recipes
Serve Up a Summertime Spread
Last Updated on May 28, 2024 by Daily News Staff
(Family Features) Few things complement warm weather like a summer spread with everyone’s favorite foods. From fresh appetizers and classics like grilled hot dogs to skewered sides and sweet, sugary desserts, these summertime recipes are sure to bring friends, family and neighbors running to get in on the action.
To find more recipe ideas that bring the heat to summer cookouts, visit Culinary.net.
Up Your Grilling Game with Beloved Toppings
Hot dogs and brats are summer favorites for a reason: the delicious (and personalized) add-ons. Make sure your spread fits everyone’s taste buds with an assortment of tasty toppings like these:
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Relish
- Hot sauce
- Onions
- Pickles
- Sauerkraut
- Cole slaw
- Jalapenos
- Diced tomatoes
- Guacamole
- Nacho cheese
- Shredded cheese

Start Summer Meals with a Bright, Fresh Salad
Bright colors and fresh flavor bring out the best in summer meals, starting with seasonal salads that look as though the ingredients were just picked from a garden.
Orange, grapefruit and avocado are perfect accompaniments in this Citrus Spring Mix Salad when paired with Fresh Express Spring Mix. This garden-fresh blend combines carefully selected tender baby butter and red and green leaf lettuces with baby greens including spinach, arugula and kale that are picked when the tiny leaves are perfect and whole.
With more than 100 varieties of fresh, healthy and convenient ready-to-eat salads, as well as an assortment of salad greens you can use to create your ideal summer dishes, the kits and lettuce blends are available in the refrigerated product department of your favorite grocery store.
Visit freshexpress.com to discover more than 300 fresh recipes and find availability near you.
Citrus Spring Mix Salad
Prep time: 5 minutes
Total time: 10 minutes
Servings: 2
Dressing:
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
- 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Salad:
- 1 package (5 ounces) Fresh Express Spring Mix
- 1 navel orange, peeled and sectioned
- 1 red grapefruit, peeled and sectioned
- 1 avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced
- 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
- To make dressing: In small bowl, whisk orange juice, orange zest, white wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, sugar and salt. Set aside.
- To make salad: In large bowl, toss spring mix with salad dressing. Divide salad evenly among two plates. Top with oranges, grapefruit, avocado and onion.

A Simple, Skewered Side
Keep your summer meals simple by leaning into versatile ingredients that can help you whip up a variety of side dishes.
These Grilled Red Potato Skewers display the delicious, nutritious, versatile qualities of Wisconsin Potatoes. With a multitude of varieties, they’re a favorite among world-class chefs, home cooks, large and small supermarkets and even the pickiest of eaters.
It can be love at first bite with these 100% gluten-free potatoes that can add a touch of nutrition to summer cookouts. They’re a good source of vitamin B6, high in vitamin C, rich in potassium and an excellent source of fiber.
Find more recipe ideas by visiting eatwisconsinpotatoes.com.
Grilled Red Potato Skewers
Recipe courtesy of the Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4
- 2 medium russet or Yukon gold Wisconsin potatoes or 6 red Wisconsin potatoes
- 2 medium zucchini
- 1/2 smoked sausage rope
- 4 skewers (12 inches each)
- 1/2 cup Italian dressing
- Preheat grill to medium heat. Cut potatoes in half. Cut zucchini and sausage same width as potatoes. Skewer potatoes, zucchini and sausage. Repeat for each skewer.
- Place skewers in dish and cover with Italian dressing. Marinate 5 minutes.
- Place skewers on grill and cook 5 minutes on each side, or until potatoes are done. Remove from grill and serve.

