Summer

When we were testing milkshake recipes for Bobby’s Burger Palace, I learned some interesting things about fruit-based milkshakes, especially about milkshakes made with fresh berries: Berries are very expensive. Berries are extremely perishable. Berries are inconsistent in taste (ranging from sweet to tart) and texture (ranging from watery to dense). All these factors presented a problem when we were trying to create a thick, flavorful milkshake. We needed to find an alternative, still using fresh fruit, that would produce a consistently thick and flavorful milkshake every single time. We found a company on Long Island that produces fresh fruit purees. The purees are thick and almost jam-like in texture, and they add incredible fresh fruit flavor while not compromising the thickness of the shake. Now the recipe from the company that produces the purees for us is top secret, but I have created something very close to make at home. In addition to providing a wonderful fresh fruit flavor, these bases will also keep in the refrigerator or freezer for a good amount of time—unlike fresh berries, which tend to go bad in a few days. Just add 1/4 cup or so to vanilla or chocolate ice cream for an intensely good shake.

Every time I visit Venice, Italy, one of my first stops is Cipriani for their signature Bellini cocktail, a wonderful mixture of fresh peach puree topped with cold sparkling Champagne. To make my milkshake version kid-friendly, just top it off with a splash of seltzer water.

Simply delicious, the strawberry milkshake is an enduring favorite. I prefer to make mine with strawberry ice cream and a strawberry puree, but vanilla ice cream will work in a pinch. The sweet berry puree blends with the milk and ice cream into what looks like your standard strawberry shake, but tastes worlds better thanks to the fresh, undiluted nature of the berries.

This burger gets its inspiration from Italy’s insalata caprese, which is a simple yet totally delicious layering of fresh mozzarella, ripe tomato slices, and basil leaves. Basically, I just transplant that salad onto a burger. Because it is so simple, it is of the utmost importance that each ingredient be in its prime. That means only the ripest, tastiest tomatoes, the freshest, creamiest mozzarella, and the brightest green basil will do. (If you can find it, make this burger with milky buffalo mozzarella for a delicious and authentically Italian treat.) All it takes to dress this Italian trifecta is a splash of balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt, and lots of freshly ground black pepper.

An attractive dish for entertaining, this recipe has a Middle-Eastern flavor. If you are really in a hurry, try the alternate cooking method.

This exciting, inviting fruit salad is especially delicious served with grilled pork or chicken.

As a first course or light dessert, this dish is a showpiece!

Grace your dinner table with this show-stopping dessert. It’s the perfect end to a southern meal.

Phyllo dough makes a feathery crust for this vibrantly colored pie.

This sparkling drink is ideal as a refreshing spritzer for brunch or on a hot summer day.

This dessert is great to take out the door, to sell at a bake sale (if you store the cups in a tub of ice), or even to just open the refrigerator to. There’s just something so much more appealing about food that’s ready to go. Feel free to make this in any resealable plastic container you have sitting around your kitchen. But if you want it to look like it was made by the pros, next time you go to a warehouse or club store, buy 12-ounce clear plastic take-out cups with lids. If you’re making a lot, line them up and fill them assembly-line fashion. If you have a few extra minutes and want the shortcakes to be even more decadent, try following this recipe using the Sexy Strawberry Tapenade (see page 207) instead of plain strawberries—a 1/4-cup serving of the tapenade has only 50 calories and 2 grams of fat. Just layer a serving (or two) of the tapenade between the angel food cake and whipped topping in a 12-ounce cup, and you’re in for an extra-special treat.

I’ve never appreciated pies the way I know a lot of other folks do. I love chocolate so much that I always feel if I’m going to eat something fattening, I want it to be super-decadent—and pies, to me, are not. If I’m going to eat something that tastes like fruit, I figure I might as well just eat fruit and save the additional calories to later get my chocolate fix. Then I started cooking fruit more, and it totally changed my view. Granted, I make fruit much cleaner (as in healthier) than putting it in pies, but there’s something really satisfying about a baked peach or a roasted grapefruit that just doesn’t come across in uncooked fruit. This makes a hearty amount, so it’s perfect for when you’re craving something sweet, and lots of it. If you want just a little something, I’d recommend sharing it with a buddy.

When I was a kid, we always vacationed at the Jersey shore. Every summer we’d go to a fantastic little Italian restaurant. Not only did they have the most incredible rolls and meatballs, they had a fettuccine dish that was out of this world. Now I realize it was probably just pasta with tons of butter and tons of melted cheese. I loved it so much, but it probably contributed significantly to my weight gain. When I threw this breakfast together one morning as I was running out the door, the gooey cheese surrounding the fluffy eggs reminded me of that fave from my past. But the good news is that this version won’t cause nearly the damage.

Gina: This light-colored sangria, made with white wine, is as beautiful as it is refreshing and delicious. You can make and serve this drink immediately, but it’s even better if you can prepare it in advance, so the fruit flavors have a chance to permeate the wine.

Gina: With a spicy, nutty crumb topping and sweet peaches baked right in, this irresistible crumb cake is a favorite for sleep-late brunches (a good option when you have house guests and everyone had a little bit too much fun the night before). The cake is easy enough to stir together the morning of the brunch, or the night before. To continue the decadence, consider serving peach Bellinis (peach purée with champagne), along with plenty of eggs, bacon, hash browns, etc.

Gina: Oh boy. When I realized the importance of Strawberry Shortcut Cake to the Neely boys, I knew I had to get baking and learn this recipe! The first step was getting permission from Momma Neely to make the cake. Let’s just say baking the cake was the easy part! Momma Neely always brought this cake to our house on special occasions. Didn’t matter if the occasion was a birthday, a graduation, or a good report card. It got to the point where our girls would say, “I need to call Grandma Neely and tell her about my report card so she can bring me some shortcut cake.” I like to call it a shortcut cake because we use a boxed mix. But no one will ever be able to tell when you serve it.