SUMMER Food Porn Tuesday!

SUMMER RECIPES

I'm all for yummy, brightly colored foods using veggies and fruits in the summertime. Summer usually makes me want lighter foods that don't heat up my kitchen or take too long to make...gotta have some lounge-time built into the summer right?

And fresh fruit that is so sweet it dribbled down your chin...amen I say!!!

Thought I'd share a few recipes I've seen around that got my tastebuds going....will be making these the next 2 weeks before we head out on our 15 day vacation starting July 9th.

Chili Lime Sweet Corn Salsa

Our local farmers market is promising fresh corn by next week...so I'm thinking

this would be a yummy side with some fresh, grilled fish.  Mmmmmm!

Parmesan Crusted Zucchini Spears

I make a zucchini dish that I make a lot (diced zucchini & onions sauteed then add mozz cheese on top) so I'm looking to expand my zucchini repertoire because I have a LOT of zucchinis growing in the garden. These look easy & yummy!

Caramelized Onion Quiche

Onions + Cheese = say no more.....sounds like good stuff to me and easy to cook up!

Caprese Stuffed Tomatoes

I love me some stuffed tomatoes....that's just good eating to me...especially when they are fresh 'maters!

Here's a few for ya in case you need variety like me ;)

Spinach, Mushroom & Brie Stuffed Tomatoes

Avocado & Chicken Stuffed Tomatoes

Tomatoes Stuffed with Grilled Corn Salad

Yellow Bean & Mushroom Gratin

I am going to have a bumper crop of wax/yellow beans this summer and was looking for new recipes when I came across this.  Sounds sooooo good & easy to do!

Spaghetti with Basil Pesto

I'm growing a few herbs this summer as well and my basil has come in beautifully. I'm going to make this recipe and the one below with my fresh basil...should be yum yums!

Chicken with Basil Artichoke Sauce

Sounds yum right? I'll let you know.....

Creamy Strawberry Balsamic Dressing

I want to try this version on my spinach-strawberry salads this summer.

Looks good, sounds good!

Blackberry Cream Cupcake

And for a very sweet dessert, how about these?  I think I just drooled.....
I like little desserts...just enough to sweeten you up but not enough to stuff ya!

Are any of you growing some fresh veggies this summer?  What's your favorite veggie to eat and grow?

What's On The Side??

SERVED ON THE SIDE

I am ALWAYS looking for new, yummy side dishes all year long.  I have my tried & trues, the holiday sides, the summer sides, etc but I like to discover new ideas along the way too.  And if they are easy to assemble or can be prepared ahead...EVEN BETTER right?

Southern Living & Pinterest seem to be the two places I most often find yummy recipes that my family will love.  The past issue of Southern Living (1 of my fave magazines) had some very yummy looking side dishes that I wanted to try out.  So I did this past weekend & thought I'd share them with you too...in case you missed this last issue.  

HOWEVER I did add or change a few things to each to my liking...soooo if you want the original recipes you will have to buy the issue or look on their website. 

 I promise my versions were REALLY GOOD!!  

Both of them work perfectly during the summer months and with fresh produce!

 Zucchini-Potato Casserole

(yes I altered the recipe a bit, because that's just what I do)

4 TBS Butter

2 medium onions sliced

2 medium potatoes sliced THINLY

1 zucchini sliced THINLY

4 tomatoes sliced

kosher salt

black pepper

1 clove of crushed/diced garlic

1/2 cup shredded/fine Parmesan Cheese

1/2 cup of shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Instructions:

**I used a mandolin to cut my potatoes & zucchini slices thinly & quickly

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Cook onions with 2 TBS butter until tender & starting to caramelize.

Grease a round/oval dish and layer cooked onions on bottom.

Slice zucchini, potatoes & tomatoes thinly and start arranging them around your pan on top of the onions, alternating as you go.

Sprinkle everything with kosher salt & ground black pepper, then drizzle 2 TBS of melted butter on top. COVER WITH FOIL!

BAKE AT 375 degs for 35 mins

****

REMOVE FOIL and sprinkle with cheeses.

Bake again for 35 mins UNCOVERED this time at 375 degs.

Let stand for 5-10 mins before serving!

YUMMMMM!

Looks so yummy right? It was really good!

**********

Caprese Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing
(again I added/changed a few things to the original recipe)

2-3 large tomatoes 

(I used a yellow heirloom as well)

16 oz fresh mozzarella cut into 1/2 inch slices

fresh basil leaves

6 bacon slices, cooked & coarsely chopped

3 TBS balsamic vinegar

2 TBS rice vinegar

2 TBS Olive Oil

kosher salt

ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS:

Slice tomatoes and cheese; then arrange in a circular pattern on your platter/dish.

