Summer Recipe Love

It’s hard to think of testing new recipes when I have so many old favorites that I only make at this time of year. Anything requiring fresh tomatoes, corn, or summer squash only gets revisited in the late summer, and I look forward to the chance to revisit those fantastic and fresh recipes.

This year, I have a good tomato crop in my little backyard raised-bed garden, so I’m eating as many of them fresh as I can. I’ve also got a good handful of cucumbers coming along, so I feel pretty much compelled to make my light and easy version of Gazpacho.

I’m also hoping to get to this Tomato and Beef Stir Fry, which is soooo good. It’s one of rather few beef recipes you’ll find in The Messy Apron Archives, but one of my favorite uses of my favorite vegetable.

And since the cherry tomatoes in my garden are also doing well (I usually plant Sun Gold cherry tomatoes which are delicious and prolific), I recently threw together Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes, Basil and Olives, and can’t wait to make it again. 

Unless, of course, I decide I’d rather make this Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes and Garlicky Chickpea Sauce. Since I’m armed with this method of roasting cherry tomatoes, whether it’s to make the delicious Roasted Cherry Tomato and Olive Galette in the same post, or to toss with pasta, I won’t worry about growing too many of those savory little jewels. By the way, the roasted cherry tomatoes freeze well, so I can use them to re-create my favorite summer flavors when summer is just a memory.

I don’t grow my own corn, but there’s a glut of it in the markets right now, and it’s delicious. Even though simple corn on the cob is classic and wonderful, I couldn’t wait to make Pasta with Yellow Squash, Corn and Bacon.

 

It’s still delicious and I still totally love it. Perhaps I’ll also have some time left in corn season to make the somewhat similar Pasta with Zucchini, Corn and Fresh Mint. (I’ve got lots of mint in the garden!) Up next, though, I’m hoping to make Corn and Green Onion Tart with Bacon.

So, you can see how it’s hard to find time and space in the calorie budget to try new summer recipes, when there’s so much I already love! And I’ve only been talking about recipes that feature a few special summer ingredients here. What about plums or apricots, or bell peppers? And where would I even start with greens (perhaps here or here)?

Well, I did explore some new territory by making a simple but interesting cake featuring rosemary recently. I’ll tell you about that one soon.

Happy summer! Happy loving!