Tuesday's Ten

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One of the first elements to make its way from my research/personal blog to our family blog is Tuesday's Ten, a list of 10 things I love.

This week (mostly because our Fourth didn't include any picnic or barbecue staples) I began to think about dishes that make frequent appearances on our table during the summer months. I hope you enjoy the linked recipes!

1.  Italian Baked Beans - a nice departure from the typical bland pork and beans type side dish that one typically finds at cook outs. Because I'm a vegetarian, I typically omit the pancetta or at the very least divide the beans in half before adding the pancetta.  Guinness and Sam Adam's stouts fit the dark beer bill nicely.  

2.  Orzo with Roasted Vegetables - this recipe must be my favorite 'summer' salad recipe because the lemon juice makes it taste fresh and light and tomatoes are in season.

3.  Fruit Salad with Limoncello - we tend to consume in-season fruit in inordinate amounts during the summer months.  When I want to serve fruit for a dessert at a dinner gathering, I go to this recipe whose lemony yogurt sauce accentuates the flavor of the fruit.  I'm allergic to strawberries and often substitute other seasonally fresh fruit to good results.  

4.  Caprese Salad - I like to use yellow and red tomatoes in the dish and drizzle a balsamic reduction over the top.  

5.  Szechuan Noodles with Peanut Sauce - this is a great, portable dish for picnics.  The kiddos love the peanut sauce and eat the vegetables without complaint as a result.  

6.  Southwestern Potato Salad - aside from Julia Child's potato salad dressed with an herbed vinaigrette, this is my go to recipe for potato salad.  If it's too spicy for your tastes, scale down the chipotle puree.  This salad goes well with grilled tequila lime chicken.  

7.  Grilled Corn on the Cob - grilled corn on the cob is delicious on its own, but if you're feeling a bit naughty, this recipe, which calls for mayo and parmesan is excellent; even J, who hails from Indiana and is a corn purist, loves it!

8.  Pink Lemonade - everyone in our family loves homemade lemonade, and when I make it pink, Littlest could consume the entire pitcher on her own!  Sometimes I'll add sieved fruit purees in lieu of the cherries to add flavor; blackberries work well as a puree.

9.  Asian-Grilled Salmon - J loves Salmon:  in winter he prefers grilled salmon with a pecan crust, in summer lighter flavors prevail.  This marinade can be made in about five minutes with things you most likely have on hand.  

10. Vegetarian Paella - Since taking a cooking class in Barcelona, I've fallen in love with vegetarian paella.  Paella has a reputation for being as labor intensive as risotto, but the effort produces great results.  Fresh vegetables are a must when making this dish.