A Few of My Favorite Summer Recipes

Simple meals we come back to every single summer

Hi Friends!

Today was the first sunny day in Connecticut in what feels like FOREVER. It’s been raining for weeks and waking up to actual sunshine made me SO happy I could cry. It finally feels like summer is here, and I’m beyond ready!!! Ready for dinners outside, kids running wild, and all the easy, fresh recipes that come with this season.

So I started pulling together a few of my favorite summer staples to cook. These are the ones I come back to every year - some I’ve been making forever, others are newer but already part of the rotation. They’re unfussy, always crowd-pleasing, and just feel like summer to me.

Hope you find something here that makes its way onto your table too, and let me know your summer favorites!!

xx, Liz

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Grilled Corn, Tomato & Basil Salad

Ingredients

• 4 ears of fresh sweet corn

• 1 pint heirloom tomatoes, halved

• 1/4 red onion, sliced thin

• 3 handfuls of fresh basil

• Juice of one lime

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• A little salt

• 1/2 cup goat cheese

Instructions
Grill the corn and slice off the kernels. Mix everything together in a big bowl, crumble the goat cheese on top, and serve cold or room temp. You can sub arugula for basil if that’s what you have!

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Chickpea Arugula Salad

Ingredients

• Arugula

• Butter lettuce

• 1 can chickpeas

• Yellow tomatoes

• Red pepper

• Shallot

• Lemon juice

• Olive oil

• Salt + pepper

• Crumbled feta or goat cheese (optional)

Instructions
Toss all the ingredients together in a large bowl, drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice, and season to taste. Light, crunchy, and perfect with grilled chicken or salmon.

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My Go-To Salad Dressing

Ingredients

• 1 cup olive oil

• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar

• 2 tbsp champagne vinegar

• 2 tbsp white wine vinegar

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard

• 1 tbsp honey

• 1 tsp salt

Instructions
Shake it all up in a mason jar and store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. I use this on everything — green salads, grilled veggies, even cold pasta salads.

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Spicy Peach Margarita

Margarita

• 1/2 cup grapefruit juice

• 4 tbsp lime juice

• 1 tbsp Red Clay spicy peach honey

• 1/2 cup grapefruit seltzer

• 1/3 cup tequila

Rim

• Red Clay spicy peach honey

• Red Clay spicy margarita salt

Instructions
Rim your glass with honey and spicy salt, shake all marg ingredients with ice, pour, and enjoy. It’s dangerously good.

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Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad

Base Ingredients

• Cooked rotini pasta

• Grilled corn (cut off the cob)

• Cherry tomatoes, halved

• Yellow Pepper

• Red Pepper

• Chickpeas

• Red onion

• Cilantro

• Celery

• Cotija or parmesan cheese

Dressing

• Mayo

• Lime juice

• Chili powder

• A little garlic

• Salt + pepper

Instructions
Toss the pasta and veggies with the dressing, top with cheese, and chill before serving.

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4th of July Flag Cake

Ingredients

• 2 boxes Whole Foods yellow cake

• 1 pint heavy cream

• 1/4 cup white sugar

• Berries for topping (I use strawberries + blueberries)

Instructions
Bake the cake as directed in a 13x9 pan. Whip the cream and sugar until soft peaks form. Once the cake is cooled, layer on the cream and arrange berries in a flag pattern. Chill and serve!

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Blueberry Galette

Filling

• 2 cups fresh blueberries

• 1/4 cup sugar

• Juice from half a lemon

• 1 tsp flour

Dough

• Frozen French pastry dough (I use Whole Foods)

Instructions
Preheat oven to 400°F. Roll out thawed dough on parchment paper. Add the blueberry filling to the center, fold the sides over, and brush with egg wash. Bake for ~50 mins until golden brown.

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Blistered Tomato Pasta Sauce

Ingredients

• 2 pints cherry or grape tomatoes

• 8–10 garlic cloves (no need to smash)

• Olive oil

• Salt + pepper

• Fresh basil

• Optional: a handful of spinach, leftover roasted chicken, or grilled shrimp

• Pasta of your choice

• Grated parmesan

Instructions
Preheat oven to 400°F. Spread the tomatoes and garlic onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Drizzle generously with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 30–40 minutes until the tomatoes look like the photo — blistered, wrinkled, and just starting to caramelize.

Transfer everything to a blender (I use a Vitamix) and blend until smooth. Pour the sauce over cooked pasta, then stir in a handful of fresh spinach so it gently wilts. Top with fresh basil and a big handful of grated parmesan. Optional: add in roasted chicken or grilled shrimp for extra protein.

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