Read carefully because your culinary repertoire is about to expand exponentially. You may think that pesto is a one-herb sort of spread, that it made a vow to basil and has been faithfully committed ever since, but we're here to tell you to forget what you know: Pesto can be...

At Food52, we love recipes -- but do we always use them? Of course not. Because once you realize you don't always need a recipe, you'll make your favorite dishes a lot more often.

Today: Food52'er pierino shows us how to grill any steak like a pro.

Everyone knows breakfast is the most important meal of the day. More often than not, that translates to eating hearty, healthy standbys like oatmeal or granola. But sometimes you just want cake for breakfast -- and we're here to tell you that's ok, too. The rule: As long as it's...

Making your own barbecue sauce is akin to making your own salad dressing. It's something you should have been doing for years now. It's incredibly simple, incredibly rewarding, and almost infinitely less expensive than buying it by the bottle. Skip the overly sweet packaged barbecue sauces...

Everyone knows how to make pasta. Boil water, pour in dry pasta, follow the instructions on the back of the box, and voilà: a heaping plate of your spaghetti, penne, or farfalle. But just because pasta is simple doesn't mean it has to be boring. Here are 10 recipes to...

Mother's Day brings breakfast in bed -- who's to say that Father's Day can't bring a long-cooked, sticky-fingered, hard-earned dinner? This Father's Day, join your dad (or, if you're a dad, your kids!) in the kitchen, and cook one of these dishes to make the day special. You deserve it.

If spring could be embodied in a cheese, we're certain it would be ricotta. It has the ethereal qualities of a cloud and clicks with both sweet and savory recipes. If you haven't been won over by ricotta yet, these recipes are sure to do the trick.

More from...

Every Friday on Food52, a DIY expert spares us a trip to the grocery store and shows us how to make small batches of great foods at home.

Today: Tara O'Brady from Seven Spoons makes homemade ranch dressing in just three simple steps: mix, shake, and stir.

Every Friday on Food52.com, a DIY expert spares us a trip to the grocery store and shows us how to make small batches of great foods at home.

Today: Marisa McClellan from Food in Jars preserves spring's bright red bounty in a Strawberry Rhubarb Jam.

Fresh herbs have a way of improving any dish, from savory to sweet. Classic dishes can benefit from the lift that fresh herbs provide just as much as more unexpected ones can. Whether you have an herb garden, or just a fridge chock full of them, here are 10 recipes...

In the summer, you'll find us eating and drinking outside as much as we possibly can. To make packing picnics as stress-free as possible -- and to maximize our time outside -- we have the dishes we can turn to, the ones we know are portable, flavorful, and can withstand...

It often seems that anything cooked on the grill is instantly more delicious. This universal cooking technique also provides a way to spend as little time in the kitchen as possible, and -- let's face it -- to create a bit of a show out of your meal. Any way...

Every other Thursday, Gena Hamshaw of the blog Choosing Raw shares satisfying, flavorful recipes that also happen to be vegan.

Today: A granola bar you don't have to bake, with a recipe that won't tie you down. 

Summer is quickly approaching, which...

Flashing lights, bright colors, loud noises, sticky fingers: these are the hallmarks of state fairs and carnivals, the real signs that summer is coming. While there's nothing quite like a freshly fried Oreo from red-pinstriped tent, here are 10 ways to recreate our favorite carnival foods at home. We can...

We're all about seasonal eating around here -- and for good reason. Eating seasonally means you get to savor flavors at their best, and appreciate the ones that won't be around for long. However, as good as a rhubarb pie is in the spring, sometimes you just plain feel like...

Here at Food52, we love recipes -- but do we always use them? Of course not. Because once you realize you don't always need a recipe, you'll make your favorite dishes a lot more often.

Today: If you can source good ground meat, you can make meatballs.

Many of us find our heart-racing, drool-inducing, oh-my-god-I-can't-wait-to-get-in-the-kitchen inspiration at the farmers' market. Or at the butcher shop. Or at the fish counter. We rarely turn to our pantries for inspiration, and instead save the pantry rummaging for nights that dinner feels like a burden.

But with a can of...

Every week, Food52's Senior Editor Kristen Miglore is unearthing recipes that are nothing short of genius.

Today: You didn't think croissants could get better, did you? They can.

A croissant -- a good one, in its prime -- is a perfect bundle...

We're guessing you've noticed: Great Gatsby excitement is at an all-time high. With the movie premiering tomorrow, we're breaking out our most flapper-esque dresses, and turning up the jazz music.

While the food of the 1920s may have left something to be desired, the bites below are definitely worthy of...

There are few ways better to show your love for your mom -- or, if you're a mom, your love for your kids -- than by spending a day in the kitchen with family. Here are 10 of our favorite weekend baking projects -- projects to get your hands...