Gina Marie Miraglia Eriquez

This sweet-tart syrup will be enough for both the rickeys and the fruit cup.

Kids (and more than a few adults) will almost certainly shriek with joy at the sight of this fantasy dessert. Golden, buttery cake layers sandwich chocolate cookie crumbs and are topped with a custard frosting that calls to mind soft-serve ice cream. Crisp wafer cones are filled with batter and baked into their own little cupcakes, then crowned with swirls of ice-cream-style frosting.

Mango, kiwi, and pineapple are enhanced with a little lime syrup for a tangy, and not incidentally yellow and green, fruit salad.

Everyone loves onion rings, but having to fry them up just as the doorbell begins to ring is never a good thing. Miraglia Eriquez devised a way to make them ahead. Reheated in the oven at the last minute, they'll never give away the secret—and since they're breaded, not battered, they stay crisp even at room temperature.

The toasted crumbs on top have a cheesy crispness, and the pasta beneath is creamy and rich. Kids will appreciate the individual servings, but the recipe makes plenty, so why not pour the extra into a baking dish to feed the ravenous parents?

Food editor Gina Marie Miraglia Eriquez often cooks for hordes of children, including her three-year-old son, Alex, and she knows that meatballs are always an easy sell. Inspired by the tiny meatball sandwiches served at New York City's Little Owl restaurant, she came up with these kid-size treats that can be eaten with one hand (leaving the other one free to wreak kid-size havoc).

Kids will need no explanation: They will marvel at these red-and-green-striped drinks that they swirl with a straw. And for grown-ups who may want to get in on the fun, you can make another batch—a shot of gin makes a pleasant, and civilized, addition.

Does the idea of kids wolfing down their vegetables seem utterly improbable? This faintly sweet, gingery dip, reminiscent of that addictive Japanese-restaurant salad dressing, is made mostly from carrots, so you'll be delighted by the compulsive dipping and crunching that's bound to ensue when you put it out.

Don't be surprised if you're asked for this recipe again and again — these shrimp are an absolute knockout. The bright acidity of the marinade and the crispness of fennel, celery, and onion are a delicious counterpoint to the sweetness of the shrimp.

Heavily spiked, our take on the Singapore Sling highlights the aromatic quality of Benedictine, a Cognac-based liqueur that smells of honey, citrus, and herbs.

These lightly sweet tuiles are savory enough to stand in for bread or crackers, and their lacy appearance dresses up any plate.

Any party host knows that food served on skewers is just plain fun. These chicken satés are made from thigh meat, so they don't dry out during grilling, and the palm sugar in the marinade helps get the meat nice and caramely brown.

The mild flavor of mahimahi is a perfect match for this wonderfully balanced tamarind glaze. The famously tart fruit is sweetened with brown sugar and brought to life by soy sauce and lime juice.

This noodle salad, studded with slices of sweet mango and crisp cucumber, is a cooling oasis in the midst of a meal packed with rich, spicy dishes. The glazed roast pork gives the salad added dimension, but could also be served on its own.

This tasty pineapple rum cocktail is everything a tropical drink should be: sweet, fruity, and icy cold.

Fatty pork is the standout ingredient in these crisp spring rolls; it adds intense flavor and a tender texture to the crab and vegetable filling. Fresh ginger and a generous amount of cilantro add kick.

Packed with peanuts and spiked with Thai curry paste, this chunky sauce nearly explodes with flavor and spice. Placed near the chicken satés or the crab-and-pork spring rolls, a bowl of it will quickly disappear.

This frozen dessert, based on the sweet flavors of Vietnamese coffee, will have adults clamoring like children. Each slice delivers an over-the-top mix of ice cream, fudge, and cookie crust.

Pleasantly pungent with a touch of heat, this classic spring roll sauce also works well with the chicken satés.