No-Cook

These super-simple, kid-pleasing treats are delicious any time of year, but make for an especially festive dessert at a winter wonderland–themed get-together. Best of all, the recipe calls for just four ingredients: vanilla ice cream, peppermint extract, peppermint hard candies, and chocolate wafers. Try strawberry, mint, or chocolate chip ice cream for a sweet twist.

Add a chipotle chile for a subtle kick to this chunky guacamole, then serve it with multicolored corn tortilla chips for a stunning platter. Double the recipe if you plan to serve a crowd.

For your next Tex-Mex dinner, opt for this colorful summer salsa that features seasonal ingredients such as avocado, green onions, and mango. Serve it with black beans and rice, or heap it on jerk chicken or grilled fish for a fresh and healthy lunch or dinner any night of the week.

No summer barbecue would be complete without a big bowl of creamy, tangy coleslaw. Use the Texas Barbecue Sauce above for a touch of Southwestern flavor.

Watermelon and heirloom tomatoes work together to create a juicy and flavorful arrangement that is sweet and tangy. Use different-colored watermelon with tomatoes for a stunning presentation. Heaping the salad over a crunchy base of fresh arugula keeps the various flavors in check.

When it comes to building a prime muffaletta, the bread may be more important than the olives, meats, and cheeses it’s married to. In New Orleans, this hefty must-have “sando” is constructed on a round, soft Sicilian loaf. In this version, Epicurious member Mike19711 uses focaccia. When serving large parties, use a soft Italian bread, a 9-inch round, or a long 14-inch loaf. Try and hold out until the olive salad has marinated for at least 24 hours; trust us, it will make the meal that much more authentic.

The classic tuna sandwich gets a healthy makeover with this Italian-style recipe that replaces mayo with a luscious cannellini bean spread. The garlicky mixture, when layered with watercress, gives the flaked tuna an unexpectedly delicious taste. Adjust the lemon juice and garlic that go into the beans to your taste and then spoon onto a crusty piece of rustic Italian bread or a panini roll.

A great recipe is like a strong friendship—it gets better with age. Epicurious member Sooz Wolhuter of Laguna Beach, California, crafted this cabbage salad years ago, riffing on a coleslaw recipe. The blend of ribboned cabbage, carrots, cucumbers, peppers, and green onions mixed with spicy soy and chile garlic is perfect for large gatherings. If peanuts aren’t enough protein for you, add some seared Ahi tuna or grilled sliced chicken to bulk it up.

Some famous French hostess supposedly started the fashion for the recipe below and created a sensation in her salon. I am sure a reputation and a leading position in any town can be built up if you serve enough of them for they are as contagious as measles. A good friend of mine can eat a dozen of them at one sitting. Not only is this delicious, but it is one of the most decorative canapés you can make, for an edging of brilliant green enhances the golden yellow of the brioche and makes a most appetizing tidbit.

This needs to set up overnight, so start one day ahead.

Chef Kris Wessel of Florida Cookery in Miami Beach, Florida, shared this recipe as part of a Palm Tree Christmas menu he created exclusively for Epicurious. It showcases Florida oranges and grapefruits, which are at their peak during December.

Our Granny Smith Apple Cider Vinaigrette is enlivened with fresh apple and a squeeze of lime juice.

There is not much to say about this salad—it is as charmingly simple and straightforward as it appears. You could likely just copy it without a recipe. The point I do want to stress, however, is the necessity of making your own salad dressings. There is all sorts of junk in store-bought dressings and they don't taste nearly as fresh—not to mention that it's ridiculously easy to whisk a few things together or put them in a mini blender. This particular dressing hovers around the vinaigrette family, with just enough crème fraîche to coat the leaves with the thinnest amount of creaminess. Be sure your leaves are cleaned and fully dry so the dressing can cling on. The recipe yields enough for the given salads, but I typically double it so I have extra on hand.

Hearty greens like escarole or kale shine in this fall or winter salad, thanks to tangy kumquats and a vibrant, apple-laced dressing. You can prepare the greens and kumquats in advance, making this an ideal choice for holiday gatherings.

Grapes appear here in three forms: crushed and whisked into the vinaigrette, halved and tossed with arugula, and aged in saba, a balsamic-like syrup made from grape must.

Raw Green Tomatillo Salsa While salsas made from red tomatoes are often on the table, especially in central Mexico, it is the green salsas made with tomates verdes, the smaller, papery husk–wrapped tomatillos of the same nightshade family, that predominate in most of the country. This simple salsa with its tart chile flavor is a surprising accent for any grilled meat.