DON'T MISS A THING

Now that summer is just about here people spend less time in the kitchen, and more time soaking up the sun with family! It’s also true that in the summer, people usually tend to eat less, and eat lighter things. Read on for a few of our favorite summer dinner ideas.

6 Delicious Summer Dinner Ideas

Steak & Vietnamese Noodle Salad

Ingredients
83g brown rice noodles
1 tsp rapeseed oil
250g fillet steak
2 carrots, peeled into ribbons
½ Chinese cabbage, shredded
4 spring onions, sliced
1 small pack coriander, roughly chopped

For the dressing
1 red chili, seeds removed and thinly sliced
1 lime, juiced
2 tsp soft brown sugar
1 tsp rice wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
½ tbsp fish sauce

1. Mix all the ingredients for the dressing together in a bowl with 1 tbsp water until the sugar has dissolved.
2. Cook the noodles following pack instructions, then plunge into a bowl of cold water to cool completely. Drain the noodles, then add the carrot, cabbage, spring onion, and dressing, and toss to combine.
3. Heat the oil in a frying pan over high heat. Season the steak, then cook to your liking; 2-3 mins on each side for medium-rare. Leave to rest for 5 mins, then slice. Divide the salad and steak slices between bowls and scatter over some coriander to serve.

Recipe from BBC Good Food

Roasted Chicken with Fennel and Tomatoes

Ingredients
2 medium fennel bulbs, cored and cut into thin wedges
1 head garlic, cloves separated and peeled
3 tbsp. olive oil, divided
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tbsp. fennel seeds, crushed
1 tbsp. coriander seeds, crushed
1 tbsp. lemon zest, plus 3 tablespoons juice
1 (3 1/2- to 4-pound) chicken, backbone removed and flattened
1 pt. grape tomatoes
1 c. pitted olives (kalamata, Castelvetrano, or a combination)
8 oz. sourdough bread, torn into 1-inch pieces
3 c. baby kale or spinach

1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Toss together fennel wedges, garlic, and 1 tablespoon oil on a large rimmed baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper. Roast 10 minutes.
2. Toss together fennel seed, coriander, and lemon zest in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Rub chicken with 1 tablespoon oil, then spice mixture.
3. Reduce oven temperature to 425°F. Add tomatoes and olives to baking sheet and toss to combine. Place chicken on top of vegetables. Roast 30 minutes.
4. Toss bread with remaining tablespoon oil in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Scatter around chicken and continue roasting until chicken is cooked through (a meat thermometer inserted into thigh should read 165°F) and croutons are golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes.
5. Transfer chicken to a cutting board and let rest at least 5 minutes; carve. Add kale to pan and toss until just beginning to wilt. Add lemon juice and toss to combine. Serve chicken with vegetables alongside.

Recipe from Country Living

Grilled Margherita Pizza

Ingredients
Parchment paper
Olive oil, for drizzling
1 lb pizza dough (homemade or store-bought)
1/2 cup tomato sauce
8 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced into 1/8 inch thick rounds
6-8 fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons grated or shredded parmesan cheese

1. Prepare your Grill to 425 degrees
2. Get your pizza dough + toppings ready (near your grill so that you can easily top your pizza when the time comes). Place parchment paper on a hard surface (like a cutting board) and add plenty of olive oil to the parchment paper. Use your hands to coat the parchment paper with olive oil. Add your pizza dough onto the oil coated parchment paper, and stretch it out into a rectangle or circle until the dough no longer pulls back. Drizzle the top of the dough with olive oil to prevent sticking.
3. Add your dough to the grill. To easily add your pizza dough onto the grill grates, simply take your parchment paper where the dough has been stretched out, and flip it over so that the dough lands safely onto the grate. Then, peel your parchment paper off of the back.
4. Grill your pizza. Once your pizza is safely on the grill, close the lid and let it cook for just about 2-3 minutes until it’s nice and golden brown on the bottom. The pizza may produce some bubbles on the top, but those will settle once you flip. After a few minutes, your toppings should be nice and melted, and the bottom of your pizza should be golden brown. To remove from the grill, simply grab your pizza with tongs and slide it onto a cutting board.

Recipe from Ambitious Kitchen

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Chicago-Style Chicken Dogs

Ingredients
2 jarred pepperoncini peppers, thinly sliced, plus 1 Tbsp brine
1 tsp. honey
1 tsp. yellow mustard, plus more for serving
1 tsp. poppy seeds
1/4 small sweet onion, thinly sliced
4 fully cooked chicken sausages
4 hot dog buns
2 small plum tomatoes, sliced into half-moons
4 dill pickle spears
1 small romaine heart, thinly sliced (about 3 cups)

1. Heat grill to medium. In a bowl, whisk together pepperoncini brine, honey, and mustard; stir in poppy seeds. Add pepperoncini peppers and onion and toss to coat.
2. Grill sausages, turning occasionally, until lightly charred and heated through, 10 to 12 minutes.
3. Stuff sausages into buns along with tomatoes and pickles. Toss poppy seeds and onions with romaine and spoon on top of sausages. Serve with remaining romaine mixture and if you like, add extra mustard.

Recipe from Good House Keeping

Skillet Burst Cherry Tomato Summer Pasta with Lemony Breadcrumbs

Ingredients
1 cup finely torn ciabatta bread
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil crushed red pepper flakes zest of 1 lemon
1 pound bucatini pasta, or other long cut pasta
3 cups cherry tomatoes
4 cloves garlic, smashed
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
1/3 cup white wine, such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc
1/2 cup manchego cheese, grated
1 large handful fresh basil, roughly chopped
2 balls fresh burrata cheese
1 cup finely torn ciabatta bread
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil crushed red pepper flakes zest of 1 lemon
1 pound bucatini pasta, or other long cut pasta
3 cups cherry tomatoes
4 cloves garlic, smashed
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
1/3 cup white wine, such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc
1/2 cup manchego cheese, grated
1 large handful fresh basil, roughly chopped
2 balls fresh burrata cheese

1. In a large skillet set over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons olive oil. When the oil shimmers, add the bread and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring occasionally until golden and toasted all over, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon zest. Slide bread crumbs onto a plate. Wipe the skillet clean.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Just before draining, remove 1 cup of the pasta cooking water. Drain.
3. Meanwhile, place the same skillet used for the bread over high heat and add the remaining olive oil. When the oil shimmers, add the tomatoes, garlic, thyme, and oregano, and a pinch each of salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cook until the tomatoes begin to pop, about 4-5 minutes. Pour in the wine, cook 1 minute.
4. Add the pasta and a splash of the pasta cooking water to the skillet, tossing to combine. Remove from the heat and add the manchego cheese and basil, toss to combine. If needed, thin the pasta sauce with a little of the reserved cooking water.
5. Divide the pasta among bowls and top with burrata and bread crumbs.

Recipe from Half Baked Harvest

Grilled Shrimp Boil

Ingredients
Baby red potatoes
Fresh corn
Cajun-style Andouille sausage links
Shrimp
Butter
Lemon juice
Fresh thyme and parsley
Garlic
Old Bay seasoning

1. Preheat grill to medium-high heat and prep foil packets.
2. Cook potatoes in the microwave for 2 minutes. Cut into slices once cool enough to handle.
3. Distribute sliced potatoes between the foil packets, followed by corn, sausage and shrimp.
4. Stir together melted butter, thyme, lemon juice and garlic.
5. Sprinkle the butter mixture over the shrimp foil packets.
6. Seal the foil packets and grill until potatoes are tender and shrimp is cooked.

Recipe from Cooking Classy

Hope you enjoy these summer dinner ideas!

By Rita Archer

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