Name: Banana-Black Bean Empañadas
Yield: Makes 12
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons vegetable oil; 1 firm medium-size banana, diced; ¾ cup chopped onion; 1 15-ounce can black beans, drained; ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro; ¾ teaspoon ground cumin; ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper; 1 17.3-ounce package frozen puff pastry (2 sheets), thawed; 1 cup (packed) coarsely grated Monterey Jack cheese; 1 egg, beaten to blend (for glaze)

Image may contain Pastry Food Dessert and Bread

Photo by Leo Gong

Diane Brown Savahge of Los Angeles, California, writes: "I'm a part-time restaurant manager and food writer, and occasionally I teach cooking classes. One piece of advice I always share with my students is to keep the ingredients list short — you don't need to empty out your refrigerator to make a great meal. You just need a few quality ingredients with bold flavors."

These Latin American turnovers work as appetizers or as a vegetarian main course when served several to a person.

Recipe notes

Classic Potato Latkes

Crispy. Golden. Fluffy. Bubbe would approve.

Butternut Squash–Kale Salad With Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette

Round out these autumn greens with tart pomegranate seeds, crunchy pepitas, and a shower of Parmesan.

Mascarpone Cheesecake

An extra-silky filling (no water bath needed!) and a smooth sour cream topping make this the ultimate cheesecake.

Our Favorite French Onion Soup

Caramelized onions, melty Gruyère, and a deeply savory broth deliver the kind of comfort that doesn’t need improving.

Classic French Bouillabaisse With Rouille

This flexible recipe is all you need to bring this iconic Provençal seafood stew to your table.

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.

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.

Béchamel Sauce

This classic 15-minute sauce is your secret weapon for homemade mac and cheese, chowder, lasagna, and more.