Molasses

These berry-studded flapjacks are terrific topped with sweet butter and maple syrup and accompanied by bacon, ham or sausages. Big fans of molasses will want to pour a little extra over the pancakes.

Molasses combines with canned chipotle chilies to give the delicious salad its smoky, robust flavor. Begin preparing this well in advance so that the dried beans get the proper amount of soaking time.

Although most of the molasses imported by the Colonies in the seventeenth century was used to make rum, some found its way into the kitchen. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

With his supersize grill, Chris Schlesinger cooked a whole ham—and scored the skin for a real showstopper presentation—but he suggested a shank half for cooks with standard grills. In order for the flavor of the rub to really penetrate the meat, we removed the skin and most of the fat. Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 1 1/2 days

Beef rib meat becomes tender and succulent with slow cooking over low, indirect heat. Marinate the ribs overnight and allow for three hours of cooking time on the grill.

Having run the cake table at my daughter's school last year, I can say that there are two types of optimum bake sale fare: small, individual pieces that look cute and fetch high unit-prices and sheet cakes that can be made without effort or dexterity and sliced up easily. This recipe fits the latter category and has the added virtue of appealing to parents and grandparents who feel that something from the sale should be gratifyingly old-fashioned. The fresh ginger is a modern touch, admittedly, but I always keep some in the fridge and wanted to try it in a less contemporary, pan-Asian way one day (it worked.) The lemon icing may not be conventional either, but there is another starkly practical reason for it: brown things — if they're not gooily chocolate — don't sell so well; and the lemon spruceness of the topping is perfect with the musky sweetness beneath it.

Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 45 min

Taste your muffin before you begin to prepare the recipe. If it is not very sweet, you can add another 1/2 tablespoon of molasses. Active time: 10 min Start to finish: 1 1/4 hr

A whiskey-spiked variation on classic pecan pie. Serve the tartlets with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, if desired.

Boxed spice cake never tasted so good: Fresh pears, crystallized ginger and a sweet nut topping really perk it up. Serve this warm or at room temperature. The topping will be soft when warm; it will be firmer, like southern praline, when cool.

Everything's ready: The pumpkin is carved, the costumes are made, and the front yard is looking absolutely frightful. All that's missing from this Halloween scene is something sweet—for the kids, of course. How about caramel apples? You could make them, and then the kids could help with the decorating. That would be a great way to introduce them to one of your childhood favorites. After all, you’re much too mature these days to take a big, sticky bite out of a succulently sweet caramel apple, but the kids will devour them. And at least they’ll be eating apples — even if they are coated with delicious caramel, and even if they are decorated with chocolate and nuts and sprinkles. Our resident candy expert and senior food editor, Sarah Tenaglia, developed an easy recipe for the caramel, and she outlined straightforward steps to follow while making it. She also came up with all sorts of decorating ideas. Perfect. Now you have everything you need for Halloween — for the kids, of course. Making the caramel requires the use of a clip-on candy thermometer, which should be tested for accuracy before starting. Attach it to the side of a medium saucepan of water, and boil the water for three minutes. The thermometer should register 212°F; if it doesn’t, take the difference into account when reading the temperature.

Great served warm or at room temperature, this moist, delicious steamed bread can be made in a single loaf pan or in two empty, clean 28-ounce food cans. Offer softened butter or cream cheese alongside.

Use two 6-mold nonstick mini-Bundt-cake pans or giant-muffin tins for these.

Dark beer and molasses add rich depth of flavor to this moist and delicious cake.

David Barber, chef at Three Square Grill in Portland, Oregon, writes: "My restaurant may not be located in the trendiest part of town, but we have a neighborhood following of customers who appreciate my house-made bread, lox, bacon, sausage, preserves, and pickles." This Bundt-cake gingerbread is moist, rich, and decadent — no wonder it's Three Square Grill's signature dessert.

"Needing a cake for a surprise 60th birthday party for my husband and a friend, I used my mother's favorite cake recipe," writes Doris Lindsay of Shrewsbury, Massachusetts. "It turned out that most of the party guests had never had gingerbread cake. It was so well received that I was inspired to send the recipe to you." Mrs. Lindsay sometimes mixes walnuts and raisins into the batter just before baking. It's also easy to double this recipe and have enough for a party; you'll just need 2 (9- by 2-inch) round pans or a 13- by 9- by 2-inch pan. Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 1 1/4 hr

Pork shoulder bacon may not get quite as crisp as belly bacon, but it has a great taste and a meaty texture. Even if you have a thermometer for your grill, you'll still need an instant-read — the grill thermometer won't register low enough to monitor the cold-smoking.