Q: Some good friends just had a baby and I want to take them some food. Seeing as it's the dead heat of summer, I'd like to stay away from the obligatory casserole. But something that doesn't have to be eaten the night it's prepared would be good. Help!

Sent by Brianna More

Q: Every August and September, Central Texas (where I live) sees a huge influx of Hatch green chiles from New Mexico. My go-to meal is always a simple jack cheese/green chili quesadilla. I would love to know your ideas for cooking and preserving these spicy, delicious chiles.

Sent by M More

Q: I have a bounty of garden tomatoes with more ripening everyday. While I appreciate recipes like the tomato cobbler you featured the other day, I am cooking in the Midwestern heat wave and I would rather not turn on my oven if I can help it. More

It's tomato time around the country! Although it's been a rough season for the garden, hopefully you're starting to see the fruits of your labor. If you or someone else has a ridiculous amount of tomatoes you're not going to want to miss this cobbler made with blue cheese biscuits. More

I'm lucky enough to live in an area where even modest neighborhood cafes get their produce from local farms and change their menus often to reflect whatever their farmers are harvesting that week. I recently had my first taste of sweet summer corn at one such cafe, in a dish that combined chunks of shaved corn with tangy little cherry tomatoes and a creamy cilantro dressing. Sweet, crunchy and bursting with pure summer flavor, it was so good I knew I had to recreate it. In my kitchen somewhere along the way the combination transformed into a crispy, black-bean-speckled tostada — no complaints here. More

The Olympics' Opening Ceremony is this Friday! Sounds like a good reason to celebrate. Why not have a potluck with food themed around some of the participating countries? We round up a good mix of recipes that should make for an excellent spread. More

Despite being named after a world-class ballerina, I can't help but think of the pavlova as a rather humble and homely thing. I love the way the billowy whipped cream slumps into the cracked surface of the meringue, making a cozy nest for the fruit to rest. But perhaps the pavlova was named for the way it tastes: an arabesque of sweetness, a leap of airy confection, the beloved pas de deux of fresh fruit and cream. Like Anna Pavlova herself, it's perfect. More

S'mores are the classic summer campfire dessert. The components, when eaten together, are a little bite of perfection: gooey marshmallow, crisp graham cracker and warm chocolate. What could be better? How about throwing a little bacon into the mix! More

We showed up at the tail end of our CSA distribution this week and got a little more than we bargained for. Namely, a generous, extra helping (or four) of leafy greens. In trying to use up most of them, I combined a big pile of rainbow chard and all of our beets, and made this lovely little dish. It's dressed with a light vinaigrette and served room temperature, and the leftovers made an excellent lunch the next day. More

All right people, we're in the thick of summer, so it's time to belly up to the bar for some ice cold sangria. Please don't go to that bad place in your mind of sickly sweet concoctions and hangovers so horrible that you'll swear off the stuff. Great sangria can be refreshing and it's perfect for a summer party. More