Ribbons of summer squash are dressed in a Greek vinaigrette for an appealing summertime salad. For effortless, paper-thin squash ribbons, use a vegetable peeler or a mandolin.
When life hands you lemons, make lemonade cake! This moist lemon cake drizzled and filled with an easy lemon filling will remind you of summer any time of year.
Classic deviled eggs recipe, perfect for post-Easter and summer picnic potlucks. Mashed cooked egg yolks, mixed with mayonnaise and Dijon, spooned or piped into cooked egg white halves. Sprinkled with paprika.
Spring rolls, summer rolls, fresh rolls, salad rolls, rice paper rolls . . . whatever you call them, these are one of my favorite foods. I order them as an appetizer every time I see them on a menu...
Living in a city where summers are beautiful, but fleeting, any sighting of sunshine is reason to celebrate with bright, zingy flavors and simple salads. This lovely, clean recipe epitomizes spring and summer cooking. It can be put together in less than ten minutes, and it works brilliantly as either an appetizer or a light lunch.
Being a Jersey girl, this salad showcases two of my favorite local ingredients, corn and tomatoes. This salad is best at the peak of summer when corn is most sweet, fresh, and juicy. Its light, crisp flavor makes a delicious side dish when served with grilled meats, or it can also stand alone as a light lunch.
Here's a great way to use summer's abundant squashes. Toasted pine nuts and briny kalamata olives make this salad a standout. Prep and Cook Time: about 1 1/4 hours. Notes: Ingredients can be prepped and pasta cooked a day ahead of time and chilled (add 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil to the cooked pasta). Toss everything together just before serving.
Inspired by an orange salad served at my favorite Tapas restaurant (Si Tapas in Dallas), this easy-to-assemble dish has become my go-to for easy entertaining. The raw carrot gives it a nice crunch without taking anything away from the sweet clementine. The red onion provides a nice 'zing' and the mint brings colors and subtly ties it all together. It's refreshing in the summer, and a perfect light dish in the winter to take advantage of my darling clementines.
The classic combination of meringue and strawberries gets a new twist in this recipe. Pistachios and brown sugar add a depth of flavor to the meringue, rose water perfumes the whipped cream and mascarpone filling, and everything comes together to highlight the luscious taste of ripe strawberries. This recipe was originally inspired by Nigella Lawson's Gooey Chocolate Stack. Summer, and leftover ingredients from a recent tryst with kheer (Indian rice pudding) inspired this version. You can locate pistachios and rose water at any Indian or Middle-Eastern store; if not, I'm sure the combination of almonds and pure vanilla would be equally delightful. This delicious dessert also happens to be gluten-free. - Heena
If lasagna is your grim weather go-to dinner, you can make a lighter version that skips calorie-dense meats and sausages and omits the creamy ricotta cheese that helps pile on the pounds.
