Fresh for Summer: July 2011

Summer fruits and vegetables are packed with flavor and nutrients. Rev-up summer meals using fresh produce from July's recipe-of-the-day calendar.

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Confetti Quesadillas

Photo: Howard L. Puckett; Styling: Cathy Muir

Confetti Quesadillas Recipe

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Sautéed Striped Bass with Summer Vegetables

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Fonda Shaia

You can substitute any firm, white-fleshed fish for the bass fillets.
Sautéed Striped Bass with Summer Vegetables Recipe

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Cambodian Summer Rolls

Lee Harrelson

Novato, California, reader Cathy Jo Belford sent us this Asian-inspired appetizer for the April 2002 column. The fresh herbs, sweet shrimp, slight spicy heat, and crisp lettuce offer well-balanced taste and texture.
Cambodian Summer Rolls Recipe

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Grilled Peaches and Pork

Randy Mayor

Pairing peaches with succulent pork is the ultimate summer supper. Balsamic vinegar and turbinado sugar bring out the sweetness of the peaches, while grilling the fruit caramelizes the sugars.

Grilled Peaches and Pork Recipe

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Zucchini-and-Summer Squash Salad

Make the most of the bounty of summer produce and cook summer squash on the grill. Marinate the squash and onion wedges in a mixture of orange and lime juices, olive oil, honey, and a dash of hot red pepper, then serve the veggies with a drizzle of the remaining marinade for over-the-top flavor.
Zucchini-and-Summer Squash Salad Recipe

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Vegetable Soup

Photo: Maura McEvoy

Fresh, healthy, and versatile, this 5-star vegetable soup recipe is quick and easy to make. Serve with crusty French bread for a satisfying meal.
Vegetable Soup Recipe

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Italian Stuffed Summer Vegetables

Karry Hosford

A variety of vegetables makes for a pretty presentation, but this can be made with all bell peppers or squash. If you use only bell peppers, which have no interior flesh, add equal amounts of additional breadcrumbs and tomatoes until you get enough filling. Using soft breadcrumbs adds to the melt-in-your-mouth texture of the tender vegetables. Because they are covered while baking, the vegetables keep moisture in, resulting in tender and delicate flesh.
Italian Stuffed Summer Vegetables Recipe

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Grilled Chicken Breast with Salsa

Marinated Grilled Chicken Breast with Watermelon-Jalapeño Salsa

Becky Luigart-Stayner

Sweet watermelon perfectly complements the earthy spices—oregano, chili powder, and cumin— used to marinate juicy chicken breasts.

Grilled Chicken Breast with Salsa Recipe

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Summer Pappardelle with Tomatoes, Arugula, and Parmesan

Photo: Oxmoor House

If your cooked pasta is clumping together, just rinse it under hot water, drain thoroughly, and then toss with the tomato mixture and arugula.
Summer Pappardelle with Tomatoes, Arugula, and Parmesan Recipe

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Green and Yellow Bean Salad with Chunky Tomato Dressing and Feta Cheese

Lee Harrelson

Best Salad. Buy the freshest beans you can find for this simple dish. Then combine them with sherry vinegar, extravirgin olive oil, fresh basil, and good-quality feta cheese for a stellar summer salad. --Recipe by Jack Bishop (June 2001)
Green and Yellow Bean Salad with Chunky Tomato Dressing and Feta Cheese Recipe

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Cherry Cobbler

Photo: William Dickey; Styling: Mary Lyn Hill Jenkins

Cherry Cobbler Recipe

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Melon and Prosciutto Salad with Parmigiano-Reggiano

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Cindy Barr

This colorful appetizer recipe would be a fine addition to an antipasto spread. Parmigiano-Reggiano provides nutty contrast to sweet melons and mirrors the taste of salty prosciutto.
Melon and Prosciutto Salad with Parmigiano-Reggiano Recipe

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Summer Squash Pizza

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Leigh Ann Ross

You can use all zucchini or yellow squash for this grilled pizza. Serve one slice as an appetizer or two with a salad for a simple supper.
Summer Squash Pizza Recipe

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Chicken and Tapenade Sandwiches

Randy Mayor

Layer grilled chicken, feta cheese, and an olive- and tomato-topping for these fantastic dinner sandwiches. The tomato mixture also tastes wonderful when served on slices of toasted baguette as an appetizer.

