Fourth Of July

The beautiful melty ice cream on the July 2015 isn't there by accident. It's there because we tried very hard to get it right.

Novice bakers, this one’s for you.

Grab a party hat; these cherries are having a jubilee.

No one will know this umami-packed creamy dressing is made with tofu; they’ll just think it’s delicious.

Three steps to success: A flavorful brine infuses the chicken with seasoning and keeps it juicy, an overnight chill allows the crust to set, and a spicy glaze seals the deal.

To make a no-churn version, use 1 cup cream in the custard and whip an additional ¾ cup. After adding berries, fold whipped cream into the base, then freeze in a plastic-wrap-lined loaf pan, 6 hours or overnight.

A tart drinking vinegar that can be made with whatever berries you have on hand. Use for spritzers, cocktails, even ice cream floats.

This recipe is adapted from April Bloomfield’s version in A Girl and Her Greens. For a dippable version of the ranch spread, sub sour cream for the buttermilk and serve with crudités.

From chicken tacos to pan-fried sausage, here's how to use up all the leftovers from your cookout, whether it's Labor Day, Memorial Day, or any old day

Egg salad and potato salad: Unite! We like how the still-soft yolks dress the salad, but you can cook the eggs a minute or two longer if you like them more set.

This uncooked mole gets heat from jalapeño, cooling freshness from lettuce and herbs, and a touch of richness from toasted seeds. Use any extra as a dip for crudités.

The classic slow-cooked cut is moving into the fast lane, grilled and paired with a mole that’s ready in a flash.

If you don’t enjoy very rare meat, keep these steaks on the grill until they reach 120°; they’ll still be rare, but less aggressively so.

These meaty ribs are purposely precooked until very tender but not yet falling off the bone so they don’t shred when it’s time to grill them.

Any fairly thin cut of beef will work with this marinade; try flank or New York strip.

Big fat strips of dough make for a rustic and modern-looking pie (and they’re easy to weave into a lattice). 

Ralph Lauren's signature burger. At his New York City restaurant, they use a mix of chuck, brisket, and short rib. If you have an awesome butcher, ask him or her to give you a blend, but you’ll get great results with chuck alone. Watch the video here.

You don’t need an ice-cream maker to serve cool, creamy scoops. All you need is a bowl to make semifreddo happen.

The tangy dipping sauce is great with pretty much any grilled meat. Keep it on heavy rotation this summer.

Using frozen strawberries ensures a consistent sweetness and vibrant red color.

You can crisp the shallots and hard-boil the eggs a day ahead, but wait until closer to serving time to make the yolk filling.

There’s nothing like a moist, fluffy, berry-streaked cake to make any weeknight (or, um, weekday morning) feel special.

This recipe can easily be doubled for a group. Make sure to check the ribs in a few spots for doneness.

Beets for dessert—we were skeptical too, but their sugar content and gorgeous color make for a stunning dish.