Summer

Part of the allure of this very grown-up dessert is its texture, which is softly set, rather than bouncy like Jell-O.

This sauce accompanies Ginger, Fig and Cranberry Semifreddo . It's also great drizzled over vanilla ice cream.

Bilko's spice mix is a closely guarded secret, but Donna King shared with us its fundamental ingredients as well as the basic technique—a long marination, at least 24 hours. This results in some of the juiciest chicken we've ever eaten. The chicken must also rest five or ten minutes after being dredged in the seasoned flour to, as King told us, "get doughy." The Bon Ton recipe calls for Ac'cent (monosodium glutamate) in both the marinade and the dredging mixture. We tested it with and without, and the chicken mainly tasted saltier with the Ac'cent, which some people preferred.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Studies from Northwestern University and the University of Kentucky indicate that fiber-rich bran from oatmeal can actually reduce cholesterol levels in the blood.

A one-pot celebration of summer vegetables.

Or sauce. Or dip. Or sandwich spread.

Muddled melon lends a hot pink hue. Call it the drink of the summer if you must!

Turn a pound of ground beef into this hearty, umami stir-fry.

Use summer’s ripest offerings to make this Mexican party bev.

A feel-good meal full of crunchy veg and even crunchier pita chips.

Pickled chile vinaigrette, salami, and torn crispy bread help turn a bowl’s worth of stone fruit into a lightning fast summery dinner.

A blender dressing does double duty as both a flavorful marinade and a final dressing in this pared-back version of Vietnamese-style lemongrass chicken.

Raw corn kernels add pops of crunchy sweetness to this quick weeknight pasta.

Best served chilled.