Baking

Doris Jacobson of Anaheim, California, writes: "I host many family gatherings, and I always get requests for my lemon bars. They're easy to make and perfect for picnics at the beach or an evening at the Hollywood Bowl. Plus, they can be made ahead." Lots of lemon zest and lemon juice with all the pulp set these bars apart.

Ultra-creamy Fontina cheese and a layer of black-olive tapenade give this an unctuous, satisfying quality that is usually missing from other veggie pizzas. What to drink: Dry rosé or a spicy Rhône-style red.

This can also be made with white nectarines, or about six large plums or pluots. It's great with ice cream or whipped cream.

Marielle Ainsworth of Roswell, New Mexico, writes: "I'm a vegetarian, but my husband isn't, so I'm always looking for recipes that will make both of us happy. The blueberry-banana muffins here are one of my favorite ways to sneak fruit into his breakfast.
These delicious muffins are packed with oat bran, soy milk, and fresh fruit.

Oven-drying the tomatoes before baking the tart concentrates their sweetness and prevents juices from softening the filling. This makes a great summer starter, light lunch, or supper. What to drink: A glass of dry rosé to echo the Provençal flavors of the tart, or a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.

Marielle Ainsworth of Roswell, New Mexico, writes: "I'm a vegetarian, but my husband isn't, so I'm always looking for recipes that will make both of us happy. I came up with the goat cheese pizza because it combines things we both love —cheese and veggies. If you're not a fan of goat cheese, whole-milk mozzarella, Fontina, or Gorgonzola can also be used.

These icebox cookies are perfect for a party because the dough can be made ahead and chilled or frozen until you are ready to slice and bake.

This cake bakes for a long time at a moderate temperature, which helps keep the ripe fruit from bursting and releasing its juices. The easy-to-make pastry bakes up moist and crumbly, with a texture that's like a cross between a biscuit and a cake. A note from our cooks: We've received some letters from readers complaining about a burned crust when making the peach blueberry cake (August 2005 cover), so we ran through the recipe two more times. Baked in a standard light-colored metal pan, the cake was perfect; baked in a dark metal pan, however, it burned — be aware that the cake's high sugar content makes it more susceptible to burning at high heat. As you'll see in "Tips: A Guide to Using Gourmet's Recipes" (located on the recipe index page) we recommend always using light-colored metal pans for baking. Dark metal pans, including nonstick, will cause your baked goods to brown more quickly. Manufacturers suggest reducing the oven temperature by 25 degrees when using dark pans.

This cornbread is a little firmer and denser than one made for eating on its own so that it will hold up to grilling and tossing with the dressing for the Grilled Cornbread Salad with Red Onions, Arugula, and Red Wine Vinaigrette.

Healthy bonus: Manganese from fruit; antioxidants and fiber from berries; selenium from egg

Look for fresh sour cherries at farmers' markets. Or use Bing cherries instead and add 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice to the filling.

The fruit is tossed with a peach caramel sauce (juices from the peaches combined with homemade caramel) that adds depth of flavor to the filling. Keep an eye on this pie as it bakes; it browns quickly and so needs to be tented with foil.