When a chef friend suggested we make a simple dinner of Cacio e Pepe, I was there. This ancient Roman dish includes dry pasta, Pecorinio Romano cheese, cracked black peppercorns and some of the pasta water. While it sounds simple to make, especially with the minimal ingredient list, it requires a bit of skill to incorporate the ingredients. Since that first dinner, I have reworked this dish numerous times.

Q: Prepping for a family barbecue. I’ve mastered the burgers and dogs, but what’s the best way to grill a steak? A: It’s finally getting warm enough that the idea of firing up the grill is creeping into our minds.

As surely as the calendar page turns to the summer months, the season also turns menu options to lighter dishes and those that take advantage of ingredients that reach their absolute peak in the warm sunshine. Salads sometime get pigeon-holed in that most dreaded category of food — diet food — but heartier versions that include greens, a protein and a variety of vegetables can be delicious and filling. Plus, the hard-working air conditi...

Lately, I’ve been looking to add more healthy seafood to my diet without breaking the bank, and while canned fish will never have the allure of a fresh filet, today’s good-quality canned salmon is not the fishy, bone-studded mush you may be picturing.

With summer approaching, many home cooks are starting to feel reluctant about spending too much time preparing meals in a hot kitchen.