Amy Vogler

I know what you're thinking. Bananas? Trust me. It's a little trick I picked up from my nights in the kitchen at the famous Le Cirque, in Manhattan. I don't always reveal my secret ingredient, and most people can't put their fingers on what exactly makes this sweet potato recipe so good. But every one loves them. Of course, some heavy cream, butter, and brown sugar doesn't hurt.

What a fantastic barbecue side: It's juicy, crunchy, and bright enough to provide delicious relief even from your richest dishes, and substantial enough to stand in for starchy sides like potatoes. I add a ton of marjoram and dill, but chives and basil taste amazing, too.

This one's a backyard party classic that I've put a new spin on. To protect those delicate, sugar-sweet kernels, I grill each cob in its husk. Then toward the end of cooking, I peel the husk back and let the corn develop just a bit of tasty char. As if this weren't lovely enough, I bring it all up a notch with a cilantro pesto (use basil or parsley if you prefer) and plenty of butter.

There are a thousand and one recipes for this easy staple of outdoor cooking, and it feels like I've tried all of them. But none quite match up to this one. After you've charred the peppers on the grill, you just pop them in a resealable plastic bag until you can slide the skins right off. Then you submerge them in a mixture of olive oil, vinegar, and garlic until they pick up a bit of tang. These will last a week in the fridge, but I bet you'll finish them before then.