Are you hungry for summer? We've got a round-up of some of the best recipes to keep you full and festive throughout the season.
From salads to salsas, chicken and fruit crisps — here are the best summer recipes to kick off the season.
(AP Photo)
AP Photo
This photo shows potato salad studded with grilled corn and poblano peppers. For Marcela Valladolid, salads are not starters. They are big and substantial. (AP Photo/Matthew Mead)
You can find the recipe here.
(ASSOCIATED PRESS/Matthew Mead)
ASSOCIATED PRESS/Matthew Mead
Kick off your summer parties with this refreshing drink recipe from D.C.’s own Café Dupont. (WTOP/Rachel Nania)
Ingredients: 2 ounces of Tanqueray gin; handful of fresh blueberries; tonic; 2 basil leafs; 2 lime wedges; splash of simple syrup
Instructions: In a mixing glass, muddle fruit, add spirit; combine ingredients; shake heavily until frosted; pour into rock glass; top it off with tonic.
(WTOP/Rachel Nania)
WTOP/Rachel Nania
This photo shows chef Vikas Khanna’s recipe for tangy fruit salad. Khanna offered this simple fruit salad that sports complex flavors. Dried mango powder, a tangy, pungent seasoning, is key to this recipe. (AP Photo/Matthew Mead)
You can find the recipe here.
(ASSOCIATED PRESS/Matthew Mead)
ASSOCIATED PRESS/Matthew Mead
This photo shows a recipe for grilled BLT pizza with summer tomato-basil sauce. (AP Photo/Matthew Mead)
You can find the recipe here.
(AP/Matthew Mead)
This photo shows heirloom and cherry tomato salad. Alice Waters offered this recipe for a simple but stunning salad. (AP Photo/Matthew Mead)
You can find the recipe here.
(ASSOCIATED PRESS/Matthew Mead)
ASSOCIATED PRESS/Matthew Mead
This photo shows summer crisp with pecan streusel topping. The addition of orange liqueur is optional for the dish, but it can make big difference in the summer dessert. (AP Photo/Matthew Mead)
You can find the recipe here.
(ASSOCIATED PRESS/Matthew Mead)
ASSOCIATED PRESS/Matthew Mead
This photo shows grilled oysters with fermented black beans and chili garlic. This recipe was inspired by chefs at the South Beach Wine and Food Festival in Miami Beach, Florida. (AP Photo/Matthew Mead)
You can find the recipe here.
(ASSOCIATED PRESS/Matthew Mead)
ASSOCIATED PRESS/Matthew Mead
This is a maxed mac and cheese hot dog. With a prosciutto wrap on the dog this recipe is a summer favorite in the extreme. (AP Photo/Larry Crowe)
You can find the recipe here.
(ASSOCIATED PRESS/Larry Crowe)
ASSOCIATED PRESS/Larry Crowe
This photo shows Dijon tomato and sweet onion pie. The Tomato Pie is a classic Southern dish made in summer when the tomato plants are heavy with ripe fruit. (AP Photo/Matthew Mead)
You can find the recipe here.
(AP/Matthew Mead)
AP/Matthew Mead
Basil Leaves Stuffed With Chevre and Pine Nuts would make a light lunch for which the only cooking needed is to toast pine nuts. The recipe is from Food & Wine magazine’s “Food & Wine Fast.” (AP Photo/Larry Crowe)
You can find the recipe here.
(AP/LARRY CROWE)
AP/LARRY CROWE
This photo shows a minted margarita. Two classic summer cocktails, mojitos and margaritas, inspired this pitcher cocktail. (AP Photo/Matthew Mead)
You can find the recipe here.
(ASSOCIATED PRESS/Matthew Mead)
ASSOCIATED PRESS/Matthew Mead
Right-side-up cake from Deborah Madison’s “Seasonal Fruit Desserts” is seen in this photo. While avoiding heat in the kitchen tends to be the rule in the summer, it will be worth cranking up the oven for this recipe. (AP Photo/Larry Crowe)
You can find the recipe here.
(ASSOCIATED PRESS/Larry Crowe)
ASSOCIATED PRESS/Larry Crowe
Grilled meatballs may sound like an odd idea, but this quick recipe has distinct tomato and savory notes and produces meatballs with tons of flavor that can be cooked entirely on the grill. For a great sandwich, toss slices of provolone cheese over them during the final minute of grilling. (AP Photo/Larry Crowe)
You can find the recipe here.
(ASSOCIATED PRESS/LARRY CROWE)
ASSOCIATED PRESS/LARRY CROWE
This photo shows buttery roasted tomato bruschetta. This bruschetta recipe gets a pat of butter added at the end just before serving. (AP Photo/Matthew Mead)
You can find the recipe here.
(ASSOCIATED PRESS/Matthew Mead)
ASSOCIATED PRESS/Matthew Mead
This photo shows chef Elizabeth A. Karmel’s lemon chicken steaks with summer salad and tzatziki. This recipe is perfect for the end of summer when farmers markets and backyard gardens are bursting with cucumbers and tomatoes. (AP Photo/Matthew Mead)
You can find the recipe here.
(ASSOCIATED PRESS/Matthew Mead)
ASSOCIATED PRESS/Matthew Mead
Chef Elizabeth Karmel’s recipe for cooked shrimp and crab in a light, chilled summer cerviche served with tortilla chips. (AP Photo/Matthew Mead)
You can find the recipe here.
(ASSOCIATED PRESS/Matthew Mead)
ASSOCIATED PRESS/Matthew Mead
This photo shows grilled tomatillo and nectarine salsa over blue cheese meatloaf burgers. This summer grilling recipe combines meat, vegetables and fruit. (AP Photo/Matthew Mead)
You can find the recipe here.
(AP/Matthew Mead)
AP/Matthew Mead
This photo shows grapefruit and corn summer salsa. The recipe features a shaved salsa that needs neither tomatoes nor chopping. (AP Photo/MatthewMead)
You can find the recipe here.
(AP/Matthew Mead)
AP/Matthew Mead
This photo shows grilled Mexican street corn salad. (AP Photo/Matthew Mead)
You can find the recipe here.
(AP/Matthew Mead)