This is a spicy, cheesy concoction that’s the signature dish at the Master’s Golf Tournament and I’m sure will soon be a staple at your house! This is my version. Make sure you start with a really good sharp cheddar (I like to use Tillamook cheese from Oregon). The spread is insanely addictive and pairs so wonderfully with crostini, pita chips, or crackers or you can feel a little healthy serving it with crudités. I love it because it can be made up to a week ahead. Just pull it out about an hour before serving. That cheesy goodness, that slight kick of cayenne pepper at the end that catches you by surprise, will have you going back for more.

This is going to be your go to summer salad! If you like coleslaw, but don’t like ones that are heavy on the mayo, then this is for you. The crunchy, shredded, red and green cabbage and sweet grated carrots are tossed together with a tangy, but light, creamy dressing. Then there is the explosion of bleu cheese that sneaks in there hidden in all the slaw-y goodness, finally topped with the crunch of toasted walnuts. It’s a party in your mouth! It is a stunning accompaniment to other grilled items like burgers, ribs, and all things summer.

This is my take on a barbecue sauce. It’s tangy, but not too sweet, with just a touch of heat as it finishes. It tastes like it’s complicated and has been simmering for hours, but comes together very quickly and can last in your fridge for weeks. It’s super on chicken, but equally good on pork or beef. Our BBQ chicken is a 2-step process. We first grill the chicken to add that nice smoky flavor to the meat, also rendering out the fat and making the skin crispy and beautifully caramelized. The second step is to slather it with our BBQ sauce then finish cooking it in the oven. It’s the best of both worlds with its smoky flavor from the grill, but the barbecue sauce is not burnt. Also, the chicken is perfectly moist and juicy. It’s sure to be a summer hit!

This shortcake is kind of a cousin to a biscuit and a scone. The “short” is in reference to the flatness, or shortness in height, and that it is crispier than a biscuit and not as crumbly as a scone due to all the gorgeous butter and cream! They come together quickly in one bowl, then are cut into circles. I top them with Swedish pearl sugar before baking. It makes them look very elegant and the sugar doesn’t melt in the oven, but instead leaves a beautiful coating on top. We then fill the cakes with raspberries and peaches that have been soaked in Amaretto liqueur, finished with a dollop of sweetened whipped cream, sending it over the moon. It’s an absolutely fabulous way to end your summer meal.

Perfectly cooked pasta combined with crisp summer beans, sweet cherry tomatoes, and fresh basil. This dish is so colorful, with all the red, white and green, reminds me of a tasty Italian flag. The pasta and vegetables are tossed with some of the starchy cooking liquid from the pasta and Pecorino-Romano cheese that creates a creamy, yet light sauce. I just adore good pasta and this one is a keeper. It perfect for a light lunch or a starter for dinner.

Nothing makes your house smell more fantastic than roasting a chicken. There is something so comfortable and cozy about coming home and smelling that aroma coming from the kitchen. As the weather starts to cool down a bit, I can turn on the oven again without fear of heating up the whole house, and this dish is a perfect way to end summer and can easily be made into the fall months ahead. The chicken is seasoned with fennel seed, which adds a savory subtle anise flavor. The addition of the onions, olives, and wine lends a slight salty sweet pan sauce, making this one of the most flavorful roasted chicken dishes I have prepared. I know you will love it.

Panna Cotta translates from Italian to mean “cooked cream”. It is a molded cold custard that is just sublime. The first time I made it, my young son said, “It tastes like ice cream but doesn’t melt”. And he was right! It is so simple to make and comes together in just a few minutes. The hard part is waiting for it to set, about 5 hours. We are serving it today with some fresh summer fruit that we toss with a little sugar and liquor to bring out more of that great summer flavor. It a simple dish that is so elegant and sure to be a great way to end your summer meal

Ratatouille is a French Provencal Vegetable dish that is usually made in the summer with onions, eggplant, peppers, zucchini, and herbs. It’s a great way to use that abundance of veggies you may have in your garden, or that you bought at the farmer’s market. It takes a little while for it to cook, but you will be so rewarded! It’s a dish that is good the day it is made but only improves with time, giving all the flavors have a chance to mellow. It is so versatile because of the many ways you can serve it. It’s the perfect side dish served warm alongside grilled meats and fish. Or, you can serve it cold as a salad or add it to a sandwich. You can top a crostini with it and you have a quick appetizer. I love it so much that I double the recipe! I put some in my freezer for later in the season and have a container of it in my fridge all summer long. 

Nothing says summer like a steak on the grill! These beautiful New York steaks are perfectly grilled, then topped with bleu cheese butter that, once it is placed on top of the hot steaks, melts and creates this beautiful, cheesy buttery sauce. The combination of the bleu cheese and the grilled meat is just heavenly. The butter can be made ahead and kept at the ready and can be used on a variety of other dishes. Slice a piece and put it on top of the chicken, fish, or in a baked potato. It freezes well too.

