Blender

Umami-loaded ingredients (tofu and miso) make this the most addictive ranch ever.

This is a winning-contestant recipe from Season Four of Fox's MasterChef.

This is a winning-contestant recipe from Season Four of Fox's MasterChef.

This is a winning-contestant recipe from Season Four of Fox's MasterChef.

This is a winning-contestant recipe from Season Four of Fox's MasterChef.

Prefer the big taste of beef in your Joes? Substitute lean ground beef. Or bison. Or a blend. Sloppy Joes are a total what-have-you recipe. Somebody in the family off carbs or gluten? These are awesome in lettuce wraps, too. Don't be intimidated by the number of ingredients. This recipe comes together effortlessly in minutes. Editor's note: This recipe makes 4 servings, plus more for leftovers. Please see "Next-Day Sloppy Joes" and "Sloppy Joes Chili" below for tips on how to enjoy the leftovers.

At farmers' markets, look for Golden Bantam or Silver Queen varieties of corn, which are less sugary than some of the supersweet hybrids.

This is a winning-contestant recipe from Season Four of Fox's MasterChef.

Blanched garlic, which is sweet and mild, is blended with briny clam liquor and olive oil to make a creamy white sauce for this unconventional pizza.

"This looks impressive, but it's simple to whip up," Bemis says. "It goes great with crusty bread and champagne."

Love a ham sandwich with mustard on rye? Those familiar flavors are reimagined in this easily achievable dish.

To ensure the snow-white color of this soup, don't let the onions brown.

For Halloween, we attempted to break the record for the world's loudest scream—the acknowledged "Scream of Ice Cream." To coincide with the attempt we created the world's first "ice cream soup," a bowl of steaming hot 
pumpkin soup with a scoop of pumpkin ice cream dropped in the middle. I loved it, but it left everyone else in meltdown. In the end we ran out of time to stage the world-record 
attempt, and killed off ice cream soup, but we kept spiced pumpkin ice cream alive.

The ginger "bug," which jump-starts the fermentation, specifically uses organic ginger because it's rich in microbes. You'll have extra bug; use it to make more grape soda, or try 4 cups fresh unpasteurized apple juice in place of grape.

Harissa, the basic flavoring agent in Tunisian cuisine, is extremely versatile. Use it as a condiment for grilled meat or fish, add it to roasted vegetables, or stir into stews and soups. We particularly like it with couscous or rice. Adjust the amount of heat by increasing or reducing the number of chiles. Just remember, it is meant to be hot!

The addition of avocado makes this cold soup creamier than your average gazpacho, and the greens make it, well, greener, and with jalapeño included, too, it's got a serious kick that makes it anything but traditional. It probably goes without saying, but if you serve this to Spaniards, either don't call it gazpacho or be prepared for some arguments at the table.

This is a winning-contestant recipe from Season Four of FOX's MasterChef.

This melon dessert will help keep you hydrated on scorching days.

Finish these spicy, smoky, guacamole-topped tacos with crisp, thinly sliced radishes and bright lime, and get ready to watch them disappear.

Green Goddess Dressing is a perfect example of the magic of anchovies—they amplify and deepen the herbal flavors in this sauce without ever announcing their presence. For more recipes and tips, see our Homemade Salad Dressing Primer.