Place basil leaves in and around as desired.

Sprinkle with salt & pepper to your liking.

Cook bacon until crispy, remove bacon from pan and let stand for a minute.

Reserve drippings in pan and add vinegars and oils, scraping brown bits from bottom of pan while mixing. Add in salt and pepper.

Drizzle warm bacon dressing over tomatoes and cheese.

Serve, Eat & Enjoy!

Aren't the colors just gorgeous?  I used some local fresh mozzarella and LORDY-BE was it good...so flavorful!!  Basil is from my herb garden so it was super fresh :)

Look at those yummy layers and bits of crispy bacon (I used thick sliced maple bacon for mine)!

Perfect side dish for summer I tell ya!

BON APPETIT!

A CHICKEN Thursday!

CHICKEN SHAKER-UPPERS!

How about some Chicken for you? bwack-bwack-bwack!

 I love to fix and eat chicken, but sometimes get bored with my usual recipes that I know by heart...they're good but I like to mix it up now and again.  Its easy to get in a rut when you're pressed for time so I like to add some new recipes to my repertoire to see what is easy, what my family likes and what I can add to make it my own.  So below are some new recipes I want to try out (minus the kabobs...which I make a lot and are always good).  Most of these recipes are awesome for warm weather temperatures when you don't want heavy meals...and most can be made ahead which is always helpful when you want to enjoy the summertime chilling and relaxing!  Grill the chicken the day before  outside and have that all done without heating up the kitchen so much too.

White Cheese Chicken Lasagna

(just say yummmmm)

Grilled Ginger-Sesame Chicken Chopped Salad

(light & perfect for warmer weather temps)

BLT Buffalo Chicken Wraps

(great to make ahead & serve for summer lunches)

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

(just say YES to extra servings)

Chicken Teriyaki Kabobs

(mmmm so yummy & easy to make)

 ******

AND BECAUSE WE ALL NEED A SWEET TREAT.....

Cookie Dough Egg Rolls

(ohhhh my)

Bon Appetit!!

My Best BBQ Sauce!

 Suzanne's Cherry Cola BBQ Sauce

I love, love a good BBQ sauce and I love most barbecued foods.  And a lot of the bottled BBQ sauce at the stores are pretty good too BUT I prefer making my own.  That way I know exactly what is in it and I can make up the size batch I need and I've found its MUCH cheaper!  I cook up a big batch to use right then and put the rest in a squirty bottle to use during the week.  Or if I make a huge batch I will put it in a jar and keep in fridge for another batch of wings, chicken, fish, etc.  This is my personal recipe and it takes bits and pieces of recipes collected over the years...things I've tried and liked and eliminated things that just didn't work.  Its not a secret recipe, I don't lord over it but its just a culmination of many taste testings in my own kitchen.  I'm big on flavor...I know what I can add to certain dishes to get the flavor I'm looking for but sometimes you gotta just try a bit more, a bit less or none at all in each recipe until you "perfect" it.  This is my version of perfection but then again it may need more or less of "sumpin' good" for your own tastebuds.  So try it and change it and make it your own if you wish!

**The Maille Old Style Grained Dijon is what I use in this recipe (its sold at most stores including Walmart) and it has a really great flavor for using in recipes...a little goes a long way with this one because of the intensity of its flavor **

I love to make pulled chicken sandwiches especially in the summer.  I put 4 good sized organic chicken breasts in my crock pot along with 2 1/2 cups of my BBQ sauce and some sliced onions.  I put it on high heat for 4 hours to cook and it doesn't heat the kitchen up and its easy to make.  After its cooked I pull the chicken out of the pot and put it into a large bowl...then I use a fork to shred it while its still warm which makes it easier to do.  Then I put it all back in the crock pot along with any extra BBQ sauce it may need (usually it doesn't) and let it simmer on low until I'm ready to serve it.  It makes enough for four adults PLUS leftovers for lunches during the week.

Great for parties as well...put about 6-8 chicken breasts in to cook and you have enough for a fairly large crowd.

I serve mine up with special cole slaw recipe and roasted garlic potatoes.  Perfect summer or anytime dinner!  (cole slaw dressing recipe and potato recipes soon to come)

I'm entering this into the following Link Parties:

 A Bowl Full of Lemons Linky Party

Not Just a Housewife