A galette is a French term for a free-form dessert in which the pastry is rolled out into a large circle, then it is topped with fruits, and the edges of the pastry are gathered around the fruit giving it an elegant, but rustic appearance, making each galette unique and special, The Italian’s call this dessert a crostata. The pastry is foolproof, easy to make, and freezes well. Today we’re filling the galette with apricots that are then tucked into that beautiful pastry, topped with a little sugar, and baked until brown and bubbling. The pastry is crisp and flaky, and the apricots are sweet caramelized gems. Topped with ice cream, this is a sublime way to end a summer day!

These long, skinny, crunchy, herby, and cheesy breadsticks are positively addictive! They are the perfect for your aperitivo and pair very well with a cool and refreshing Aperol Spritz, one of my favorite summertime cocktails, very elegantly served in a stem glass with lots of ice. Together, they are perfect for sitting on the patio and enjoying the colorful sunset. I like to make my cocktail 1 part Aperol liqueur, 2 parts prosecco or sparkling wine, and a splash of soda.

One of my favorite summer memories is planting vegetables for a summer garden with my children. This dish captures that memory of a summer garden, that unbelievable flavor of just-picked veggies. If you don’t have a garden, find a local farmers markets for the freshest produce. A layer of sautéd onions, peppers, and garlic that’s then topped with thinly sliced eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash, and tomatoes. The flavors are perfectly married together, a balance of sweetness & summer goodness. It’s as beautiful to look at as to eat.

This is one of my favorite salads to make. It makes an excellent starter dish, served along the main course or can be served as a light main dish. The crispy pancetta, sautéed onion, and wilted spinach are all tossed together with orzo pasta and a lemony basil vinaigrette. Crunchy toasted walnuts and creamy feta are tossed in and really complete this dish. One thing I love about this salad is that there are so many different kinds of feta to experiment with. I prefer the French feta because of the balance of creaminess and saltiness, but I am currently working my way through the feta counter at the Middle Eastern market near me. They are so superior in taste to the pre-crumbled packages at the market. I encourage you to try and find a market near you. It makes a great salad to enjoy under the setting sun in the summer air.

There’s nothing better than grilling in the summer. The smoky charred flavor that the grill imparted on food is just wonderful, and nothing says summer like grilling. You get to be outside, and your kitchen is free from the heat and the mess. This simple, tangy, and herby marinade adds a fantastic punch to the perfectly grilled chicken and is sure to be a hit at your summer dinner party. This recipe calls for boneless chicken thighs, which I think definitely have more flavor than the breast meat. They are also more forgiving when cooking since they have a little more fat than breast meat, but not so much that you don’t have to feel guilty. And of course, you’ll still have room for dessert!

This is one of the most delicious combinations for a summer dessert! Fresh berries and a buttery, crumbly topping. It’s a classic. I like to use a combination of whatever berries are at the farmers market. Topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, it’s heaven in a dish. It’s sure to be a hit at your house too that I’m sure you’ll be making it all summertime. Just don’t tell anyone how easy it really is!

This is a traditional Italian bread salad I like to make with lightly toasted ciabatta bread, cucumbers, a selection of summer’s best tomatoes and basil, then tossed with a light vinaigrette. The bread is slightly crunchy, slightly drenched in the vinaigrette. The crunch of the cucumbers and the sweetest of the tomatoes and basil makes this a salad that is truly is summertime in a bowl!

This is one of my favorite summer dishes. The word gratin has two meanings: one is an oval-shaped baking dish; second, a topping that is browned. You can use whatever baking dish you have, it will not affect the taste. The onions, garlic, and tomatoes are cooked down to a jam-like consistency, topped with layers of eggplant and a ricotta-yogurt mixture, finished with a sprinkle of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese that is slightly browned. This dish is fantastic for great entertaining since it can be made ahead. You can serve it as a starter, or alongside your main dish. I love it the next day with a fried egg on top for breakfast or a light lunch. 

When thinking of summer grilling, a boneless leg of lamb is probably not usually what comes first to mind.  Lamb has somehow gotten a bad rap of having a very strong flavor and taste. This recipe I believe will change the minds of even the biggest lamb skeptics out there. The boneless leg of lamb is “ butterflied” which is a culinary term to cut a thick piece of meat into a thinner thickness. The lamb is marinated and then perfectly grilled. Smoky charred on the outside, juicy on the inside and, served with a simple fresh herb pistou sauce, this just may make it to the top of your outdoor grilling repertoire!

Nothing says summer like fresh-off-the-tree fruits!  I was inspired by a sack of peaches my neighbor gave me fresh off of her tree one evening right before dinner. I didn’t have time to make a crostata, galette or pie, but I was craving that sweet syrupiness of the cooked fruit and sugar! So here we mix up a simple sauce of butter, honey, and Moscato that turns into a beautifully thick heavenly glaze for the peaches in just 15 minutes.  Served over vanilla ice cream….it’s a sublime way to end a meal!