Gourmet

Kids (and more than a few adults) will almost certainly shriek with joy at the sight of this fantasy dessert. Golden, buttery cake layers sandwich chocolate cookie crumbs and are topped with a custard frosting that calls to mind soft-serve ice cream. Crisp wafer cones are filled with batter and baked into their own little cupcakes, then crowned with swirls of ice-cream-style frosting.

Mango, kiwi, and pineapple are enhanced with a little lime syrup for a tangy, and not incidentally yellow and green, fruit salad.

Everyone loves onion rings, but having to fry them up just as the doorbell begins to ring is never a good thing. Miraglia Eriquez devised a way to make them ahead. Reheated in the oven at the last minute, they'll never give away the secret—and since they're breaded, not battered, they stay crisp even at room temperature.

The toasted crumbs on top have a cheesy crispness, and the pasta beneath is creamy and rich. Kids will appreciate the individual servings, but the recipe makes plenty, so why not pour the extra into a baking dish to feed the ravenous parents?

Food editor Gina Marie Miraglia Eriquez often cooks for hordes of children, including her three-year-old son, Alex, and she knows that meatballs are always an easy sell. Inspired by the tiny meatball sandwiches served at New York City's Little Owl restaurant, she came up with these kid-size treats that can be eaten with one hand (leaving the other one free to wreak kid-size havoc).

Kids will need no explanation: They will marvel at these red-and-green-striped drinks that they swirl with a straw. And for grown-ups who may want to get in on the fun, you can make another batch—a shot of gin makes a pleasant, and civilized, addition.

Does the idea of kids wolfing down their vegetables seem utterly improbable? This faintly sweet, gingery dip, reminiscent of that addictive Japanese-restaurant salad dressing, is made mostly from carrots, so you'll be delighted by the compulsive dipping and crunching that's bound to ensue when you put it out.

Korean hot-pepper paste gives this Asian-inspired dish not only heat but also full, deep flavor. Rich with umami, edamame and buckwheat noodles satisfy even the heartiest appetites.

Making a fresh-tasting Asian-American meal at home is easier than you think. If you don't have Sherry in the house, you can substitute Scotch.

Lamb shoulder chops are everything a cook wants: They're inexpensive and quick-cooking, yet they deliver more robust flavor than pricier rib chops.

Just what we want on a sultry evening—tender shrimp and creamy beans are the mouthwatering core of this cool salad sparked with a lemony vinaigrette.

This time of year, corn adds a little sunshine to everything it touches: Its sweetness really pops next to cheese tortelloni and the salty jolt of prosciutto.

A quick marinade brightens the steak, so it combines perfectly with the dish's Southeast Asian notes.

How can so simple a filling create such a wonderfully earthy flavor? Anchovy paste has long been a secret weapon in many chefs' arsenals and, when you use it here, you'll know exactly why.

In this elegant twist on the traditional French method of cooking en papillote, fish fillets become incredibly moist as they steam inside a sheath of zucchini slices.

The strong aromatics in this dish infuse the potatoes with a spirited Moroccan style.