Cap the Night with a Brown Sugar Delight
Summer meals from small plates to grilled fare may be tasty, but don’t fill up entirely on the main course. Remember to save room for your favorite warm-weather sweets.
These Brown Sugar Meringues provide bursting summertime flavor in a little, handheld bite. They’re ideal for sharing with loved ones after a weekend barbecue or birthday celebration and, with just a few ingredients, they’re as easy to make as they are to enjoy.
To help bake this delicious dessert, you can trust Domino to deliver quality, consistency and results that only a century of experience can bring. Its Light Brown Sugar offers a buttery, caramel flavor, making it a perfect choice for sweets of all kinds.
Find more summery sweets at DominoSugar.com.
Brown Sugar Meringues
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour, plus 1 hour rest time
Yield: 3 dozen meringues
- Water
6 large egg whites, at room temperature
1 cup Domino Light Brown Sugar
3/4 cup Domino Granulated Sugar Easy Baking Tub
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons Domino Turbinado Sugar (optional)
- Preheat oven to 225 F. Line three baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Pour 1 inch of water into medium saucepan and heat it until simmering. In heat-proof bowl, mix egg whites, brown sugar, granulated sugar and salt. Put bowl on top of saucepan and warm mixture until it reaches 125 F. Stir continuously and make sure mixture does not touch water.
- Carefully remove from heat. Using electric mixer, beat mixture at high speed 8-10 minutes. Transfer meringue into piping bag fitted with star tip. Pipe 12 meringues per baking sheet.
- Sprinkle turbinado sugar on top of meringues, if desired. Bake 1 hour. Turn off oven and allow meringues to rest inside oven 1 hour. Remove from oven and enjoy.
Photo courtesy of Shutterstock (hot dogs)
SOURCE:
Fresh Express
Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association
Domino Sugar
Recipe of the Week
Dive Into Healthy Eats with Mediterranean-Inspired Dishes
Mediterranean-Inspired Dishes: Inspired by the vibrant flavors and traditions of the Mediterranean, the aptly named Mediterranean Diet zeroes in on nourishing foods long touted as some of the healthiest by dietitians and health organizations.

Dive Into Healthy Eats with Mediterranean-Inspired Dishes
(Feature Impact) The warm weather season offers a perfect opportunity for a meal reset. Inspired by the vibrant flavors and traditions of the Mediterranean, the aptly named Mediterranean Diet zeroes in on nourishing foods long touted as some of the healthiest by dietitians and health organizations.
Inclusive of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans and other legumes, as well as low-fat or fat-free dairy products, non-tropical vegetable oils and nuts, poultry and fish – such as Genova Wild Caught Yellowfin Tuna – Mediterranean-focused dishes fit beautifully into a colorful, healthy diet. The Mediterranean Diet has also been associated with many benefits, as it includes key nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids that support brain, eye and heart health. Because this way of eating also prioritizes fiber and lean protein, it also can support a healthy weight, which can fuel overall health and well-being for years to come.
Packed with protein and omega-3s, Genova Yellowfin Tuna in Olive Oil is wild-caught and inspired by the flavors and traditions of the Mediterranean. Free from additives and preservatives, this convenient protein makes an easy and delicious addition to meals inspired by the region’s fresh, vibrant ingredients.
A simple, elegant Flatbread Nicoise lets tuna take center stage, melding together fresh, foolproof ingredients like baby potatoes, green beans, baby arugula, kalamata olives and red onion on top of a warm, doughy crust. Or take the taste of the Mediterranean further at lunch time with this Mediterranean Tuna, Feta and Dill Salad. It combines the big, bright flavors and textures of arugula, cucumber, feta, fresh dill, lemon and tuna to give your tastebuds a happy zing and keep you satisfied until dinner.
For more information, including recipes, serving suggestions and a product locator, visit GenovaSeafood.com.
Flatbread Nicoise
Total time: 50 minutes
Servings: 4
- 4 ounces baby potatoes, well-scrubbed
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 pound store-bought pizza dough, at room temperature
- kosher salt, to taste
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 ounces green beans or haricot verts, trimmed
- 1 can (5 ounces) Genova Yellowfin Tuna in Olive Oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup baby arugula
- 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/4 cup pitted kalamata or nicoise olives, halved
- 1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced
- Preheat oven to 450 F. Using mandolin, thinly slice potatoes.
- Drizzle 9-by-13-inch baking sheet with 1 tablespoon olive oil and spread pizza dough to edges. Shingle potatoes over dough, leaving 1/2-inch border. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and drizzle with remaining olive oil.
- Bake pizza until cooked through and crust is golden, about 25 minutes. Remove and let cool slightly.
- Bring small saucepan of salted water to boil. Add green beans and cook until bright green and crisp tender, about 3 minutes. Strain, rinse with cool water and drain well. Transfer to work surface and cut each bean into thirds on bias.
- Strain oil from tuna can into small bowl and whisk vinegar into oil. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Sprinkle slightly cooled pizza with arugula, tuna, tomatoes, olives, green beans and red onion. Drizzle with vinegar dressing then slice and serve warm.

