Inspire New Recipes for Summer 2020

Summer is a wonderful season with so many fun activities, warm weather, and delicious recipes. I love the sunshine, barbecues, pool parties, and spending time with my loved ones. While this year's summer season has been different than past years, I think people have learned to adapt to their new sense of reality. They have adjusted their schedules and how they host dinners and gatherings. They have learned how to prevent the COVID-19 pandemic from ruining their summer. 

In recent years, I have learned that it's important to keep things as simple as possible while preparing summer recipes. People love refreshing food during this time of the year. They don't want heavy, hot meals. Instead, they want grilled hamburgers, grilled chicken, salads, fresh fruit and vegetables, and ice cream. 

As you plan your final summer meals of the year, I recommend these five simple recipes I have been preparing this summer season. These dishes will certainly please everyone. Who knows, you might even inspire someone else to try these recipes at their own dinner parties. 

1. Summer Strawberry Salad 

When I think of summer, I usually think of fresh strawberries on top of an angel food cake with cream cheese frosting. But strawberries have many purposes, and in my household, we look for every opportunity to add the fruit to a dish, whether it's an appetizer or a dessert. Fresh sliced strawberries truly work wonders in the kitchen. 

In this garden salad (inspired by country music star Trisha Yearwood), strawberries are the star of the dish. With a sweet strawberry vinaigrette dressing, you can't look for a better way to get your daily dose of fruits and vegetables. Plus, it's such a beautiful salad to admire on your dinner table. 

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

• 1 pkg. La Choy Chow Mein Noodles
• 1/4 c. sunflower seeds
• 1/4 c. pecans
• 1/4 c. (1/2 stick) butter, melted
• 1 head romaine lettuce, washed and dried
• 1 5-oz. bag baby spinach
• 1 pint strawberries, hulled and thinly sliced
• 1 c. grated Parmesan cheese
• 3/4 c. sugar
• 1/2 c. red wine vinegar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 3/4 c. vegetable oil

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, mix the sunflower seeds, pecans, and melted butter. Transfer to a baking sheet and toast in the oven, stirring occasionally, until browned [about 10 minutes]. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool. 

Summer strawberry salad. 

Tear the romaine lettuce and combine with the spinach, strawberries, and Parmesan cheese in a large salad bowl. 

Dissolve the sugar in the red wine vinegar. Combine the salt and vegetable oil, and then add to the sugar-vinegar mixture. Mix well and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. 

Just before serving, sprinkle the crunchy pecans over the salad greens. Add the La Choy Chow Mein Noodles and toss to combine. Drizzle just enough salad dressing to coat the greens. Enjoy! 

2. Honey Peach White Cheddar Grilled Cheese 

Honey peach white cheddar grilled cheese (photo/Modern Honey).

Summer is always peach season. There are not that many fruits better than a juicy, ripe peach. You can't beat the natural sweetness of peaches, especially at peak season. Luckily, there are several ways to add peaches to your summer recipes, including inside a grilled cheese sandwich. 

A grilled cheese sandwich is one of my favorite lunch meals. Freshly sliced peaches add some freshness to the sandwich in ways you could never expect. If you want to step up your lunch game this season, look no further than this honey peach white cheddar grilled cheese recipe, inspired by Modern Honey. It's not your average sandwich. 

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

• 2 peaches, sliced
• 4 slices Texas Toast bread (You may also use sourdough, multigrain, or thick white bread.)
• 2-4 Tbsp. ricotta cheese
• 1 Tbsp. honey 
• 4 slices white cheddar cheese (You can add more, depending on how cheesy you prefer your sandwich.)
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 4 slices bacon, optional 

Peel and slice the peaches, and then set them aside. Spread ricotta cheese over the bread. Top one slice with the peaches and the other slice with the white cheddar cheese. 

Spread butter on top of each slice of bread. Place on a panini press (or you may heat a skillet over medium-low heat). Once the panini press is heated, add the sandwiches. Cook until the cheese is melted and the bread is lightly toasted. 

If adding the bacon, remove the top of the sandwich and place it on top of the melted cheese. Serve immediately with a serving of barbecue chips. Enjoy! 

Honey peach white cheddar grilled cheese (photo/Modern Honey).

3. Greek Pasta Salad 

There are so many variations of salad to choose from in today's culinary world. Salads are no longer "boring side dishes" that nobody wants to eat at a party. Instead, they're like a supporting character in a play or movie. They complement the main meal and they can sometimes steal the whole show. 

