Summer

Here's a popular starter at The American Restaurant in Kansas City.

The almond-scented blueberry filling is sprinkled with a pecan topping.

The cornmeal biscuit topping adds some crunch to the winning combination of fresh strawberries and rhubarb.

Team these with grilled or broiled chicken, or add a green salad and some crusty whole wheat bread for a simple supper.

A rich, decadent frozen dessert that can be made ahead for a party.

There are times when I am inspired to make a new dessert after eating something I’ve loved. But, there are also times when my inspiration comes from eating something I didn’t even like. In that case, the impetus shifts from "how can I do something as wonderful as this," to "how can I make this better?" This sweet corn ice cream came from the latter impulse. The original dessert, sampled in a small Mexican restaurant, sounded unusual and intriguing, but turned out to be riddled with distracting icy bits of corn kernels. Still, I love the corn, and was taken with the idea of doing my own, perfectly smooth and silky corn ice cream. This is the result. It is creamy-textured and luscious, with a subtle corn taste. Since the flavor of the ice cream is wholly dependent on the sweetness of the corn, make this ice cream with the freshest corn you can find.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. May require additional sitting time.

Make the components of this salad early in the day, then toss in the shrimp just before serving. (Buy cooked shrimp, if you like, to save a little time.) Offer cold Mexican beers and Margaritas alongside.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires additional sitting time.

Oranges are prized on Cyprus. They're used with delicious results in this pork dish, reminiscent of the cuisine on the northern side of the island.

Here's a recipe to have some fun with. Shortcakes are typically small and individually sized, but this is an impressive large cake filled with sweetened fresh fruit and whipped mascarpone. And unlike most shortcakes, this one is assembled ahead of time.

If you happen to find a brioche loaf, it also would make terrific French toast. Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 30 min

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 20 min

Carey Paquette of Arlington, Virginia, writes: "When it comes to cooking, I make an effort to prepare healthful meals, but wouldn't call myself a fanatic. I believe that olive oil goes in everything and wine goes with everything; I just use them in moderation. My boyfriend and I cook almost every night as a way to unwind. It's nice to come home after a hectic day and make dinner together rather than pull something prepackaged out of the freezer."

This recipe works best with thin-skinned lemons because the slices, having less pith, will not be as bitter.

Because of reader demand, this recipe was published in one form or another in The New York Times almost every year between 1983 and 1995, when the then editor of the food section told me to tell my readers it was the last year it would be published, and if they lost it, it was too bad. She suggested they cut it out, laminate it, and put it on the refrigerator door. My coauthor of the first Elegant but Easy Cookbook brought this recipe to the book. Its appeal comes from its lovely old-fashioned flavor and its speed of preparation. It was originally called Fruit Torte.