Summer is the perfect time for hosting friends and family and enjoying the warm weather.

Be it a backyard barbecue, drinks and nibbles on a balmy evening or a dinner party, food is always an important part of social gatherings.

Impress your guests (and their taste buds) with these three simple but delicious recipes. Each dish can be made the day before for convenience.

Happy summer entertaining!

Spiced chicken wings

Ingredients

1kg chicken wings

4 tablespoons tomato sauce

2 tablespoons grated onion

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon brown sugar

½ teaspoon mustard powder

1 teaspoon soy sauce

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients well, leaving the chicken aside.

Add the chicken wings to the mixture and ensure they are completely coated.

Place the bowl in the fridge to marinade for at least 2-3 hours.

Once marinating has finished, remove the bowl from the fridge and place the chicken wings on a baking tray. Make sure the tray only has one layer of chicken wings, so they can cook evenly.

Bake for 30 minutes.

Serve hot or cold.

Pineapple salsa

Ingredients

2 cups fresh pineapple, finely diced

1 bunch coriander, finely chopped

1 cup red onion, finely diced

2 cups cherry tomatoes, finely diced

1 clove fresh garlic, grated

Juice of 2 limes

Salt and pepper, to season

Method

Prepare all ingredients by chopping or dicing them accordingly, then mix everything in a bowl.

Add lime juice and seasoning.

If you like things spicy, add some chopped red chilli.

The salsa is best served with plain corn chips.

Individual key lime cheesecakes

Ingredients

Base

1 packet Butternut Snap biscuits, crushed

¼ cup chopped pecans

4 tablespoons butter

Filling

1 cup whipping cream

250 grams cream cheese

1 tin condensed milk

¾ cup fresh lime juice

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Lime zest, lime slices for garnishing

Extra whipped cream for garnishing

12 small jars or glasses for serving

Method

Begin by crushing the biscuits to make the base for your cheesecakes. Add finely chopped pecans to the crushed biscuits and combine. Melt butter, pour it into the biscuit mixture and combine well. Spoon the mixture into individual glass jars, evenly distributing it across the servings. Place jars into the fridge.

Using an electric mixer, whip the cream and vanilla until stiff and set aside.

To make it easier to beat the cream cheese, remove it from the fridge about 30 minutes before use. Chop the cream cheese into small cubes and place in a bowl. Add the condensed milk to the cream cheese and slowly beat with electric mixer until smooth. Once combined, add the whipped cream to the cream cheese mixture and gently mix. Gradually add the fresh lime juice to the mixture. The cream cheese mixture should be thick and smooth.

Retrieve the glass jars from the fridge and evenly distribute the cream cheese mixture across each of the jars until they are filled. Return the cheesecakes to the fridge and allow them to set for 2-3 hours.

Before serving, garnish the cheesecakes as desired with lime slices, lime zest and extra whipped cream.