Simmer

In this remarkably tasty side-dish vegetable, instant stock powder provides a long-cooked depth of flavor in minutes. The rich creaminess of the white beans transforms frozen spinach into a healthful and delicious version of creamed spinach. It's not just a side dish though: Use leftover "creamed" spinach as a sauce for pasta or grains (season a bit more heavily) or thin it with enough vegetable stotck to turn it into a soup.

Everyone's favorite Polish dumpling. Toothsome, warm, soft, and smothered in caramelized onions—yep, that's the stuff! In NYC, pierogi are a brunch staple. Our Polish diners are a disappearing breed, but you can live the life in your own kitchen. This is one of those time-consuming recipes that will change your life. If you make them once and know what to expect, the next time you make them won't be such a big deal. Because theh ingredients are so simple and unadulterated, choose good-quality, organic potatoes whose flavor packs the most punch.

Most people seem to have a particular way they like their gravy. This one is of the thick, southern-style kinds that you serve on the side and is great for dipping your biscuit or potatoes in. Since everything is pureed, don't be too particular about how you chop the ingredients up. The thyme leaves don't have to be meticulously pulled from the stems; so long as the stems are tender enough to chop them up, too—that way everything comes together fast. An immersion blender comes in really handy here, but if you don't have one, a blender is just fine, too.

This dessert is fantastic served with ripe summer berries. To further refine it, try mixing the fruit with a little rosewater and sugar.

The ideal summer dinner—without the labor required for the traditional Spanish version.

This frozen dessert has the creamy texture of softened ice cream—but doesn't require an ice cream maker.

Farro is a nutty-flavored grain that's popular in Tuscany. It's not as heavy as some other whole grains, but it's still packed with protein, fiber, magnesium, and vitamins A, B, C, and E. Here, it's the base for a satisfying summer salad.

This velvety soup has no cream except for the little bit of sour cream that's spooned on top. It's perfect for summer entertaining: All of the components can be prepared a day ahead.

Fresh, in-shell black-eyed peas have a nutty flavor and cook quickly. You'll find them at farmers' markets in late summer. You can also buy shelled ones in the produce section of many supermarkets and from melissas.com. Flat green beans known as Romano (or Roma) beans are also found at farmers' markets. If you can't get them, string beans are a fine substitute.

Garlic chives add a mildly garlicky flavor to this simple pasta, which is loaded with little tomatoes and tiny pearls of fresh mozzarella cheese. The pea-size mozzarella can be found at Trader Joe's and well-stocked supermarkets.

Tinseltown's finest flock here for classic Italian meals from chefs Mario Batali and Nancy Silverton. This dish delivers molto flavor for few calories, plus a third of your daily iron needs.

10-Minute Penne with Caponata Sauce

Apricots and almonds have an affinity for each other, as you'll discover in this marriage of the stone fruit and a cool semifreddo dotted with crushed almond praline.

A simple, delicious summer dessert with nectarines.

Fennel and raisins are a classic combination, and they come together here with rice to make a gratifying side dish. Dried fennel seeds help boost the fresh vegetable's delicate anise flavor, while plump golden raisins thread the rice with sweetness.

In another case of less is more, at-their-peak green beans—an old favorite—are paired with a quick vinaigrette that sparkles with a generous amount of minced sweet onion.

With its ample doses of maple syrup, cream, and the freshest berries, this easy, elegant treat will knock apple pie off its pedestal. True to the spirit of Yankee thrift, any leftover berry mixture can be put to good use at tomorrow's breakfast table, as a topping for pancakes.

By this point in the summer, the mint in most gardens has grown knee-high and is threatening to take over. Don't panic—harvest a few armloads and turn the bounty into a refreshing drink. Plan on making a couple of batches, both with and without alcohol: Adults will swoon over the smooth, bourbon-laced juleps; kids will enjoy the lightly sweetened herbal tea all on its own.

In the Greek soup known as avgolemono ("ahv-go-LEH-mo-no"), humble ingredients—chicken broth, lemon juice, eggs, a small amount of rice—morph into a light soup with the consistency of liquid velvet. Although avgolemono is traditionally served hot, it's an especially summery starter when chilled and seasoned with lots of dill.

Not in the mood for bread? No problem. This no-mayo lobster mixture would also make an ideal centerpiece in a summer salad.