Simple grilled tilapia turns elegant and slightly decadent when served on a pile of lemony orzo and drizzled with a rich buttery sauce.

One of the things we enjoy most about vacation is eating out at great restaurants. When we get home, I love to recreate the special dishes we had. This summer dinner menu is a collection of some of my favorites from seaside vacations past, with sea scallops wrapped in bacon, a decadent lobster entree, and the best blueberry cheesecake for dessert.

Sweet, briny scallops wrapped in crispy, salty bacon perch on a platform of toast points and wear a cloak of rich, tangy lemon-butter sauce.

Shrimp and Raspberry Salad has just five ingredients but each one is stunning: creamy shrimp, tart juicy berries, crunchy almonds and tender greens, all topped with a thick and syrupy raspberry vinaigrette dressing.

Lazy Man’s Lobster is luxurious: a lobster that’s been removed from its shell and gently poached in herb-infused butter and finished with a splash of sherry.

Smoked Salmon Spread is cool and creamy, bursting with the flavors of salty salmon and fresh herbs. Serve it with crackers or crudités, or as a sophisticated spread for sandwiches or bagels.

Shrimp Cocktail may be my favorite restaurant appetizer of all time. But it’s so easy to make at home, I can make it any time I want, and so can you.

Sweet, creamy-textured, pan-seared sea scallops rest on a medley of fresh corn, red pepper, onion and smoky bacon in a silky, slightly-spicy sauce.

Steamed Clams meets Moules Marinière meets Shrimp Scampi in this abundant, messy, garlicky, briny tumble of shellfish. 

A thick slab of grilled swordfish – juicy on the inside and charred on the outside – is nestled into a crusty toasted ciabatta roll with crispy bacon, tender greens and a creamy (store bought!) Caesar dressing.