New England

Though I haven’t lived on Cape Code since I was eight, this dish proves I’m not just a Red Sox fan but a true New England Patriot. With Chowda and Mac ’n’ Cheese in one dinner, you can get to Massachusetts in 30 minutes or less, even if you live in Michigan.

This is an easy recipe for a late summer backyard feast. Steamed lobster, lemony butter, and a few cold beers: That’s love. Special equipment needed: kitchen shears, tongs, crackers, bibs, and a napkin to wipe your chin.

Good clam chowder starts with really good, fresh clams. It’s easy to find them if you live on the coast, but even if you’re landlocked in Ohio, you can ask the guy in the seafood department to order them. I use both cherrystones, which are large and meaty, plus smaller littlenecks, which are more delicate and should be cooked only briefly. I don’t care for bottled clam juice because of its high sodium content.

This buttery yet crisp New England cracker is a close cousin of the oyster cracker. Here's our delicious version.

Serve this smoky soup with plenty of homemade Common Crackers . If substituting smoked whitefish for haddock, add 2 thick-cut slices of smoked bacon; see instructions below.

This clam chowder has been an American classic since the early 1800s, and it’s easy to see why. Cream—strike one! White potatoes—strike two! Bacon—should be strike three, you’re out! Here’s the good news: By replacing whole milk and cream with skim milk and yogurt, I had a calorie deficit—which I used to include some bacon.

This dish tastes like an entire New England clambake all folded into a luxurious frittata. Budget enough time to bake the potato and to steam the lobster. Though this is a little more work than most brunch dishes, it’s worth the extra time when you really want to pamper some guests, and yourself. Serve with Spicy Zucchini with Mint (page 218).

Not in the mood for bread? No problem. This no-mayo lobster mixture would also make an ideal centerpiece in a summer salad.

These wee sandwich cakes, also known as Moon Pies, got their start in Pennsylvania Dutch country. They are known as whoopee pies because children exclaim, "Whoopee!" when the cakes are ready. Whole Foods sells Tiny Trapeze brand marshmallow cream, made with "no junkie stuff," as the container states.

Dried beans don’t always need to soak overnight. Just prepare them as instructed below.

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text are from Brooke Dojny's book The New England Clam Shack Cookbook, 2nd Edition. At Shaw's [Fish and Lobster Wharf], their lobster pot pie is something like a lobster gratin — a rich and luxurious dish in itself — made more so with its buttery crumb topping. Because it can be made ahead and reheated just before serving, this lobster pot pie makes an ideal meal for a special dinner party.

This is the Culinary Institute of America's version of the American classic, rich and creamy. Paired with a salad and bread, it becomes a hearty meal.

Looking for a fast weeknight dessert? Johnnycake—essentially a cross between a pancake and corn bread—isn't fancy, but it's delicious when made with delicate pears and maple syrup.

Full of sweet corn, smoky bacon, and delightfully briny clams, this light summer chowder is like having a whole New England clambake in a bowl.

If a bite of this clean, bright "pâté" transports you to a sunny beach on Nantucket, that's because it's inspired by a similar spread offered at the island's Straight Wharf Fish Store. This rendition can be whipped up effortlessly, but it's a substantial and statement-making appetizer nonetheless.