Dairy

Like Mexico’s better-known culinary exports—guacamole, tacos, and tequila—Mexican-style corn (elote) is finding its place in restaurants, street carts, and home kitchens across North America. Given how available the ingredients are and how quickly it can be prepared, it’s no wonder that it’s a new favorite. Grilling lends an earthiness to the corn, but if grilling is not an option, boil it instead. It’s worth seeking out cotija, a Mexican cow’s-milk cheese, but in a pinch, Parmesan or feta will do.

Coffee and burgers are not your everyday combination, but you’ll be surprised at the depth and complexity that freshly ground beans deliver when combined with brown sugar, pepper, coriander, and oregano. Bacon, along with the smoked cheese, is added to the patties while they finish up on the grill. Spoon on the Texas Barbecue Sauce, and crack open a brew.

Tender chicken shot through with a simple marinade and livened with a spicy-sweet Tex-Mex sauce works well for a casual dinner party or a regular old Wednesday night. This dish, originally from Golden Annie’s in Frisco, Colorado, can be prepared in advance, although don’t worry if you only have time to let the chicken marinate a few hours.

“Deviled” is just a Southerner’s way of saying “don’t forget the spice.” If you like deviled eggs, you’ll probably love deviled chicken, marinated in a blend of buttermilk, cayenne, and dry mustard, then coated and fried. Like most good things that come out of the South, this recipe demands a leisurely pace. You’ll want to marinate the chicken for at least a day, and then allow the chicken to rest in the seasoning for about an hour prior to frying. This is a supremely portable and packable recipe, since the chicken is delicious either hot or cold.

Crispy, crunchy, spicy, and best of all, easy, from chefs Bruce Aidells and Nancy Oakes. Fill a few bowls with lime cream, tangy tomatillo salsa, and quick-pickled toppings (all of which can be made in advance) for a make-your-own taco buffet. Baja purists, feel free to insist on mahimahi for the fish, but sea bass, tilapia, cod, and catfish all stand up equally well to the buttermilk batter.

Served cold or at room temperature, this colorful orzo is picnic and party ready. Save yourself some time—and effort—by buying peeled and deveined shrimp, and look for bocconcini, which are tiny mozzarella balls, usually sold in water. With precut veggies, this salad is a snap.

With just 2 minutes on the grill, crisp romaine develops a smoky, charred flavor without wilting. Add a garlicky anchovy dressing, freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, and grill-toasted croutons, and you have a whole new way to enjoy classic Caesar salad. The salad pairs with all your barbecue favorites, but a hearty steak is its perfect match. Prep the dressing in advance—store it in the refrigerator and give it a good shake before using—and grill the romaine while your meat rests.

Watermelon and heirloom tomatoes work together to create a juicy and flavorful arrangement that is sweet and tangy. Use different-colored watermelon with tomatoes for a stunning presentation. Heaping the salad over a crunchy base of fresh arugula keeps the various flavors in check.

These versatile small tartlets can take top billing for a light lunch or play appetizer to a lazy weekend brunch. A creamy custard forms the backdrop for three fillings: goat cheese and tomato; crab and tarragon; and pea, onion, and pancetta. The empty pastry shells can be baked up to a day in advance, then filled and finished when you’re ready to eat. Pack them for a picnic—they’ll easily travel!

After tasting this Mediterranean and Middle Eastern delight, even avowed zucchini haters will sing the vegetable’s praises. If you don’t have—or you dislike—dill, use other herbs such as basil, chives, and mint, and try French or Bulgarian feta for a milder and less salty alternative to the Greek cheese. Serve these zucchini patties with traditional meze dishes such as tzatziki, labaneh, tabbouleh, fattoush, olives, dolma, hummus, and kibbeh, for an array of appetizers.

These slightly sweet and perfectly tart scones are quick and easy for breakfast, brunch, or an afternoon snack. Meyer lemons, a cross between a lemon and an orange, are sweeter and less acidic than regular lemons. They’re gaining in popularity and more widely available, but if you can’t find any, just use a standard lemon. Likewise, dried blueberries can often be found at specialty food stores and good supermarkets, but dried cranberries are easier to find and make an excellent substitute.

Epicurious member Uhlemann may have thought of one of the best pastry workarounds since the frozen pie shell. This recipe uses phyllo dough, and, once you get the hang of working with it, it’s easy, fast, and leakproof. Great for a brunch, this quiche can be made ahead and reheats perfectly.

The sister-in-law of Epicurious member Connie Sainato of Smyrna, Delaware, introduced her to these eggs at a holiday brunch. They most closely resemble a baked frittata, but what makes the recipe a winner is that you can completely prep it the night before. “Since I am not a morning person, I always make at night and bake in morning,” Sainato says. She suggests using only nutty Gruyère in this, as it melts beautifully, but in a pinch you can use whatever Swiss you have on hand.

Bursting with bold, south-of-the-border flavor, these zesty breakfast tacos give you a reason to rise and shine. Creamy, luscious eggs and sharp Cheddar engulf the spicy chorizo. Slightly crisp corn tortillas mean this can be a quick breakfast or a more leisurely knife-and-fork operation. Serve this dish for a casual family brunch, but be sure to make plenty for everyone: with such crowd-pleasing ingredients, these tacos disappear quickly. If you want to skip the chorizo, try using other breakfast meats or even a vegetarian sausage.

This frothy Southeast Asian favorite is easy to make and even easier to slurp down. Customize your drink with mint or cumin for a summer barbecue, baby shower, or birthday; you can even spice it up your drink with ground chiles or fresh ginger.

This carrot cake from Becky Guyton, a home cook in Ohio, is one of our most beloved recipes, perhaps because it achieves the perfect balance of tangy and sweet, spongy and creamy, dense and light. Originally appearing in a 1994 Bon Appétit column, it’s almost as moist as bread pudding. To cut back on the sweetness, just reduce the amount of sugar in the icing to three cups.

This cheesecake from California’s Wente Vineyards is ethereal and easy. An Italian grandmother might scold you for not using ricotta, but good-quality mascarpone will yield a smoother, richer, and denser cheesecake. Feel free to experiment with different kinds of biscotti such as chocolate, but really, what makes this cheesecake are the balsamic strawberries, which are sweet and tart—the perfect counterpart to the cheesecake’s richness.

This velvety pudding is the brainchild of chef and cookbook author Sara Foster; and like many of her recipes, it’s a masterpiece of simple goodness that needs no extra bells or whistles. But it’s amenable to a variety of sauces and toppings. Try soaking the fresh berries in port to make a memorable dessert.

Here’s a gluten-free ice cream from Epicurious member Lorelei Lee of Philadelphia, complete with the taste of carrot cake. A cooling treat, this dish is perfect for a sunny day. Cream cheese, sugar, and milk provide the backbone for the simple dish, while cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and shredded carrot give it that carrot cake feel. Like most homemade ice creams, this dessert should be eaten within a few days.

Traditionally for Jewish holidays, these little pastries are perfect any time. While making rugelach may seem daunting, this recipe gives you helpful tips that cut the time and effort required.