Tag: summer recipes

Summer Recipes to Enjoy before Transitioning to Fall

As summer begins to wind down, those summer recipes that are prepared, served, and enjoyed on the weekends are highly celebrated, and with this collected list of 44 Recipes to End Your Summer from Food 52, you’ll conclude your summer season the right way.

When it comes to sending the summer off with good meals, it’s common to do so by hosting an event for the neighborhood or family to do the same. Most of the time, this means that a barbecue or outdoor weekend meal is the right way to sing that summer swan song. So light up the grill, ignite the buffet burners, and set up the patio lights, because the following recipes are designed for a special evening on the horizon. The full article organizes the recipes by culinary genre, so here’s a sampling of the best of the best.

Meats

Simple and reliable, this recipe for Grilled Ribs With Salt & Pepper lets the quality of the meat and your cooking prowess do the talking. This is mostly due to the sparse, traditional seasoning method of only putting kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper onto a half-pound of pork baby back ribs. If you season the meat liberally and throw the rack of ribs onto a hot grill until they’re slightly charred on the outside and cooked through, then you’ll have a meal to brag about. The pork’s internal temperature should be 145°F before you remove it from the grill and enjoy the classic taste of good grilled meat without the disguise of sugary barbecue sauce.

Seafood

These grilled tacos are always a summer recipe crowd-pleaser, and if you combine the protein and unique flavor palette of salmon with a hearty avocado sauce, then you’re all set! Beware though, fish can certainly get messy on the grill, so you’re going to want to have clean, oiled, and heated grates before you begin. The key to infusing an incredible texture onto the salmon is all about how long you leave it on the grill. Once the salmon is on the grates, you’ll want to cook it about 75% of the way through before you flip it. After that, wait an additional minute and then take it off; don’t worry because it’ll continue to cook through as it’s taken off the grill. Though, it’s the avocado spice paste that really helps set this recipe apart. The unique combination of olive oil, brown sugar, cumin, chili powder, coriander, salt, and lime juice is both rubbed into the salmon as a marinade and saved for a topping.

Vegetarian

Just because a meal is without meat doesn’t mean that it forgoes protein and doesn’t pack a punch. Case and point is this black bean and corn burger that stands alone as the most popular recipe ever accessed on the Food 52 website. What stands out about this recipe is the spice that is packed with every bite of the burger. The spice mixture is made up of paprika, cumin, and chili, and it pairs nicely with the sweetness of the fresh summer corn that’s a part of the burger patty. Be sure to try out this recipe the next time you want to leave meat behind but savor the delicious savory flavor.

Side Dishes

What’s a better summer recipe than a fresh, delicious salad? A grilled caesar salad “on-the-go,” and that’s entirely possible with these grilled chicken caesar lettuce wraps! This is a classic salad that you can eat with your very hands! Try out this classic caesar dressing-covered salad wrap and let it reinvigorate how you think about salads the next time you’re whipping up some side dishes.

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Unforgettable Summer Cornbread

The poolside barbecues, beach trips, and vacation dinners of the summer season are often seen as the ideal time of the year to share your best dishes with others, but as seen with this delicious cornbread recipe from Smitten Kitchen, a side dish has the potential to take center stage, if it’s prepared correctly.

Titled, “Perfect, Forever Cornbread,” this recipe is an intricate process that’s been achieved through decades of tweaking and balancing ingredients. What has resulted after 39 batches is an entree compliment that is perfect to pair with your summer salads, grilled meats, and other dishes.

This standout cornbread recipe has you cook your side dish loaf in a cast iron pan so that the edges of the resulting pieces are crunchy and the base of the dish rises evenly. The following recipe uses an 8-inch skillet, but a 9-inch skillet or 9-inch round cake pan can be used instead. Just be aware that the resulting bakes will be slightly thinner, so you should keep an active watch over the cornbread in the oven, particularly at the 25-minute mark.

Ingredients for Summer Cornbread:

½ cup of cold, unsalted butter (approximately 4 oz)

1 cup of fresh or frozen corn kernels

3 tablespoons of light brown or granulated sugar (40 grams)

¾ teaspoon fine sea salt or table salt

1 cup of cold, well-shaken buttermilk

2 large eggs

¼ teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 ½ cups of all-purpose flour

1 cup of cornmeal

Recipe:

