Firm, ripe tomatoes. Golden corn. Fragrant basil. Juicy peaches. Nothing compares with the bounty of summer when colors, flavors, and aromas are at their peak and cooking is easier than ever. Fresh, ripe produce is so tasty and perfect on its own that creating a terrific summer meal can be stress-free, delicious, and fun.

In Summer Gatherings, award-winning cooking instructor Rick Rodgers has compiled his favorite simple summer recipes that make the most of the season's flavors. Purposely casual, stripped to their essentials, these recipes are uncomplicated by elaborate sauces or fussy garnishes, focusing instead on the fruits and vegetables that make summer cooking what it is. With Watermelon, Tomato, and Mint Salad to Fried Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms; Soft Shell Crab BLT Sandwiches; Chocolate Cherry Parfaits; Grilled Chicken with White Rosemary Barbecue Sauce; Risotto with Tomatoes, Basil, and Ricotta Salata; and Cantaloupe Ice Pops, Rodgers will help you take full advantage of summer's bounty.

From family cookouts to neighborhood block parties, from picnics on the lawn to picnics at the beach, the appetizing recipes and photographs in Summer Gatherings are guaranteed to satisfy and inspire all season long.

From the book...

Zucchini and Radish Sauté

Serves 4 to 6

Sautéed zucchini is a familiar side dish; sautéed radishes, not so. When cooked, radishes have a pleasant spiciness that perks up the zucchini. Fresh dill provides the final accent. If you have bright yellow zucchini, use it in tandem with the green variety for a very attractive dish.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
8 radishes, scrubbed and thinly sliced
2 medium zucchini, preferably 1 green and 1 golden, scrubbed and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the radishes and cook, stirring often, just until they are beginning to heat through, about 1 minute.

Add the zucchini and cook, stirring often, until they are just tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the dill and the remaining tablespoon of butter. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.

Cantaloupe Ice Pops

Makes 8 pops

How many of us have memories of cooling off by eating ice pops on a hot summer afternoon? Of course, homemade pops made with fresh fruit are healthier than anything that I ever ate while sitting on our front porch. For the most flavorful pops, make these treats with the sweetest, ripest melon that is perhaps just a day away from having to be discarded.

Ingredients:

½ ripe cantaloupe, peeled, seeds removed, cut into chunks
½ cup sugar
Grated zest of 1 lime
1½ tablespoons fresh lime juice

Instructions:

Puree the cantaloupe in a blender and measure: you should have 2 cups. Return the puree to the blender and process with ¾ cup water, the sugar, and the lime zest and juice. Pour equal amounts into 8 ice-pop molds. Cover each mold with its lid and insert a wooden stick.

Freeze until the pops are solid, at least 4 hours or overnight. Remove the pops from the molds and serve.

Rick Rodgers is one of the most versatile and respected professionals in the food industry. He is the author of more than thirty cookbooks, including the bestselling 101 series (Thanksgiving 101, Christmas 101, Barbecues 101); the IACP Cookbook Award nominees Kaffeehaus and The Carefree Cook; and eight titles in the Williams-Sonoma cookbook line. His recipes have appeared in Cooking Light, Fine Cooking, Food & Wine, and epicurious.com, and he is a frequent contributor to Bon Appétit. He lives in the tristate New York area.