I’ve actually been having fun with summer season dinners this 12 months. Our days are full, however the evenings really feel rather less rushed, which implies I’ve had extra time to cook dinner, experiment, and construct meals round no matter is contemporary. And with the children at these ages, it doesn’t matter fairly as a lot whether or not dinner is prepared at 6:00 PM or 7:30 PM. Plus, the backyard produce—particularly the tomatoes—has been so flavorful that even the only dinners have felt further particular.
I do know fall will look very totally different. Our schedule can be full of sports activities, actions, co-op days, and loads of dinners eaten rapidly or on the go. However we aren’t there but! So whereas we’re nonetheless summer-loving, listed below are among the meals we’ve been having fun with these days.
These aren’t all elaborate recipes or completely deliberate dinners. They’re merely 12 straightforward summer season meals that tasted good, labored for our household, and made essentially the most of this slower, produce-filled season. If in case you have a favourite summer season meal you’ve been having fun with, please share it with me! 🙂
BBQ Rooster Candy Potato Bowls
These have been certainly one of our favourite dinners of the summer season: roasted candy potatoes topped with shredded BBQ hen, black beans, corn, avocado, and ranch. I like a build-your-own meal as a result of everybody can customise their bowl, and it makes leftovers particularly straightforward. I normally use already-cooked hen to maintain this one easy on a busy night time. It’s filling by itself, so I don’t sometimes serve a lot alongside it.
Why we cherished it: Straightforward, customizable, and nice for leftovers.
Make it simpler: Use rotisserie hen and frozen corn.
Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Okra
This was a kind of easy dinners that got here collectively with out a lot planning: marinated and roasted sliced pork tenderloin with roasted okra on the facet. I didn’t add a standard carb as a result of we had simply devoured an enormous bowl of popcorn throughout a film, which felt like a very good reminder that summer season dinners could be a little footloose and fancy free. The pork was satisfying and the okra was contemporary from my backyard membership haul.
Why we cherished it: Easy, flavorful, and never overly heavy.
Make it simpler: Marinate the pork and trim the okra earlier within the day.
Greek Rooster Rice Bowls
Rice bowls proceed to be certainly one of my favourite methods to feed everybody as a result of they’re straightforward to prep and simple to customise. For these, I paired Greek-marinated hen with rice, tzatziki, and Greek salad and let everybody assemble their very own. They felt contemporary and summery whereas nonetheless being hearty sufficient for dinner.
Why we cherished it: Recent, filling, and customizable.
Make it simpler: Prep the hen and greens forward of time.
Mackerel with Onions, Tomatoes, and Garlic over Rice
This meal won’t win the award for prettiest dinner, however it truly tastes fairly good and it’s serving to me with my omega-3 targets. I sautéed mackerel with onions, tomatoes, and loads of garlic, then spooned every thing over rice. I additionally like so as to add somewhat pepper vinegar sauce. It got here collectively rapidly and was a pleasant change from our typical hen and floor beef rotation.
Why we cherished it: Nutrient-dense, flavorful, and fast to make.
Make it simpler: Use canned mackerel and leftover rice.
Lemon Orzo Skillet Rooster with Backyard Tomatoes
My lemon orzo skillet hen has been a repeat favourite for good motive. It’s creamy, shiny, and comes collectively in a single pan, which is all the time appreciated. I served it with sliced Cherokee Purple tomatoes on the facet as a result of when tomatoes are this good, they don’t want far more than somewhat salt. However the ladies nonetheless like after I add somewhat drizzle of balsamic.
Why we cherished it: Cozy however nonetheless contemporary sufficient for summer season.
Make it simpler: Slice the tomatoes whereas the hen and orzo cook dinner.
Floor Beef Burritos
Floor beef burritos should not revolutionary, however they’re reliable—and generally that’s precisely what dinner must be. I seasoned the meat, set out the tortillas and toppings (refreid black beans, guac, salsa, pico, bitter cream, rice), and let everybody construct their very own. It was a simple meal that happy everybody with out requiring a lot thought or cleanup. Hero model now has tortillas dimension!
Why we cherished it: Acquainted, satisfying, and family-friendly.
Make it simpler: Cook dinner a double batch of floor beef and freeze half.
Smoked Pork with Home made Pickles and Caprese Salad
David smoked the pork for this dinner, and I dealt with the sides: do-it-yourself pickles and a caprese salad. The wealthy, smoky pork paired so properly with the acidity of the pickles and the juicy tomatoes and mozzarella. It felt like a really summer-on-a-plate sort of meal, particularly with the facet of watermelon!
Why we cherished it: Smoky, contemporary, and filled with summer season flavors.
Make it simpler: Smoke further pork and use the leftovers for sandwiches, tacos, or bowls.
Potato, Zucchini, and Onion Sauté with Fried Eggs
This was a garden-inspired meal made with sautéed potatoes, zucchini, and onions topped with fried eggs. The runny yolks created their very own sauce, and the potatoes made it filling sufficient to depend as dinner. It was cheap, comforting, and a good way to make use of produce we already had.
Why we cherished it: Easy, budget-friendly, and surprisingly satisfying.
Make it simpler: Cube the potatoes small so that they cook dinner extra rapidly.
Lemon Dill Salmon with Rice and Cucumber Salad
This was such a contemporary summer season dinner: lemon dill salmon served with rice and a cool cucumber salad on the facet. The intense lemon and herbs labored so properly with the salmon, whereas the cucumber salad saved the entire meal feeling gentle and refreshing. It was straightforward sufficient for a weeknight however nonetheless felt somewhat particular.
Why we cherished it: Recent, balanced, and filled with shiny summer season taste.
Make it simpler: Combine the cucumber salad forward of time and use microwave rice.
Bean, Rice, and Veggie Floor Beef Taco Bowls
These taco bowls included rice, beans, and floor beef cooked with loads of greens. They have been hearty, colourful, and yet one more straightforward technique to provide everybody some alternative at dinner. I particularly like meals like this as a result of the leftovers can turn out to be lunch bowls, quesadillas, or burritos the subsequent day.
Why we cherished it: Filling, versatile, and full of greens.
Make it simpler: Use microwave rice and canned beans.
BLTs with Avocado on Home made Sourdough
Few meals style extra like summer season than a BLT made with a very good tomato. We added avocado and piled every thing onto slices of do-it-yourself sourdough, slathered in mayo, which made a easy sandwich really feel further particular. That is the sort of dinner I stay up for all 12 months.
Why we cherished it: Recent, nostalgic, and all in regards to the tomatoes.
Make it simpler: Cook dinner the bacon earlier within the day and reheat it briefly earlier than serving.
Grilled Rooster with Blistered Shishito Peppers, Tomatoes, and Home made Onion Rings
This dinner was a mixture of contemporary and indulgent in the very best manner. We served grilled hen with blistered shishito peppers, ripe tomatoes, and do-it-yourself onion rings. The hen saved it easy, the greens introduced the summer season taste, and the crispy onion rings made the entire meal really feel enjoyable.
Why we cherished it: A bit of contemporary, somewhat indulgent, and filled with taste.
Make it simpler: Prep the onion rings earlier than beginning the grill.
I do know our meals will begin trying so much totally different as soon as fall arrives and the calendar fills up, however I’m actually having fun with this season of slower evenings, contemporary produce, and dinners that don’t need to be rushed. These meals weren’t fancy, however they have been scrumptious, sensible, and precisely proper for this time of 12 months. I’d like to know what has been on repeat in your kitchen this summer season—particularly if it includes a very good tomato!
Okay, I’ve so as to add two bonus dinners as a result of they have been so good!
