10 things we’ll be making this summer

Chopped salads, fresh figs, fish stew, and some really refreshing desserts

Summer is officially upon us, and that means 100°F+ days and nights that don’t offer much relief. It also means sunsets after 10pm, refreshing glasses of gazpacho and bowls of salmorejo, weekend trips to the beach, ice cream outings just because, and of course, some inspiration for all the things we want to make this summer! It’s time to fire up the grill, pack the fridge, and let our ovens take a little break.

We’d love to know—what are you looking forward to making in the coming months?

1. Cioppino (via Stanley Tucci)

Source: The Kitchn

Meredith: My mom has been making this tomato-based fish stew since I was little, although not little enough to refuse to try it! It’s always so delicious. I have never tried to make it myself, but I’m feeling inspired after our interview with Maggie Hoffman, whose mom also used to make it, and after listening to Stanley Tucci’s autobiography, where he includes a really yummy-sounding recipe. I typed it in an iPhone note as I was listening to it. The one I linked above is also Stanley’s, but it’s slightly different. (Katie: TOTALLY making this, too. I haven’t stopped thinking about it since Maggie told us about her mom’s!)

2. Basil chicken stirfry (via Bon Appetit)

Katie: My father-in-law recently bought me my very own basil plant, and I am at once delighted to have the space for a plant and terrified I’ll kill it—my track record with plants is… not great. I’ve been diligently watering it for five days now! And let’s ignore the fact that Pablo came in with the plant in his hands yesterday saying, “Look what I found tipped over on the ground” the other day. This stirfry sounds right up my alley, and I’m intrigued by how heavy it is on the basil.

3. Trader Joe's skillet pasta with sausage and brussels sprouts (via The New Family Table)

Meredith: Call me crazy, but I miss the Sundays I spent standing in line at Trader Joe’s on Court Street in Brooklyn, shopping as the line weaved its way around the store. I still make my shopping lists in the order of the way I walk through a supermarket—old habits die hard. I make a point to stop at the nearest one whenever we’re in the US, and this summer will be no exception. I’ve been bookmarking Trader Joe’s-inspired recipes and Hillary has a few!

4. Really good French toast (via Always Olives)

Katie: I wrote about this Ina Garten recipe back when I lived in Madrid and three years before having my first daughter. I see now that I totally romanticized the idea of feeding my kids my favorite breakfasts, not taking into account that these little stinkers would much more prefer a bowl of dry cereal to homemade French toast. But, alas, it’s been a while since I’ve made it (I’m pretty my youngest has never even tried French toast), and it’s time to try again! The orange zest and the raspberry jam on top of this French toast make it really, really special.

5. Italian chopped salad (via mad about food)

Meredith: Ok, I had a hard time choosing just one—I looooove a chopped salad. Yes, it’s a lot of chopping, but it is worth it! Especially because the ingredients don’t get soggy and gross as they sit in the dressing. You can prep a huge bowl on Monday and still enjoy it on Wednesday. Last summer, my hyper-fixation meal in my third trimester was Gaby Dalkin’s chickpea chopped salad (the added flavor of mint is so refreshing!) This summer I think it might be Madeline Tague’s Italian chopped salad.

6. Peach bars with brown butter crumble (via easygayoven)

Source: easygayoven

Katie: Every single year, I get so excited about peaches—they’re so good and for such a short window of time! But apart from eating them as is, I never really do anything with them. These bars look and sound heavenly, and I’m feeling really inspired to bake with this very fleeting fruit! (Ah, and I’m also sneaking in an honorable mention for this peach jam that Amanda mentioned here!)

7. Atlantic beach pie (via Southern Living)

Meredith: I heard about this pie in The Dinner Plan podcast a few weeks ago and have been thinking about it ever since. It looks so refreshing and delicious, plus I love the idea of using saltines for the crust.

8. Oven-roasted chicken shawarma (via NYT Cooking)

Katie: I know, I know, I’m not supposed to turn my oven on in summer, but I can’t help it. This recipe has been haunting me for a while now, and since Amanda talked about making it with a handful of delicious sides, I really can’t stop thinking about how this could be a really fun lunch or dinner party menu—once we feel like the house is ready enough to invite some friends over, that is!

9. Cold tomato soups

Meredith: Once the temperatures climbed above 90°F in Andalucia, we started our weekly rotation of gazpacho and salmorejo. Katie shared her recipe for traditional salmorejo in May, and I’ll be sharing my favorite gazapacho recipe later this month!

10. Toast with fresh figs, olive oil, and salt

Katie’s favorite summer toast.

Katie: My in-laws’ summer house happens to be located near a fig tree that we’ve all assumed to be public property. It’s become somewhat of a tradition for my father-in-law or brother-in-law to casually head that way in the early morning and come back with what some may consider to be way too many figs from our neighborhood tree. I’m not complaining, though. To me, fresh figs + a healthy glug of olive oil + coarse sea salt on top of a toasted baguette is summer. I can’t wait to enjoy it when we’re at the house in August.

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We’ll also still be making our way through Start Here by Sohla El-Waylly and will be picking out a new cookbook at the end of the month! Any requests or recommendations?