Summer

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. For side dishes, mix grated carrots into deli macaroni salad, and pass corn on the cob. Strawberry ice cream with chocolate sauce and sliced strawberries is a sweet ending.

We're certain that this soup will become a staple in your summer repertoire. It's simple to make, low in fat, and tastes like freshness itself.

Green peppercorns can be found packed in brine in the specialty foods section of most large supermarkets.

This dish is said to have first been prepared in the imperial kitchens for Sultan Murad IV in the early 1600s.

This cake, bursting with berries, is perfect for a picnic. Dress it up for company with unsweetened whipped cream and a simple vanilla custard sauce.

The nutty marzipan mixture is a delicious contrast to the sweet-tart plum filling.

"A couple of years ago I decided to become a vegetarian. As time went on, the only things I really missed were some of the heartier sandwiches I used to make," says Jill Browning of Clarendon Hills, Illinois. "But then I created this meatless pita bread sandwich that's as substantial as any hoagie—and much lower in fat."

For a milder dish, use fewer Thai chiles and seed the serranos before mincing them. Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 30 min

Inspired by Middle Eastern cooking.

(Sformati di Asparagi e Parmigiano) Sformato, which is a cross between a savory custard and a soufflé, can be made from a number of different vegetables. Asparagus is ideal and a Tuscan favorite — particularly in April and May when it is at its best. Serve these puddings as a first course or as a side dish; or accompany them with a salad for brunch or a light supper.

Thin slices of sweet potato can be grilled alongside the ribs, then drizzled with maple syrup. Have coleslaw and corn bread on the side, too. End with lemon meringue pie.

"While visiting friends on Cape Cod, I had dinner at the Aqua Grille in Sandwich," says Corolyn Hampton of Saratoga Springs, New York. "The beer-marinated steak, served with a peppercorn sauce and mashed potatoes, was the centerpiece of a fabulous meal."