Quick

Pour in the soda slowly, allowing it to cascade over the ice cream, then top off until the glass is full.

In case of sunshine and happiness, make this colorful ice cream float! Spiking it with some booze makes it even tastier.

Chill glasses in the freezer for 5–10 minutes to keep the ice cream from melting into the ginger beer too quickly.

Lime is an integral part of great guacamole—or so we thought. Turns out, you get to taste and enjoy the pure flavor of avocado better in guacamole without the lime.

This decadent, delicious burger, featuring a 6-ounce patty, clothbound cheddar cheese, and the requisite "special sauce," comes from Ralph Lauren's restaurant (yes, that Ralph Lauren) in Chicago.

Why waste time with a knife? A simple whack to a cucumber yields jagged surfaces eager to soak up this tangy dressing.

Step aside pancakes; butter and maple syrup is a combination worthy of the ripest grilled summer fruits. Can't find apricots? Try this recipe with peaches or plums for a fantastic ice cream topping.

Bacon-wrapped franks, pinto beans, avocado, and mayo are balanced by pickled jalapeños and salsa in this summertime favorite.

Want crispy and delicious wings fast? Avoid the mess of frying oil and go for a quick oven-roast. Inspired by the version served by chef Andy Ricker at his Brooklyn and Portland Pok Pok restaurants, these wings get doused in a sweet and savory glaze and rolled in a spicy, crunchy topping.

This is a great one for midweek as it takes no more than 20 minutes from slicing the leeks to serving the finished dish, but it is good enough for weekends as well-filling, fresh and very tasty.

I love to celebrate birthdays with the crew and my bandmates. When we're on the road, it's nice to have the band family celebrate. Jimi's birthday falls at the end of October, and I sometimes make this silly chocolate cherry cola cake for him, decorating the top with chocolate cherry cordials or gummy candies. I always let him choose what he's got a hankering for, and it's often this.

You've been doing it in the car when nobody's looking...but you don't have to hide anymore. It's time to come clean—and this finger-licking-good burger is so much more satisfying than those greasy drive-through hockey pucks. Plus grass-fed beef is leaner and lower in calories than conventional beef. It even contains a unique fat that may help prevent cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. Talk about an afternoon delight.

If you don't feel like making aioli, use prepared mayonnaise and season it with mustard and garlic.

You'll find fresh rice noodles in well-stocked Asian markets (or search for them on amazon.com).

Both guanciale and Pecorino are quite salty; Leonardo Vignoli, the chef at Da Cesare al Casaletto, recommends undersalting the pasta water to give you more control.

"Compound butters are a terrific blank canvas," O'Connell says. "You can mix in all sorts of flavors—anchovies, capers, any herb or spice."

Who says gremolata has to have parsley and lemon? No one who's tried this crunchy Thai influenced riff.

Quick-cooking squid is perfect for a weeknight dinner. Look for it at a reputable fish monger or in your grocer's freezer section.