o me, summer will always start with a bell. It seems like yesterday that my friends and I were fidgeting in our seats, eyes glued to the clock, waiting anxiously for the bell that would end another school year. Its ring meant freedom – three whole months to while away endless hours. Of course, those days are long gone now, and I know that the hours are not endless and that freedom is a gift, not a given. Still, as winter inches into spring and the sky becomes as blue as periwinkle, I long for the bell that brings with it the permission to play.

Summer seems to release us. Of all the seasons, it’s the least demanding, the one that says do less, enjoy more. Warm weather is made for celebrating life and food al fresco, and I treasure every minute – and meal – I can have outdoors. This Semi-Homemade® issue is a full-course menu of summer suppers, carefree meals that redefine the comfort foods of childhood with the flavors of summer. Every dish is casually elegant – fast to fix, yet festive enough to make guests feel special. Fire up the grill and have a picnic in the park… dinner on the beach… or a barbecue in the backyard – anywhere that gives you a sense of escape. For a light and healthy main course, try Tangerine Glazed Game Hens or Mai Tai Pork Skewers that take their tropical taste straight from the bar. To feed a crowd, call on lean Bleu Cheese and Bacon Burgers or grill-bake a Chicken Chicken Caesar Salad Pizza that combines salad and entrée on an easy-to-eat crust.

Forget complicated sounding sides and from-scratch desserts. I’ll show you how to doctor up store-bought foods so they’ll taste like you labored for hours, instead of minutes. Zesty Jalapeño Potato Salad and fruity Waldorf Slaw go with almost anything and pull together quickly when you start with deli salads and bagged slaw. Only you’ll know that my Strawberry-Pineapple Shortcake is a frozen pound cake dressed up with strawberry cream cheese, juicy berries and fluffy clouds of whipped cream. Nix mixed drinks and pour a party punch that you can make by the bowlful ahead of time. My favorite is Blueberry Blueberry Sangria Lemonade, a quintessentially summery concoction that blends the vibrant color of sangria with the sweet-tart tang of lemonade. Garnish it with edible flowers and fruit-shaped ice cubes and you have a fun self-serve centerpiece.

Bunch fistfuls of flowers in glasses, cluster candles on the table and scatter citronella torches around the patio, and any summer soiree will be effortlessly chic. Turn on the tunes, pour the drinks, then sit back and savor these precious moments with family and friends.

Somewhere, a bell is ringing. I hear it in my heart and know that it’s time to play. Summer’s here, and the living just got easier, with Semi-Homemade®.

Cheers to a healthy, happy life!