Mediterranean

While it's true that tomatoes and corn take up most of the seasonal spotlight this time of year, it would be simply criminal to overlook some of Summer's other standout vegetables.

Take zucchini. Right now, this vegetable isn't just at its peak; it's also abundant and therefore affordable. Zucchini has a hint of an herbaceous flavor and a tender texture.
Make the most of its characteristics by dressing it lightly and charring it on a stick along with grilled eggplant and red bell pepper. For a straightforward Mediterranean supper, serve the kebabs atop orzo pasta, passing feta cheese around during the meal to sprinkle on top. For the recipe, read on.

After overconsuming steak and burgers over the weekend, I'm ready to redeclare my devotion to Summer seafood. I love to serve shrimp and pineapple kebabs, but tonight I'm going to try something different: Greek-style barbecued shrimp skewers, marinated with licorice-tinged aniseed, then strewn over a spinach salad with feta cheese and tzatziki, a creamy yogurt, cucumber, and dill sauce. For a different kind of seafood grill-out, read more.

After a long weekend of grilling and chilling, get back to your routine tonight with a meal that is quick, healthy, and meat-free. This recipe combines garbanzo beans with shredded carrots and peas to make a figure-friendly veggie patty. The patties are served in pita bread with cheese, lettuce, and tomato. For extra flavor consider slathering the pita in your favorite hummus. Learn how to make this dish now.

During the Summer, I love to experiment with different salad recipes. There's a plethora of fruits and vegetables to choose from at the market, and the hot weather almost requires salads as a side dish. Since I had never cooked with Israeli couscous, I recently made this scrumptious salad. Israeli couscous, or pearl couscous as it's sometimes called, is larger than regular couscous and has a chewy texture and orzo-like starchiness. It can be mixed with just about anything, but this recipe coats it in a roasted tomato and garlic dressing before tossing it with tomatoes, black olives, and tons of fresh herbs. The resulting salad is easy to transport and would be great for a picnic. Serve with grilled meat at a barbecue or, for a lighter meal, a chunk of hard cheese and grilled bread. Trust me, this salad recipe is a keeper! Get it now.

It's the middle of the week and you're feeling rushed, tired, and not in the mood to make dinner. Why not take some help from the grocery store and throw together an easy pasta and salmon dish? The secret ingredient is a bottle of balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing. It's quick and uncomplicated, and shhh, I promise I won't tell. Toss the dressing with fresh fettuccine, wilted spinach, and jarred roasted red peppers, then plate with thick-cut salmon fillets. It's healthy, filling, and just the sort of meal to get you through hump day. Want the recipe? Read more.

After a weekend of too much ham and lamb, pass on the meat and opt for some succulent shellfish. Scallops are truly a cinch to make — especially if you follow a few easy guidelines.

This Mediterranean feast, with its cauliflower, capers, spinach, and dried cherries, may sound like an unusual combination, but the result is an irresistible explosion of tart, sweet, salty, and sour flavors all at once. For the recipe, read more.

If you don't have elaborate plans etched out for tonight, splurge on some lamb chops for a festive dinner that's elegant, yet easy and fast to prepare. Although this cut of lamb isn't cheap, it's a dish customarily consumed on Easter Sunday, and takes next to no time to cook at all. Serve the chops drizzled with a tarragon, mint, parsley, and caper-flecked salsa verde.

Add a side of asparagus, orzo pilaf, and you've got a complete Easter feast in less than 60 minutes. For the recipe, read more.

Mediterranean-inspired feast. When you read those words, what do you picture? An afternoon (or two!) slaving away in the kitchen? Think again! With this recipe you can offer friends and family a hearty Mediterranean meal in a matter of minutes. Sure, you'll have to take some help from the grocery store, but really, sometimes we all make a few cheats in the kitchen here and there. Quick-cooking couscous is tossed with veggies and served alongside spicy beef patties. Purchase hummus, tapenade, and pita bread, and you'll you be feasting in no time. Get the recipe now.

Mischa Barton's high-paid days as Marisa Cooper are long over, and unfortunately her career hasn't picked up as she expected it might when she left The O.C. after its third season. So the mortgage on the 7,600-square-foot, six-bedroom, 10-bath Beverly Hills home she scooped up in 2005 is one that I suspect she simply can't afford, and she's listed it on the market for $8.4 million. Seeing as she bought the property at the height of her fame for $6.4 million, she's set to make a pretty penny on this one if her asking price is met.

In a past interview about her home, Mischa said, "When I arrived in LA, I looked at 10 houses. This was the last one on the list. It was a little beyond my price expectations, but I immediately fell in love with it. It's almost as if I would be living in the country. There's no traffic, no loud cars, simply heavenly quiet."

The house boasts two detached guest suites, a lush courtyard, a large terrace, a pool, and beautiful Mediterranean architectural details. Barton's décor choices, are on the other hand, are less crave worthy. She's washed it with a peach and neutral palette, and outfitted it with gaudy, gold tables and ostentatious, swagged valances. I expected so much more from a fashionista like Mischa! Check out the photos and tell me what you think.

See dozens more photos when you read more

Couscous has recently become one of my favorite pantry staples. It's wonderfully quick-cooking and can be seasoned with just about anything. In this recipe, canned tomatoes, garbanzo beans, and fresh mint give the couscous a Mediterranean feel. The couscous is paired with a lemon-peppery lamb chop that's succulent to eat and simple to make. Don't feel limited by the recipe; it's actually highly adaptable. Substitute chicken for the lamb, black beans for the garbanzos, and cilantro for the mint, and you've got a totally different dish. To learn the versatile technique, read more