A buttermilk marinade tenderizes the chicken and helps create a crisp, flaky crust while frying.

Pudding is great comfort food, yet not everyone realizes how easy it is to make from scratch. Let My-T-Fine mix become a thing of the past. This pudding is ready in less than 15 minutes and, served steaming hot or chilled, it’s exceptionally rich and smooth.

This is really just an elegant pudding, cooked slightly firm, in small espresso cups or pots. I like to serve this with a good cookie for dipping biscotti, for example.

This rich, creamy pudding calls for both dark chocolate and cocoa powder. For mocha pudding, heat milk and steep with 1/2 cup crushed coffee beans for 10 minutes. Strain and proceed with recipe.

Japanese bread crumbs, called panko, are bright white, and their large flakes result in a rough, crunchy texture. Look for them in large supermarkets, specialty shops and Asian groceries.

Get smooth and creamy restaurant-style chile con queso at home.

French toast is one of our favorite breakfast dishes, so we’ve experimented with many variations of the classic recipe. We served brunch for a brief time at our restaurant, and this was one of the most popular dishes on the menu. The sweet coconut gives it a Caribbean flavor, while the maple syrup conjures up thoughts of our home in Vermont. —Bob and Melinda Blanchard

I grew up thinking strata was my mom’s signature dish, until I realized every mother has her own version. You should know how to make it too, but just between us, yours can be much more elegant than your mother’s, especially when you make it in a small dish to serve two and pair it with a large salad. Of course, you can double this recipe for a large crowd and bake it instead in a 9-by-13-inch pan for 1 hour–then watch it disappear. — Sarah Copeland