The key to perfect summer food is not to overthink it.

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The perfect CHEESEBURGER.

The secret to perfect patties? Plenty of salt and pepper, really good beef, and nothing else. As for the bread, nothing beats a potato bun.

Recipe: The World's Best Cheeseburger

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A BLUEBERRY PIE with filling that isn't too thin or too thick.

There are so many smart things about this recipe. It's open-faced, which means that the fresh blueberries don't get overpowered by massive amounts of crust. And, fresh blueberries are cooked with water, cornstarch, lemon juice, and sugar on the stovetop before they're poured into a blind-baked crust, which means the blueberries get really sweet and soft, and extra moisture gets cooked out before it sogs up the crust.

Recipe: Rose Levy Beranbaum's Open-Faced Fresh Blueberry Pie

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A MARGARITA made with freshly squeezed lime juice.

Anyone who's tasted a proper, shaken margarita made with fresh lime juice knows that bottled sour mix is basically a crime against your taste buds and also all of humanity. In addition to fresh lime juice, use good quality orange liqueur — I love Cointreau, which is what this recipe suggests — and silver tequila. If you find that it's too sweet for you with the liqueur and the extra sugar, go ahead try one with just tequila and agave.

Recipe: Perfect Margaritas

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