Quick

While certainly decadent enough on its own as a dip for crusty baguette or chewy ciabatta, this pesto is right at home as a base spread for all sorts of panini. Of course, it’s also a natural tossed in with penne or fusilli pasta (hot or cold), and it makes an excellent marinade or finishing sauce for chicken, salmon, or any delicate whitefish.

Dear Idaho: plant more potatoes. Once people swipe a fry or tater tot through Sriracha Ketchup, only two major food groups will exist: 1) Sriracha Ketchup, and 2) potatoes. Oh, did I mention this turns hash browns and home fries into a new kind of incredible? Besides its propensity for spuds, this crimson condiment works wonders for burgers, corndogs, hot dogs, meatloaf, and much more.

This simple combination looks relatively mundane, but I assure you it will become a staple in your refrigerator. Besides being beyond easy to make, it is extremely versatile and will jazz up any tired old sandwich. Try it in egg salad, on a burger, or as a dip for fries, or make your own spicy tuna rolls at home!

In Mexico, you know that guava season has started when the fruit’s sweet aroma perfumes the air. There are many varieties of guavas, and, thankfully, more and more of them are available in the United States. The skin can be yellowish (often with brown spots) or green, and the flesh may be white, yellowish, or pink. Look for guavas that are very fragrant and feel slightly soft but not mushy. They have many tiny seeds, which are edible, so you can choose to leave them in or strain the drink if you prefer. Personally, I always choose with seeds.

When I was growing up, my sister and I often went to the market with my mom. There was a great juice stand where they made all kinds of aguas frescas and smoothies. This was my sister’s favorite one. It’s incredibly refreshing, and really good for you, too. The type of alfalfa used for these drinks resembles wheat grass and is grown abundantly in Mexico; you may be able to find alfalfa at nurseries and farmers’ markets. Pineapple is commonly mixed with a variety of green herbs. In the Yucatan, for example, it’s often blended with chaya. If you can’t find alfalfa or chaya, use a couple tablespoons of fresh mint.

This is essentially a fresh orange cooler with a little sparkling water, so it’s kind of like a natural soda. It isn’t as bubbly, but it is quite refreshing and flavorful.

This quick and refreshing drink is great on its own, but it’s also a good base for other beverages. Try stirring in some chopped fresh mint, raspberries, honeydew, or pineapple, or a combination. I’m not sure how it works, but rubbing the end really does help remove bitterness from standard cucumbers; the trick doesn’t apply to English or Persian cucumbers.

Glorias are a typical dessert in Veracruz. Traditionally, they use a syrup made from grosellas, a small red fruit similar to a red currant. Since it’s hard to find grosellas outside of Mexico (but by all means use them if you have access!), I used the syrup from the Raspado Rojo as a successful alternative. However, you can also use red currant marmalade by thinning the marmalade with a bit of water and cooking it over low-medium heat until you obtain a light syrup consistency (you can blend it if it’s chunky). I was quite surprised that I liked this concoction because I’d imagined it was going to be super sweet—but the ice helped balanced everything out.

This stunning shaved ice is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. You can make these ahead of time for a party by assembling the shaved ices, then placing them in the freezer for 30 minutes prior to your guests’ arrival. (Just make sure they’re not in the freezer for too long or the ice will become too hard—and the glass could crack.)

A refreshing and versatile sauce, this pairs nicely with ice cream, cake, fruit, and chocolate desserts. Make a couple of batches and divide into several small freezer storage bags and store frozen for up to 6 months.

This is a delectable and buttery-tasting sauce, guaranteed to take any dessert from simple to sublime in a single spoonful. You’ll find one hundred and one reasons to add this to your favorite desserts.

This vegan chocolate crème is a luxurious filling or topping for any cake. It produces a great custardlike quality thanks to the silken tofu. Add 1 or 2 tablespoons of your favorite liqueur to flavor this versatile filling. Try Amaretto, Frangelico, or Grand Marnier, for a special treat.

This is a wonderful all-purpose topping for cakes, fresh fruit, granola, and more. Though the taste is rich and velvety, it’s actually low fat and packed with protein as an added bonus.

Here’s a delectable custard-style filling that’s low-fat and dairy-free. It’s delicious piped into the center of a cupcake for a creamy citrus surprise.

I try to cut fat and calories wherever I can, so I generally use a combination of cream cheese and Neufchâtel when I prepare this frosting. It’s great on virtually any cake and a perfect match for Sunrise Carrot Muffins (page 7).

Like traditional cream cheese frosting, this vegan version is a wonderful compliment to any spiced cake or cupcake. Spread this frosting on the vegan Gingerbread Cake (page 56)—scrumptious!

This new-fashioned whipped cream makes any dessert just a little bit better. This is a great topping for ice cream treats or for use as a cake frosting or filling. To frost a large cake, increase this recipe by half; to frost and fill a cake, double the recipe.

After a couple of days in the fridge, it may be necessary to whip this frosting with a little soy milk if the consistency is too thick. This will restore a creamy texture.

If you would like to use this ganache as a filling as well as a frosting, double the recipe. You’ll have some left over.

For an agave nectar dessert home run, top an Ultimate Fudgy Brownie (page 37) with your choice of vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt, add this hot fudge sauce, and top it off with Agave Nectar Whipped Cream (page 113).