This stretch of otherworldly hot weather has me craving my mom’s gazpacho: cool, savory, unfussy, utterly satisfying. All I have to do is gather some fresh summer produce and plug in the food processor; it does all the work and the kitchen stays nice and cool. Make this at least a day before you plan to serve it; the flavors really develop over time. Get the recipe for Mom’s Quick Gazpacho!
You may ask yourself, “tomato jam?” And I say, “yes! Tomato jam!!!” Fantastic with sharp cheddar and chevre on a cheese board. This excellent Spiced Tomato Jam recipe is a gateway to both jam-making and home canning: It yields a small batch, cooked without pectin, that’s easy to manage if you want to give canning a try. (Freezes well, too.) Get the recipe!
Pack-able, healthy lunch option; easy afternoon snack; part of a festive array of appetizers: Tabbouleh — that Middle Eastern salad of cracked wheat, herbs and vegetables — is a rock star. You know you have all this stuff in your fridge (OK, maybe not the cracked wheat, but we can remedy this). Get this easy recipe for homemade tabbouleh!
Just when I thought our cucumber crop was a bust (pollinators were slow to find all those yellow flowers hidden beneath giant leaves), we’re finding ourselves with something of a cuke farm. What to do with them? As they say on Portlandia, “We can pickle that!” Get the recipe for quick refrigerator dill pickles; they’re on our dinner table alongside burgers and chips for a summer supper tonight!
Are you ready? I mean, READY, people? It’s tomato season, folks. Here’s a whole library of my favorite summer tomato recipes to get you psyched about this most magical of times. Bookmark it: You’ll be wanting these tomato dishes all summer long. Get the recipes!
If you’ve dined out recently, you’ve probably spotted this new food trend: toasted seed toppings on all kinds of salads and main dishes. I’ve been playing around with toasted seeds (and with seed-herb blends) to dress up my summer cooking. It’s like adding a pretty scarf to a plain dress — just that little bit extra that makes it memorable. Get the recipes for toasted seed toppings and start playing yourself!
Here’s another taste of California Wine Country cuisine for you: a bright, velvety, gorgeous pesto made with Swiss chard, enhanced with the creamy tang of creme fraiche. (Who knew?) Get this recipe for pasta with Swiss chard pesto, inspired by our recent travels!
So, you’ve got the whole grill thing figured out for your Memorial Day cookout: burgers, brats, chops, whatever. Now you need to focus on the sides. Skip the icky storebought potato salad and the greasy, overdressed pasta salad. Here are THE side dish recipes you need for your Memorial Day menu. Check ’em out!
Tomatoes are still in season. Get yourself 3 nice, ripe ones, a pile of cheddar cheese and some cracker crumbs. Boom! The best tomato dish you’ll have all year, no doubt. It’s an oldie but goodie. Get the recipe.