  1. Begin the summer cornbread cooking process by preheating your oven to 400°F. While heating, you will cut your butter into chunks the size of half-dollars and place them in an 8-inch cast iron skillet. If not using a cast-iron, you can use another oven-proof skillet. Once the oven is properly heated, place your skillet into the oven just until the butter melts. Remove the pan afterward, leave the oven on, and set the butter aside.
  2. Using a blender or food processor, blend together your sugar, salt, and corn until the combination is well-chopped. While the machine is running, pour in your cup of cold, well-shaken buttermilk.
  3. Roll your cornbread mixture against the sides and bottom of the skillet to fully coat it in butter, though don’t let the cornbread mixture absorb all of the butter, as you’ll need to reserve 1 to 2 tablespoons for later. After reserving those couple of tablespoons of butter and setting it aside,  add your eggs to the blender or food processor and blend to combine.
  4. Add your baking powder and baking soda, and similarly blend well. Afterward, scrape down the sides and add your cornmeal and flour. Blend it all together just so that it’s combined, but not fully liquified.
  5. As your 1 to 2 tablespoons of butter are spread evenly on the bottom of the cast-iron skillet, pour your batter onto the buttered surface and use a spoon or similar cooking utensil to spread it flat. Any extra butter will simply roll over the top.
  6. As your oven is properly heated, place your skillet onto the middle rack and bake for 30 to 35 minutes. You will be able to tell that it’s finished cooking when you can insert a toothpick into the center of the cornbread and have it emerge completely clean without any breadlike residue.
  7. Serve your cornbread by dividing the skillet’s contents into wedges or squares. For added flavor, you can spread a fine layer of melted or salted butter atop the pieces or drizzle honey for sweeter flavor notes.

One of the best aspects of cooking cornbread is its second life as leftovers as the remaining squares can keep fresh for two days at room temperature. If keeping longer than a couple of days, place your cornbread into the refrigerator, especially in the summertime. Reheat the cornbread by placing your piece(s) in the microwave for a brief rotation period or wrap them in aluminum foil and place it in a 350°F oven for the best texture.

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Six Savory uses of Summer Peaches

The Summer months mean trips to the beach, spending more time in the backyard, lighter, longer days, and a plethora of juicy summer peaches. Known for decades as a saving grace of dessert dishes, the bright stone fruit is notoriously celebrated when baked into cobblers, pastries, and pies, served over ice cream, or churned into sorbet, but as a Martha Stewart article suggests, peaches can be famous for their savory preparations as well.

Tomato, Peach, Buffalo Mozzarella, and Bresaola Tartine

Combine the sweetness of peaches with juicy tomatoes, creamy mozzarella, and salty bresaola beef in an open sandwich-meets-caprese-salad summer treat. Serve this dish stop crusty bread lightly drizzled with olive oil as a decedent lunch or hearty summer appetizer at home or outdoors.

 Pickled-Peach and Mozzarella Salad with Fried Chicken Cutlets

Put a new spin on the classic chicken cutlet recipe by pickling peaches and accompanying them with basil leaves and tiny mozzarella balls. In this recipe, the peaches are pickled with sugar, bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon, and peppercorns, which combine for a truly savory and unparallelled sour, spiced flavor that compliments the sweetness of the summer-time fruit.

 Grilled Pork Chops with Peach Relish and Herb Rice

Try this twist on the classic pork chop when you’re in need of a dinner that is succulent and easy to prepare. Families will enjoy this grilled pork dish topped with a summer’s peach relish The relish is made with peaches, sugar, lemon juice, and red pepper flakes, which all combine to compliment the savory, browned pork chops.

 Peach Panzanella

This traditionally italian summer salad features cubes of day-old rustic bread and tomatoes, tossed alongside basil leaves and a simple vinaigrette, but reimagine the tradition by incorporating summer peaches in place of or alongside the tomatoes to bring a different, welcome sweetness to the mix. This riff on the classic Italian bread-and-tomato salad will be sure to turn heads.

Grilled-Peach Pizzas with Prosciutto

Replace your pizza’s standard, tired marinara with caramelized peaches, oozing mozzarella, salty prosciutto, and fragrant basil in this seasonal, summertime dish. Truly elevate your pizza preparation by substituting seasonal, grilled peaches for classic toppings and be amazed.

 Peach and Crab Salad with Mesclun and Herbs

This dynamic duo is a celebrated dish of the summer cookout, whether you find yourself and your family dining seaside or in a cozy backyard. With this dish, toss jumbo lump, preferably fresh, crabmeat with sliced peaches, a Thai chile pepper, shallots, and mint in an orange- coriander syrup. Serve this dynamic spread over mesclun leaves and fresh herbs to truly bring out savory, aromatic essences. In this dish, the peaches compliment and bring out the subtle sweetness of the crab while the drizzle of orange-coriander syrup and thinly sliced chile add spice.

