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A Confederacy of Ounces

A Confederacy of Dunces (1980)
By John Kennedy Toole

Originally handwritten on piles of paper, A Confederacy of Dunces found life only after its author lost his own; John Kennedy Toole committed suicide, his mother found those secret pages, and she began hawking the thing around their home state of Louisiana, claiming it was the next great American novel. (Sorry, guys: sometimes moms are right.) Now a universally adored Pulitzer-winner starring a brilliant New Orleans nut with a heart of odd, this classic goes best with another: the Big Easy's own Sazerac. Raise a glass to the tragically shortchanged Toole—and everything else he might have written.

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Classic French Bouillabaisse With Rouille
This flexible recipe is all you need to bring this iconic Provençal seafood stew to your table.
Salmon With Sizzled Nut Salsa
A savory-hot salsa made with mixed nuts (like the kind dubbed cocktail nuts meant for snacking) gives roast salmon a kaleidoscope of textures and flavors.
Butternut Squash–Kale Salad With Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette
Round out these autumn greens with tart pomegranate seeds, crunchy pepitas, and a shower of Parmesan.
Our Favorite French Onion Soup
Caramelized onions, melty Gruyère, and a deeply savory broth deliver the kind of comfort that doesn’t need improving.
Dulce de Leche
Make this versatile caramel at home with our slow-simmered method using milk and sugar—or take one of two sweetened condensed milk shortcuts.
White Bean Turkey Chili
A dash of cocoa powder adds depth and richness to the broth of this easy turkey chili.
One-Pot Chicken Thighs With Cilantro Rice and Beans
This one-pot dinner cooks chicken thighs directly on top of a bed of flavorful cilantro rice studded with black beans for a complete dinner.
Key Lime Pie Thumbprint Cookies
The classic dessert reimagined as a soft and chewy cookie with a buttery, brown-sugar-sweetened graham cracker dough and a silky lime custard filling.