Beating the summer heat requires nothing more than a blender, ice, and fruit — and, if you’re looking to kick things up, a little bit of alcohol. And good frozen drinks start with good ingredients, so here are a few suggestions to help make sure what goes into your blender is the best it can be:

Lowcountry boil goes by several other names, like Frogmore stew or Beaufort boil. But no matter what it’s called, it’s a local favorite made of four readily available ingredients: shrimp, sausage, corn and potatoes. Add a sprinkling of seasoning and you’re set. It’s not a dainty dish, but it appears everywhere — at food festivals, church fundraisers, family reunions and black-tie weddings. Often, it is served on newspaper and eaten by hand with cocktail sauce and melted butter for dipping, plus hot sauce for those who crave more heat. This version of a Lowcountry boil makes it a manageable meal on a smaller scale and alters the presentation just a bit. 

Makes: 8-10 servings

1/4 cup shelled pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

Pho, a traditional Vietnamese rice noodle soup often made with beef or chicken, is a great go to meal, anytime of the year.

The way to correctly pronounce “pho” is as in “do re mi FA so...” I learned this during a kitchen session with Chef Di Wang, owner of Relish Café. He invited me into his kitchen for a tutorial on the making of pho. He says that the stock is the most important part of the entire dish, with its key ingredients of beef bones, oxtail bones, chicken bones, onions, cinnamon and star anise.

BY CARRIE HIRSCH

SERVES 4

8 zucchini
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 cup water
(1) 28-ounce can fire roasted crushed tomatoes
2 tablespoons capers, drained
Shaved Parmesan cheese

by Carrie Hirsch / Makes 4 tacos

Ingredients:

1 pound grilled chicken, sliced (warm or cold)
1/2 head iceberg lettuce, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup crumbled feta
1/3 red onion, diced
2/3 cup Kalamata olives
1 1/2 cups tzatziki sauce* (recipe follows)
Lemon wedges
(4) 5” white corn soft tortillas
Taco holder

MAKES 4 TACOS

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 pound medium shrimp, shelled and cleaned
1 teaspoon chili pepper flakes

MAKES 4 TACOS

1 package baby greens
1 ripe large yellow tomato
1 ripe large red tomato
1 ripe Haas avocado
1/8 red onion, cut into thin strips