With only a couple of days left before the Fourth of July (although the fireworks shows have already begun and Phoebe has taken permanent refuge under the bed), I thought I'd pull together a few of my favorite summery recipes from the archives. ...
summer
Jalapeño Ranch Potato Salad
In my high school biology class, we did a unit on the human digestive system, and for the unit test, we had to describe the digestive process for various types of foods: fats, carbohydrates, etc. I still remember that test: it read, “Sam eats a spoonful of mayonnaise. Describe how he digests it.” My first thought was, He doesn’t. He barfs it back up because that’s DISGUSTING. I mean, really, how ...
Strawberry Rhubarb Vinaigrette
It has been almost five years since I moved from California, and you know what I’m still not used to? Summer rainstorms and the staggering attendant humidity. Snow and the bitter cold I can handle – although I’ll gripe about it along with everyone else, for sure! At least I was mentally prepared for the cold. I mean, it’s all anyone talks about when you say that you’re moving to Michigan. ...
Basil Watermelon Lemonade
I hope everyone is having a lovely long weekend and doing something fun to celebrate Labor Day! ...
Apricot Rhubarb Crumble
Warning: this apricot rhubarb crumble is not for the faint of heart – if you don’t like tart desserts, this is not your cup of tea dish of crumble. If you do, keep reading! And if you’re on the fence, serve it with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream! Actually, even if you’re not on the fence, putting ice cream on top still sounds like a good idea… ...
Strawberry Rhubarb Galette
For me, fruit pies and tarts are the quintessential summer dessert. While ice cream is a great treat when the temperatures are soaring, ice cream is available year-round. But summer fruits? If only they were available year-round! ...
Mango Thai Chicken Salad with Peanut Dressing
It has been a crazy couple of weeks over here in the Cake Pants household. Final exams (both to study for and to grade), term papers to write, a wedding to attend on the opposite side of the country, a two-day professional workshop, and up next, another trip across the country for a graduation ceremony, and then a set of PhD exams at the end of the month…whew! Anyhow, it’s always difficult to plan ...
Lemon Poppy Seed Cupcakes
As much as I love chocolate, I tend to gravitate toward fruitier desserts in the summertime. Let me tell you how this seasonal preference might have actually saved my dog’s life (or at least saved her a tummyache). ...
Dill Potato Salad
Potato salad is one of my favorite summertime side dishes any-season comfort foods. Its wide adaptability virtually guarantees that everyone can find a version they’ll love—don’t like celery? Skip it. Not crazy about mustard? Leave it out. What I particularly like about this version is that by using small yellow potatoes rather than russets, you get a satisfyingly creamy salad even though there is ...
Cherry Chipotle Salsa
In July, I visited the National Cherry Festival in Traverse City, Michigan. In addition to the cherry preserves and pies I had anticipated seeing, I got to sample cherry barbecue sauce (which, incidentally, is a great choice to use in the recipe from my previous post), cherry honey, cherry mustard, and more. All of it was very tasty, but after a couple of days, I was feeling a bit cherried-out. ...