Kendra Vaculin
Contributor
Originally from the San Francisco East Bay, Kendra has worked in food media (Epicurious, Eater, Food52) and test kitchens (Blue Apron) across New York City since 2014, as a writer, recipe developer, food stylist, and producer. She was Bon Appétit's Test Kitchen Editor until 2025, where she thought a lot about what you should make for dinner, developing recipes for her monthly column Speedy Does It and overseeing the Dinner Is Served section of the print magazine. Outside of weeknight cooking, she loves back-pocket desserts, produce-centric picnic food, and stuff to make for a party. She likes ice cream more than vegetables, but it's much closer than you'd think.
Recipes
19 Delightfully Briny Capers Recipes
From cauliflower with caper salsa to chicken piccata, these are our favorite caper recipes.
Recipes
Carrot Wellington
This vegetarian main highlights roasted carrots two ways: glazed as the center of the Wellington, and blended to form the tender filling.
Recipes
Orange-Glazed Roast Pork
A jar of orange marmalade and a few sprigs of fresh rosemary pack a ton of wintry flavor into this celebratory meaty centerpiece.
Recipes
Golden Hour
Pleasantly bitter Suze pairs with ginger syrup, sparkling wine, and a piece of candied ginger that fizzes and bubbles from the bottom of the glass.
Recipes
Chicken Meatballs With Sesame Green Beans
Baking meatballs and green beans on two sides of the same sheet pan streamlines the cooking process for this saucy, savory dinner.
Recipes
Back-Pocket Caper-Butter Chicken
A simple marinade, made with caper brine, becomes a punchy pan sauce, with melted butter for a velvety texture and whole capers for pops of tang.
Recipes
Lemon-Chile Calamari Pasta
A handful of pantry staples and fresh calamari pieces make this quick weeknight dinner taste like a sunny, seaside Italian vacation—any time of year.
Recipes
Cheesy Buldak (Fire Chicken) With Rice Cakes
Bouncy rice cakes turn this spicy Korean classic into a perfect weeknight dinner.
Recipes
The Gooiest Baked Mac and Cheese
This easy, no-roux mac and cheese recipe is made almost entirely on the stovetop and then gets transferred to the oven to melt the cheesy topping.
Recipes
Festive Red Cabbage and Radicchio Salad
This monochromatic mix of radicchio, cabbage, red onion, and cold weather citrus is bright, crunchy, and fresh—just what your holiday table requires.
Recipes
Baked Sweet Potato Chaat
Forget regular baked potatoes—these tender sweets loaded with chaat-inspired toppings make for a bright and flavorful vegetarian main (or colorful side dish).
Recipes
Miso-Mayo Chicken Bowl
This sheet pan dinner taps savory miso mayo for richness and flavor—as a coating for roast chicken and a finishing drizzle.
Recipes
Tadka Turkey and Gravy
Thanks to its high smoke point, ghee is an ideal fat for basting your holiday turkey; pair the perfectly burnished bird with a duo of sauces for maximum flavor.
Recipes
Pumpkin Basque Cheesecake
This twist on burnt cheesecake integrates a can of pumpkin purée and a handful of warming spices—perfect for a holiday table or any chilly fall day.
Recipes
Pastrami Salmon With Fennel Slaw
Salmon is given the weeknight-friendly pastrami treatment with a sugar-and-spice blend that creates a smoky crust reminiscent of the cured meat.
Recipes
Kung Pao Tempeh
This plant-based twist on the classic Chinese chicken dish swaps in crisped crumbled tempeh and fresh fresno chiles.
Recipes
Pork Chops With Green Chiles and Apples
Thick chops get all dressed up in this easy-impressive dinner, ready in 30 minutes.