Every week, Alex Guarnaschelli, host of Alex’s Day Off, shares with readers what she’s eating — whether it’s from the farmers’ market or fresh off the boat, she’ll have you craving everything from comfort food to seasonal produce.

I love that the strawberry plant is a member of the rose family. There are so many things you can do with strawberries during the season, both sweet and savory. If you have a few strawberries in the back of the fridge, try boiling them with sugar and a splash of sherry vinegar to make jam for toast or a glaze for duck breasts or pork loins. You can also purée them in the blender — mix with sugar, lime juice and some chilled seltzer water for a refreshing summer spritzer. Below is a simple recipe I like making when I get home from work with some really great strawberries.

Get Alex’s Strawberry Tart recipe after the jump »

If you’re tired of barbecued chicken, try Giada’s Italian-styled grilled chicken with a quick and creamy pesto made from baby spinach, pine nuts, lemon and Parmesan — it takes this dish from easy to elegant in less than 30 minutes.

Get the recipe: Grilled Chicken With Spinach and Pine Nut Pesto

Browse more of Food Network’s grilled chicken recipes in Grilling Central.

This summer, Food Network’s Grilling Central is packed with recipes for the entire family’s taste buds, boasting the best in burgers, dogs, chicken and more all season long. But with so many recipes, where do you start? Each week, FN Dish is giving you a complete menu that is stress-free and will be table-side quickly. This weekend, sport your red, white and blue with sweet and tangy barbecued chicken, macaroni salad and even something for your vegetarian guests:

Main Dish: Carolina-Style Barbecue Chicken (pictured above)
Meat-Free Main Dish: Open-Faced Tomato Grilled Cheese

All-American sides and dessert recipes after the jump »

This Fourth of July, whether you’re hosting a holiday cookout or will be a guest at a backyard bash, Food Network has recipes for simple, patriotic party desserts to celebrate this all-American holiday. These fruit-filled, flag-inspired treats can be easily packed for spill-free and frosting smudge-proof car rides, and will be enough to feed a whole crowd of firework-happy friends.

Food Network Magazine’s Fruit-Tart Flag (pictured above) is the ultimate star-spangled sweet. Store-bought mini tarts are filled with sweetened mascarpone cheese and topped with colorful fresh berries. Best of all, these two-bite stripes and stars are easily transported in shoe boxes and can be assembled at the party.

More patriotic dessert recipes »

Want to know what Food Network fans were cooking in June? From Buttermilk Baked Chicken to BLT Pasta Salad and sweet Peach Cobbler, here are the top 10 recipes of the month:

10. The Neelys’ Buttermilk Baked Chicken
9. Paula’s Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
8. Ina’s Mocha Chocolate Icebox Cake
7. Alton’s Good Eats Meatloaf
6. BLT Pasta Salad

Get the top 5 recipes for June after the jump »

There’s really no way around it: Kumquats are an odd little fruit.

Visually, they resemble diminutive oranges, but they technically aren’t citrus. And unlike oranges, it’s the thin skin that is sweet, while the flesh is sour.

You probably won’t find bushels of them at the grocer, but most stores will have a few pints (they usually are sold in the same containers as cherry tomatoes) tucked away among the “strange” produce offerings.

And they are worth looking for. Here’s why:

In a tiny (about the size of a large olive), bright orange package, kumquats pack a puckeringly intense sweet-tart flavor that complements both sweet and savory dishes. They also make a mean cocktail.

Find out what you can make with kumquats »

If you’re looking to switch up the commonly slathered barbecue chicken this Fourth of July weekend, try Guy’s sweet and spicy grilled chicken. A combination of pureed mango, cilantro, chipotle peppers, garlic and lemon creates lip-smacking chicken thighs and drumsticks that the whole family will love.

Editor’s Note: Let the chicken marinate in the mixture the night before you plan on grilling your chicken to save you time.

Get the recipe: Chipotle-Mango BBQ Chicken

Browse more of Food Network’s chicken recipes in Grilling Central.

Every week Alex Guarnaschelli, host of Alex’s Day Off, shares with readers what she’s eating — whether it’s from the farmers’ market or fresh off the boat, she’ll have you craving everything from comfort food to seasonal produce.

Why make vegetable stock? That has been a question I’ve asked myself for years, until I gave it some thought. I find when I make vegetable soups, I turn to butter or cream for thickness — I wanted another option. Why not vegetable stock? Unlike meat stocks, they don’t need long-term cooking to bring out their flavors. Vegetable stocks are a cheap date. Here are a few rules I follow:

1. Avoid any really strong herbs (i.e. dill or an abundance of rosemary) or vegetables that may have a bitter skin (i.e. squash or rutabaga). Mushroom scraps are gold to me (don’t forget to wash them first).

Read the rest of Alex’s tips and get her recipe »

Bobby Flay just may be the king of burgers — his toppings are always top-notch, and this burger is no exception. One bite into this burger and you’ll experience bold flavors from an assortment of mushrooms, shallots, sharp cheddar and juicy meat that comes from a ground chuck patty.

Bobby recommends using a blend of mushrooms from your market. “They’re probably not ‘wild,’ but they’ll still be delicious. I think that any cheddar will pair well with the mushrooms, but if you can find a sharp Tillamook cheddar from Oregon, it would be all the better,” Bobby says.

Make it a complete meal: Serve these Spicy Sweet Potato Fries or this Bell Pepper Slaw along side.

Get the recipe: Wild-Mushroom Cheddar Burger

Browse more of Food Network’s burger recipes in Grilling Central.

Just because you’re taking a break from meat on Mondays doesn’t mean you have to ignore your grill. Fire up your barbecue and try Giada’s hearty, fresh grilled mushrooms stuffed with tomatoes, mozzarella, garlic and basil. Serve it with a citrus-packed grilled zucchini salad to make it a meal.

Get the recipes »