Favorite Summer Recipes by Katie Kimball

If you've followed my posts here at CatholicMom.com very often, you may not even know that I'm actually (mostly) a food blogger. As we get into the thick of summer and the Farmer's Markets are bursting with fresh produce, hereís a list of the best Kitchen Stewardship summer recipes. They either use that wonderful in-season produce or are light and easy to eat on a hot day or don't use the oven. Enjoy!

Easy Deviled Eggs Eggs really are a seasonal food, most abundant naturally in spring and summer, but deviled eggs are great summer food because of picnics and parties.
Potato Salad My ultimate favorite party dish to pass, potato salad with hamburgers and corn on the cob is the quintessential meal that said, ìSummer is here!î in my childhood.
*Pasta Salad Variations: Traditional, Pizza, Spicy Red Pepper and Greek Another easy, inexpensive way to feed a crowd.
Two Cold Beet Salads Beets are easy to find at the Market, and other seasonal vegetables make this a light, unique beginning course for any summer meal.
Cooked Spelt Salad Cold side dishes can be hard to come by, but this one fits the bill and is a great travel companion for picnics or camping, too.
Cream of Vegetable or ìEnd of Gardenî Soup The fresher the veggies, the better this soup tastes. Iím never afraid to make soup in the summer!
Chicken Barley Leek Soup Leeks are always more expensive at the grocery store than the Farmerís Market, at least around here, and chickens are slaughtered in the summer.
Garlic Soup My garlic is getting ready to harvest; I may have to make some of this blended soup as a side dish to a light summer salad or grilled chicken.
Katieís Simple Cabbage Soup with Secret Super Food The secret super food may be a fall veggie, but you can watch for cabbage any time now. I like to buy some in season, lightly steam it and freeze for the winter.
Lazy French Fries in Tallow or Coconut Oil Nothing better than french fries with your grilled burgers!
Mashed Cauliflower Trick For the low-carbers among you, a side dish that seems to fit better in the summer than the comfort food mashed potatoes.
*Jamaican Meat Marinade Utilizing in-season peppers, this unique homemade marinade is a must-have for grilled chicken and gets rave reviews every time I serve it.
California Chicken Wraps Another way to avoid turning on your oven or stovetop in the heat of the summer while still getting a hot meal on the table.
*Sausage Zucchini Bake I watch for the zucchinis to come in just to make this low-carb, tastebud tantalizing meal. Weíre having it this week, finally!
*Sausage, Beans and Kale Soup I always find kale tempting at the Farmerís Market, and discovering this soup gave me the opportunity to buy some. The grilled tomato, basil and mozzarella sandwich we dip into the soup can only properly be made with fresh, local tomatoes and basil that was picked this week. Who says soups arenít for summer?
Green Smoothies With the leftover kale from your bunch or two you bought for the soup, lightly steam and freeze in ice cube trays for green smoothies all season long (or beyond).
*100% Whole Grain Healthy Fruit Pizza The seasonís best berries make fruit pizza a dazzlingly bold summer dessert choice, perfectly light and airy.
Summer Fruit Dips Very basic, simple dipping options for your strawberries, blueberries, even melon.
Fresh Salsa It always takes forever in Michigan for the bulk tomatoes to be ready, but I can almost taste the fresh salsa. Donít even bother making salsa with grocery store tomatoes!
Lacto-Fermented and Canned Garlic Dill Pickles Iím determined to get the perfect crunch this year!

*My ultimate favorites are starred! I'm also sharing more new ideas from this summer for the next few weeks over at Kitchen Stewardship, if you're looking for in-season produce ideas.

What summer recipes could you not live without?