Happy July!
The glorious, delicious, much-longed for days of summer are in full-bloom, and it is "amaze-balls"! I can't think of a better way to say it, so slang it is. The harvests have started, and there is so much fresh, fabulous food available for consuming and preserving. If only we could preserve a bit of this weather to open up come January!
The July '17 Edition is live, and you will find plenty of dishes to enhance summer dining at your table. There are also Preview recipes to enjoy, with a new recipe coming every week. Your cookbooks are surely getting fat by now, and I'm delighted about that! Here's a quick look at the recipes you'll find this month.
Start the day with Baked (Shirred) Eggs with Fresh Herbs & Parmesan, some toast, and a bit of fruit; you'll sail through the morning with a smile on your face! This is one of my favorite egg preparations, one you'll definitely want in your breakfast and brunch repertoire.
For lunch, or as a hearty side salad, indulge in Shrimp & Pasta Salad with Creamy Avocado Dressing. Shell pasta catches the corn, scallions, tomatoes and creamy avocado dressing, and acts as the perfect bed for tender shrimp. Oh my! And you must try my Chilled Sweet Potato Soup with Spicy Crema and Toasted Pepitas. It is the silkiest, creamiest soup you'll ever put on your tongue, and is absolutely satisfying. The swirl of slightly spicy crema perfectly complements the sweetness of the potatoes, and the pepitas add an interesting texture, so this soup is always interesting. And even better, come chilly weather, it is just as good served hot!
If you're thinking a taco might be just the warm weather food you need, then My Favorite Fish Tacos deserve a try. Flaky fish, mango and cabbage slaw in a warm tortilla with a drizzle of avocado crema will make you a fan of this food I learned to love in California.
Before dinner nibbles are necessary for summer entertaining, and Cool Crab & Scallop Ceviche was always a catering all-star! Try it once and you'll be addicted. And as entrees go, there's just nothing much better than a Grilled Rib Eye Steak that has been languishing in my version of Chef Rick Tramonto's steak marinade. Serve Corn on the Cob with Compound Butter with that steak and your guests will know you're a rock star in the kitchen!
Sweet treats and summer go hand in hand, and I haven't forgotten them! S'mores Roll-Ups are something I came up with after seeing a recipe for something similar using marshmallow creme. S'mores have to have toasty marshmallow flavor, so I created this version, complete with real toasted marshmallows! The abundance of fresh berries in the summer definitely causes pie cravings, so grab some berries and make my Berry Explosion Pie, it will satisfy your berry and pie cravings, and if you add a scoop of ice cream, you'll be in pie heaven.
These recipes should keep you really busy trying new summer dishes; I hope you'll work them all in before the next issue arrives in August!
Now please go soak up every ounce of the magnificence of this season, cook some primo food, and know that I'm thankful for each of you that are cooking through the seasons with me. July is going to be "amaze balls"!
