Grace Parisi

My old Brazilian nanny, feeling displaced and perpetually homesick (Brazilians call it saudade), would only crack a smile when I made Brazil's national dish feijoada, which, for the sake of my family's happiness, turned out to be a weekly occurrence. It's a hearty stew made with black beans, pork shoulder, carne seca (dried beef like beef jerky), linguiça calabresa (a pork sausage like kielbasa) and hunks of slab bacon. It's quite a project—one that I reserve for the weekend. But saudade doesn't differentiate between weekday and weekend, so I found myself making a fast version. I like to use canned beans, serrano ham, prosciutto or bresaola (Italian air-dried beef) because it most closely approximates carne seca's slightly-gamey, meaty flavor.

Be the star of a cookie swap with these gorgeous sandwich cookies. If you're feeling lazy, opt for Maury's Cookie Dough, available at supermarkets or by calling 877-328-3687. More Cookie Recipes

This decadent pear-and-caramel trifle is perfect for a party because it can be made a day ahead and it serves a crowd. Slideshow: Great Make-Ahead Desserts 

 Ingredient Tips from F&W Editors

 Ingredient Tips from F&W Editors

A little cocoa in the icing gives these spiderweb sugar cookies a little chocolate flavor.More Halloween Recipes

These crisp and colorful pumpkin sugar cookies are perfect with a glass of milk. More Halloween Recipes

Fresh spinach ravioli are a clever shortcut for making lasagna: Each ravioli is already a mini layer of pasta, cheese and vegetable. This recipe is especially fast to make using preroasted or grilled vegetables from the deli counter. More Pasta Recipes

In this decadent lasagna, store-bought fresh pasta sheets are layered with wild mushrooms in a creamy wine sauce. More Vegetarian Pasta Recipes

Although we tested three different Bolognese-style lasagnas with creamy béchamel sauce, we decided that the definitive lasagna had to have tomato sauce, chunks of meat, shredded mozzarella and creamy ricotta cheese. Great Comfort Food Recipes

This is a brilliant marriage of two classics: cornmeal-dusted green tomatoes and a bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich. Danny Meyer: Wine Pairings for Sandwiches More Tasty Sandwiches

Adding Guinness, or any dark beer, to the brine gives the turkey a toasty flavor and helps give the skin a dark brown color. Slideshow: Cooking with Beer 

Plus: More Vegetable Recipes and Tips

Plus: F&W's Grilling Guide More Corn Recipes

 More Fast Side Dishes

When grilling shrimp or scallops, use sticks of lemongrass or sprigs of rosemary as an alternative to metal or bamboo skewers. Plus:  Summer Grilling 

Plus: More Pork Recipes and Tips 

Creamy chicken stew and biscuits baked together is the ideal meal in a pot. F&W’s Grace Parisi’s version is unforgettable: The gravy is boldly spiced, and the biscuits are unbelievably moist and tender thanks to chicken stock and sour cream in the batter. Slideshow: Great One-Pot Meals