5 Ingredients or Fewer

Orgeat, an almond-flavored syrup, gives this bubbly cocktail its trademark fragrance. Find it at better supermarkets or liquor stores.

Inspired by a recipe from chef Kaori Endo of Nanashi in Paris, this smart, easy dessert shows how well matcha plays with creamy yogurt and fruit.

For the crispiest results, dry the chickpeas before frying.

Four ingredients never tasted so good! Vanilla ice cream makes a great fifth.

Sweet flavors, in moderation, balance acidity and tame bitterness. Make sure to have simple syrup on hand since many recipes call for it.

This old-fashioned classic has many renditions but we love this one best; feel free to substitute milk, white, butterscotch, or bittersweet chocolate chips for the semi-sweet and almonds, walnuts, or peanuts for the pecans.

Don't turn up your nose at this strange-sounding combination—carrots, cocoa, and white chocolate is actually a brilliant union.

Annie Lau is ethnically Chinese, born in Malaysia. Her husband is ethnically Chinese, and born in Hawaii. The couple moved to San Jose in the late 1990s and their kitchen is a laboratory where their regional and ethnic influences meet local ingredients. Neither had seen to Brussels sprouts before moving to California, but after numerous attempts, they devised a recipe to bring out the nutty sweetness in the little cabbages. The final recipe, Ms. Lau says, "is an experiment in laziness. The less you do, the better." Try to pick similar size sprouts.

Editor's note: Use this recipe to make Norma Naranjo's Tamales . Mrs. Naranjo says, "A lot of these traditional dishes are being modernized. You see chefs putting spices and things in their red chile. My grandmother only used salt. I only use salt. This sauce can also be used to make red meat chile or chile filling for tamales, or to give thickness and smoky fire to other soups and stews."

Ajwain wali Poori Pooris are Indian fried flatbreads regularly served at festivals and celebrations. They are usually made with whole-wheat flour. This recipe calls for carom seeds for added flavor and offers tips to achieve a puffed bread.

Editor's note: Use these Peanut Butter Cookies to make Carol Kiciski's Peanut Butter Ice Cream Sandwiches . These are the simplest of gluten-free desserts and a great cookie to make with kids. No mixers or special equipment are needed, just a bowl and a spoon. For those with peanut allergies, sunflower and almond butter work equally well, just make sure to stir the almond butter before using to incorporate any oil that may have risen to the top.

There is something so fun about this ice cream. Rich, creamy, sweet with just a hint of salt, peanut butter ice cream is a special treat—especially when topped with dark fudge sauce! Use creamy peanut butter for a smooth ice cream or crunchy for a bit of texture.

For inspiration, co-owner Eyal Raziel looked to his native Israel, where honey liqueur is popular. "The Bärenjäger balances the kick of the rye," he says.

When the nights turn blustery and the temperature drops, I know that roasted vegetable season has arrived, and I embrace it with reckless abandon. I'll roast any kind of sturdy vegetable that I can cut up and fit into my oven, but one of my favorites is cauliflower, preferably tossed with whole cumin seeds. Not only does the cumin act as a natural remedy to help reduce the dreaded intestinal gas factor (or so I've been told), but it also adds a pleasant earthy flavor to balance the assertive tang of the vegetable. Roasted cauliflower with cumin makes a nice and simple side dish. Even Dahlia will eat it if she's distracted enough. But recently I made it into lunch. I roasted up a head all for myself, and added a topping of salted yogurt (which is simply a good, full-fat yogurt with a little kosher salt mixed in), a few leftover pomegranate seeds (which I can buy at my local market already picked out of the husk), and a smattering of bright green chopped fresh mint. It was a perfect light lunch. It could even be dinner, served over brown rice, bulgur, or some other filling, toasty grain, for a warming meal to start out roasting season right.

Chef Ashley Christensen serves this jam with cheese and thinly sliced country ham or prosciutto as a sweet-and-salty starter.

Use John Currence's classic Southern gravy for smothering biscuits , with or without the fried chicken.

Lemon and oil is a magical marriage that stumps our companions whenever we serve it. "Sumac?" they guess. "Pickled plum? Verjus?" Beautiful in its simplicity, this vinaigrette is our most-oft served, as it is the one most likely to improve any salad it meets.