Gina Marie Miraglia Eriquez

There is something to be said for a big, sunny slice of lemon custard pie—and that is, "Oh, boy." Neither too sweet nor too sharp, particularly when served with plenty of freshly whipped cream, it provides a festive-yet-undecorated counterpoint to fancier desserts. The graham cracker crust, like the pie itself, is the embodiment of simplicity. It's also terrifically pantry-friendly.

It's easy to understand why apple crumble pie (sometimes called French apple pie in diners and old cookbooks) is so immensely popular: It packs all the flavor and fragrance of a traditional apple pie underneath a carapace of nutty, buttery, cinnamony crumbs. Adding cranberries to the filling evokes a familiar fall color and provides pleasant tartness to balance the sweetness.

When layered with tender, brandy-spiked pears and a fluffy maple-flavored frosting, spice cake sheds its old-fashioned modesty, becoming impressive enough for any Thanksgiving sideboard. While it will surely satisfy the cake fans at your holiday gathering, it just might tempt a few diehard pie lovers, as well.

As a child, food editor Gina Marie Miraglia Eriquez regularly enjoyed the hearty stew that her grandmother Mary Pacella prepared as a way to use up surplus produce from the garden. Today, however, Miraglia Eriquez makes it as often as she can during the summer and early fall, using garden produce at its peak.

No, its not the title of a lost Dr. Seuss opus, but a perfectly grown-up dish in which the richness of grilled spice-rubbed lamb chops is cut by lemon (both zest and flesh). Chances are you'll want to eat it anywhere.

Green beans cooked crisp-tender retain their vivid color and snap, bringing garden freshness to the table no matter what the season. In this quick Asian-inspired side dish, toasted sesame seeds— along with a dose of sesameoil—:add an aromatic, nutty touch.

This sandwich gets a toasty power-up from your grill pan. Melted mozzarella bolsters chicken cutlets, and its gooey richness is offset by the fiery spark of cherry peppers. A tomato-basil salad rounds out the meal.

Everyone's free to be a kid again with one of these wickedly good frozen treats in hand. Chewy blondie cookies bookend a thick layer of lemony ice cream (store-bought vanilla bumped up with lemon juice and zest) ribboned with a speedy blueberry compote.

A take on muhammara, a Turkish and Syrian red pepper spread thickened with bread crumbs and walnuts, this sunset-hued condiment comes together in minutes and does double duty as an accompaniment to both the kebabs and the grilled pita.

Pita rounds spring to life after just a couple of minutes on a hot grill: The dimpled surfaces of the flatbread crisp up in a nice contrast with their soft interiors (be sure to buy the pocketless kind of pita, which is fluffier than pita that is meant to be split and stuffed). A shake of crunchy kosher salt and a brush of garlicky olive oil flecked with oregano knocks them out of the park.

Radicchio adds streaks of scarlet and a pleasant bitterness to the usual Greek-salad suspects. A simple lemon and olive-oil dressing keeps things light and fresh.

Food editor Gina Marie Miraglia Eriquez, who created this menu, takes the Mexican tradition of sprinkling corn on the cob with cotija cheese and dried chile and turns it on its head. By substituting crumbled feta and mint, she gives the summer standby a Mediterranean slant. Cutting the ears into smaller sections makes them easier to coat with the buttery cheese and herb mixture—and way more fun to eat.

Any excuse to cook a pork chop is a good excuse, and here is one of Italian origin: You get to stuff it with prosciutto, not to mention buttery Fontina and aromatic sage.

Cold noodle dishes are a great way to cool off, and since both calamari and rice-stick noodles require little cooking, the combination makes for an excellent lunch or dinner on a hot, lazy day. With its generous amount of fragrant garden herbs, this salad even smells refreshing.

A classic American sandwich gets a makeover: The avocado dressing has an inviting creaminess to it, and the crunchy grilled croutons are a revelation.

Tender, inexpensive sirloin flap steak—another name for the "tails" of porterhouses and T-bones—is ideal for kebabs. It's well marbled (the fat adds flavor on the grill), and its long, narrow shape makes it easy to cut into cubes. Robust and beefy on its own, flap steak tastes even better after being marinated in a paste of olive oil, cumin, coriander, and fresh oregano.

The many components of this big salad—served side by side on a platter—all have quite different flavors and textures and go together brilliantly.

These substantial bread twists are loaded with fresh rosemary and thyme, generously brushed with garlic oil, and, after they come out of the oven, rolled in a mixture of Parmigiano-Reggiano and parsley. Don’t be at all surprised if they steal the show.

Hot-wing aficionados will flip for these grilled shrimp, seasoned with hot sauce and butter. Celery and homemade blue cheese dip are delicious accompaniments.

In their quest to achieve this drink's signature demarcation between stout and ale, some beer fanatics invest in a special Black and Tan spoon that can hook over the side of the glass. An inexpensive spoon bent at a 90-degree angle will work just as well.