Inspire New Recipes for Summer 2018

Ah, summer...My favorite season of the year. I feel more relaxed this season, possibly because the weather is warmer and the days are longer, allowing you to accomplish more during the day.

But summer is also the time to gather, especially on the 4th of July. Family and friends host barbecues and pool parties, relaxing in the summer heat and having fun together. What do you need at these festivities?

Food. Delicious, refreshing food.

Whether you grill hamburgers, hot dogs, or slice up some watermelon for your 4th of July party, you'll want to serve the best food possible. Keep things simple. People love refreshing food during this time of the year. So, as you plan your meals for the 4th of July (or any summertime meal), try these five simple recipes that will certainly please everyone at your gathering.

And who knows, you might even inspire others to try these recipes at their own summer barbecues.

Pasta salad (photo/Kasy Long)

1. Pasta Salad 

Pasta salad is one of the easiest meals you can prepare for a summer barbecue. It's a cold salad; therefore, it's a refreshing taste for those poolside buffets.

To prepare this dish, you will need the following ingredients:

• One box of rainbow-colored rotini pasta
• One small package of cherry tomatoes, sliced in half 
• One cucumber, sliced
• Italian dressing (You will use about 1/3 of the bottle.) 
• Parmesan cheese 

Cook the pasta according to the directions on the box. Then, drain the pasta and rinse with cold water. Add the sliced tomatoes and cucumbers to the salad bowl. Then, add the Italian dressing to the pasta mixture and stir well until everything is mixed together. Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top of the salad for a finished touch. 

2. Summer Corn Chowder 

I first had this recipe at a restaurant in the Smoky Mountains. It was a family-style restaurant complete with corn fritters, your choice of fried chicken or roasted turkey, mashed potatoes, green beans, corn, dessert, and their signature corn chowder. It was delicious. Everything about the meal was "melt-in-your-mouth" delicious, which is the best type of meal to have. 

Summer corn chowder (photo/Kasy Long).

So, when I found a similar recipe to the corn chowder, I knew I had to try it. I knew it wouldn't exactly be the same because I wouldn't be eating the chowder in the beautiful Smoky Mountains, but I wanted to try it. 

And I'm glad I did because this recipe was almost exactly like the corn chowder I fell in love with many years ago. The chowder heavily relies on corn (duh), potatoes, and its creamy mixture. This is one of the best chowder recipes I have ever tried. 

Bring a pot of this delicious chowder to your summer barbecue and your friends/family will love it, too. 

To make this recipe, you will need the following ingredients: 

• Eight ears of sweet yellow corn
• Three tablespoons of butter
• Five slices of bacon, chopped
• One medium yellow onion, chopped 
• 1/4 cup of flour 
• Five cups of water 
• One lb. of gold potatoes, diced 
• One cup of milk (I used skim milk, but you can use 2% if you prefer.) 
• One tablespoon of honey 
• Two or three tablespoons of green chives 
• Shredded cheddar cheese (to top the chowder)

Summer corn chowder (photo/Kasy Long).

Cook the corn for approximately 10 minutes. Let it cool and then cut the corn off the cob. Melt the butter over medium-high heat and add the chopped onion and bacon. Cook until softened. 

Then, add the flour and cook for approximately 1 1/2 minutes. That's not a lot of time, so make sure you keep your eye on the pot. Then, slowly whisk in the five cups of water and bring the pot to a boil. Stir occasionally. 

Then, stir in the corn and potatoes. Add a dash of salt and pepper for taste. Bring the pot to a light boil, then reduce to medium-low heat and simmer until the potatoes are tender. 

Remove half of the chowder mixture and blend until it's smooth. Then stir it back into the pot. Add the one cup of milk and honey, stir and simmer until the chowder is slightly thickened. 

If you're bringing this chowder to a summer barbecue, bring the shredded cheddar cheese and chives as an option for people to top the chowder. You may also bring crackers, croutons, and additional toppings. 

3. Sauteed Chicken Tender Salad 

This salad is the best salad you can possibly bring to a summer barbecue. It's simple to prepare and it's super refreshing. You can set up a salad bar with all of the toppings, allowing your guests to choose how they want to prepare their salads. 

Sauteed grilled chicken salad (photo/Kasy Long).

