Cream Cheese

Why Fujis? This not-too-sugary cake (inspired by carrot cake) is best when made with fairly sweet apples. Plus, it's important to choose an apple variety with a sturdy structure so that it won't break down during baking. Fuji apples fill the bill on both counts.

Chile "poppers"—just pop 'em in your mouth—are on many restaurant menus, and they're easy to prepare in your own backyard. They need to smoke at a higher temperature so the bacon wrapped around the outside of the chile gets cooked through. Although higher-heat smoking is technically not considered low-and-slow traditional barbecue, it does have its place in recipes like this one (and for people who use a ceramic smoker, which automatically smokes at a higher temperature). At a lower temperature, the bacon won't crisp up. You can also use this technique to smoke other bacon-wrapped appetizers like shrimp, water chestnuts, or green bean bundles. If you like, substitute goat cheese, garlic-and-herb cream cheese, or even pimiento cheese spread for the cream cheese and cheddar. You can also use almonds or walnuts instead of the pecans, or omit the nuts. These poppers are so addictive that you can make a meal out of them! They are slightly fiery, but even friends who describe themselves as heat-intolerant have devoured these and raved about them. Jalapeños of any size will do, but the bigger ones hold more flavor and are easier to fill with cheese. I use a swivel-blade potato peeler or a paring knife to core the peppers. And remember to wear disposable food-handing gloves when touching fresh jalapeños, because oil from hot chiles will stick to your heands. If you rub your eyes or other sensitive areas after working with the chiles, it can be painful. If the chiles are mild, however, gloves aren't necessary. You can buy metal chile popper racks, but you can also use cardboard egg carton. At 350°F, the carton won't burn and you can simply throw it away when you're done. Another big plus to using an egg carton is that the carton absorbs bacon fat. This means no grease flare-ups. You can enhance the hickory or maple wood smoke flavor in the bacon by using that type of wood for your fire, or you can add a little different flavor to your poppers by using apple, oak, or pecan. Suggested wood: Hickory or maple

My son's teachers beg me to make this cake for his snack day at school. It isn't too sweet, and it has a moist, dense texture from the carrots and pineapple. It's also one of my most popular cakes at weddings and parties. When I make it at home, I throw more things into the batter—for example, a handful of pumpkin seeds or toasted pecans if I have them lying around. The beauty of this recipe is that you can increase the spices or omit the nuts, and it will still taste great.

This is a great frosting for the Carrot Cake . The lemon zest complements the cream cheese so perfectly that I sometimes even snack on this frosting—I just can't get enough of the sweet, tangy flavor! If you want extra oomph on the Carrot Cake, add minced ginger to the lemon zest.

Top these delicious bite-size cheesecakes with fresh raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, and/or blueberries.

Peanut butter goes well with more than just jam, and this interesting combination proves it. This is delicious with whatever fruit is in season.

This pie was almost my obsession. I desperately wanted a banana cream pie that wasn't too sweet, and I couldn't find one with the right consistency or the right banana flavor. I think this is pretty close to perfect, and the flavors marry well with the Elvis-inspired peanut butter layer.

This recipe wasn't created, per se; it was a happy accident. One of our new (though lovely) bakers was working on a tray of brownies and pulled them out too early from the oven. They were too underdone for sale, so we cut some out, pressed them into the bottom of a springform pan, and used them as the base of our cheesecake. It has been on our menu ever since.

You will not regret investing in a set of coeur à la crème dishes, as this is the most captivating of summer desserts, and can be varied all season according to what fruits are available.

Gael Greene shared these recipes with Epicurious from her new book, Insatiable. To learn more about Greene, read our Q&A. This is a recipe from my young bride days, before cholesterol was a health concern. But I believe holidays are the perfect excuse for excess. If you serve sixteen with this recipe, you'll feel half as guilty. I did four of these for Craig Claiborne's riotous sixty-seventh birthday party, where so many great chefs cooked that few guests even noticed my effort.

A fun take on the crowdpleasing cream cheese brownies.

Egg dishes always make a great centerpiece, especially when they’re this easy. As it bakes, Gruyère melts into the nutmeg-scented egg and milk mixture, which takes on a light, quiche-like creaminess.

Spice up winter nights with this variation on a popular bar snack. In our version, the cream cheese is frozen and grated and the jalapeños are diced and folded into the batter to create a chunky, spicy fritter.

Forget marshmallows with the yams this year. Instead, use them to make the topping for this cheesecake. Because the cheesecake needs to chill overnight, be sure to begin one day ahead.