Summer

The salsa is also delicious made with diced ripe mangoes.

Although fresh dark sweet cherries are available in June, we believe they're best eaten out of hand. This cobbler makes great use of frozen cherries. Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 1 1/4 hr

Use a Microplane grater or the smallest holes on a box grater to remove the lemon peel in thin, fine pieces. Any delicate buttery cookies — such as pirouettes, small shortbreads, or tender madeleines — would be delicious with the granita.

Hannah Levitz of Monroe Township, New Jersey, writes: "I'm always looking for good recipes that I can simplify. I first became interested in cooking when my son, Paul, was growing up. He was a picky eater and quite a challenge to cook for. He's married now with children of his own, and thankfully, he has learned to love almost everything I make. When we all get together, I like to do the cooking — it gives my daughter-in-law a break. And because most of my recipes are speedy, I still have time to enjoy my three grandchildren."

If you prefer to present these halibut steaks with additional grill marks (as in the photo), you can grill the skin sides for about 1 minute each before grilling flesh.

A seasoning mix that originated in Jamaica, jerk is popular throughout the Caribbean in the preparation of meats such as pork and chicken for grilling. Jerk seasoning typically includes chilies, onion, allspice, and thyme. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

These cookies are also good on their own.

Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 20 min

Our take on this soup is faithful to the classic flavors. Assorted marinated vegetables from the local Italian deli are nice to start, and wedges of almond cake with espresso are a great finish.

Buy cooked fresh lobster meat and you can whip this salad together in about 30 minutes. Cooking your own lobster, however, not only ensures the freshest flavor and the tenderest meat, but you get more bang for the buck—you can use the lobster shells to make stock and lobster oil.

Fennel seeds and Pernod, the French anise liqueur, accent this delicate marinade, named after the famous seaport. It is best with fish, shrimp or lobster tails. The recipe makes enough for one pound of fish, with some to spare for spooning over grilled fish. Any marinade coming in contact with raw meat, seafood or poultry must be boiled for one minute before using it for basting.

A full-bodied Zinfandel would stand up well to the spicy chilies. Or offer frosty glasses of cold Mexican beer.

This recipe is an accompaniment for Annabel's Baby Back Ribs. Prepare this sauce 2 days ahead of your party for the flavors to meld. Any extra freezes well.

This recipe was created to accompany <epi:recipeLink ="14220">Grilled Shellfish and Potato Salad with Avacado Salsa, Scallion Oil, and Plum Coulis</epi:recipeLink>.<P> Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Until powdered gelatin came on the market in the 1890s, making gelatin molds was a labor-intensive endeavor. By the twenties, electric refrigeration and the Jell-O brand made the salads so easy to prepare that cookbooks were filled with recipes for them. This one incorporates the flavors of sangria. Serve it as a side dish or as a dessert.