Bon Appétit

Timing note: You'll need to start this recipe two days ahead.

Almost every ingredient in this delicious chocolate cake is a pantry staple, making this a time-saving, budget-friendly dessert that still feeds a crowd. Plus, it keeps well, so even if you do have leftovers, you can enjoy the cake all week.

You can bake the cookies to order, straight from the freezer.

Try serving the jam with goat cheese, pistachios, and m&âche.

Serve this hearty entrée with boiled potatoes and steamed carrots.

Ted Reader likes to marinate the roast in a coffee porter (a dark beer that's flavored with coffee or with dark malts and highly roasted barley) or a similar beer with body, such as Guinness or a honey brown lager. What to drink: Wyndham Estate 2003 Shiraz, Bin 555, South Eastern Australia ($10).

Tender, inexpensive sirloin flap steak—another name for the "tails" of porterhouses and T-bones—is ideal for kebabs. It's well marbled (the fat adds flavor on the grill), and its long, narrow shape makes it easy to cut into cubes. Robust and beefy on its own, flap steak tastes even better after being marinated in a paste of olive oil, cumin, coriander, and fresh oregano.

Why reserve cedar planks for the grill? They work just as well in the oven.

Feel free to use leftover rice from last night's takeout. The secret to good fried rice is starting with cold cooked grains.

This dessert is fantastic served with ripe summer berries. To further refine it, try mixing the fruit with a little rosewater and sugar.

The ideal summer dinner—without the labor required for the traditional Spanish version.

This frozen dessert has the creamy texture of softened ice cream—but doesn't require an ice cream maker.

Halloumi is a pleasantly salty Greek cheese that grills well.

These are equally delicious hot off the grill or cold the next day.

A simple Moroccan-spiced aioli is mixed in with the ground turkey to keep the burgers moist and give them tons of flavor. Smoked paprika is available in the spice aisle of most supermarkets.

Adding grated orange peel amps up the melon's flavor, and layering whipped cream with the icy granita makes for an intriguing contrast of both texture and temperature.

Serve with ice-cold beer and your favorite slaw. Put out artisanal cheese and fresh fruit for dessert.

This rustic take on a peach crumble couldn't be easier: Halved peaches are topped with a quick mixture that includes amaretti, almonds, butter, flour, and sugar. The crunchy topping is a nice contrast to the warm, tender peaches.

This fun assortment of flavorful nibbles is ideal for summer entertaining. End the meal with frozen yogurt or a fruit salad of halved fresh cherries and pieces of watermelon.