Strawberry

"I started cooking when I was a 'young married' in my twenties and realized I liked it," writes Sheryl Hurd-House of Jupiter, Florida. "But I'm having even more fun cooking now that our three children are grown and it's just me and my husband, Garry." Frozen berries — thawed, of course — can stand in for fresh ones in the winter. Prepare the frozen "baskets" (made from cream cheese that’s lightened with whipped cream) at least two hours and up to three days before serving.

Use a Microplane grater or the smallest holes on a box grater to remove the lemon peel in thin, fine pieces. Any delicate buttery cookies — such as pirouettes, small shortbreads, or tender madeleines — would be delicious with the granita.

This dessert is simple and delicious, especially when made with very ripe strawberries and thick Devonshire cream. Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 3 hr

Until powdered gelatin came on the market in the 1890s, making gelatin molds was a labor-intensive endeavor. By the twenties, electric refrigeration and the Jell-O brand made the salads so easy to prepare that cookbooks were filled with recipes for them. This one incorporates the flavors of sangria. Serve it as a side dish or as a dessert.

"I literally didn't know how to boil an egg until I was in my 20's — when I tried to impress a guy by making dinner for him," writes Sally Siegel of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. "I didn't have much success with the dinner or the guy, but I regrouped and put together a repertoire of fairly elegant dishes I felt confident making. Over the years, my cooking style has become more casual; I make dishes that are not too demanding, but still special for company."

If you can't find matzo cake meal, grind batches of regular matzo meal in a clean electric coffee/spice grinder until it has the consistency of flour.

If you don't feel like making your own vanilla ice cream for these red, white and blue sundaes, simply pick up a premium brand at the supermarket.

Have fun with this variation on an old favorite.

Fools are traditionally prepared with pureed fruit mixed with whipped cream, or egg custard, or a combination of the two. (The term fool probably comes from the French fouler, meaning "to crush.") They seem to be especially successful when made with sharply flavored garden produce like rhubarb, gooseberries, and black currants, which still have enough bite to be interesting when blended with cream. But strawberries, which are much easier to find, also work quite nicely. Strawberry fool is best when the fruit is mashed rather than pureed, resulting in a more appealing texture. Serve it with cookies.

There's no easier dessert than fresh fruit. But for something a little more spirited, we topped it with some store-bought lemon curd lightened with yogurt and flavored with crème de cassis. This simple dessert is a snap to prepare.

This simple, delicious treat is excellent spread over scones or toast and comes together in practically no time at all.