Midwest Living July/August 2014 Recipes

A crust of crushed sugar cones holds two frosty layers: chocolate ice cream studded with chopped banana and strawberry ice cream bejeweled with pineapple.

Banana Split Ice Cream Torte

Puree berries, peaches or mangoes to make vibrant "syrups" for swirling with ice cream and sparkling water. (Or skip the ice cream to make refreshing fresh-fruit sodas.)

Fresh-Fruit Ice Cream Sodas

Strawberries lend sweetness to this marmalade, though enough bitterness remains to satisfy purists. This recipe comes from the Glass Rooster Cannery cooking school and farm store in Sunbury, Ohio.

Strawberry Marmalade

This crowd-pleaser is easier than it looks. (You only make one batter.) Garnish the strawberry-frosted cake with double-dipped berries to hint at the festive stripes hiding inside.

Neapolitan Party Cake

Garden flavor infuses this refreshing make-ahead white wine cocktail.

Cucumber White Sangria

Our ready-in-minutes recipe starts with pasta and mixed vegetables—then just pick the sauce that suits your mood. Choose among light lemon-basil, creamy Parmesan or peppercorn-ranch dressing for a pasta salad.

Three-in-One Primavera

Quickly warm pineapple in butter and brown sugar, then spoon the softened fruit over crumbled pound cake and dulce de leche ice cream.

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake Sundaes

Chilled cupcakes (aka poke cakes) get cheerful colors from gelatin poured over the cakes and swirled into the cream cheese frosting. The recipe makes two colors of cupcakes. If you like, simplify and use two boxes of a single flavor of gelatin.

Soda Fountain Cupcakes

Basil and lime juice flavor the fruity salsa on this ready-in-minutes, low-cal grilled sausage sandwich.

Chicken Sausage Sandwiches with Watermelon Salsa

Trade bruschetta's traditional tomato for sunny sweet corn in this quick recipe from the cookbook Sweet Corn Spectacular (www.mhspress.org).

Sweet Corn Bruschetta

A humble pie if you ever saw one, this unassuming potluck star has an almondy crust and a yogurt-based filling that mimics the acidic tang of a phosphate. Amaretti (Italian almond cookies) are available at large supermarkets. You can substitute graham cracker crumbs.

Cherry Phosphate Icebox Pie

Chopped pecans and toffee bits add delightful crunch to creamy pudding pops. If you don't have plastic freezer-pop molds, use 5-ounce paper cups. Cover the filled cups with foil, make a small hole in the foil with a knife and insert a wooden stick.

Butterscotch Brickle Pudding Pops

Lemon, nutmeg and walnuts add layered flavor and texture to this unusual jam. This recipe comes from the Glass Rooster Cannery cooking school and farm store in Sunbury, Ohio.

Peachalope Jam

Thanks to the thickener Clear Jel (available online), this unusual sandwich spread has a luscious, creamy consistency. If you want a milder taste, use 4 ounces of hot peppers and 4 ounces of mild peppers. This recipe comes from the Glass Rooster Cannery cooking school and farm store in Sunbury, Ohio.

Hot Pepper Mustard Butter

Stirring crushed root beer barrels into sugar-cookie dough adds irresistible sparkle and spot-on float flavor—especially when you add scoops of vanilla ice cream between two cooled cookies.

Root Beer Float Ice Cream Sandwiches

If you have a food processor, use it! This zingy relish requires lots of chopping. Try it on brats or burgers, or even with grilled chicken or pork chops. This recipe comes from the Glass Rooster Cannery cooking school and farm store in Sunbury, Ohio.

Zucchini Relish

We stirred chocolate-flavor malt powder into both the brownie base and the lush, fluffy topper. For an extra-indulgent dessert, substitute your favorite homemade brownie recipe. Just be sure it bakes in a 13x9x2-inch pan.

Malted Mousse Brownies

Spread this sweet-and-tart mixture over English muffins or on a sandwich. The recipe comes from the Glass Rooster Cannery cooking school and farm store in Sunbury, Ohio.

Sour Cherry-Almond Conserve

Look for Hungarian hot wax peppers at farmers markets or sub banana peppers. This recipe comes from the Glass Rooster Cannery cooking school and farm store in Sunbury, Ohio.

Sweet-Hot Peppers

This eggplant-laden sauce is a hearty, meatless alternative to spaghetti sauce. This recipe comes from the Glass Rooster Cannery cooking school and farm store in Sunbury, Ohio.

Ratatouille-Style Tomato Sauce

We love the sweet heat of this sunny salsa. This recipe comes from the Glass Rooster Cannery cooking school and farm store in Sunbury, Ohio.

Mexican Corn Salsa

This jam doesn't taste boozy; the white wine just deepens the flavor, like red wine in a stew. This recipe comes from the Glass Rooster Cannery cooking school and farm store in Sunbury, Ohio.

Blueberry Chardonnay Jam

Be sure to use small pickling cucumbers, which have fewer seeds and crisper texture than English or salad cucumbers. This recipe comes from the Glass Rooster Cannery cooking school and farm store in Sunbury, Ohio.

Bread & Butter Pickles