Summer

With the warm weather upon us (100 degrees for the past two days at my house) I know I will be attending countless backyard barbeques, pool parties, graduation celebrations and other outdoor events.

What will all these events have in common?

Yucky, mushy salads that have been sitting out and left to glop together in the summer's heat.  It's really disgusting.

That is why, salad on a stick, is so PERFECT for the blazing hot summer afternoons. The salad itself reminds me of the County Fair where everything from Twinkies to Gyros are pierced with a skewer and served to the crowds.  It's really a brilliant concept, food on a stick that is.

These Caprese Salad Kebabs with spinach-basil pesto are the answer to your summery salad woes.

Picnic salads are some of the best summer foods. What would any outdoor cookout be without them? I can't imagine fried chicken without potato salad or steak without three-bean salad. The classic recipes are always appreciated, but sometimes it's nice to try something new—with a twist. This time I decided to reinvent the classic three-bean salad with a recipe that uses all fresh beans, with three different kinds—and colors.

This salad has yellow wax beans, green string beans, and purple wax beans. But it's hard to tell from the picture which ones are purple, because they lose most of their color once cooked. A shallot, though, makes up for the loss of purple color. Using herbs in the vinaigrette adds refreshing earthy flavor. And topping the salad with ricotta salata cheese adds a slight salty tanginess. This Mediterranean-style salad is great for party picnics with family and friends. Plus it pairs with just about any comfort food.

All summer long I love to make ice creams and sorbets. I use all types of fruit to create the most fantastic flavors. For ice creams, too, I enjoy creating unique flavors with herbs and spices. These frozen treats are sweet and dessert-like, but they also work to cleanse the palate after a meal. So before the warm weather ends this September, I'm using my ice cream maker one last time.

Typically ice creams are made with a custard base using sugar and egg yolks that are combined with hot milk. You get rich consistency and a luscious mouthfeel from ice cream created this way. But instead of a custard base, this recipe uses crème fraîche to create the rich texture. This French cream is cultured and has a sweet-tart flavor like a cross between cream cheese and sour cream. It makes an exceptional ice cream. But I take this dessert to the next level with the addition of lavender.

Any way you slice it, this cake is the perfect dessert.   It's rustic and gets a zing from its tangy lemon glaze.  The blueberry sauce dresses it up for dessert and even brunch.

It's light and sweet and just has this overall yummy flavor with the perfect texture.  I love using cornmeal in cakes and have never been disappointed with the outcome.

As with any cake baked from scratch, a few tablespoons of flour can make the difference between a dry, dense cake and one with a fluffy, tender texture.  Make sure to use the scoop and sweep method when measuring your flour; scoop flour into a measuring cup with a spoon and level off with the straight edge of a knife.

You are going to love this and no mixer is needed!