Cookthink

Pea shoots barely wilted in olive oil and sliced strawberries are fantastic served on toast with pepper jelly and sea salt, or simply tossed together as a salad with a drizzle of balsamic syrup. Read more about this recipe at Cook & Eat.

Salmon Papillote With Vegetables And Herbs

What looks like too many vegetables will cook down to just the right amount to serve with foil-wrapped baked salmon. Be sure to use fresh herbs. Read more about this recipe at the Washington Post.

Light And Fresh Minestrone Soup

This has a light, healthful flavor and is not as heavy as some minestrones. Dice the ingredients small so there are no unwieldy pieces of vegetables. Read more about this recipe at the Washington Post.

Mussels With Tomato, Pastis And Wine

Don't be fooled by how fancy they look -- mussels are the ultimate easy seafood. Clean them, sauté them, steam them up, and presto -- you'll have a dish everyone will "ooooh" over. With the addition of pastis, these have a decidedly Provençal flavor.

Ziti With Grilled Vegetables

A quick and fresh summer pasta, this dish is also a great way to use up leftover grilled summer squash or other vegetables. This recipe is part of Andrew Schloss's Sunday Dinners.

Spicy Tomato Butter

Spread this flavored butter on bread for a spicy, creamy kick. It's also delicious on grilled corn. This recipe is part of Andrew Schloss's Sunday Dinners.

Sausage Roll With Peppers, Onions And Mustard Dressing

Poaching is a quick and easy way to cook sausage, but it would be delicious grilled, too. Read more about this recipe on the Cookthink blog.

Parmesan Crostini

Garlicky, toasted bread is an ideal medium for salty, full-bodied parmesan, but just about any cheese would work here. Is there a simpler, better companion for soup?

Roasted Broccoli Crostini

High heat gives surprisingly complex flavor to broccoli, but keep an eye on it as it browns so that it does not burn. Roasted broccoli is naturally at home sitting atop toasted garlicky bread -- and a great side for soup.

Basic Roasted Chicken

Once you master the technique for roasting a chicken, stuff the cavity with cut lemons or fresh herbs, or combine butter or oil with citrus zest, garlic and herbs and spread it under the skin. Read more about this recipe at the Washington Post.

Chickpea, Potato And Spinach Stew

This aromatic, hearty North African-inspired vegetable stew is delicious as a side to grilled or roasted meat -- or as a complete and nutritious one-pot meal on its own. See step-by-step instructions and photos at the Cookthink blog.

Linguine With Clams

This is the classic linguine with clams served in Mario Batali's restaurants, as described by Bill Buford in his hugely entertaining book Heat. We've adapted the recipe here for the home cook.