Andy Baraghani

True, this concoction is slightly more complex than lemonade. But so are most relationships.

Walnuts add a touch of bitterness to balance the sweet dates blended into this favorite Southern California ice cream treat.

These snaggable, snackable wedges have more in common with a bowl of party mix than any perfunctory salad.

Ras-el-hanout is a Moroccan spice blend that contains several warming spices (such as cinnamon and nutmeg) with a little ginger and chile for heat. If you can’t find it, use garam masala instead.

This is ideal for a brunch party; the entire casserole can be assembled the night before so all that’s left to do is bake it the next day. And let’s be real: We’d happily eat it for dinner, too.

Add another ½ tsp. red pepper flakes if you like it fiery; omit them all if you don’t. This sauce pairs perfectly with our mozzarella sticks.

Think of this as a universal buttermilk ranch dressing that you could use to dunk your veggies or onion rings or drizzle onto your pizza.

The secret to our best onion rings is a batter made with beer and club soda; make sure both are very cold before stirring into the batter. This is part of BA's Best, a collection of our essential recipes.