By Mary Creel

For anyone who enjoys food and cooking, summer offers the finest ingredients—fresh local produce from the garden, farmers' market, and grocery—to make any dish superlative. The key is to keep things simple and let the quality of your seasonal ingredients shine through.

We hope the creative ideas and tasty recipes that follow help you make the most of summer.

See Recipe for Sesame-Chile Chicken with Gingered Watermelon Salsa

Next: Melon, Berry, and Pear Salad with Cayenne-Lemon-Mint Syrup