Summer recipes feature dishes you want to serve when you get together with family and friends. They’re the type of meals that create memories. On a secondary level, summer recipes also highlight the vegetables you picked from your garden.

 

If you’re looking for some inspiration, we’ve got some ideas for you in your quest for summer recipes. Have a look at some of these, culled from the pages of the Mother Nature Network:

 

This is a staple of West Coast pubs. Use salmon along with crusty, lightly toasted bread and some sort of lettuce. The real kicker is the sauce on the fish. Many folks enjoy mayo with chopped capers. Read more: Grilled salmon sandwich recipe.

 

Lots of people enjoy growing jalapenos in the backyard, and here’s a great recipe for when these peppers start to ripen this summer. You’ll have to hollow out the chiles and then insert a cheese and breadcrumb mix. Cook them in the oven for about 15 minutes and you’re ready for a spicy treat. Read more: Stuffed jalapeno recipe.

 

Here’s another recipe that takes advantage of fresh summer vegetables. This dish is a type of layered ratatouille replete with yellow squash, eggplant, zucchini and red bell peppers. If you’ve got time to chop vegetables, you’ll certainly enjoy this summer dish. Read more: Summer vegetable Napolean recipe.

 

Farro is a type of grain and it’s considered particularly healthy. This recipe cooks up farro risotto-style with fresh summer vegetables like zucchini, sweet corn kernels and cherry tomatoes. Read more: Summer heirloom farro recipe.

 

As the vegetarian counterpart to the grilled salmon sandwich, this is another easy-to-prepare summer recipe that garners lots of flavor from your choice of sauce. Use kosher salt, basil, mayonnaise, olive oil and garlic for a tasty topping on your sandwich. Read more: Grilled eggplant sandwich.

 

And for dessert … apple crisp.

What's a cool way to end a hot summer day? Try vanilla ice cream on top of apple crisp. We’ve got the perfect recipe using Pristine apples. Of course, you’ll want to consider using Trader Joe’s ice cream since it’s made with rBst-free milk. Read more: Apple crisp recipe.

 

Got more ideas for summer recipes? Leave us a note in the comments below.

 

 

See also:

• Summer dinner recipes

• Healthy summer recipes

• Easy summer recipes