White beans, bacon lardons, sausage, and browned chicken thighs and drumsticks are baked low and slow with vegetables, tomatoes, and herbs, then finished with a crunchy toasted lemon-parsley breadcrumb topping. This hearty, rustic French-inspired cassoulet is the ultimate budget-friendly crowd-feeder for a cozy dinner with friends.

Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs are seared golden, then braised low and slow with white wine, kalamata olives, thyme, heirloom garlic cloves, and shallot at 375°F for over an hour. The meltingly tender garlic and briny olives create a rustic, deeply savory braise perfect for the episode's celebration of vibrant, colorful ingredients.

A fresh green salad topped with crispy pan-fried polenta croutons and dressed in balsamic vinaigrette. A clever twist on a classic salad with satisfying crunch.

Bourbon is shaken with freshly squeezed blood orange juice and honey syrup, then strained into a coupe glass and garnished with a twist of blood orange peel. The striking crimson hue of the blood orange makes this classic cocktail a showstopper that embodies the rainbow theme.

A light, icy dessert made from sugar syrup steeped with fresh basil and brightened with lemon juice. A refreshing palate cleanser that caps off a summer barbecue without breaking the bank.

Ripe avocado is blended with coconut milk, condensed milk, maple syrup, cocoa powder, and vanilla, then frozen in push-up molds for a creamy, fudgy treat. These secretly healthy frozen pops swap in avocado for richness, making them a guilt-free dessert that kids devour without ever suspecting the hidden vegetable.

A buttery coconut-almond shortbread crust is blind-baked until golden, filled with silky microwave lemon curd, and topped with piped whipped cream and toasted coconut. The nutty, tropical crust gives this classic lemon tart an unexpected twist that delights the fellow cooks in the kitchen.

A complex mole sauce built from ancho and pasilla chiles, almonds, pepitas, Mexican chocolate, raisins, chipotles, and warm spices is slow-cooked with chicken for four hours and served with a bright radish salad and charred tortillas. This rich, deeply layered mole showcases the depth of Mexican cuisine and lets the slow cooker do the patient work of melding dozens of ingredients into one extraordinary sauce.

Rehydrated ancho chile paste is infused into browned butter and combined with Mexican and bittersweet chocolate, espresso, and walnuts for intensely fudgy brownies served with cinnamon-spiked whipped cream. These deeply complex, chile-laced brownies deliver waves of smoky heat, bitter chocolate, and warm spice that honor ancient Aztec chocolate traditions.

On Friday, March 27 at 6pm ET Val and Sophie did a live cook-along with this wonderful take on Beef and Broccoli.