While the official first day of summer isn't until June 21, I think it is safe to get out the flip-flops, grab a beach towel and jump into my favorite season of the year. I have always been a sunshine girl who loves the long summer days, the taste of fresh fruit, family reunions, being outside, and grilling. And did I mention the fireflies! Talk about magical. I have to admit, one of the coolest things about moving from CA to TN is seeing those light up as they dance around in the ... View the Post
The Sweet Taste of Summer!
I love the tastes of summer! Whether it is hamburgers being grilled, fresh corn salad, or a perfectly ripened watermelon. But one of my favorite all time recipes is the classic Strawberry Shortcake! I am not sure if I love it because the sweet berries burst with flavor, the buttery shortcakes are topped with whipped cream, or because I can't savor a serving without thinking of my grandmothers kitchen. Because so many of my memories are tied around food and the hands that helped to create ... View the Post
Strawberry Crisp So Tasty You’ll Be Tempted To Lick Your Plate!
You know summer is getting close when the days start getting longer and insulated boots get traded in for flip-flops. But for me, nothing says summer is around the corner like baskets of red sun-ripened strawberries from the grocery story, or better yet, fresh from a local fruit stand or field. When I saw berries for sale, I knew that I needed to make something that highlighted that distinct fruit flavor. I looked up several recipes that featured strawberries from salads, to crepes, to ... View the Post
Chill with Mmm~Mango Banana Smoothie.
I love the taste of summer! Everything is so flavorful and bursting with color. My husband, John, is the green thumb in our family. He has planted a garden everywhere we have lived. Sometimes it is a plot of deep brown soil. Sometimes it is a raised bed with gopher screen lining the bottom. But, it is always something that produces fruits and/or vegetables. Sure, there are some variables such as the weather being too cold, too hot, too damp, and the list goes on. Planting, ... View the Post
Roasted Corn Salad
Talk about the amazing taste of summer! I just made this super easy and scrumtious salad from field fresh corn, tomatoes, limes and cilantro. The key to this salad was putting the corn on the grill. It not only cooks the corn perfect, you are not boiling a big pot of water in the house. Plus, the smokey flavor adds to the summer flavor. The corn is actually steamed in the husks, which leaves the kernels with a bit of a crunch and not over cooked. Ingredients 4 or 5 ears of corn- with ... View the Post
Watermelon-Basil Granita
You know summer is official when you see bins of watermelons at local farmer's markets and grocery stores. I remember my parents buying watermelons on our way camping and putting them in the stream to keep cold. That was in the day when watermelons were the size of something shot out of submarines and big black seeds dotted the red juicy flesh. As a kid, part of the fun of eating a big wedge of watermelon was to see who could spit the seeds the farthest. While some things have changed, like ... View the Post