Grilling

Go completely southern: Serve the chops with cornbread, coleslaw, and ice-cold beer.

Meat and veg all in one recipe —and all from the grill.

Swordfish or lamb —guests can choose just one kind of kebab or both. (Chicken can be substituted for the lamb, if you prefer.) The same quick marinade flavors the kebabs, then gets reduced to a sauce for serving alongside.

Enjoy a taste of the islands with these healthful, low-fat tostadas.

Grilled vegetables pump up the classic Tuscan bread-and-tomato salad. What to drink: An Italian white like Vernaccia di San Gimignano or Orvieto. Can't find ciabatta? Use any good-quality crusty Italian or French bread.

Both the peach relish and the pork benefit from an overnight rest in the refrigerator; the relish mellows in flavor, and the pork becomes even more tender in the fiery marinade.

You'll have some leftover creamy ginger soy dressing for salad later in the week.

This recipe serves 4 as a main course if you set aside 2 chicken breasts for another meal. Otherwise, it serves 6.

Tapered eggplants and a mix of large and medium tomatoes will give your stacks a more graceful appearance.

To make your cocktail party more participatory, have your guests grill their own skewers. A hibachi is even more user-friendly than a grill, since the ends of the skewers hang out over the edge, eliminating the need for tongs. If you're cooking everything yourself, it's easiest to use a large grill or a broiler (see cooks' note, below) and serve the skewers in batches.

Head north of Sunset, and you will happen upon this live-music supper club tucked away in the hills of tony Bel Air. The swank venue features a stage surrounded by tables where you can spy toe-tapping regulars such as Nicolette Sheridan and Virginia Madsen taking in the soulful jazz tunes. You can make a meal of chef Sharon Funt's delicious flatbread appetizer; each serving provides more than 8 grams of fiber.

This West Hollywood Rat Pack hangout still attracts big-name diners like Sheryl Crow and Meg Ryan. The Italian bistro offers a variety of delectable dishes, including Ricotta Fritters With Chocolate Hazelnut Sauce and Grilled Artichokes. The popular entrée below boasts satiating lean protein and a helping of vitamin-rich carrots.

Jan Esterly of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, writes: "Even though it gets cold where I live, I love grilling outside year-round. I make this amazing recipe only during summer, when I can buy perfect peaches from the roadside stands — like now." Jan also likes to serve these sweet-tart peaches with ice cream and waffles.

Improv: Add or substitute corn on the cob, eggplant slices, or portobellos.

Jan Esterly of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, writes: "Even though it gets cold where I live, I love grilling outside year-round. This recipe makes a regular appearance at our dinner table."

The classic apple and cheese combo gets a fun twist in this delicious dish. What to drink: Taz 2003 Chardonnay, Santa Barbara ($20).