Nut Free

I know deep-fried doughnuts don't strictly count as baking, but I've included them here because they start with a dough, and they taste too good to leave out, especially made with a chocolate ganache filling instead of the ususal jam.

Editor's note: Use this recipe to make Milk Chocolate Cup-of-Fluffs . Milk chocolate's flavor, while less powerful than that of dark chocolate, is just as precious. Choose a premium brand with 38 to 50 percent cacao.

Fast-track this recipe by tripling the dry ingredients and storing them in a jar. At breakfast time, scoop out 2 1/4 cups. All the other measurements stay the same.

When cooked just right, the potatoes will be tender but should still hold their shape.

A stunning, veggie-packed bowl of spring goodness.

Osteen likes to frost these cakes while they're still warm. They'll absorb some of the frosting, which takes on the consistency of a glaze.

Few travel experiences are more American than eating dessert at a roadside diner. My order? A slice of banana cream pie: the topping whipped high, the creamy filling offering comfort far from home. To elevate this classic in my own kitchen, I add sliced bananas to the hot (and simple) custard to infuse it with flavor. And did I mention chocolate's involved? It's my take on diner deluxe. —Janet Taylor McCracken

These scones are light, flaky, and airy—closer to a biscuit than the crumbly pastries you might have in mind.

Serve the shrimp on toast to soak up the delicious pickling liquid.

Using the best and freshest crabmeat you can get your hands on makes all the difference in these lightly battered and totally delicious fritters from La Petite Grocery, a new-school NOLA bistro.

Putting fatback in the frying oil adds flavor, but we find it's a bit too salty to eat on its own.

Use either arctic char or salmon for this super springy and fresh fish dinner.

Herbs in the dressing beg for herbs in the salad, too. We toss this vinaigrette with Bibb lettuce and lots of the tender green herbs— like mint, chervil, and parsley—that we grow in our window box.

"The only thing better than pimiento cheese dip? Melted pimiento cheese dip, laced with chopped pickles for a little zip." —Janet McCracken, deputy food editor

"You'll find me drinking this cocktail—inspired by the best Michelada I ever had, at a dive bar in Austin—all summer long. Lime + salt + hot sauce = perfection." —Alison Roman, assistant food editor

Here's a recipe that justifies the existence of that food processor grating disk (you didn't throw it out, we hope). If you don't have one, a box grater will do.

Onion flavor is layered in this dish: The greens have a brightness to balance the bulbs' sweetness, the cooking liquid becomes a buttery sauce, and fresh chives deliver a high note to finish.

Serve spooned over roast chicken, steak, or pan-fried pork chops. And, of course, pancakes.

This satisfying salad is great alongside broiled fish, roast chicken, or a simple steak. To turn it into a vegetarian meal, fold in sliced hard-boiled eggs.

Bloomfield loves making this salad with black mint, which you'll find in spring and summer at farmers' markets.