The pimento cheese (blue cheese) recipe in the “Whatcha Cookin” thread has my appetite all worked up!
We are upon July 4th weekend, picnic/lake season, no heat up the oven season, appetizer and cool dessert season - all the summer colorful, delicious eats!
Who has a go-to summer recipe to share? What are you bringing to a weekend get together? Who has a “20 minute or less” favorite summer dish?
A favorite of mine is fruit salsa. Serve with Stacy’s cinnamon sugar pita chips that you purchase if you don’t want to make the ones in the recipe.
It’s really good and flexible with what fruits you have. I prefer no bananas. Watermelon, berries and stone fruit all together is !!! Add a diced jalapeno for a little kick. I like using preserves but also then cut down on the sugar.
Our son and his GF arrive on Saturday for a week at the cabin with us. It’s the first time he’s come to us in almost three years, and we are beyond excited. We’re doing surf and turf for the 4th. DH and son will prepare ribs the night before to slow cook on the smoker all the following day while loudly “debating” their independent methods and secrets for the perfect sauce and cook. GF and I will handle the rest of the meal, boiling lobsters, steaming corn on the cob, making cole slaw, cleaning strawberries, whipping cream, and baking shortcake for strawberry shortcake. We’ll probably enjoy a happy hour with Lobster Bloody Marys and/or whatever anyone else wants before sitting down to dinner.
For us, making the meal together is the best part of the holiday. The GF is a good cook and fabulous baker who fits into the family well in this regard. I hope she’s a keeper.
We don’t have plans for watching fireworks later, but I did buy a few boxes of sparklers.
My recent go to is quinoa salad with tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, feta, kalamata olives, check peas with a garlic lemon vinaigrette. Healthy, gluten free, and hold up. I throw in some fresh herbs from the garden.
I love summer salads to go with whatever is grilling.
Blueberry cucumber salad. A twist on a cucumber salad with 2 cups blueberries, 4 cups cucumbers, halved, seeded and sliced thin. I use small ones. Goat cheese or feta cheese a cup or to taste, 3 mint leaves sliced and then vinaigrette to taste. Also Fresh Corn Caprese Salad | Cooking on the Front Burner. I use my own vinaigrette in both salads. White Wine Vinaigrette Recipe
I actually rarely follow proportions specified. I just use what I have for how many people there are. Almost everything from the farmers market.
Sweet corn and tomato salad tossed with a lemon vinaigrette. It’s healthy, delicious, and super easy to make. I never thought to add herbs, but this thread has given me the idea to add some the next time I make it.
I’m having a very simple 4th, no-bun grilled 100% grass fed beef hot dogs, got this on sale from Costco recently, grilled corn, potato salad, and just plain watermelon for dessert.
No, not really. I use four to six ears of fresh, uncooked corn and add a half to whole container of grape tomatoes. I buy premade lemon vinaigrette. Yum @DrGoogle123, I’ll definitely try it with basil!
We’re hosting a bunch of kids that are in our city for summer internships with my D. I’m doing a traditional GA low country boil since most of the kids are not from the south plus it’s easy to do for a crowd. I’m still figuring out a couple of side/vegetarian options and am getting great ideas here!
I love those salads, @lkg4answers. Both the Southwestern Black Bean and the corn avocado and tomato salads are main-meal staples at our house. So, so flavorful and satisfying. I’m going to try the cotija recipe. Thanks for sharing.
Is it off topic to ask for opinions on my menu? If so, I can delete this.
20 people - 10 are college kids I’ve never met.
Low country boil - served outside on newspaper covered tables
Tomato, avocado, mango, cucumber salad (thanks to this thread )
Watermelon for dessert (unless I find the time for that delicious sounding fruit salsa and cinnamon pita!)
Possibly baked, unbreaded stuffed jalapeños as another vegetarian option?
!!! Add a diced jalapeno for a little kick. I like using preserves but also then cut down on the sugar.
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