Author: Mary Ann Esposito

Nothing says summer like a tart cherry pie served with a generous ball of vanilla ice cream

This easy-to-make Bing cherry sauce is great on pork chops, turkey and chicken cutlets

Cherries are a great snack as is— munched on cold from the refrigerator­­—but they also take over the spotlight in this gorgeous refreshing summer salad

A claflouti is a rustic French pancake of sorts usually filled with fresh fruit, such as peaches, apricots or cherries

This all-around star of the summer garden is a perfect ingredient for the main course, salad or dessert

A fruit and cheese plate is an elegant way to end a party or a great treat to yourself

This super-moist chocolate cake made with olive oil and frosted with a cinnamon-flavored topping makes a perfect ending to a Valentine’s Day dinner.

Your valentine will love every bite of this elegant and easy-to-prepare beef fillet. Don’t be surprised when he/she asks for seconds!

Rich and decadent, this pasta with vodka sauce puts a little spark in Valentine’s Day!

Sweet, red bell-pepper boats are the perfect little starter for Valentine’s Day. The mix of flavors in the filling is an explosion in your mouth that tempts you to have more than one or two or...

Your heart will skip a beat when you take your first forkful of this beautiful-to-look-at and equally delicious-to-eat beet salad.

A crust-less quiche is a great and healthy potluck dish that allows for a lot of variation in the filling.

This is an elegant do-ahead choice for a potluck because it does not require any additional heating or cooking, and tastes better as it sits.

A potluck calls for baked beans in my book, but you can add a new taste twist by including farro or wheat berries for an even more nutritious dish.

You need Concord grapes to make a good grape pie.

Waldorf salads are one of my favorites, but instead of cloaking all that goodness in mayonnaise, yogurt is a healthier and tastier alternative.

Make a grape smoothie for a hot day; it is so refreshing and there is no limit on the possible ingredients.

Dainty as well as tasty, this tart’s added surprise is fresh thyme, which compliments these charming individual treats.

Got egg whites? Meringues are the easiest and most exotic dessert to make with leftover egg whites, or if you just want to start from scratch with fresh eggs or powdered egg whites. The best part is that meringues are fast to make, and once they are in the oven, you can almost forget about them.

Making a fruit tart is not difficult at all. For this fruit tart, both the dough and pastry cream can be made ahead. Be artistic in how you arrange the fruit, mixing and matching to achieve vivid color.

This glazed strawberry pie is one of my all-time favorites. Whole strawberries are arranged in apre-baked pie shell and held in place by a delicious strawberry glaze.

Elegant white peaches go into this equally elegant tart crust. No one will believe how easy it is to make something so luscious!

Crostini means “little toasts.” Small slices of baguette bread are browned in a little olive oil, grilled or toasted, and topped with artichokes and cheese. This is a delicious make-ahead addition for a buffet.

Braising artichokes (slowly cooking them in a small amount of liquid) leaves them tender and flavorful. Spoon some of the braising liquid over them for serving.

This artichoke and leek tart can use frozen artichoke hearts and ready-made puff pastry.

This Artichoke and Potato Casserole has “company” written all over it. It is a dish inspired by my Sicilian heritage. Sicilians love artichokes and deftly prepare them in unique ways: baked stuffed with breadcrumbs and cheese; slowly stewed with tomatoes and onions; fried so the leaves are as crisp as potato chips; and roasted in hot embers right on the ground!

Ratatouille is a stew-like vegetable dish from the Provence area of France. It usually contains eggplant, zucchini, onion and peppers, but nothing in the world of food is a commandment; other vegetables can be used at the cook’s whim. Ratatouille serves nicely as a side dish or a main vegetarian offering. I like to digress a bit and bring out more vegetable flavor by roasting all the vegetables instead of stewing them.

Kale and Swiss chard have honored places in my home garden. I love their royal presence as they tower over other nearby vegetables. Kale’s sturdy leaves are the perfect complement to the more delicate chard, and together they make a delightful combo in this protein- and vitamin-packed “quiche.”

Crunchy sugar snap peas—I eat them right off the vine! But when I do cook them, I steam them to retain that crunch and vivid green color. A favorite family salad during the summer is this simple one with feta cheese and onion. To vary the dish, add fresh mint and lemon zest.