Meals for Fourth of July, Memorial Day, and Labor Day
BLT Pasta Salad with Avocado
In recent weeks, I’ve heard from many readers who offered kind praise for my Mexican Street Corn Salad recipe. Many noted the big flavor punch delivered by the small amount of lime juice that’s added to the mayo. The bright, fresh taste it delivers happens to be my favorite part of the salad, too. In the following…
Peanut Butter Popsicles
Four easy ingredients create a refreshing, protein-rich treat that the whole family will love. Perfect for healthy snacks and dessert－and they will pass for breakfast! Hot days call for cold treats. We’ve made our fair share of ice cream runs this summer (major thanks to Penny’s and Lancaster Sweet Shoppe 🙂…
Classic Gazpacho (A toppings bar makes it a meal－or a party!)
A selection of toppings turns this classic summer soup into a filling meal. Simple advance prep makes it ideal for casual entertaining and easy weeknight meals alike, and the flavor improves over time! While living in Spain for six months many years ago, I was told that when the weather gets hot, even a…
Grilled Shishito Peppers (with stovetop option)
Serve these sweet and (almost always!) mild Japanese peppers as a quick, easy, and surprisingly popular appetizer or side dish. Have you ever heard of chili peppers that are mild…most of the time? Such is the case with the shishito pepper, a small, slender sweet pepper that originated in Asia. A year or two ago,…
Summer Breeze Chicken Salad
This fresh-tasting chicken salad offers a uniquely delicious way to savor sweet, seasonal peaches. The combination may seem unexpected, but once you try, I’m betting you’ll be sold! Some people are hard to forget. Take the gem of a teacher who totally gets your toddler. When my older son first went off to preschool he…
Slow Roasted Cherry or Grape Tomatoes
With their concentrated savory-sweet flavor, these little bites will transform many a meal, and I’ve included a list of ways we enjoy them. A great way to make use of a bounty of cherry and grape tomatoes, the roasted tomatoes can even be frozen for later use. If you told me that someone secretly…
Grilled Caesar Salads… with easy options for a complete meal and a bonus recipe for watercress
Grilled Caesar salads are a summertime classic and can be a quick, well-rounded meal. This bright-tasting dressing is easy to prepare—no need for a blender or food processor—and is egg and anchovy free. Anchovy fans may absolutely serve them alongside, of course, and I’ve included my favorite ways to turn the salad into a complete…
Baked Oatmeal Breakfast Bowls
Inspired by a menu item at a local cafe, these satisfying breakfast bowls can be prepped in advance and assembled when ready to eat with seasonal fruit of choice. Move over granola (if only briefly)… we’re replacing crunchy with chewy. Traditional breakfast parfaits involve layers of fresh fruit, creamy yogurt, and crisp granola–and what’s…
Zucchini Noodles in Rustic Tomato Sauce
This easy, saucy, one-pan meal is plant-based but will satisfy meat eaters too. Use prepared zucchini noodles or spiralize them yourself, and feel free to enjoy the simple sauce with regular pasta as well. Kitchen cabinets are like closets. One never seems to have enough of them. Since space is at a premium, I…
Greek Pasta Salad
Bursting with flavor and easy to transform into a complete meal, this versatile pasta salad is equally perfect for busy weeknights and casual entertaining. When I was pondering what to say about this light-but-satisfying, Mediterranean-style salad, four simple words came to mind: low effort, high reward. It’s a bowlful of flavor that everyone seems…
Black Bean Dip (or Salsa or Salad)
Enjoy this easy, endlessly versatile recipe as a dip with chips, a salsa for fish or chicken, a super simple salad, or the foundation of a healthy, plant-based meal. Perfect for a potluck and can be prepared in advance! Amidst all my experimenting with new recipes, this simple combination of ingredients never grows old in…
Easy Blueberry Lemon (or Lime) Sauce
It’s easy to pass over “component” recipes like sauces, dressings, and other condiments in favor of recipes that produce the whole meal. Time is always at a premium, and it can be hard enough to get dinner on the table without worrying about…blueberry sauce? Well this easy, versatile recipe might just be reason to rethink.…