To prepare this salad, you will need the following ingredients: 

• Chicken tenders
• Iceberg lettuce 
• Salad greens 
• Grated cheddar cheese 
• Cherry tomatoes 
• Cucumbers
• Texas Toast croutons (or whichever brand you prefer)
• Bacon bits 
• Dressing of your choice 

Flour both sides of the chicken tenders and sautee in olive oil for approximately 10 to 15 minutes each side. Then, set the chicken aside to assemble the salad. 

Arrange the platter of salad any way you choose (with the iceberg lettuce, salad greens, cheese, tomatoes, cucumbers, croutons, bacon bits, and your choice of dressing). Alternating the ingredients makes a more colorful plate. 

Top your salad with the tender chicken slices for a delicious, refreshing summer salad your guests will love! 

4. Fruit Kabobs 

Can you really have a summer barbecue without serving fruit kabobs? I didn't think so! Sliced watermelon, cantaloupe, kiwi, etc. are perfect symbols of summer. These fruit kabobs are the most refreshing things to offer at a summer barbecue, especially for a poolside party. 

Fruit kabobs (photo/Kasy Long).

While you can add whatever fruit you prefer, I'm recommending what works best for me. These fruit kabobs cool you down in the summer heat, but they're also healthy! It's a delicious win-win situation. 

To prepare the fruit kabobs, you will need the following ingredients: 

• One small, seedless watermelon 
• One cantaloupe 
• Two kiwis 
• An eight oz. box of fresh strawberries 

Slice the watermelon and cantaloupe into bite-size pieces, and slice the kiwi. Remove the stems from the strawberries and slice the strawberries in half. 

Arrange the fruit on each skewer, adding a colorful "pop" to your barbecue! 

I also paired the fruit kabobs with a simple dip mix. To make this dip, mix together softened strawberry cream cheese and stir in marshmallow creme until the mixture is nice and smooth. This dip adds an extra refreshing taste to your fruit. 

5. Butter Pecan Dessert 

Butter pecan dessert (photo/Kasy Long).

You can't host a summer barbecue without offering a refreshing dessert. Now, from my experience, your guests don't want to eat a rich dessert when the weather is extremely hot outside. Hot temperatures and rich fudge just don't mix. 

Instead, this butter pecan dessert is the perfect option. It's made with ice cream (a classic summer dessert!), but it's not just your average ice cream dessert. It has a whole new dimension to it. You'll be wanting to make this dessert all season long, and I don't blame you! 

To prepare this dessert, you will need the following ingredients: 

• 1/2 gallon of butter pecan ice cream 
• Two packages of vanilla instant pudding 
• 1/2 cup of milk (I used skim milk, but you can use 2% if you prefer.)
• Eight ounces of Cool Whip
• One stick of butter
• 40 crushed Ritz crackers 

Butter pecan dessert (photo/Kasy Long).

First, set aside the ice cream for it to soften enough to stir. In a mixing bowl, add the two packages of vanilla instant pudding and mix in the softened ice cream. Then, add the milk and stir the ingredients together. 

Spread the mixture into a 9x13 pan. Top the mixture with the Cool Whip. Melt the stick of butter in a microwave for approximately one minute. 

Add the crushed Ritz crackers into the melted butter and stir. Sprinkle the butter and cracker mixture on top of the Cool Whip. 

Refrigerate the dessert for approximately four hours before serving. Because this is a cool dessert, this is an easy recipe to prepare ahead of time and freeze overnight. Just remember to allow some time for it to thaw before serving. Your guests will come back for seconds with this dessert! 

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These dishes are some of my favorite meals to prepare during the summer season. You can pair these with other traditional barbecue dishes--hamburgers, hot dogs, potato salad, chips, etc. These dishes are simple and easy to prepare. But, the most important thing about these dishes is that they're refreshing. They will "hit the sweet spot" on your taste buds this summer. 

There really is no better feeling than sitting outside in the sun, eating a fresh slice of watermelon and relaxing with your family and friends. 

If you make any of these dishes, share your pictures with me through social media on Facebook (@kjlsdiary), Twitter (@kjlwriter), and Instagram (@kasyjlong1950). I look forward to seeing your dishes! 

-KJL-