Hello!
I’m just finishing off almost two weeks of parenting three small children solo. It’s been all about easy meals (toast and eggs!), freezer meals, reheating leftovers or things I made ahead of time and not stressing about what and when we eat. Survival mode, in a nutshell. I’m looking forward to a more normal schedule, being able to cook the way I usually do and using the amazing summer produce that’s coming available.
This week’s menu is shorter than usual because I draw from my real life and I don’t have as much to share, but I’ll be back to the regular formula next week.
Quick Links
basil vinaigrette, summer salad pairings // coconut rice bowls // summer pasta // raspberry buttermilk cake
Weeknight Meals
A Big Salad for Dinner
Is there anything better in the summertime? I think no.
I love this basil vinaigrette, with a few edits on this recipe: I like to rinse the shallot in cold water or soak in ice water to tame it a little. I skip the garlic so it won’t be overpowering. I will always tinker with the dressing a bit after it’s mixed together and add a bit more vinegar, more salt or sugar/honey if it needs to be rounded out.
A great salad with the dressing is mixed greens, grilled chicken and corn, cucumber, pickled onions, cherry tomatoes and shaved parmesan. And always big homemade croutons!
On Cup of Jo recently, they featured summer salads with fruit and cheese. I want to try all of the pairings they recommend.
I shared this recipe a few months back, but we revisited it this week while eating with my family and it was a huge crowd pleaser. For 7 adults and 6 kids we doubled the amount of rice and peanut sauce and also made some crispy tofu as another protein option.
When I ate this in the winter, we had mango with it for our fruit and this week we used nectarines as she suggests in the recipe. They really were such a great addition of sweet, fresh and tart. Try them while they’re in season!
I love Amanda Fredrickson’s Fridge Foraging series over on Instagram. She makes a meal using whatever she has in her fridge/pantry and shows a lot of flexible substitutions and clever ways to use ingredients. (I’d love to visit her restaurant in Nashville!) She makes a lot of really delicious summertime pastas, including this one-pot pasta.
Treat of the Week
Our raspberry bushes are laden with berries that are starting to ripen, so I feel like we will eat this cake more than once this summer. It is my favorite cake: perfectly sweet, perfectly moist, eat it with a dollop of whipped cream. You can use whatever fruit you have on hand, it doesn’t have to be raspberries.
Something to Listen to
On A Thing or Two, they talked about summer salad dressings. Their chats are always delightful and I left this one with lots of inspiration for seasonal eating. (A small amount of language in this episode.)
Happy cooking and eating!
Emily