Mediterranean Tuna, Feta and Dill Salad
Total time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4
- 3 cups arugula
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, each cut in half
- 1/2 English cucumber, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
- 1/2 cup feta cheese chunks
- 1/4 cup sliced red onion
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill or 1 teaspoon dried dill, plus additional for topping (optional)
- 2 cans (5 ounces each) Genova Yellowfin Tuna in Olive Oil
Dressing:
- 2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped dill
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- In large bowl or on platter, lay arugula. Place cherry tomatoes, cucumber, feta, red onion and dill over arugula. Top with tuna; reserve oil from cans.
- To make dressing: In small bowl, combine lemon juice, dill, salt and pepper. Whisk in reserved olive oil from tuna cans until mixture is well blended.
- Before serving, drizzle dressing over salad and top with additional chopped dill, if desired.
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Food and Beverage
Easy, Creamy Spring Goodness
Last Updated on April 20, 2026 by Rod Washington

(Family Features) For a soup that smells as divine as it tastes, warm up your home with the fresh scents and flavors of Creamy Asparagus Soup. Pair with chicken salad croissants for a simple weeknight meal without the hassle then visit Culinary.net to discover more spring soup solutions.

Creamy Asparagus Soup
Recipe courtesy of “Cookin’ Savvy”
Servings: 4-6
- 2 asparagus bundles
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 3 cups broth of choice, divided
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese
- 2 teaspoons celery salt
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
- chicken salad croissants, for serving
- Chop asparagus into bite-size pieces. In large pot, place asparagus, butter, onion powder, garlic powder and 1 cup broth. Cook over medium heat until asparagus gets tender.
- Transfer to blender with 1 cup broth and blend until smooth. Transfer back to pot and, over medium heat, mix in cream cheese, remaining broth and Parmesan cheese. Add celery salt and Italian seasoning. Cook while stirring, blending seasonings in well, then add heavy cream.
- Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve with chicken salad croissants.
SOURCE:
Culinary.net
Recipe of the Week
Creative Cupcakes to Complete Your Easter Feast
The Chocolate Easter Egg Cupcakes bring joy to post-Easter gatherings with a moist cake, creamy frosting, and delightful chocolate candies. The recipe, requiring a 30-minute prep and 15-minute cook time, offers a treat for chocolate lovers. For more dessert ideas, visit Culinary.net.
Last Updated on April 19, 2026 by Daily News Staff
(Feature Impact) Once the Easter baskets are put away and the main course is cleared from the kitchen, you can liven up the dessert table or send guests off with a thoughtful treat thanks to these Chocolate Easter Egg Cupcakes. Moist cake, creamy frosting and chocolate-coated candies combine for a seasonal sweet that’s sure to impress.
To find more dessert ideas that satisfy chocolate lovers – and all your loved ones – visit Culinary.net.
Chocolate Easter Egg Cupcakes
Recipe adapted from A Classic Twist
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Cupcakes:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup hot water
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Frosting:
- 3 sticks unsalted butter, softened and cubed
- 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 2-3 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
- 2-3 drops brown food coloring
- egg-shaped chocolate-coated candies
- To make cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 F. Line 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.
- In bowl of electric mixer, sift flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
- In medium bowl, whisk egg, buttermilk, water, vegetable oil and vanilla extract.
- Mix dry ingredients on low speed 1 minute. Add wet ingredients. Mix 2 minutes on medium speed and scrape sides and bottom of bowl. Mix 1 minute on medium speed.
- Divide evenly among cupcake liners.
- Bake 12-15 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out almost clean.
- Cool cupcakes on wire rack.
- To make frosting: Using paddle attachment of electric mixer, whip butter 8 minutes on medium speed until pale and creamy. Add powdered sugar, milk, vanilla extract and salt; mix on low speed 1 minute. Increase speed to medium and mix 6 minutes until frosting is light, creamy and fluffy. Add food coloring and whip 1 minute.
- Pipe frosting onto cupcakes and top with egg-shaped chocolate-coated candies.
Photo courtesy of Unsplash

SOURCE:
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