Summertime is, to me, synonymous with spicy peanut noodles, which I've been making every summer since I was allowed to cook pasta by myself. I love them so much that they almost make suffering through vicious, swampy heat and humidity feel worthwhile. Almost.

Something about the holidays makes people want to gift sweet, homemade treats to each other. Even the most kitchen-avoidant among us flock to theirs to whip up seasonal confections. If you possess such an impulse but, like me, are quite lazy, I have good news: we have many treats you can DIY, with required effort ranging from “falling off a log” to “wow, I must love this person a good bit.”

Every party spread, no matter how fancy the shindig, should contain a dip or two. Dips are easy to make, fun to eat, and much loved by pretty much everyone. French onion dip is never a bad choice — you can learn to make an excellent one here — but there are other options. Below you will find three luscious, creamy, flavour-packed dips and spreads to make, take and serve.

Potato chips are usually thought of as a lunchtime companion -- a crunchy side to your sandwich or wrap -- but their time has come to shine as a breakfast star. Think of them as a low-effort breakfast potato, which is the best kind of breakfast potato, especially on those morning where frying something seems impossible.

Mother's Day will be here very soon, and with it the expectation of some sort of brunch-y meal, lovingly prepared for the maternal figure(s) in your life. If you are the sort of offspring/partner who possesses a giant heart but no real kitchen skills, do not fret, you can still serve Mama an excellent morning meal in the comfort of your own home.

Somehow, in the last few weeks, I have become someone who wakes up at 6:30 a.m. I did not choose this path - I would always rather be sleeping, thanks - but I'm trying to make the best of my body's sudden refusal to sleep in.

Usually, when I think of blueberries, I think of muffins, pie and Blueberry Morning - a cereal I was obsessed with from ages nine through 12. These are all good things, but I urge you to reconsider the blueberry, and smother steaks, chops and wild game with this juicy, surprisingly balanced pan sauce.

Oh, hello. Do I have your attention? Are you ready to fire off an angry comment, condemning me and my worst take yet? I feel you friend, for I had a similar reaction when someone told me that potatoes au gratin didn't need any cheese.

If you've happened to visit Pinterest in the last five years or so, you have no doubt seen a recipe or 10 for some iteration of three-ingredient, no-knead bread. These recipes are popular for good reason. Not only are these loaves extremely impressive for the amount of work they demand, they are excellent vehicles for any odds and ends you wish to rid your fridge of, from a handful of cheese to lonely fruits and vegetables.

Mussels are one of those sexy, evocative dishes that seems best executed by a fancy-pants chef at a corner bistro, but a big bowl of the bivalves is one of the most weeknight-friendly meals you can make. If you've ever been wary of cooking shellfish at home, mussels are a great place to start.

A big bowl of hot pasta, each strand perfectly coated in a creamy sauce, is perhaps the perfect comfort food. If you're not so hot on dairy - or it's not so hot on you - this meal may seem sadly out of your reach. Fortunately, there is a very easy way to make a rich and luscious, pasta-coating sauce without using a single drop of cream or a single pat of butter.

Eating bone marrow is an experience best described as "viscerally decadent". Once roasted, the luscious meat butter inside the bones can be scraped out and spread on toast, mixed with rice and vegetables, or eaten on top of more meat for a crazy carnivorous experience.

A good sandwich doesn't need more than meat, cheese and bread, but adding some tomato, onion or other vegetable can make it truly great through the addition of fresh flavour and texture. Instead of slicing and dicing each of these components individually, you can save time by piling on the salsa.

Whether made with cheese or chocolate, fondue has a kind of cheesy, finicky reputation. But in spite of its kitsch, dipping bits of food in gooey, melted fromage or dark, liquid chocolate makes for a fun, flirty, surprisingly low-effort meal.

Look, omelettes are wonderful little egg dishes - particularly when they involve cheese and other fillings - but there's no denying they require a bit of babying. If you want a cheesy, vegetable-studded egg dish that is much more forgiving of your dismal attention span, you need to start making frittatas.

Some people prefer sweet foods, others savoury. Sweet potato is equipped to handle both. Not only are these babies the perfect base for all sorts of fillings, they provide a bit more flavour (and nutrients) than their paler counterparts, and can be enjoyed morning, noon, and night. Here are three delicious options for breakfast, lunch and tea.

I am an equal opportunity macaroni eater. I like it baked. I like it made with a roux. I even like it out of the blue box. You may think the convenience of Kraft can't be beat, but you'd be wrong. This homemade recipe comes together in about 15 minutes, with only one pot (which you don't have to drain) and no roux.

Snappy, treat-studded chocolate bark is a holiday treat that is always met with much enthusiasm. (Williams Sonoma is able to charge $42 for 454g of their peppermint iteration, making it more expensive than organic rib eye.) There is, however, no reason to spend a bunch on bark, as it can be made in your kitchen with very little effort.

There are sweet makers, and there are sweet eaters, and I am firmly in the latter camp. Though I don't mind a cathartic cooking sesh, my main goal - during the holidays especially - is to churn out the treats. This is why this fudge, which takes less than five minutes of your active time, gets made every single Christmas.