This recipe doubles well if you’re partying with a crowd.

CALORIES 172(29% from fat); FAT 5.5g (sat 0.8g,mono 3.8g,poly 0.7g); PROTEIN 3.5g; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 24mg; SODIUM 353mg; FIBER 3g; IRON 1.4mg; CARBOHYDRATE 27.8g

Amaretto provides an interesting twist on the traditional margarita’s orange curaçao liqueur. We start with a homemade sweet-and-sour mix that can be prepared several days in advance. When guests arrive, add the remaining ingredients. To serve in salt-rimmed glasses, pour sea salt on a small plate. Rub the rim of each glass with a lime wedge, and then dip the rim in the salt.

Spirit note: The most important words in choosing a tequila are “100 percent agave.” Unless you spot this phrase on the label, you’re getting as little as 51 percent agave, with lots of sugar added to make up the difference. An exceptional value is 1800 Reposado ($24). “Reposado” indicates the tequila was “rested” in oak, imparting flavors of citrus zest and butterscotch, which complement the nutty amaretto in this innovative margarita. —Jeffery Lindenmuth

CALORIES 209(0.0% from fat); FAT 0.1g (sat 0.0g,mono 0.0g,poly 0.1g); PROTEIN 0.4g; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 9mg; SODIUM 2mg; FIBER 0.2g; IRON 0.1mg; CARBOHYDRATE 31g

CALORIES 176(30% from fat); FAT 5.9g (sat 1.9g,mono 2.6g,poly 1.1g); PROTEIN 7g; CHOLESTEROL 24mg; CALCIUM 191mg; SODIUM 379mg; FIBER 0.7g; IRON 1.3mg; CARBOHYDRATE 23.5g

CALORIES 190(29% from fat); FAT 6.1g (sat 3.8g,mono 1.6g,poly 0.2g); PROTEIN 4.4g; CHOLESTEROL 17mg; CALCIUM 31mg; SODIUM 454mg; FIBER 1.9g; IRON 1.5mg; CARBOHYDRATE 28.8g

Filled with fresh ricotta cheese and topped with a variety of berries, these crepes are perfect for a weekend brunch.

These pretty little puffs are made from choux pastry, which is also used for cream puffs.

This moist cake gets even better when served with vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream.

Natural cocoa powder will work in this recipe, but we found that Dutch-processed yields the best chocolate flavor. Espresso powder provides complexity, but instant coffee can be substituted in a pinch. The dough can be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and stored in the refrigerator for up to three days or in the freezer for up to two weeks. Defrost frozen dough in the refrigerator overnight, then let stand at room temperature until firm yet malleable, about 30 minutes. The cookies are refined enough to serve plain, but a dusting of sifted confectioners’ sugar or chocolate glaze is a nice touch. Baked cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days but should be dusted with sugar or glazed the day they are served.

Hamburgers are easily one of America’s most popular foods and the true test of a grill cook. A great grilled burger is well browned on the exterior and juicy and tender on the inside. But they rarely turn out that way. More likely, they are gray, tough, and bland. We wanted to make the ultimate no-holds-barred burger. Here’s what we discovered:

Test Kitchen Discoveries

Make a “panade”—a blend of breadcrumbs and milk—to bind the burgers together.

Add bacon fat to the beef mixture. The rich, smoky-tasting fat adds flavor and will keep the meat moist.

A little minced garlic goes far in flavoring the meat.

Be gentle with the beef mixture while mixing and shaping the burgers. Overworking will yield tough, dense burgers.

For this recipe, you want ground beef that is 85 percent to 90 percent lean. With the added bacon fat, 80 percent lean beef will make slightly greasy burgers. Crumble the cooked bacon slices over a salad, or use the slices as a burger topping.