Make Ahead

Mayonnaise replaces the oil that's typically used in chocolate cakes. It gives this cake—which would make the ideal birthday cake—an incredibly moist and tender texture. Serve with glasses of ice-cold milk.

In this pretty soup, sweet fresh peas are enhanced with a bit of mint.

Finely grated lime peel, a tangy lime glaze, and crunchy pistachios brighten up this old-school favorite.

Thinly shaving the asparagus gives the familiar vegetable a new look—and a delicate taste. Because the asparagus is shaved so thinly, there is no need to cook it.

Baking this free-form tart on a rimmed baking sheet helps contain any juices that might overflow.

You'll get about five cups of preserves from this recipe. Try leftovers alongside soft cheeses or over vanilla ice cream. Fresh ricotta is available at some supermarkets and at specialty foods stores and Italian markets.

I love coming home with friends from a steamy day at the beach knowing that I've got a batch of cold tomato soup ready. I dish it up, swirl in a tablespoon of vibrant green arugula pesto, and pass it around. We sit on the porch and savor the flavor of sun-sweetened summer tomatoes enhanced with a touch of cream and a nip of vodka. The rest of dinner will come later, but for now, we're assuaging our hunger, chatting, laughing, and reliving the events of the day. This is a great make-ahead soup. In fact, it becomes more flavorful with age. Although I like it cold, it's equally good heated. If storm clouds gather and the temperature plunges, take the soup from refrigerator to stove, heat it up, and serve it in mugs.

Food editor Maggie Ruggiero touts these amber bars as the love child of rice krispie treats and those sesame candies sold at natural foods stores. They're nutty, both crisp and chewy, and just a bit crumbly—the perfect afternoon snack.

Alone, this cake is moist, tender, and elegant, the chocolate echoed by the glossy glaze. But let's put our cards on the table: The exuberant confetti of colorful sprinkles is what makes you want to dive right in. They're just so much fun. Indeed, this cake turns any meal into an occasion with a capital "o."

Crudités and dip are party staples. Choose whatever seasonal veggies you like, but mix up the colors. Some veggies, such as carrots and peppers, can be served raw, while others, like zucchini and asparagus, should be blanched but still have a slight crunch. There's nothing sexy about a limp piece of asparagus! And keep the vegetables separate—it makes it easier to refill the platters.

Soup is a great way to use up leftover greens, especially the leafy tops of beets or turnips, which too often get tossed in the compost pile. In this suave, satisfying soup, braising beet tops and collard greens (left over, respectively, from Smoked–Sable Tartare with Beets and Watercress and Wild–Mushroom Bundles ) with fennel and onion mellows the greens' hearty flavor and brings out a surprising smoothness (heightened by the cream stirred in at the end). Adding the spinach just before blending helps keep the color bright.

Leftover dulce de leche is nothing if not versatile: You can spoon it over ice cream, drizzle it over fresh fruit, or serve it with cookies. But if you're still feeling industrious after making our Dulce de Leche Half Moons, use the rest in these truffles. We promise you won't be sorry. The combination of caramelized milk, bittersweet chocolate, and almond butter produces a deeply flavored, not–too–sweet confection. And there's no need to chill the mixture before rolling, as you would if making traditional truffles with chocolate and cream—this user–friendly "ganache" practically rolls itself. If you make the truffles with peanut butter, the nut flavor will be a bit more pronounced than in the almond–butter version.

When I was growing up, my mom would cut up fresh fruit and arrange it on a plate with a shot glass full of toothpicks. She would also toss fresh fruit with some orange or lime juice and sugar. Taking inspiration from her, I came up with my own version: lime, lemon, a little maple syrup, and an herb syrup with rosemary or mint.
Cut your fruit into chunks rather than into small pieces; I find that small pieces of fruit get mealy and mushy. Make the salad the morning you're going to serve it, but if you're determined to make it the night before, cut up the fruit, store it in separate containers, and then toss it together in the morning. Use whatever fruit you'd like (bananas, apples, berries—the possibilities are endless), but unless you're using the ripest, sweetest seasonal fruit, add a little sugar.

This remarkable sabayon, made with egg yolks left over from Spiced–Pumpkin Soufflés with Bourbon Molasses Sauce , tastes like a very lush and airy lemon curd. Pairing it with juicy segments of grapefruit creates a delightful call and response between the two citruses and their varying decibels of sweetness and tart zing. (The sabayon also pairs well with oranges or berries.) Though it is traditional to serve sabayon still warm—from the simmering water over which it is whisked—this version also tastes delicious chilled.

Half a can of chickpeas left over from the Moroccan–Style Lamb and Carrots gets new life in this raita flavored with toasted cumin and fresh mint. Serve this cool Indian condiment with naan or crisp flatbread; it also tastes great with grilled lamb or chicken.

Stirring homemade chutney (left over from Country Pâté with Pineapple Chutney) into softened cream cheese makes an easy and irresistibly bright spread. A topping of crunchy curried walnuts gilds the lily and also plays up the chutney's cheery color.

Leftover quatre épices from our Confit Duck Legs adds mellow depth to this smooth, velvety pâté spiked with Cognac. The classic flavors of this tried–and–true starter served with baguette toasts are sure to brighten any cocktail party.

There's no need to introduce any liquid to the slow cooker—as the chicken legs and vegetables cook, they release their juices to make a very savory stew. Whisking in some sour cream just before serving adds body to the sauce, and fresh cilantro brings brightness to this no–hassle one–dish dinner. Poblano chiles have notoriously tough skins, but we were happily surprised to learn that several hours of gentle cooking makes the skins practically melt away.

Versions of picadillo—a savory dish of beef, onion, and tomato punctuated by olives and raisins—are served in many Latin American countries. Crowned with a tender biscuit topping made with arepa flour, it becomes a homey one-dish dinner.