Show your Valentine that your love is written in the stars, just like these flavor combinations that seem utterly meant to be. Serve one or two, or create a whole menu.
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RecipeBacon and Eggs: Deviled Eggs with Bacon and Smoked Paprika
This bacon-and-egg combination is a sophisticated take on a classic appetizer. The bacon adds flavor as well as texture to the filling, and you can dial the hot sauce up or down for just the right amount of heat. The recipe can easily be doubled or tripled to serve a crowd.
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RecipeChicken and Waffles: Beer Batter Chicken and Waffles
Popular in the southern United States but with a following all across the country, fried chicken served with waffles is an addictive, comforting classic. In this version, hefeweizen, a golden-hued wheat beer, adds flavor and lift to the waffles and to the fried chicken’s crisp, golden crust. If you can’t find it, try using a golden lager.
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RecipePeas and Carrots: Peas & Carrots with Lemon, Dill, and Mint
Remember the frozen version of peas and carrots? The dish gets an update here: no square carrots in sight.
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RecipeCinnamon and Sugar: Doughnut Muffins
They may look like muffins, but a dunk in melted butter and a roll in cinnamon-sugar makes these luscious morsels taste more like donuts, without the hassle of deep-frying. We sell out of these muffins every morning at my Downtown Bakery and Creamery.
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RecipeGrilled Cheese and Tomato Soup: Tomato Cheddar Soup with Ham Toasties
In this riff on the classic combination of tomato soup and grilled cheese, the cheese is melted into the soup itself. The ham sandwiches, served on the side, are perfect for dunking.
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RecipePeanut Butter and Jelly: PB&J Crumb Cake
There's no better after-school snack than this kid-friendly crumb cake, handy when your audience might be skeptical about rhubarb or cranberries. Apricot jelly is my personal favorite, but grape jelly gives the cake a classic, nostalgic flavor.
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RecipeRum and Raisins: Rum-Raisin Bread Pudding
A rum-spiked custard and plump raisins take the ultimate in comfort-food desserts beyond mere kids' fare. Create your own customized bread pudding with the Recipe Maker.
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RecipeCaramel and Apples: Classic Tarte Tatin
This tart of caramelized apples in pastry is the perfect balance of sweet and tart. It’s amazing that it started out as a mistake, when hotelier Stéphanie Tatin accidentally put apples in a tart pan without lining it first with dough in 1889. To salvage the tart, she draped the pastry on top, baked it, and served it upside down, turning her mishap into a beloved classic. For more Thanksgiving dessert recipes visit The Guide to Thanksgiving Dinner.
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RecipeCheese and Crackers: Cheese Sables
The crisp crunch of a cracker against a slice of creamy or crumbly cheese--is there any better hors d'oeuvre? Here the two are rolled into one (a love child, if you will). A flaky, buttery cracker that's almost a pastry, absolutely loaded with cheese. -
RecipeChocolate and Vanilla: Flourless Marble Cake
This dense, luscious cake has a texture a little like fudge and a little like cheesecake. A small slice goes a long way.
