Elise Bauer’s secret to tastier chicken salad. Avocado is creamy, rich, and can jive with different flavor profiles. Most importantly, is not mayonnaise! Simply Recipes / Getty Images I started out by mashing the avocado with lime juice and salt to make a creamy base. It was rich and creamy but still felt light. The flavor is somewhat reminiscent of a green goddess dressing. Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer I look forward to making a super herbaceous version of this once my backyard herbs really start to thrive!...

It’s extra meaty. Simply Recipes / Getty Images My father-in-law is a retired firefighter. He has shared many stories about his experiences over the years. Simply Recipes / Getty Images Hes saved many lives and put himself in situations I would never consider. Like most firefighters, his firehouse was his home away from home. It was a safe place, one where meals were often shared. Simply Recipes / Getty Images...

Works for both homemade and canned cranberry sauce. One of those lessons is theimportance of citrusoranges, lemons, and limes. The fruit and juice are fabulous, but the zest is culinary gold. Simply Recipes / Getty Images Good cooks know the zest packs the most concentrated flavor. Always Add Orange Zest to Cranberry Sauce Have you eaten a raw cranberry? Its tart and acidic, which is why sugar is thrown at it to turn it palatable....

J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s secret to creamier, softer scrambled eggs. Kenji shared Mandy’s game-changing technique for making the creamiest scrambled eggs onThe New York Times. She was trying to create a paste-like substance to encourage her dog to eat. Simply Recipes / Getty Images This dog food goo turned out to be the creamiest custard-like scrambled eggs she had ever made. Plus, it required little stirring and cooked in less than two minutes....

I can’t stop eating it. From that, we cobble a dinner-like situation together. Im always late because I’m busy moving the lawn or doing strenuous home renovations. Simply Recipes / Sara Tane And usually, Im ravenous. Wait, what is this? I asked her, pointing at the bowl. Simply Recipes / Sara Tane Its thecowboy caviar recipefrom your site, she said. But I added something extra. That extra thing made all of the difference....

Getting smooth and creamy homemade hummus is easier than you think. Were pretty much never without hummus in my house. This small (and free!) Simply Recipes / Getty Images addition makes the hummus lighter, fluffier, and so much creamier. Before you wrap up the lid, add an ice cube. Why does this work? Simply Recipes / Shaiith The ice whips and aerates the mixture as it blends, resulting in smoother, fluffier hummus....

J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s trick for making the best roasted potatoes on planet Earth. Simply Recipes / Getty Images Baking soda does a lot of heavy lifting at my house. It just comes with the territory (and age). Simply Recipes / Getty Images While it may sound strange, this is a trust-the-process punch in recipe. He boils the potatoes, drains them, and roasts them in a hot oven. The potatoes come out of the oven extra crispy, thanks to the baking soda....

Getting fluffy, smooth mashed potatoes is easier than you think. My ideal mashed potatoes are perfectly seasoned, light, super fluffy, and free of lumps. I take making them pretty seriously because they’re one of my favorite foods ever. Simply Recipes / Getty Images This gives you French fries that are crisp and golden, while the insides are light and fluffy. The same trick applies to mashed potatoesit’s so obvious I wish I would have thought of it myself!...

This smart idea comes from The Woks of Life. Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu Grilled chicken breasts are my culinary Achilles heel. I make them all the time, but I still haven’t mastered how to do them well consistently. Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu No one wants to find undercooked chicken after it comes off the grill. Yes, you read that correctly! I was skeptical, too. Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu...

A genius trick for making the most satisfying bowl of tortilla soup. This isn’t surprising because it is the ideal soup for slurping when it’s cold. It’s hearty, warming, nourishing, and easy to make. Simply Recipes / Adobe Over two million readers have made Simply Recipes’Chicken Tortilla Soupover the years. Tortilla chips aren’t merely a garnish for this soup. It’s an easy way to coax flavor out of corn tortillas into the soup....

J. Kenji Lopez-Alt explains why adding chips to your tuna salad (or chicken salad) sandwiches is genius. Simply Recipes / Getty Images As a child, sandwich day at school was my very favorite. I was the kid who took apart her sandwich to sneak a few crispy potato chips inside. Simply Recipes / Getty Images While incredibly simple, his trick instantly upgrades any sandwich, particularly salad-based. Chips not only taste delicious, but they also play a crucial role in keeping a sandwich together....

Ive been rapturously eating this sandwich every summer since 2013. This take on a cucumber sandwich exists somewhat in the shadowy fringes of sandwich subculture. Though the combo may sound oddball, its a match made in heaven. Simply Recipes / Laurel Randolph If you know, you know. Simply Recipes / Getty Images The Cucumber Sandwich Upgrade Youll Never Forget It’s peanut butter. Yes, thats it. Simply Recipes / Getty Images...

Take your summer lunch up a notch. If you havent had the pleasure of sampling chamoy, then youre in for a treat. Its as versatile as it is delicious. Simply Recipes / Sara Haas My favorite brand is Ricante, which comes in liquid form for easy use. When mixed with mayonnaise, the chamoy becomes a perfectly seasoned accompaniment to those juicy sweet tomatoes. When Im feeling inspired, Ill also add a bit of chopped cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice....