April Fools’ Day is a holiday that could really use a signature dish. Chef and author Rozanne Gold once wrote an article arguing for “culinary pranksterism” for April Fools’; she’d long collected surprising but wonderful recipes, like a chicken roasted inside a watermelon and cake baked in a shoe box (women’s size 9, 24 servings). A more literal but still delicious option: the fool, a heavenly English dessert that consists of mashed fruit and lightly sweetened whipped cream.

Not a prank, and not a drill: garlicky Alfredo beans, featured below, can turn a can or two of white beans into a really good dinner.

Garlicky Alfredo Beans

Garlicky alfredo beans. Food styled by Spencer Richards. (Kerri Brewer / The New York Times)

This five-ingredient recipe transforms canned beans into a no-fuss, comforting meal that’s easy to whip together at the end of a long day. The beans are doused in a creamy, garlic-infused sauce that’s inspired by Alfredo, and topped with crunchy garlic chips. Choosing the right beans for this recipe might feel intimidating, but the most important thing to remember is texture. Beans that hold their shape and won’t immediately disappear in the sauce are ideal: butter (or lima), Great Northern or chickpeas will make great contenders for this recipe. When pan-frying the sliced garlic into chips, you’ll want to mix attentively for the best results, since the delicate garlic chips can burn very easily. Crunchy and flavorful, they’re worth the effort.

By Carolina Gelen

Yield: 4 servings

Total time: 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup unsalted butter

8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced, plus 1 garlic clove, finely grated

Kosher salt

2 (15-ounce) cans white beans, rinsed

3/4 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup/2 ounces finely grated Parmesan, plus more for serving

PREPARATION:

1. Line a small plate with a paper towel.

2. In a medium pot over medium heat, combine the butter and sliced garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 2 minutes. Once the butter starts to foam, start lifting the garlic to check its color and continue cooking and stirring until it starts to turn golden, another minute. (The garlic can burn very easily — and can continue to darken and cook after it’s been removed from the heat — so make sure to keep an eye on the pot and remove the garlic before it reaches a dark golden color.)

3. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the garlic chips to the paper towel-lined plate and season with salt.

4. Add the beans, heavy cream, Parmesan and a hefty pinch of salt to the pot; stir to combine.

5. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-high heat and cook, stirring gently but frequently, for about 5 minutes, until the sauce has thickened.

6. Stir in the grated garlic and continue simmering for 2 minutes, until fragrant.

7. Divide among bowls. Top with additional Parmesan and the garlic chips.

Chicken Jalfrezi

Chicken Jalfrezi. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. (Christopher Testani / The New York Times)

Originally created as a way to add flavor to roasted meats, chicken jalfrezi is a tangy, spicy stir-fried curry with origins in Bengal. “Jalfrezi” translates to “hot fry,” and the dish typically features meat coated in a thick tomato-based gravy — a defining characteristic of the Anglo-Indian version that became popular through British curry houses in the mid-20th century. This recipe uses both Kashmiri chile powder and fresh serrano chiles to deliver its signature spicy kick.

By Zaynab Issa

Yield: 4 servings

Total time: 45 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 red or yellow bell peppers (or a combination), cut into 1-inch chunks

2 large yellow onions, 1 onion cut into 1-inch chunks and 1 onion finely diced

Kosher salt, preferably Diamond Crystal

6 garlic cloves, finely grated

1 (2-inch) piece ginger, peeled and finely grated

1 serrano chile, thinly sliced, plus more if desired for serving

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons ground coriander

1 teaspoon garam masala

1 teaspoon Kashmiri chile powder (see tip)

1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 (14-ounce) can crushed tomatoes (see tip)

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2-inch pieces

1 teaspoon sugar

1 to 2 teaspoons rice vinegar or white vinegar

Basmati rice or naan (homemade or storebought), for serving

PREPARATION:

1. Heat a large high-sided skillet over high. Add 1 tablespoon oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the bell pepper and onion chunks. Cook, stirring once halfway through the cook, until crisp-tender and charred in spots, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

2. Reduce heat to medium and add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, the finely diced onion, and 2 teaspoons salt. Cook, stirring often and scraping up any browned bits, until onion is softened and beginning to brown, 5 to 7 minutes.

3. Add garlic, ginger, serrano, cumin, coriander, garam masala, chile powder and turmeric and stir constantly to toast the spices until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add crushed tomatoes and 1 teaspoon of salt and stir to combine. Cook until deepened in color and beginning to stick to the bottom of the pan, 6 to 8 minutes.

4. Add chicken and 1 cup water and stir to combine. Increase heat to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken has cooked through and the gravy has thickened, about 12 minutes.

5. Stir in reserved bell pepper and onion chunks, sugar and vinegar to taste. Cook until warmed through, about 1 minute. Serve with basmati rice or naan, topped with more serrano chile if desired.

TIPS:

To substitute Kashmiri chile powder, use 1/2 teaspoon paprika and 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne, depending on your heat tolerance.

To substitute crushed tomatoes, use 1 pound of diced plum tomatoes (5 or 6 medium) and 2 tablespoons tomato paste, adding the tomato paste with the spices.

Salmon With Anchovy-Garlic Butter

Salmon With Anchovy-Garlic Butter. Food Stylist: Spencer Richards. (Christopher Testani / The New York Times)

Minced anchovies and garlic add a complex salinity to seared salmon, enriching and deepening its flavor. To get the most out of them, the anchovies and garlic are mashed into softened butter, which is used in two ways: as a cooking medium and as a sauce. Used to cook the salmon, the butter browns and the anchovies and garlic caramelize, turning sweet. When stirred into the pan sauce, the raw garlic and anchovies give an intense bite that’s mitigated by the creaminess of the butter. It’s a quickly made, weeknight-friendly dish that’s far more nuanced than the usual seared salmon — but no harder to prepare.

By Melissa Clark

Yield: 4 servings

Total time: 25 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

4 anchovy fillets, minced

1 fat garlic clove, minced (or 2 small ones)

1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

4 (6- to 8-ounce) skin-on salmon fillets

2 tablespoons drained capers, patted dry

1/2 lemon

Fresh chopped parsley, for serving

PREPARATION:

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. In a small bowl, mash together butter, anchovies, garlic, salt and pepper.

2. In a large ovenproof skillet, melt about half the anchovy butter. Add fish, skin side down. Cook for 3 minutes over high heat to brown the skin, spooning some pan drippings over the top of the fish as it cooks. Add capers to bottom of pan and transfer to oven. Roast until fish is just cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes.

3. Remove pan from oven and add remaining anchovy butter to pan to melt. Place salmon on plates and spoon buttery pan sauce over the top. Squeeze the lemon half over the salmon and garnish with chopped parsley. Serve.

Sheet-Pan Sausages, Sweet Potatoes and Balsamic Kale

Sheet-Pan Sausages, Sweet Potatoes and Balsamic Kale. Food Stylist: Rebecca Jurkevich. (Emma Fishman / The New York Times)

This cozy sheet-pan dinner has flavors we love to love all year long. As sausage, sweet potatoes and whole sage leaves roast together, the sage seasons the sweet potatoes and crisps as if you fried them. Meanwhile, kale leaves soften in a combination of balsamic vinegar, dried cranberries (or cherries), honey and shallot. When the sausages and sweet potatoes are browned, transfer them to plates, then use the pan drippings and residual heat on the sheet pan to turn the kale silky and tangy.

By Ali Slagle

Yield: 4 servings

Total time: 45 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound hot or sweet Italian sausages

2 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds), cut into 1-inch pieces

1/4 cup sage leaves

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and black pepper

1/4 cup dried cranberries or cherries

1 shallot, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 1/2 teaspoons honey

1 bunch kale

PREPARATION:

1. Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Score the sausages in a few places. Toss the sausages, sweet potatoes and sage on a sheet pan with 3 tablespoons olive oil, salt and pepper until well coated. Spread in an even layer and roast until golden brown and cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, stir together the cranberries, shallot, vinegar, honey and remaining tablespoon oil. Strip the kale leaves of their stems, then rip the leaves into bite-size pieces and add to the bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss until coated and slightly wilted.

3. Transfer the cooked sausages and sweet potatoes to plates. Add the kale and balsamic mixture to the sheet pan and toss until the kale is warm. Serve with the sausages and sweet potatoes.

Extra-Green Pasta Salad

Extra-Green Pasta Salad. Food styled by Samantha Seneviratne. (Johnny Miller / The New York Times)

This vibrant green pasta salad gets its color from a combination of spinach and basil, but you can swap the spinach for arugula for a more peppery finish. (Some of us need a little bite in our lives!). The miso in the sauce does a lot of the heavy lifting, imparting a salty, almost Parmesan-like quality. You can eat the salad immediately or chilled for a summer picnic. If making it a day ahead, don’t add the basil garnish and cheese until you’re ready to serve.

By Andy Baraghani

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Total time: 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

Salt and pepper

1 pound short-cut pasta (such as rigatoni, campanelle or fusilli)

3 cups/8 ounces sugar snap peas

1 cup frozen English peas

3 packed cups/3 1/2 ounces baby spinach

2 packed cups/1 1/2 ounces basil leaves, plus more for serving

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons white miso

1 garlic clove, crushed

Zest and juice from 1 lemon

4 ounces Parmesan (or other firm salty cheese, such as feta or aged Gouda), thinly sliced

PREPARATION:

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then throw in a handful of salt. Add the pasta, give it a stir and cook until al dente. Just before draining, add the snap peas and English peas to the boiling water to barely soften, 20 to 30 seconds. Drain the pasta and peas, and rinse lightly with cold water; set aside.

2. While the pasta water comes to a boil, place the spinach, basil, oil, miso, garlic, and lemon zest and juice in a blender. Blend to a bright green purée. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and a few grinds of pepper, then blend again.

3. Transfer the purée to a large bowl that is big enough to toss all the pasta. Add the pasta and peas, and toss until coated. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the Parmesan and more basil leaves. Toss once more before serving.

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Today is Sunday, April 6, the 96th day of 2025. There are 269 days left in the year.

Today in history:

On April 6, 1917, the United States entered World War I as the House joined the Senate in approving a declaration of war against Germany that was then signed by President Woodrow Wilson.

Also on this date:

In 1830, Joseph Smith and others met in Fayette, New York, to form the Church of Christ — now known as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

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Today in History: April 5, FDR establishes Civilian Conservation Corps

Today in History: April 4, Martin Luther King Jr. assassinated in Memphis

Today in History: April 3, Unabomber arrested in Montana

In 1862, the Civil War Battle of Shiloh began in Tennessee as Confederate forces launched a surprise attack against Union troops, who beat back the Confederates the following day.

In 1896, the first modern Olympic games formally opened in Athens, Greece.

In 1954, Sen. Joseph R. McCarthy, R-Wis., responding to CBS newsman Edward R. Murrow’s broadside against him on “See It Now,” claimed in remarks filmed for the program that Murrow had, in the past, “engaged in propaganda for Communist causes.”

In 1968, 41 people were killed by a pair of explosions spurred by a natural gas leak at a sporting goods store in downtown Richmond, Indiana.

In 1994, Rwandan President Juvénal Habyarimana and Burundian President Cyprien Ntaryamira were killed when the jet they were riding in was shot down by surface-to-air missiles as it attempted to land in Kigali, Rwanda.

In 2012, five Black people were shot, three fatally, in Tulsa, Oklahoma; Jake England and Alvin Watts, who admitted to targeting the victims because of their race, pleaded guilty to murder and were sentenced to life in prison without parole.

Today’s Birthdays:

Scientist James D. Watson is 97.
Actor Billy Dee Williams is 88.
Film director Barry Levinson is 83.
Actor John Ratzenberger is 78.
Baseball Hall of Famer Bert Blyleven is 74.
Actor Marilu Henner is 73.
Actor Michael Rooker is 70.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is 61.
Football Hall of Famer Sterling Sharpe is 60.
Actor Paul Rudd is 56.
Actor Zach Braff is 50.
Actor Candace Cameron Bure is 49.
Musician Robert Glasper is 47.

The Timberwolves flirted with utter disaster throughout Saturday’s contest in Philadelphia.

In the end, thanks to Rudy Gobert’s rebounding and some ridiculous shot making from Anthony Edwards, Minnesota escaped with a 114-109 victory.

With Minnesota leading by two and the shot clock set to expire with 10 seconds to play in regulation, Edwards was caught in double-team jail outside the arc. The guard rose up and fired over four outstretched arms — splash.

“I don’t know, I was trapped. I knew there was six seconds left and I didn’t have nobody to throw it to. I just had to get enough space to get a shot off,” Edwards said in his post-game, on-court television interview. “I work on all those shots every day with (assistant coach Chris Hines), so big shoutout to him.”

The heroics came at the end of a quarter in which Edwards scored 18 points on the strength of four triples. The guard finished with 37 points on a night where he crossed a threshold of 300 made triples on the season. Minnesota needed all of it, which was surprising given the opponent.

Philadelphia entered Saturday’s bout as a loser of its previous 10 games. Six of the 76ers’ previous seven losses came by 13-plus points. They’ve been non-competitive. And yet they went down to the wire with the Wolves.

Because Minnesota simply isn’t playing with a competitive edge. The same was true against Brooklyn and, frankly, even in its dramatic win in Denver.

“It’s been who we’ve been all season, and it’s disappointing. It starts with surviving our own mistakes,” Timberwolves coach Chris Finch told reporters. “We had a bunch of guys who didn’t play particularly well today, and the energy was down around that.”

The energy from everyone but Gobert. He continued his recent run of interior dominance, finishing with 23 points, 19 rebounds, three blocks and two steals. Gobert had eight points and eight rebounds in the fourth quarter alone, including a thunderous slam off an offensive rebound.

“It’s incredible to play with somebody who’s a phenomenal rim protector and a phenomenal rebounder,” Edwards said. “He’s been finishing the ball well lately, also. So big shoutout to Rudy. He’s been playing at a high level, and we need that going into the postseason.”

That Gobert slam put the Wolves up 11 with 4 minutes, 36 seconds to play. The game appeared to be closed at that point. But instead, Philadelphia guard Quentin Grimes went nuclear. He scored 14 points in the final three and a half minutes to add doubt back into the equation.

But Minnesota likely shouldn’t have found itself in such a fight to begin with.

“(Rudy) just refuses to let us lose on nights like this, but you can argue that we probably should have,” Finch said. “There’s no reason that we shouldn’t have had better, more energy tonight across the board.”

Particularly with just one week to play in the regular season, and everything at stake in the current Western Conference playoff chase.

Minnesota next plays in Milwaukee on Tuesday.

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Thousands rallied at the Minnesota Capitol in St. Paul and across the state Saturday as part of national protests against President Donald Trump’s policies, which organizers say are an “assault” on freedoms and leading to a “billionaire takeover” of government.

Minnesota “Hands Off!” demonstrators said they’re concerned about Trump’s deportations, trade war against allies, and billionaire presidential adviser Elon Musk’s push to downsize the federal government, which has already resulted in tens of thousands of layoffs and billions in reported cuts to everything from foreign aid to scientific research.

