I love that I can find a platter of vegetables at every birthday, barbecue, and holiday gathering. But let’s face it — carrot sticks, celery sticks, and sliced cucumbers are not the only candidates to arrange on a platter and serve with a dip. (I’m not judging; I get myself into that rut, too.)
There are tons of vegetables that would love an opportunity to shine on a platter, to serve as a vehicle for a pesto, salsa, vinaigrette, vegetable puree, cheesy dip, or hummus.
Second to frozen desserts, like ice cream and popsicles, s’mores (in any and all forms!) are a summertime staple. Graham crackers, chocolate, marshmallows — no matter how you arrange those three simple ingredients, this dessert is a treat.
Whether you go for the standard toasted marshmallow and wedge of chocolate sandwiched between two graham crackers, prefer a more creative filling, or transform this sweet treat into something baked or frozen, you’re on track for a delicious summer.
It’s easy to love zucchini and summer squash when they first appear on farmers market tables in vibrant stacks of green and yellow — trickier once we move deeper into the summer and zucchini seems to be stalking us at every turn. This summer, let’s establish some new favorites early on and keep the party going as long as we possibly can.
Here’s your guide to choosing, cooking, and loving zucchini and summer squash, from first blossom to the final garden harvest.
4.75 / 5 Stars | 7 Reviews
by BUFFALOINN
“This easy to make relish is a colorful, flavorful topping at any summer cookout.”
Garlic confit is my secret ingredient, my special sauce, one of my all-time favorite tricks to give any vegetable a makeover. It’s a play on an old technique (preserving meat in its own fat) and a venerable French dish (duck confit). You can use the same fancy term to cook and preserve garlic in essentially the same way. Except, here, olive oil is the fat of choice. The technique produces meltingly tender and sweet cloves, along with a by-product of fragrant and delicious oil. It’s magic.
Product: Midnight Scoop
Price: $50
First Look: This is an ergonomic, heavy-duty ice cream scoop that’s built to dig through hard ice cream and last for a lifetime.
I’m serious about my ice cream. However, there was a period of time in my early 20s when I was a lazy ice cream scooper. I would pull the container from the freezer and use my spoon as a spear to carve out pieces of hard ice cream. Not surprisingly, this resulted in a lot of bent spoons.
I eventually moved on to ice cream scoopers, and most recently was thrilled to take the Midnight Scoop, which is like the Ferrari of ice cream scoopers, for a test ride.
Growing up, I wasn’t the child that minded eating her veggies, but when it came to one in particular, I could sense its evil, slimy presence lurking — waiting to induce horrible gagging noises, a stuck-out tongue, and a ridiculous amount of whining. Summer squash and zuchini, I’m looking at you!
4 / 5 Stars | 34 Reviews
by Noni
“You boil lentils, then blend them until smooth to make this pungent puree; curry-scented spices–like cumin, garlic and cayenne–finish the dish.”
