Snack

This quick-and-easy garnish would also make a great cocktail snack.

Slices of Braeburn apples hold their shape well when baked until crunchy—perfect for a batch of munchable homemade chips.

Every Passover, my maternal grandfather, Irving, made beet horseradish from scratch. He was a gardener with a true green thumb when it came to tomatoes, but I can't remember if he grew his own horseradish. What I do remember is how teary-eyed everyone got when he served my grandmother's homemade gefilte fish with his beet horseradish on the side. Through the sniffles, we all expressed delight and assured him that this batch was the hottest and best yet. Horseradish is one of those flavors I have always loved. For all you other horseradish lovers out there, here's a fabulous dip. Use extra-hot prepared horseradish to guarantee those sniffles and teary eyes.

Fresh crab meat is so rich, fabulous, and sweet that, for this dip, I wanted to highlight the texture and flavor of the crab without masking it. Served bubbly hot with a crisply browned, lemon zest–panko topping, this dip will be a party favorite—easy to put together, quick to bake, and quick to disappear, too.

Cheese balls were all the rage in the 1970s, an easy, tasty, fab party food for any occasion. What's old is now retro-chic—this lightened-up cheese ball seduces with the sweetness of dates, the savory bite of blue cheese, a hint of shallot, and a teasing whiff of lemon zest.

Colt & Gray galloped onto the Denver dining scene in the summer of 2009. Since then, diners have lined up for the casual, pub-like atmosphere and the modern take on comfort classics (burgers, pork chops). One of the most delicious examples? The salty-sweet caramel corn studded with cashews and bits of bacon.

Specialty foods stores, Trader Joe's, and some supermarkets carry dried blueberries.

Like thumbprint cookies, these light and lemony scones get their name from the well of preserves in the center. The secret to tender results is to work the dough as little as possible. After adding the cream, stir just until everything is incorporated. When kneading, use as few turns as possible. When shaping, pat just until you get a one-inch-thick round. Any leftovers taste great reheated the next day, wrapped in foil.

Think of this as Mexican toast.

A little taste of the Southwest to get you in the mood for a rowdy game of Texas Hold'em!

This is a delicious, very delicate cake. It's served for dessert everywhere in Charleston, but I like it as a morning cake or afternoon snack. The recipe was named for a small but influential group of French Protestants who fled persecution by their Catholic countrymen and settled lands that became South Carolina more than a century before the Revolutionary War.

These are delicious as part of an appetizer plate, or as a Martini garnish.

Naturally sweet, fresh figs get an all-over taste treatment with tangy goat cheese, smoky pancetta, slightly bitter fruit liqueur, and heat from black pepper. Serve these figs as finger-food appetizers or place them on top of dressed greens for a salad. High-heat planking caramelizes the figs and burnishes the goat cheese, adding another level of flavor. The high heat cooks the fruit quickly, resulting in an outer charred fruit and warm center that has texture and bite but is not mushy. This is an excellent way to plank most fruits and vegetables. Keep a spray bottle of water handy to lightly douse flare-ups. Suggested plank: 2 maple or oak grilling planks, soaked in water for at least 1 hour

A soft chewy bread roll about the size of a golf ball infused with cheesy flavor, pão de queijo is Brazil's favorite savory snack and an excellent recipe to add to your repertoire.

Bite-size portions are just right for a cocktail party. If you'd like to serve the frittata for breakfast or brunch, cut it into larger pieces.

The tangy Teleme cheese is great with the sweet figs and the honey. Making the bruschetta on the grill will free up the oven.

Trust us, this combination is super-clean and green, refreshing and yummy. The alkalinizing fresh pineapple pairs beautifully with the spice of the arugula/rocket. And macadamia nuts are a high-energy food that adds a crunchy rich texture and a healthy dose of protein and fiber (we don't mind at all if they do not fully incorporate) as well as monounsaturated fatty acids—or "good" fat—that significantly reduce blood serum cholesterol levels. Think of this smoothie as a cleansing, satisfying meal replacement. Get to know chia seeds. These miraculous little seeds are a form of easily digestible protein that is full of minerals, vitamins, and soluble fiber. Rich in omega fatty acids, and similar to flaxseed, chia seeds have the significant advantage of being more stable.