Snack

The pickled hard-boiled eggs are a great snack on their own—they're sold individually at Shed.

Why go to the grocery store for plain Jane caramel corn when Clinton's tastier easy-to-make recipe can be ready in almost no time at all.

Tangy, luscious crème fraîche can easily be made by combining 1 cup of cream with 1 tablespoon buttermilk. Stir to mix completely, then leave at room temperature, covered with a clean towel, overnight. Stir to thicken slightly, and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Thin, crisp toast has never let me down. Making a batch while I mull over what’s for dinner always saves me, later, when kids are circling or a guest arrives early. It must be made from stale bread—a fresh loaf is difficult to slice very thin, which is what you must do for crunchy, tender, non mouth-injuring toast. A 350°F oven will help make toast for a crowd without much risk of burning (as long as you use a timer and stand by vigilantly!).

Baking pro Alice Medrich's gluten-free oat sponge cake, from her book Flavor Flours, makes a wonderful base for apples caramelized with brown sugar and cinnamon, along with a dollop of pure whipped cream.

Inspired by Alice Medrich's gluten-free corn chiffon cake recipe in her book Flavor Flours, the Epicurious Test Kitchen created this new take on shortcake. The naturally sweet flavor of corn really shines through in the delicate and spongy cake, which forms a wonderful base for blackberries and cream.