Take your cooking skills to the next level while developing a knockout repertoire of 200 essential dishes that satisfy what our modern palates crave, from simple meals to dinner-party centerpieces. In this book, you'll find the perfect roast chicken and a killer banana bread but also a Turkish-inspired tomato soup, luscious Chinese braised short ribs, and a set of wholesome grain bowls. A chapter on weeknight dinners offers smart paths to great flavor--from Bucatini with Peas, Kale, and Pancetta that cooks in one pot to a pizza that bakes in a skillet--including plenty of vegetarian options. Other chapters turn up the volume on breakfast and dessert standbys; try the 100 Percent Whole-Wheat Pancakes and Brown Sugar Cookies and you may never go back to the regular versions. And that's just the tip of the iceberg of what these recipes teach. You'll discover how to "reverse sear" thick pork chops so they turn out juicy all the way through, grind meat in a food processor for the ultimate burger, and shape fresh corn tortillas without a tortilla press or rolling pin. For example: How to Be an Avocado Whisperer: Squeezing that avocado is just going to bruise it. Learn a better way to tell when it's ripe. - Improvising a Pan Sauce: After searing a steak, chop, or chicken breast, don't clean the pan! - How Cheese Melts: Learn why some cheeses melt smoothly while others turn greasy--plus a trick to help cheddar melt without breaking. - The Egg-Doneness Continuum: See the difference between soft-, hard-, and overcooked eggs and find a foolproof method for nailing it every time (and removing the shells more easily).