Sour Cream Sugar Cookies

Pretty as a picture: Five summer recipes that taste as good as they look

Winter food is rich and dark: Pot roast, chili and stew.

Summer food is primary colors: Fresh tomato on a bright green salad, stir-fried bright yellow peppers, a bowl of sliced cantaloupe and honeydew.

When it comes to food, photos really can be enticing. Not only do they set our salivary glands into action, but our imaginations as well: I can make that. Wouldn't that look pretty on my table?

Here are some photos and recipes that hopefully will inspire you. They come from Nestle.

You can have your lemonade and eat it, too. Individually-sized pound cakes are dressed with a flavorful whipped topping and garnished with fresh lemon peel. Serve frozen for a refreshing anytime treat to stay cool this summer.

Frozen Lemonade Cupcakes

1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk

1 container (6 ounces) frozen lemonade or limeade concentrate (about 2/3 cup), partially thawed

1 tub (12 ounces) frozen light whipped topping, thawed

1 (10.75 ounces) frozen reduced-fat or fat-free pound cake

Grated lemon peel (optional)

Paper line 18 muffin cups.

Cut pound cake into 18 slices. Using 1 3/4 inch-round cookie cutter or appropriate size to fit into paper liners, cut slices into rounds (discard cake scraps or save for another use). Place cake rounds into paper liners.

Combine sweetened condensed milk and lemonade concentrate in large bowl; stir well. Stir a large spoonful of whipped topping into mixture. Fold in remaining whipped topping. Spoon evenly into liners. Freeze for 2 hours. Cover; freeze for several hours or overnight before serving. Garnish with lemon peel. Makes 18 cupcakes.

Sweet Heat Cucumber Salad

2 medium cucumbers, peeled, halved, seeded and thinly sliced

1/3 cup diced red bell pepper

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

2 to 3 tablespoons sweet chili sauce

2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil

2 tablespoons diced red onion

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 to 3 tablespoons chopped unsalted peanuts

Combine all but peanuts in a medium bowl. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Sprinkle with peanuts before serving. Makes 6 servings.

Try to buy the freshest mozzarella you can find for this recipe; burrata is a soft, milky cheese that would work well here.

Fruit Pizza

Fruit – any seasonal fruit works well.  Remember that bananas will discolor unless you dip them in lemon juice!

Press the cookie dough onto a pizza pan (I bought disposable ones), rolling up the edges just like a traditional pizza.  bake at 350 degrees for about 10 – 12 minutes, until the cookie crust is just barely golden brown.  Let cool completely

Wash and cut up your fruit.  Let dry.

The big Book Of Cookies

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Farm to Fork, Cooking Local, Cooking Fresh

One smart cookie, all your favorite cookies, squares, brownies and biscotti...with less fat!

The Boston Cooking-School magazine of culinary science and domestic economics