5 Savory Recipes Perfect for Summer

Summer is a time of fun backyard barbecues, crazy potlucks, and spontaneous picnics. Here are some festive recipes from Savoring the Seasons with Our Best Bites by Sara Wells and Kate Jones that will bring a little bit of summer to your plate.

•  - 4 peaches, peeled and diced
• - 1 cup diced watermelon
• - 1 small jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced (about 1 tablespoon minced)
• - 4 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
• - 1 orange bell pepper, seeded and diced
• - 1/2 cup diced red onion
• - 1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro
• - 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• - 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• - 1 medium lime, zested and juiced

Combine peaches, watermelon, jalapeño, tomatoes, bell pepper, red onion, and cilantro. Add sugar, salt, pepper, and lime zest and juice. Toss to combine. Chill a minimum of 1 hour. Toss again before serving.

Dressing:

• - 6 tablespoons fresh lime juice (about 3 small, juicy limes)
• - 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• - 4–5 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• - 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
• - 1 teaspoon cumin
• - 1/2 teaspoon coriander
• - 1/2 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt
• - 2 teaspoons sugar (add touch more if limes are extra sour or bitter)
• - 3/4 cup canola oil
• - 1/2 cup roughly chopped cilantro

Pasta Salad:

• - Zest from 2 limes
• - 1/2 pound bowtie pasta, cooked according to directions
• - 1 (14 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• - 2 Roma tomatoes, diced, or ¾ cup halved cherry tomatoes
• - 1 large red, yellow, or orange bell pepper, seeded and diced
• - 1/2 cup sliced green onions
• - 1/2 cup frozen fresh corn
• - 8 ounces diced cooked chicken (optional)
• - Salt and pepper, to taste
• - 1/2 cup queso fresco or cotija cheese (or shredded Monterey Jack, cheddar, or pepper jack)
• - Lime wedges, for garnish (optional)

Dressing:

Process lime juice, vinegar, garlic, chili powder, cumin, coriander, salt, and sugar in blender until smooth. With blender on slow, add oil in steady stream until incorporated. Turn off blender and add cilantro. Pulse 5–6 times until cilantro is broken up but still has some pieces.

Salad:

Zest limes and place zest in large salad bowl. Add cooked, drained, cooled pasta to lime zest. Add beans, tomatoes, pepper, onions, corn (no need to thaw), and chicken, if desired. Toss with dressing. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. For best results, chill 1 hour before serving. Right before serving, sprinkle cheese on top. Serve with extra lime wedges, if desired.

• - 1 (4-serving) box vanilla instant pudding mix (can use sugar-free)
• - 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
• - 1/2 cup cold water
• - 1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
• - 2 cups heavy cream, divided
• - 1 loaf pound cake or angel food cake, cut into ½-inch cubes
• - 1 cup toasted coconut, divided
• - 1/3 cup powdered sugar

Combine pudding mix, lime juice, water, and sweetened condensed milk in medium-sized bowl. Mix well and refrigerate while preparing whipped cream. Whip 1 cup cream in separate bowl until soft peaks form. Fold into pudding mixture and return mixture to refrigerator. In medium trifle dish or small, individual trifle dishes, spread thin layer of pudding mixture. Add layer of cake cubes, thicker layer of pudding, and sprinkling of coconut. Repeat, ending with layer of pudding. Whip remaining 1 cup cream with powdered sugar. Spread on top of final layer and garnish with remaining toasted coconut. Chill at least 1 hour before serving.

Peach Mayo Spread:

• - 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• - 1/4 cup peach preserves
• - 1 teaspoon mild Dijon or coarsely ground mustard

Whisk all ingredients together.
Burgers:

• - 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• - 1/3 cup minced onion
• - 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
• - 20 ounces (1 1/4 lbs.) ground turkey breast*
• - 2 tablespoons fresh minced parsley or 2 teaspoons dry parsley
• - 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• - 1/4 cup peach jam
• - 1 teaspoon Dijon or coarsely ground mustard
• - 1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
•  - 4–6 quality buns or rolls
• - Lettuce
• - Red onion slices
• - Tomatoes

Heat oil in small nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté, stirring frequently to prevent burning, for 2–3 minutes or until onion is tender and garlic is fragrant. Remove pan from heat and set aside. Important note: Do not discard olive oil. Add to meat to improve texture and keep meat moist. Place ground turkey in mixing bowl and break up with fork. Add parsley, salt, pepper, peach jam, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. Add sautéed onion and garlic and remaining oil in pan. Use fork to gently toss meat and distribute ingredients evenly. To keep meat tender, do not overwork. Divide meat into 4 large or 6 small patties, forming evenly sized balls and gently shaping into patties. Because meat will likely shrink while cooking, make a ½-inch deep indentation with thumb in each patty. Burgers can be made up to this point and then frozen or stored in refrigerator up to 24 hours before cooking. For best results, chill patties at least 1 hour before cooking. Preheat indoor grill pan, skillet, or outdoor grill to medium-high heat. Brush hot cooking surface with vegetable oil. Place patties on cooking surface and cook 5–7 minutes on each side (flip only once), or until internal temperature reaches 165° F. Eat with peach mayo spread, sliced tomatoes, lettuce, and onion slices on toasted buns.
* Some ground turkey has as much, if not more, fat than regular ground beef. If eating turkey for health reasons, check nutritional information on packaging.

• - 1 (12 oz.) can Coca-Cola
• - 3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
• - 1 teaspoon minced ginger
• - 1/4 cup soy sauce
• - 1/2 teaspoon Sriracha sauce
• - 1 tablespoon ketchup
• - 1/3 cup coconut milk
• - Juice from 2 limes
• - 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• - 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, shelled shrimp, or flank steak, cut into bite-sized pieces

Combine all ingredients, except meat, in small saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Place meat in large zip-top bag and pour cooled marinade over it. Refrigerate at least 4 hours. When ready to cook, thread meat onto skewers and grill 3–4 minutes per side or until desired doneness is reached. Serve with peanut dipping sauce.

More

For more delicious recipes, check out Savoring the Seasons with Our Best Bites by Sara Wells and Kate Jones.