Weeknight Meal Planner: 06/04/18

Delightfully charred, juicy, and full of nuance, these burgers are the only ones you will ever want to make. That’s why we named them Perfect. 

While the grill is obviously the cooking method for casual, outdoor-centered meals and gatherings, don’t forget that you can still bring a touch of sit-down-dinner-type sophistication to the patio table too. This buttery, smoky, and gloriously glaze-y salmon does just that. We call for individual fillets in this recipe, but you could also opt for going with a whole side of salmon (of roughly equivalent weight) for a truly impressive presentation. 

Fresh tarragon infuses this picnic-perfect chicken salad with lovely anise notes. However, feel free to separate part of the salad into a bowl before adding the tarragon for a couple of kid-friendlier servings.

Ditch the tomato sauce and give pizza a makeover by topping with chicken, fresh peach slices, and Gorgonzola cheese. A drizzle of tangy balsamic reduction provides the perfect balance to the sweet summer fruit.

Lemony breadcrumbs add a delightful crunch to this dish.

These easy and impressive dessert stacks utilize the same almond-flavored mascarpone cream and macerated stone fruit that we use in this simple Puff Pastry Summer Fruit Slab Pie. However, rather than spreading the mixtures over a slab of baked puff pastry, you’ll be sandwiching them between cut, baked squares that stand in as an airy alternative to a traditional shortcake biscuits. You’ll want to wait until right before serving time to assemble your dessert. All of those glorious summer fruit juices are going to start seeping into your puff pastry and will lead to sogginess if prepared too far in advance.