This Greek pasta salad (inspired by Joanna Gaines' Magnolia Table) is a star. While you can pair it with grilled chicken, the salad can easily be a standalone dish this summer. The tender bow tie pasta is combined with fresh cherry tomatoes, basil leaves, feta cheese, and green onions--tossed in a delicious Greek dressing that you'll want to prepare over and over again. You can bring Greece to your dinner table, and all you need are a few simple ingredients. 

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

• 1 pound bow tie (farfalle) pasta
• 1/3 c. rice vinegar
• 1/4 c. olive oil
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 c. green onions, chopped
• 1/2 c. fresh basil leaves, chopped
• 1 pkg. cherry tomatoes, chopped
• 4 oz. feta cheese, crumbled 

Cook the pasta according to the package directions and drain. In a medium bowl, whisk together the vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place the drained pasta in a large bowl and pour the dressing on top. 

Add the green onions, basil, and tomatoes and toss to combine. Add the feta cheese and toss again. Chill for one hour before serving. Enjoy! 

4. Grilled Honey Mustard Chicken  

If it isn't obvious yet, I love honey. I especially love honey mustard. It is my favorite salad dressing, and I even like to dip my grilled chicken in the tangy, sweet sauce. So, when I found this recipe (from Spend with Pennies) for grilled honey mustard chicken, I knew I had to try it. My family loves to grill chicken during the summer, and everyone is a fan of honey mustard. 

The tender juicy chicken breasts are marinated in a flavorful honey mustard marinade. It's a simple recipe that has many satisfying results. Step up your grilling game with this delicious dinner recipe. 

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

• 6 boneless chicken breasts 
• 1/3 c. Honey Dijon mustard
• 1/4 c. honey 
• 1 Tbsp. lemon juice 

  

  Grilled honey mustard chicken. 

To prepare the marinade, mix together the Dijon mustard, honey, and lemon juice. Mix the chicken breasts with the marinade and marinate the chicken breasts in the refrigerator for approximately four hours. 

Preheat your grill to medium heat and grill the chicken breasts until they're cooked through (about 7-8 minutes per side). You can pair the chicken with grilled corn on the cob for a perfect summer meal. Enjoy! 

5. Summer Ice Cream Dessert 

Who doesn't love ice cream during the summer? It's a classic American dessert. For this recipe, I was inspired by Louisa May Alcott's classic novel, Little Women. In Wini Moranville's cookbook, The Little Women Cookbook, she recreated an ice cream dessert mentioned in the novel. The March sisters loved ice cream. 

"There was ice cream, actually two dishes of it, pink and white, and cake and fruit and distracting French bonbons and, in the middle of the table, four great bouquets of hothouse flowers." - Louisa May Alcott, "Little Women" 

The March sisters were surprised to find a feast on their dinner table on Christmas Day. In the 1860s, ice cream was a special treat. It wasn't an ordinary treat we can find today. The pink and white ice cream dessert was quite the treat for the March sisters. This recipe (adjusted for chocolate and vanilla ice cream) layers both colors of ice cream into one dessert. Dig right in! 

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

• 3 cups (420 g.) vanilla ice cream
• 3 cups (420 g.) chocolate ice cream
• 1 (8-inch) Graham Cracker pie crust 
• Chocolate syrup or hot fudge sauce, optional
• Sweetened whipped cream, optional
• Chocolate chips, optional

Put the chocolate ice cream in a medium bowl and let it soften just until it can be stirred smooth, for about five minutes. Spoon it into a pie crust and spread evenly using a rubber spatula. Freeze for about 45 to 60 minutes, or until firm. 

Summer ice cream dessert. 

Put the vanilla ice cream in another bowl and let it soften just until it can be stirred smooth, for about five minutes. Carefully spoon the vanilla ice cream over the layer of chocolate ice cream and spread evenly. Cover and freeze for at least one hour, or until firm. You may also freeze overnight if you're preparing the dessert in advance. 

To serve, remove the pie from the freezer about 15 to 20 minutes before serving to make it easier to slice. Cut the pie into eight pieces. Place each piece on a dessert plate. Top with chocolate chips (as pictured). You may also add whipped cream and chocolate syrup, according to your personal preferences. Enjoy! 

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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 summer dishes--hamburgers, hot dogs, other salads, etc. These dishes are easy to prepare, which is exactly what we need right now. They will always hit "the sweet spot" with your taste buds. 

Remember to have fun this summer! There are several ways to still have fun this year, even during the pandemic. Prepare these recipes and sit outdoors with your family. It doesn't get any better than that. 

-KJL-