This summer, branch out from your tired summer dishes, grab a basket of peaches, and experiment by roasting, grilling, pickling, and generally incorporating them into your salads, sandwiches, and much more with these savory, celebrated recipes.

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The Ultimate Charcuterie Board

Who doesn’t like variety? Summer time is the perfect excuse for this recipe! Reluctant Entertainer has a Charcuterie board recipe that will outshine the rest. A charcuterie board is the perfect route if you aren’t sure what to offer your guests. It is even great to serve for dinner! These boards are made up of nuts, veggies, dried fruits, cheeses, cured meats, and more!

The first thing you will need is the board! Make sure the board for your charcuterie is food friendly and if it isn’t, make sure to place parchment paper on the board. The best boards to use are the ones that have a lip, this will help make sure all of the food fits and stays in place. Another thing to think about when making this recipe is how many people are being served. The more people, the bigger the board.

If you want to get rid of the parchment paper but don’t have a food safe board, take some sandpaper and sand the board down. After the board is sanded, rub it down with mineral oil and beeswax. Or, if you want to take the shorter route, you can use a cutting board and butcher block conditioner.

Charcuterie boards often contain dipping spices, but if you aren’t sure where to start looking check out DeLallo Foods.

INGREDIENTS FOR YOUR ULTIMATE CHARCUTERIE BOARD

  • Italian Herb Dry Cured Sausage, sliced
  • Red Wine Salami, sliced
  • Sweet Casalingo Dry Cured Sausage, sliced
  • Black Pepper Dry Cured Sausage, sliced
  • Figs, sliced
  • Sun-Dried Tomato & Basil Seasoning Spices
  • Roasted Garlic & Parmesan Seasoning Spices
  • Rosemary & Garlic Seasoning Spices
  • Garlic Pepper & Tomato Seasoning Spices
  • 1 jar Italian Roasted Pepper Bruschetta
  • 1 jar Italian Olive Bruschetta
  • 1 jar Italian Garden Vegetable Bruschetta
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil, for dipping
  • Almonds
  • Olives
  • Veggies
  • Miscellaneous crackers
  • Baguette Bread
  • Soft cheese
  • Sharp Cheddar Cheese

UTENSILS

  • Large board
  • Small bowls
  • Small plates

INSTRUCTIONS

Make sure the board you are using for your charcuterie is prepared in advance, the worst thing is being in the middle of preparation and something isn’t ready. The meats should be sliced, waiting to be placed on the charcuterie board. Take the small bowls and place them on the board, the olives and nuts should be placed inside. Fill the other bowls with the different the Bruschettas. Place 3 to 4 small, flat dishes on the board. These dishes should be filled with the olive oil. Take the different spices and sprinkle them on top of the olive oil.

Slice the cheeses, if they are not already prepared. Wash the vegetables and dry fruits, you don’t want unclean food on the board. Now here comes the fun part, placing the food on the board. Start placing the meat, cheeses, crackers and the sliced baguette around the board. The fruits and vegetables should come next. The idea is not to crowd the board, but to fill it. There should not be too many empty spaces. The food items can be mixed together or if you like organizing, feel free to group them in categories. All of the crackers on one side and all of the meats on the other. Or be adventurous, and have an alternating pattern. Placed the olive oil in the middle and the Bruschetta on the outside. The options are endless and so is the food! Enjoy your charcuterie board any way you like it.

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Best Chicken Quesadilla Recipe

Delish.Com is one of the best go to places to find quick, easy and delicious homemade recipes to cook anytime of the year. This chicken quesadilla recipe is one that is quick enough to cook on a week night as well as delicious enough to enjoy on a weekend. Be sure to check out this recipe for the only quesadilla recipe you’ll ever need.

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 1/2 onion, thinly sliced
  • 2 bell peppers, thinly sliced
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 lb. chicken breast, sliced into strips
  • 1/2 tsp. chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
  • 4 medium flour tortillas
  • 2 c. Shredded Monterey Jack
  • 2 c. shredded Cheddar
  • 1 avocado, sliced
  • 2 green onions, thinly sliced
  • Sour cream, for serving

Directions

  1. In a large skillet over medium high heat, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add onion and peppers, then season with salt and pepper and cook until tender. Remove vegetables from skillet.
  2. Heat remaining tablespoon oil. Season chicken with chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper, then add to skillet in a single layer. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until golden and cooked through, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in sautéed vegetables.
  3. In a clean skillet over medium heat, add a flour tortilla. Top with Monterey Jack, cheddar, cooked chicken mixture, avocado and green onions. Place another tortilla on top and cook, flipping once, until golden on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
  4. Slice into wedges and serve warm with sour cream.