Summer Recipes

Tropical Watermelon Slushy

Two simple ingredients are all that’s needed for this fruit-sweetened frozen treat. And whether you call it a slushy, Slurpee, Slush Puppie, ICEE, or slosh, it’s sure to refresh all summer long!   My family LOVES slushies! A make-at-home version is tasty and easy. With some chopped watermelon stored in the freezer, it can also…

Easy Summer Omelet for Two

A handful of fresh ingredients and a super simple preparation make a nourishing meal that satisfies any time of day.   Summertime cooking begs to be easy. Luckily, fresh herbs, your favorite cheese, and eggs are all you need for a super speedy meal thatโ€™s loaded with flavor. Although most people would probably consider this…

Prosciutto Wrapped Grilled String Cheese

When we were visiting my in-laws recently, we got talking about cheese.  Most every night before dinner, we enjoy cheese and crackers when we are with them.  Given the flavor journey I have been working on with Sargento Cheese, it was only natural that we talked about cheese a little more than usual! One evening,…

Roasted Parmesan Zucchini Bites

My favorite way to eat zucchini is a tie between zucchini bread and this recipe where the zucchini is broiled with a simple coating of fresh Parmesan.  I’ve made these as rounds, sticks, and strips.  They key is to cut them fairly thick and cook only until golden.  This way, they won’t get mushy.  Also,…

Apricot Peach Yogurt Smoothie

Christian and I had a date with Grace, my 2-year-old niece, to make homemade play dough (see the blue fingernails in the photo below) and after lots of rolling, cutting, pressing, and being silly, they were hungry! ย I had promised Christian an apricot peach smoothie the day before, and we never got around to it.…

Corn, Cucumber and Avocado Salad with Homemade Ranch

Fresh, flavorful, and versatile, this speedy salad is a great way to use leftover corn on the cob, but frozen and thawed works well too.  A few months ago, I was the emcee of a heart health expo. At one point in the program, I was asked to speak about some of the tips I…

Foot Bridge Grilled Chicken (also known as A Third-A Third-A Third Chicken)

A flavor-packed marinade with just three basic ingredients makes this oldie-but-goodie ideal for both busy weeknights and casual backyard entertaining. I always prepare more than I need the first night, as leftovers are delicious cold, reheated, and as a leveled-up base for your favorite chicken salads. The marinade works beautifully with vegetables too. Over the…

Sweet Cherry & Feta Quinoa with Peach Vinaigrette

A light, flavor-packed salad that’s delightful paired with virtually any grilled protein but stands alone as a complete vegetarian meal. For a vegan alternative, simply omit the feta. And try substituting dried cherries or cranberries when the fresh cherry season has ended. 🍒     Every summer, I make several varieties of homemade jam that we enjoy…

Cherry Crisp (Gluten-Free)

I had the pleasure of having a helper in my kitchen the other day.  As much as I love it when my boys lend an occasional hand in the kitchen, it was a treat to have a female assistant this time around!  Heather Green is an aspiring photographer who, at age 12, started her own…

California Potato Salad

Buttery avocado, juicy tomatoes, and a bit of crisp bacon will shake up your potato salad routine for a light yet filling spin on the classic dish.     This absolutely delicious reader recipe was sent to me by Leola, Pennsylvania native Nancy Irvin James, who mentioned that the recipe got its name because she developed it…

Classic Strawberry Jam

The quintessential flavor of homemade strawberry jam is easy to achieve thanks to these simple instructions! This is the recipe my grandmother always used for her strawberry jam. It’s traditional strawberry jam at its best. The taste and color when freshly made can’t be beat. Opening a jar in the cold winter months provides the…

Strawberry Pesto Pasta Salad

This recipe came from Genevieve, an English teacher at Lancaster Country Day School. Another teacher told Genevieve she simply must share this recipe for the Summer Salad Challenge conducted by The Lancaster Sunday News and me.  The recipe came from Genevieve’s sister and, conceptually, it caught my attention right away.  Beyond offering a novel, seasonal…

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