No-Cook

Chef Michael Mina created this gin-based riff on the classic Mojito as part Epicurious's Wine.Dine.Donate program. Candied ginger and ginger beer lend a refreshingly spicy kick perfect for summer sipping. Chef Mina suggests serving spiced nuts alongside.

Accompanies Alambre de Camarones, Alambres de Camarones.

Don't worry about the fat; it's mostly the healthy kind in the avocado. Mixing in fruits boosts this appetizer's fiber count.

Made in Mexico: This dish, created by food editor Shelley Wiseman's friend Aurelia, will start your day with a cayenne kick. It also doubles as a sweet and spicy dessert.

Bresaola-a beef lover's prosciutto equivalent-gives this virtually no-cook dish a bright platform with deep flavor.

Traditionally made from cow's or goat's milk and wrapped in chestnut leaves, Banon cheese is named after the town in northern Provence from which it hails. When the leaves are green, the cheese is fresh, mild, and sweet; when the leaves are brown, it is ripe and soft. Either way, it's a great complement to classic mesclun greens. In the spirit of Provence, we encourage you to bypass the ready-made mesclun mix and create your own blend of peppery, sweet, and tender baby lettuces from the array that you can find at the farmers market.

For easy serving, ladle the soup into pretty bowls, and set them on the buffet table.

Make these sandwiches when you don't want to turn on the stove.

Using roast chicken from the grocery store makes this recipe super-easy. Improv: Add sweet and crunchy accents by mixing a few chopped toasted pecans and some dried cranberries into the chicken salad. Instead of rolls, use crusty French bread or thick slices of sourdough bread.

For a more substantial meal, the salad can be served on pumpernickel bread or toasted French bread as an open-face sandwich and topped with slices of hard-boiled egg. Garnish with lemon wedges and dill sprigs.

Improv: Substitute chopped red or yellow bell peppers for the tomatoes in the salad; try basil instead of cilantro in the dressing.

Serve this creamy, chilled soup as a refreshing first course.

Charlotte Fekete of Athens, Georgia writes: "I'm a junior in college, and I'm planning to go to cooking school after graduation. I've already had some experience decorating cakes and working for a caterer, but it was my mom who taught me how to cook. I've also learned a lot from reading magazines and cookbooks."
Serve on its own for breakfast or with a scoop of sorbet or ice cream for dessert.

With two hues of cabbage and two kinds of apples, as well as carrots and yams, this multi-colored slaw will look gorgeous on a picnic or buffet table.