and it won't burn," says Molly Yeh, author of the new cookbook Molly on the Range. So don't worry if you pull these savory rolled pastries out of the oven a little late; they'll still look and taste delicious. And Yeh's shortcut—store-bought dough—makes assembling these snacks as easy as, well, pie.

Get the recipe: Spinach and Feta Rugelach
wilted lettuce with bacon and onion

Photo: Linda Xiao

Wilted Lettuce with Bacon and Onion
What can you do with wilted salad greens? "A lot!" says Julia Turshen, whose new cookbook is Small Victories. "When freshness is no longer on your side, don't fight it. Wilt your greens even more and transform them into something entirely new." For this single-skillet dish, she sautés lettuce with smoky, salty bacon and sweet caramelized onions.

Get the recipe: Wilted Lettuce with Bacon and Onion
saffron cauliflower-rice paella

Photo: Linda Xiao

Saffron Cauliflower-Rice Paella
"In a world of paleo, vegan, and eat-anything diets, my solution is to start with a gluten-free base," says Danny Seo, author of the new cookbook Naturally, Delicious. "This paella lets you customize the proteins to suit whoever's coming to dinner."

Get the recipe: Saffron Cauliflower-Rice Paella
chocolate zucchini cake with sweet potato frosting

Photo: Linda Xiao

School Party Sheet Cake
A surprising ingredient gives Better Baking author Genevieve Ko's go-to cake the same fluffiness you'd get from a box mix, plus a wholesome flavor boost: zucchini. "Zucchini pairs well with chocolate and makes cake really moist," says Ko. Her frosting owes its richness to another stealth veggie, sweet potato, which has a satisfying finish "somewhere between caramel and butterscotch" when baked. Her kids' classmates—and teachers—are smitten.

Get the recipe: School Party Sheet Cake