| My colleague G. Daniela Galarza's Eat Voraciously newsletter reminds me that — sometimes — I overthink dinner. This week, she wrote about setting out Le Grand Aioli for a group of guests. Look at that photo below. Who wouldn't be impressed? She whips up a homemade aioli and surrounds it with quick-cooked and raw vegetables and proteins for dipping. How simple is that? It's a great way to showcase summer produce, too. Speaking of which, Aaron Hutcherson considered the beauty and versatility of summer squash as he put together a primer for selecting and using it while it is in such abundance. If zucchini bread is one of your favorite ways to eat up a big crop, Becky Krystal figured out how to make a delicious, honey-sweetened, whole-wheat bread. She squeezes moisture out of the zucchini before adding it to her batter. She added pureed raisins and a whole clementine to lend the loaf a natural sweetness and citrusy flavor. Want a vegan version of the loaf? She's got that, too. Summer produce was the lure when I made private chef Kenneth Temple's recipe for a recent Dinner in Minutes column. It includes a skillet of vegetables that I could eat as a meal. He tops the mixture of corn, tomatoes and peppers with blackened shrimp, but if you're grilling this weekend, you could go all veg and serve it alongside Ellie Krieger's Grilled Eggplant With Yogurt Sauce. My colleague Olga Massov fulfilled a years-long dream of re-creating a favorite Lao dish, Naem Khao, a crispy rice salad. Yes, it's got a few components to make, but the result is a fragrant bowl with crunch, spice and sweetness complemented by lettuce and fresh herbs. And, if it just dawned on you that Sunday is July Fourth, no worries. Kari Sonde scoured our Recipe Finder to find a selection of starters, grilled mains, seasonal sides and even make-ahead desserts, so you can build your menu, make your grocery list and you'll be all set. Happy Fourth!
*** Is it just too hot to cook? Join us at our weekly chat this week when we'll focus on no-cook and low-cook recipes. We are available each Wednesday from noon to 1 p.m. (ET) to answer any of your food or cooking questions. You must register, but you don't have to be a Post subscriber to participate. Want to get a jump-start or can't join us live? Go ahead and submit a question now. Want more recipes? Sign up for the Eat Voraciously newsletter and you'll get an adaptable, quick dinner recipe delivered to your inbox every Monday-Thursday.  (Rey Lopez for The Washington Post/Food styling by Lisa Cherkasky for The Washington Post) Make a garlicky, lemony aioli and serve it with crisp radishes, endive, fennel, cherry tomatoes, tender potatoes, hard-boiled eggs and anything else you'd like to dip. By G. Daniela Galarza ● Read more » | | | Instead of being laden down with fat and sugar, this naturally sweetened zucchini bread shines with nutty whole-wheat flour and bright citrus flavors. By Becky Krystal ● Read more » | | | Spicy, crisped shrimp complement the fresh, colorful summer produce that is so abundant right now. By Ann Maloney ● Read more » | | | This grilled eggplant with tomatoes and yogurt is a lighter, more summery riff on an Afghan recipe in which the eggplant is fried. By Ellie Krieger ● Read more » | | | This crispy Lao rice salad is sweet, salty, spicy, sour and sublime. By Olga Massov ● Read more » | | | |
More from Voraciously Starters, snacks, mains, desserts and drinks — for your tastiest July Fourth ever. By Kari Sonde ● Read more » | | | A guide to selecting, storing and enjoying summer squash, from cousa to zucchini. By Aaron Hutcherson ● Read more » | | | These recipes are nourishing, easy to adapt and made to serve a crowd. By Natachi Onwuamaegbu ● Read more » | | | Why zest? The skins of citrus fruit carry oils that deliver big, floral flavors. By Kari Sonde ● Read more » | | | When your cucumber plants go gangbusters, these refreshing salad recipes are the way to go. By Becky Krystal ● Read more » | | | With a number of rolling pin styles and materials to choose from, it helps to evaluate the choices, and then know how to best use them. By Becky Krystal ● Read more » | | | Also, two delicious Loire sauvignon blancs, a South African white and a lively Spanish red to complete this week's lineup. By Dave McIntyre ● Read more » | | | |
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