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Father's Day is this Sunday and naturally I'm planning a manly meal that celebrates my dad. He enjoys simple classic American cuisine, so this menu features his backyard favorites. We'll start with oysters on the half shell with a shrimp-butter-Parmesan topping. The recipe broils them, but for an added smoky depth, we'll cook the oysters on the grill. Dad and I will bond over the preparation of hickory-smoked beef ribs. First the meat is coated in an easy spice rub, then after it's slow-cooked on the grill, it's topped with a homemade barbecue sauce.

Grilled corn with chili and cilantro plus new potatoes stuffed with sour cream and blue cheese round out the meal. For these recipes that will please any man's palate, read more

Any gourmand with a hankering for something spicy would be right at home in my kitchen, where the fridge is stocked with scorching sauces from every corner of the world. From Tabasco to Sambal Oelek and Sriracha, I'm extremely well-supplied in the store-bought specialties department.

I recently came to the conclusion, however, that I'm lacking somewhat in the homemade hot sauce category. Enter harissa, a fiery garlic and chili paste that hails from Tunisia and is used in stews, pasta sauces, grilled meats, and couscous. Although the chili paste is sold in tubes and jars at many supermarkets, it's easy — and much more fulfilling — to make from scratch yourself. See how I did so when you read more

Nothing says high school graduation like a classic sheet cake with "Congratulations Class of 2009" scrolled across the top in loopy, frosted letters. While you could order an insanely sugary cake with too-sweet frosting from Costco or Safeway, why not take the time to make your grad a homemade confection? This recipe for a rich, dense chocolate cake is simple, straightforward, and sure to be a crowd-pleaser. It calls for a fudge-like frosting, but if you have another icing you prefer, use that instead. Get the luscious recipe when you read more

No fruit or vegetable ushers in the season of late Spring and early Summer quite like the fava bean. Simply ask the denizens of southern Italy, where short-lived favas are a prized warm-weather favorite. There, the tender, creamy beans are frequently served in a delicate salad with buttery olive oil and nutty pecorino cheese. The traditional way of preparing favas is to shell and then blanch them to remove their tough outer skins — but if you're new to working with favas, you may want to stick with selecting young, thin-skinned pods, which require no blanching. Make the fava bean salad that suits you best when you read more

Party and I are huge fans of making our own ingredients when possible, rather than using store-bought materials. We've had artichokes on the brain these days, and when she told me that she was itching to put together a classic artichoke dip, I decided I'd make my own version of canned artichokes to give to her.

Because I wanted to make a lot of cans, I doubled the recipe — and in a matter of minutes, I had bright-flavored, zesty jars of artichokes that are great edible gifts. The multi-purpose vegetables keep for up to a week and are great on everything from pastas to salads to scrambles. To get the super quick recipe, read more

One of my favorite desserts to make at home is rice pudding, because I can easily watch it on the stovetop while I'm prepping other items for dinner. Since most of us have rice, honey, and milk on hand, it's possibly the tastiest way to clean your pantry. Although many rice puddings call for arborio or other short-grained Italian varieties, try the longer-grain jasmine for less starchiness. Jasmine rice will not only maintain its texture, but it also has a wonderful aroma. To ensure the pudding is smooth rather than sticky, rinse the rice thoroughly before cooking it. See a basic jasmine rice pudding recipe as well as one that's more complex in flavor when you read more