A common theme among those in attendance was a fear of an emerging authoritarianism in the U.S. with what they see as fewer barriers to Trump in his second term as president. “Wake up Americans, this is fascism!” read one sign. Many others carried signs reading “No Kings.”

Recent arrests of foreign university students with ties to Gaza war protests were a big area of concern for Seldon Caswell of White Bear Lake, who said immigration authorities are violating the constitutional right to due process.

“Masked people no wearing no uniform, who refuse to identify themselves, snatching people off the street? That should alarm everybody,” said Caswell, 53. “I am horrified that people I don’t know, students who were registered had a legal visa to be here — suddenly, their visa is gone, and they’re suddenly an illegal immigrant in our country to be disappeared.”

Caswell and many others were first-time protesters. They represented a wide set of groups opposed to Trump’s agenda on a range of issues and carried signs telling the president and Musk to keep their “hands off” funding for education, health and science, or LGBTQ+ rights.

Others were troubled by Trump’s treatment of close U.S. allies, like Canada, whom the president has recently hit with tariffs in an effort to pressure the country to do more to combat what Trump has called unfair limitations on U.S. goods.

“We have a Canadian flag flying in front of our house,” said Ann Walters, 63, of St. Paul. “Those are the best neighbors ever. We just can’t believe that we’re starting a trade war with all these people.”

Walters and others were among what Minnesota State Patrol officers at the rally estimated was a crowd of up to 10,000 people. Officers blocked several nearby streets in order to safely fit the rally, which caused heavy midday traffic in the blocks immediately surrounding the state Capitol.

Activists and state lawmakers, including Rep. María Isa Pérez-Vega, DFL-St. Paul, and Rep. Emma Greenman, DFL-Minneapolis, as well as Minnesota 4th District Congresswoman Betty McCollum, spoke to the crowd, which gathered from around noon to about 2:30 p.m. in front of the Capitol.

“We’re fighting back against Musk and Trump and their illegal and unconstitutional actions,” McCollum said in a brief speech.

The event was just one of more than 1,200 events in all 50 states planned by groups ranging from unions, veterans and LGBTQ+ advocates, the Associated Press reported.

The White House issued a statement in response to questions from the AP about the protests, downplaying concerns about federal cuts.

“President Trump’s position is clear: he will always protect Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid for eligible beneficiaries,” the statement said. “Meanwhile, the Democrats’ stance is giving Social Security, Medicaid, and Medicare benefits to illegal aliens, which will bankrupt these programs and crush American seniors.”

Besides the rally at the Minnesota Capitol, protesters gathered in the cities of Duluth and Rochester on Saturday afternoon. The St. Paul rally was backed by the 50501 movement, which led a large anti-Trump protest at the state Capitol in February, as well as Indivisible Twin Cities and Women’s March Minnesota.

The Republican Party of Minnesota said the rally was organized by “radical progressive groups” and showed that the Democratic Party is “rudderless” and “out of ideas.”

“If this is the best the radical Left has to offer — old ideas, more government waste, and endless complaining — then we welcome the contrast,” Minnesota GOP Chairman Alex Plechash said in a statement.

While there have been anti-Trump showings in Minnesota since he took office again in January, Saturday’s rally was by far the largest, and organizers vowed to continue to pressure the administration and other elected officials with protests.

“It’s time to get off the couch, get out and say something, do something,” said Don Pelton, a 71-year-old veteran from Cottage Grove who decided to join the Indivisible group just one week ago. “I don’t think that the legislators, the government, as it stands right now, can’t ignore it.”

Vanessa Plata, 46, of Maple Grove, said she’s always been politically engaged, but that Saturday’s rally was the first time she had attended a protest in person. Plata, who immigrated to the U.S. from Mexico, said she believes institutions meant to place checks and balances against Trump are failing.

“We can’t continue just sit idle and pretend that what would have been what has been done to the country is normal,” she said. “People are waking up … realizing this is not OK, just a power grab, it needs to stop.”

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