2011 Summer

What kid doesn't love rainbow sherbet? I know I loved it, but as an adult, I have found the store-bought frozen treat to be much too sweet and artificial. So I've skipped the ice cream aisle and picked up everything for my own homemade mango sherbet instead.

Sherbet is usually thought of as somewhere between ice cream and sorbet. Unlike ice cream, sherbet doesn't have eggs, and unlike sorbet, sherbet does have milk. Sherbet has a creamier texture like ice cream but doesn't take nearly as long to make since you skip making the custard.

Be sure to use ripe mangoes for better texture; to make it even smoother, strain the mango puree before you blend it. This light, tangy, and fruity mango sherbet is the perfect way to end a festive soiree — for both kids and adults alike. If you are ready to try your hand at a simple mango sherbet, keep reading for the recipe.

I recently hit up a trendy restaurant for brunch, where I found myself feasting on crusty bread topped with macerated raspberries and mascarpone cheese. The dish was chock-full of peak season sweetness, but I couldn't help but think that, at an overpriced $9, it'd be better off made at home.

So, with that inspiration in mind, I took to my market and picked up a bounty of end-of-season apricots for a mere 99 cents per pound. The stone fruits, along with some figs, went into the oven to be roasted until they were syrupy and falling-apart sweet. I served them in their juices over fresh ricotta on rustic levain.

As it turns out, roasted fruit-topped bread makes a delicious start to the day, as well as an after-school or post-workout snack. It's easily adaptable (I'm certain everything from plums to blackberries to grapes would work!) and affordable to make at home. Keep reading for the indispensable recipe.

There are certain things in this world that are a natural match made in heaven; the pairing of peanut butter and chocolate is one of those combinations in my book. Everyone's seen this in ice cream, but I decided that it's time for a peanut butter pop dipped in some choc!

I used all-natural peanut butter since I had it on hand, but a traditional store-bought peanut butter like Skippy or Jif would make a better base, as the flavor is more intense. Since these little guys are exceptionally rich, keeping these popsicles on the miniature side is key (if you don't have small popsicle molds, use tiny paper cups or shot glasses instead). The chocolate shell needs to be cool to room temperature to ensure you don't melt the popsicles while dipping. Once dipped, however, the popsicles are ready to eat; alternatively, store them in the freezer until you're ready to serve them.

If you, too, are a peanut butter-and-chocolate fiend, bust out your popsicle sticks and get to freezing these easy chocolate and peanut butter packed popsicles. Read ahead for the recipe.

OK, listen up readers: this recipe is for everyone who hates to bake. It's the world's easiest cake recipe and it requires no oven time and only five ingredients. What kind of cake could that be? It's a classic icebox cake! If you're not familiar with icebox cakes, they are made by layering chocolate wafer cookies with whipped cream. As the mixture sits overnight in the refrigerator, the wafers absorb some of the whipped cream, and the next day the whole thing can be sliced and served like a normal cake. I love icebox cakes because they taste like a giant Oreo cookie! This dish would be an excellent finish to a Labor Day barbecue, so read more to get the uncomplicated recipe.