By Anne Baker

Some things just scream summer: an egg toss on the Fourth of July, a big Hollywood blockbuster or perhaps the smell of the ocean. Nothing, however, signals the start of the warmest season like a backyard cookout.

Parties held outdoors are most fun with a crowd of people, so the following recipes are easy to adjust depending on how many guests you are planning for. Hearty kettle chips still make delicious and cheap appetizers, but try mixing it up with a new flavor like cheddar and beer or spicy Thai. Lemonade is always a safe bet for refreshments, but experiment with a drink named after golfer Arnold Palmer: AriZona’s half lemonade and half-black iced tea.

Whatever you choose to serve, focus on using the freshest ingredients summer has to offer. Fresh fruit and vegetables taste better and offer more nutrients than those frozen or out of a can. —–

Fresh Fruit Salad 1 carton raspberries 1 carton strawberries, cut in half 1 carton blueberries 1 sliced honeydew or cantaloupe melon Fresh mint, about 5 leaves Sugar, to taste 1. In a medium-sized bowl, mix fruit together. Sprinkle sugar on the fruit to your desired sweet taste. 2. Roughly chop mint. Mix into fruit. Adjust mint and sugar according to taste. 3. Let the fruit chill in the refrigerator for at least ten minutes before serving. Any fruit can be used, so be sure to mix in some of your favorites. Salsa Dogs For the hot dogs: 1 package kosher, all-beef hot dogs 1 package wheat hot dog buns 1 cup chopped cabbage

1. Cook hot dogs on a grill or skillet until hot. 2. Toast buns in a toaster or on the grill. 3. Place dogs in the buns and top with raw chopped cabbage. For the pico de gallo: 1 large ripe tomato 1 small white onion 1 bunch cilantro 1/2 lime Salt and pepper, to taste Salsa: 1. Chop the tomato and cilantro into large pieces. Dice the white onion into small pieces. 2. Mix the onion, tomato and cilantro in a small bowl and squeeze the lime juice onto the mix. 3. Add salt and pepper to taste. When finished, spoon the salsa on the hot dogs and dig in. All-American Apple Pie: (Adapted from the Food Network’s “Follow That Food”) Buy pre-made piecrust, like Pillsbury’s, from a grocery store. Filling: 6 apples, peeled, cored and sliced 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1/2 cup sugar 1/4 cup flour 1/4 cup brown sugar 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg 1-tablespoon butter 1 egg Dash of salt 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. 2. In a large mixing bowl toss the apples with lemon juice. Combine the sugar, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a separate bowl. Add the apples and toss until completely coated. Set mixture aside. 3. Roll the pre-made piecrust over a 9-inch pie plate. Pour the filling on top of the pastry and cut the butter into small cubes. Add the butter to mixture. Roll remaining crust on top and seal, pressing a fork over the edge of the plate. Cut slits on the top crust to allow for steam. 4. Brush the top of the pie with egg wash. Make the egg wash by whisking the egg with a pinch of salt. Cover the pie with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 25 minutes until the crust is golden and the apples are tender. —–

Hungry Husky Tips:

This meal centers on mixing old and new flavors for a refreshing backyard cookout. The fruit salad is delicious and tastes fresh, breathing new life into an old picnic standard. Honeydew melon works best, but cantaloupe is a fine substitute and is more commonly found in local grocery stores. The salad can even be served as a dessert by leaving out the melon and letting it rest for several hours. Spoon onto frozen yogurt for something sweet and healthy.

Pico de gallo hot dogs are a twist on the classic hot dog toppings of onions and ketchup. Guacamole, which can be made fresh or purchased at stores like Whole Foods, would also taste delicious on the dogs. If short on time, Whole Foods also sells fresh salsa. It’s important the salsa retain a chunky texture; anything thinner may be too thin to stand up to the dogs.

With store-bought crust, this dessert is easy as pie to make. It can also be served warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. Make sure not to skip the egg wash; it’s key to a golden, delicious crust.