Summer is officially here! For many that means vacations, beach time and plenty of outdoor gatherings from BBQs to picnics to simply enjoying a family meal on your deck or patio. And I love all of the summer festivities. Okay, maybe not so much if it is sweltering hot, but I will always — always — love the food. To help you look like a foodie rockstar, I compiled a few of my favorite summer recipes from my sister blog, Eat Laugh Purr.
Hot and Cool Eats for Sizzling Summer Days
These dishes always earn me rave reviews and will wow your friends and family this summer.
Strawberry Lemonade Punch
This is one of my all-time favorite summer beverages. It’s got a little tang from the lemonade and a few bubbles from the ginger ale/club soda (you could also swap vodka or sparkling wine in its place for an adult beverage) and a little sweetness from those glorious berries. Pour me a tall glass, please.
Get the recipe, here.
Asparagus Tart with Bacon
This easy and impressive looking appetizer is one you will want to make over-and-over. The crisp crust, crunchy asparagus, ooey gooey cheese and salty bacon are a combination made in heaven. The mint leaves may seem unusual (and can be optional) but they give it a little something extra in my opinion. This is also a very versatile recipe. You can switch up the cheeses or add some caramelized onions or roasted tomatoes or top it with a soft boiled egg. Anyway you make it, this tart is delicious!
Get the recipe, here.
Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
I love pasta. I love bacon. I love ranch dressing. I love this salad. It’s full of many of my favorite foods and makes a nice, big salad you can bring to a potluck or enjoy as a light lunch or dinner for several days.
Get the recipe, here.
Fruit Salad with Honey Citrus Honey Dressing
Nothing beats fresh summer fruit. It’s so flavorful and juicy and this salad really highlights the taste of summer. I also don’t feel an iota of guilt indulging myself with a hearty serving either. I also love the bright colors. It just makes me happy.
Get the recipe, here.
Sweet Corn with Chili Lime Butter
I love sweet corn, especially grilled sweet corn. And when you slather flavored butter that has a little heat, but not too much, with a little saltiness and sweetness over your piping hot ear of corn, it becomes something spectacular. Believe me. 😀
Get the recipe, here.
Best Grilled Hamburgers
Listen, I’m generally not a huge hamburger fan, which makes me an anomaly from most Americans. But I really enjoy a grilled hamburger. And I really, really enjoy one when it has a fantastic spice mix that gives a basic burger a little extra oomph. I made these when my family came to visit last summer and they loved them. Yours will too.
Get the recipe, here.
Summer Garden Pasta
This reminds me of the Bruschetta Pasta that TGIF’s serves/served (I have no idea if they still do but it was my favorite entree from their menu). It’s perfect for summer because you absolutely must use garden-picked tomatoes to really make it lip-smacking good. It’s also a relatively light dish, assuming you have better willpower than me.
Get the recipe, here.
Championship Ribbon Fruit Pizza
This is one of my Mom’s famous desserts. I love it so much. It has a crisp, buttery crust that is covered with a sweet cream cheese mixture and topped with seasonal fruit and an orange glaze. It’s not a hard dessert to make but there are a few steps that may intimidate some initially. But once you dig into the recipe, you’ll see that it actually is quite easy to make and is so very, very, very, very worth it.
Get the recipe, here.
Ice Cream Dessert with Homemade Chocolate Sauce
This is another one of my Mom’s famous desserts. Growing up, she would make it for special occasions and I would savor every delicious bite. The homemade chocolate sauce is incredibly decadent and delicious. FYI, when I say stir continuously, I mean it. If you walk away, even for a moment, bad things might happen. Ask me how I know this. 😀 FYI 2x: the Oreo crust is hard (and delicious), which means you cannot serve this on paper plates with plastic forks. This requires real plates and silverware. Ask me how I know this. 😉
Get the recipe, here.
Strawberry Cheesecake Poke Cake
This is not one of my Mom’s famous desserts but I made it for my Mom as a Mother’s Day treat last year. We share a love of strawberries. 😀 It’s a traditional poke cake made a little extra special with the addition of some pureed strawberries and the most amazing (and super, super rich) frosting. It was a huge hit with my family and serves quite a few, so it’s great for potlucks and parties.
Get the recipe, here.
Enjoy Good Eats this Summer
These are the my go-to summer recipes and hope you enjoy them as much as I do!
What’s your favorite summer dish?
Tanya
Everything looks awesome! I love the idea of sparkling strawberry lemonade.
Thanks, Steph! I love the sparkling strawberry lemonade. It’s one of my favorite beverages.
soooooo this post is not the best one for me as I’m trying to get back to healthy eating 😉
SO YUMMY!!!
LOL! I hear you. There are a bunch of pictures I want to redo on my food blog and none of them are “healthy”, of course. And I’m trying to eat better too!:D
Note to self: don’t read Tanya’s food posts when hungry. These all look so delicious and I don’t even like lemonade.
Thanks, Jana! I always make the mistake of reading food posts when hungry too and then find myself wanting to lick the screen. 😀
The strawberry recipes look so yummy!! And I really want to try asparagus and bacon soon!! Definitely pinning this for later!
I LOVE strawberries. Love. Them. And we grow some of the very best in California. Asparagus and bacon go so well together. I need to make that tart again because it is delicious!