Chicken and Tapenade Sandwiches Recipe

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Summer Berry Medley with Limoncello and Mint

Limoncello (lee-mon-CHAY-low) is a lemon-flavored liqueur from Italy's Amalfi coast. It's often savored after a meal. Store it in the freezer, and serve over ice. If you have trouble finding it, substitute an orange-flavored liqueur such as Grand Marnier. This recipe earned our Test Kitchens' highest rating.
Summer Berry Medley with Limoncello and Mint Recipe

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Chunky Tomato-Fruit Gazpacho

The mangoes, melons, and nectarines, along with the cucumber, give the gazpacho a sweet spin. Don't seed the jalapeño if you like a soup with more zip.
Chunky Tomato-Fruit Gazpacho Recipe

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Spicy Pickled Summer Vegetables

Quentin Bacon

For extra color and variety, add wax beans, hot peppers, haricots verts, icicle radishes, or pole beans. A wide-mouth jar makes pickling a snap--the vegetables are easier to slide inside. Prep: 10 minutes; Chill: 4 hours.
Spicy Pickled Summer Vegetables Recipe

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Grilled Salmon with Roasted Corn Relish

Roasted corn and chiles gives cumin-spiced salmon a kick in a southwestern-inspired dish, ready in about 40 minutes. Serve with a mixed green salad to round out the meal.

Grilled Salmon with Roasted Corn Relish Recipe

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Heirloom Tomato Salad With Fresh Lady Peas

Photo: Rick Lew; Styling: Sara Foster

Lady peas are smaller, sweeter, and more tender than most peas. If you can't find them, look for fresh black-eyed, purple-hull, pink eye, or crowder peas. In a pinch, substitute cooked dried peas, and proceed with step 2. Prep: 10 minutes; Cook: 10 minutes.
Heirloom Tomato Salad With Fresh Lady Peas Recipe

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Tuna Tortas with Pico de Gallo

James Carrier

We loved the way the fresh tastes of cilantro and lime brightened the flavor of canned tuna in this Mexican-style sandwich created by Jennifer Lira. To seed tomatoes, cut in half crosswise; squeeze out and discard seeds and juice. If desired, garnish sandwiches with lettuce leaves.
Tuna Tortas with Pico de Gallo Recipe

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Summer Melon Salad with Feta and Mint

Jim Franco

This sweet and savory salad is a natural combination if you grew up eating salt on ice-cold watermelon. Made with watermelon, tomatoes, and feta cheese, this summertime-perfect salad is also delicious on a bed of prosciutto or capicola.

Summer Melon Salad with Feta and Mint Recipe

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Blueberry-Cinnamon Muffins

To prevent berries from bleeding, toss them in flour, and then gently fold them into batter.
Blueberry-Cinnamon Muffins Recipe

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Wild Rice and Summer Succotash Salad

Photo: Randy Mayor; Styling: Cindy Barr

Cooking times for wild rice vary depending on the way the rice was processed. In general, cook one cup rice in three cups water, though you may need to add a little more water before the rice is done.
Wild Rice and Summer Succotash Salad Recipe

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Grilled Pork Chops

Photo: John Autry; Styling: Cindy Barr

Cover this quick and easy grilled pork recipe with a tasty salsa that uses summer's freshest fruits and flavors to round out the meal.

Grilled Pork Chops Recipe

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Grilled Halibut with Peach and Pepper Salsa

Photo: Gentl and Hyers; Styling: Kendra Smoot

A fresh fruit salsa is a lovely accompaniment to grilled fish in the summer; try it also with striped bass or arctic char. Here, the season's juiciest peaches pair with fiery habanero pepper for a sweet-spicy flavor. Leave the peaches unpeeled for more color and texture.
Grilled Halibut with Peach and Pepper Salsa Recipe

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Chicken and Corn Summer Chowder

Greg DuPree

Both rich and light, this one-pot meal has a fresh, bright topping of avocado, tomato, cilantro, and lime. Prep and Cook Time: 50 minutes.

Chicken and Corn Summer Chowder Recipe

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Old-Fashioned Strawberry Shortcakes

Photo: Bradford Thomason; Stylist: Katherine Tucker

Grandma had it right all along. Make this classic dessert recipe for a refreshing treat when strawberries are in season.

Old-Fashioned Strawberry Shortcakes Recipe

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Summer's Best Garden Salad

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Cindy Barr, Hayden Patton

Adding five vegetables and one fruit—avocado—to the romaine lettuce rounds out the nutrition in this side dish salad.
Summer's Best Garden Salad Recipe

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Fresh Tomato Sauce

Annabelle Breakey

If you prefer a smooth texture for your sauce, either peel the tomatoes before chopping them or run the sauce through a food mill before stirring in the basil. You can easily double (or triple) this sauce. It freezes beautifully for up to 6 months.
Fresh Tomato Sauce Recipe

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Southwestern Summer Salad

Southwestern Summer Salad Recipe

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Pavlova Parfaits

Dan Goldberg

The perfect finale for a warm summer night. Store-bought meringue cookies add crunch, while pistachios lace the layers with nutty sweetness. Prep and Cook Time: 40 minutes. Notes: For convenience, prepare vanilla cream and berries through step 3 up to 3 hours before serving. Cover and chill separately until ready to assemble. Or, prepare the parfaits entirely and refrigerate, uncovered, for up to 1 hour before serving.
Pavlova Parfaits Recipe

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Fresh for Summer