Easy

This no-fuss dessert lives up to its name—there’s no cooking involved other than boiling water.

Serve this moist, molasses-rich gingerbread with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. Drizzle the chocolate in a zigzag pattern over the batter, then drag a knife through the lines of chocolate, alternating the direction each time.

For a dinner party, you can present these cakes on a cake stand garnished with fresh berries.

The topping for this cake is simple: cranberries are placed over sugar and spices at the bottom of the pan. As the cake bakes, the sugar caramelizes, forming a syrup. When you invert the pan, the syrup soaks into the cake, creating a festive dessert.

To make meatballs that are moist and tender, avoid using very lean ground turkey. For convenience, make a batch of sauce and meatballs ahead and freeze for up to three months.

We love the way this toss-and-serve pasta dish is put together so easily. Try the Fennel, Orange, and Parsley Salad (page 271) as a starter.

Because preparing fresh squash can be time-consuming, we used frozen squash as a shortcut here. You can substitute an equal amount of puréed fresh squash (see note below).

A traditional carbonara sauce is typically made with bacon, eggs, and cheese. We’ve added a little half-and-half for a more silky texture.

Orecchiette are small ear-shaped pasta shells; fusilli or farfalle can be used instead. You can also replace the arugula with two cups whole fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves.

The sauce for this dish can be made a day or two ahead (keep the bacon separate) and refrigerated. Gently reheat as the pasta boils; add the bacon to the sauce during the last few minutes of heating.

Baking pasta with cheese on top creates a chewy and crispy topping kids will love. You can assemble the dish ahead and refrigerate it, then bake it right before dinner.

Because these crispy bean cakes are broiled rather than fried, the recipe doesn’t call for much oil, so the cakes contain less fat; they are also easier to prepare than fried versions.