Summer

Two of my absolute favorite foods are fried chicken and potato salad. There's something so unabashedly comforting about these foods that I am not ashamed to admit they're my favorite. I love them maybe because my mom would make them every year on my birthday or because it's simple and unassuming to prepare. And who doesn't love fried chicken and potato salad? Just the word fried is enough to make anybody like it. And creamy potato salad with the traditional mayo and eggs is always a crowd pleaser. It's typical summer picnic food in an old-fashioned way. Lucky my birthday is in July.

For me summer wouldn't be complete without these two classics. But there's nothing wrong with updating mom's recipes. I take traditional fried chicken and give it a healthy modern and slightly Southern twist. Dare I say it: I like skinless fried chicken! I use chicken tenders that I bread in the usual flour, eggs, and breadcrumbs but add cornmeal for an extra crispy crust. The potato salad: I like a runny, creamy, tart, and sweet dressing. In addition to chopped eggs, I also add crumbled bacon. Eggs and bacon go hand in hand after all. And finally give it a Scandinavian twist with chopped dill, which adds brightness. It's irresistible flavor will have your friends coming back for more. Get ready summer, Here I come!

"This was served at our wedding last year and always delights a crowd, hence the name. Not that we have anything against Billy Idol…. It is fruity, sweet, on the lighter side and can be made more like a cooler if you increase the juice.  Frozen fruit is key here as it keeps the drink cold and stops from becoming too mushy in the liquid. Frozen pre-cut fruit works fine or you can do it yourself."

1 bottle of white wine, something fruity like Chenin Blanc works well
1 cup frozen diced peaches
1 cup frozen diced mango
1 red delicious apple, cored and cubed
1 lemon, thinly sliced and seeds removed
8-12 ounces fruit nectar (anything like peach or passionfruit or guava works)

Mix the wine and nectar in a large container, add apples and refrigerate for at least one hour. When you’re ready to serve add the frozen fruit, give it a stir and serve over ice. Garnish each glass with a slice of lemon.

-- Recipe courtesy of MattBites.com    

To some, May means the Kentucky Derby. To others, the start of the summer growing season. To many backyard chefs, May is the start of barbecue.

Barbecue used to be a very regional thing. One area might mean pork while another means beef. Some barbecue chefs prefer to smoke, some to grill, and some to braise.

There are passionate arguments about dry (a spice rub) vs. wet (cooking with the sauce), and even the ingredients in a sauce, whether the meat is cooked in it or not.

I like to barbecue, and I don’t like to get drawn in to one technique over another. No matter the method, barbecue is just good food. 

I’ve made a tasty POM pomegranate juice barbecue sauce for pork baby back ribs. The sweet spice of the sauce is a nice balance to the salty, tender rib meat.

Better than punch, tea, and even lemonade, aguas frescas are drinks made of fresh fruit puree. In Mexico they are typically made with tropical fruits, melons, and even grains—which include the rice drink horchata. Street vendors popularized the drink but nowadays you can even find agua fresca made in top restaurants. The Mexican soft drink company Jarritos is based on traditional aguas frescas recipes, but replaces water with soda.

Make your own version of agua fresca at home using your favorite fruit. This recipe for uses ripe seasonal strawberries. The sweet-tart flavor of strawberries is very refreshing and palate-cleansing. It couldn't be easier to make this agua fresca. The combination is simply pureed fruit, water, and a little sugar. Make a pitcherful for this weekend's BBQ get-together and treat yourself and your family and friends to a cooling drink on a hot day.