Snack

The best thing about making ranch from scratch? If you like a more garlicky or more herby ranch, the choice is yours to adjust the recipe accordingly.

Pera learned the art of arepas from his sister-in-law. Now, they're his easy Sunday meal of choice, packed with leftovers or farm-fresh produce. "My wife is a surgeon and works even longer hours than I do," he says, "so brunch is now my favorite meal to cook for her." These are some of Pera's go-to fillings—but anything tastes good in an arepa.

Fleer's family enjoys indoor picnics with brandade (made here with a shortcut: smoked trout) and storebought fixings. "We just sit on the floor and chat and chew," he says.

Used in place of mayonnaise, yogurt brings tang and brightness to these crostini.

Don't worry.you won't need to buy any crabs to make these mind-altering wings. The crab flavor comes from a jarred condiment that's pretty easy to find at Asian markets; if not, use the shrimp version.

Zucchini may not be the most loved vegetable, but when shallow-fried into patties, even kids will go crazy for them.

Borani is a Persian dip made with yogurt. The chioggia beets in this recipe give the dip a gorgeous hue.

This addictive peanut-and-seed mix has "unbeatable summer snack" written all over it. It's got just the right amount of salty-spicy crunch to keep you reaching for another beer, and another handful, and another beer... —A.M.

Delicate squash blossoms are a farmers' market treasure. Look for flowers with perky, intact petals and a generous length of stem still attached. Wrap them loosely in damp paper towels and tuck them into a zip-top bag; they'll keep this way in the fridge for a few days. Or bypass the storage completely and turn them into a predinner bite as soon as you get home.—Alison Roman

If you don't want to heat up your house with the oven, you can bake any muffins on the grill but the lightly smoky flavor that the grill imparts is especially nice with corn-based ones. Because keeping the grill at a steady temperature can be tricky, the baking time can vary, so keep an eye on the muffins. For the best muffins, be sure that the entire pan is not set over direct heat (otherwise, the bottoms will burn).

Mild rice vinegar and a fair amount of sugar yield a less acidic brine and a bright-tasting pickle.

Swap the black pepper for other spices, such as cumin, or fresh chopped herbs.

Dark-meat chicken is the best for grilling: Unlike lean breasts, thighs have plenty of fat, so they won't dry out.

The turnips will taste great after just one week in the pickling liquid, but for that full-on saturated pink hue, let them sit for two full weeks.

Barley has nice heft and chew, but don't feel limited–use cooked farro, quinoa, or brown rice if you prefer.

These shrimp are so big and sweet you'd never know they weren't lobster. Hinged grill baskets make turning them super easy.

When the raw slices are baked, they will shrink considerably, so use large beets.

This dish is simple, unforgettable, and bound to please hot-sauce addicts.

Just about any fruit will work under this delicious lattice crust, but the sweet-tart trio of nectarines, plums, and raspberries is hard to beat.