Beginner & Expert

Even if you don't have plans to throw a St. Patrick's Day bash, you can still celebrate in your own low-key way. As part of dinner, serve colcannon, an Irish peasant dish of potatoes mashed with leeks, cabbage, and kale. It's a basic, comforting, and traditional staple of Ireland that's easy to prepare with a festive, verdant hue. For a rustic variation, mash potatoes together with sautéed vegetables and aromatics. To step it up, run potatoes through a ricer for a weightless, soufflélike texture. Then, foil that with bits of bacon that have been cooked until crisp. Get your green spirit on with either recipe and read more.

'Tis the season for green garb and mint chocolate cookies — so why not combine the two in a fitting dessert that pays homage to the Emerald Isle? Based on the post-dinner drink of the same name, grasshopper pie is the epitome of mint chocolate heaven, with a cocoa wafer cookie crust and a creamy, cooling center. Keep things simple with the help of premade crust and instant pudding mix, which'll shave off set time for the filling. Or, for a stepped-up version, build your crust from scratch, and add a twist with the use of fine white chocolate instead. Make either one now.

Chicken enchiladas aren't always a fast and easy dinner option, but with a few adjustments, you can surprise your family by serving them as an indulgent midweek meal. Cut extra time by using cubed pieces of already-cooked chicken and pre-grated cheese, and you'll have the steaming casserole in literally 30 minutes. Having friends over for the weekend? Impress a crowd with enchiladas made from slow-cooked layers of poached chicken, homemade enchilada sauce, and roasted pepper salsa. A recipe for either occasion, when you read more.

Seeing PartySugar's menu for a Greek dinner made me realize how long it's been since I've made my favorite Greek dish, avgolemono. If you've never heard of this homey soup (av-what?), avgolemono is a Mediterranean specialty made up of four basic elements: chicken stock, eggs, lemon, and rice. When preparing it, remember to add the hot broth gradually to the lemon-egg mixture, otherwise you will cook pieces of the egg. Prefer not to work with raw poultry? Throw already-cooked chicken breast into the simmer. Or, make it a complete, from-scratch meal by poaching chicken breasts with rice, vegetables, and herbs. See which recipe fits your cooking style when you read on.

If you were too busy overindulging in Fat Tuesday yesterday to notice that it was also National Pancake Day, don't fret; celebrate it this morning instead! Those of you who have making plain pancakes down to a T may opt for dressed-up chocolate chip flapjacks instead. If you're in a time bind and have a busy day ahead, reach for Bisquick and chocolate drink mix to help speed up the process. Or go all out by building a chocolate chip batter from scratch and topping it off with a red raspberry sauce. Either way, follow a few guidelines for achieving perfect pancakes, and your day will be set. Choose a recipe when you read more.

The Saints' first Super Bowl victory and Mardi Gras in less than a week gives Southerners and Northerners an excuse to celebrate the eclectic Creole culture that is so unique to New Orleans. Want to get crazy? Simmer up a steaming pot of seafood gumbo. Keep things basic with canned chicken broth, frozen okra, and two simple shellfish elements — crab and shrimp. Or, if you're feeling more elaborate, peel your own shrimp, saving the shells for a flavorful stock, and throw in the works, from andouille sausage to fresh oysters. Either way, you'll wind up with a gumbo worth getting jazzed up about. For the recipes, read more.

A nationwide celebration as big as the Super Bowl is the perfect occasion for serving all-American hamburgers. Translate them into game day eats by passing around plates of bite-sized sliders. Keep them simple (and not too sloppy!) by topping them sparingly with caramelized onions. Or, if you're feeling up to the challenge, take inspiration from another football favorite — seven-layer bean dip — for a winning combination of fixings. Get both finger foods when you read more.

For those of you who are planning a Super Bowl bash this year, ditch the pretzels and chips in favor of some homemade potato skins. If you're worried about it all coming together, stick to the simple and sweet: nothing but meaty russet potato skins, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Or, win over fans with a fully-loaded version, topped off with crisp-cooked bacon, sautéed peppers and onions, and oozing cheddar cheese. Craving either (or both) renditions? Then get your potato skin game on.

Summer or Winter, I'll never say no to a piping-hot tureen of New England clam chowder. But lately, I've been trying to reduce my calorie intake by steering myself toward lighter, broth-based soups, like lentil vegetable soup. It's time, I've decided, to try my hand at making Manhattan clam chowder, a totally different yet irrefutably delicious take on shellfish stew.

While I love white chowder for its luscious, velvety texture, my palate flips for the tart, slightly spicy tang of the tomato-based red version. On a weeknight, I'll bust out the shortcut version, which calls for canned, pre-cooked clams. But on my next Friday night in, I'll scrub fresh clams for a slow-simmered soup made from scratch. Which rendition suits you best? Find out when you read more.

For true mid-Winter comfort food, look no further than the wallet-friendly pairing of red beans and rice. The Louisiana specialty starts with "the holy trinity" of chopped celery, bell pepper, and onions then combines the veggie medley with red kidney beans and pork to be served over steaming hot rice.

You can follow a recipe that calls for canned beans and is easy on the time, number of kitchen steps, and ingredients. Or stick to the classic version, simmered low and slow with ham, sausage, and bay leaves for added flavor and body. Decide which one when you keep reading.