Fresh Corn and Pesto Salad

Summer in a dish. Here it is, here it is. And it is tastier than you could have ever imagined.

Fresh is best, and this salad is all that and a bag of chips. Minus the chips.

Fresh Corn and Pesto Salad is the perfect side dish for your next cookout! I'm thinking any Fourth of July spread would be made better with this recipe on the table. All of the greatest gifts of summer are jam packed into one wonderful and tasty salad.

Let's first talk about fresh corn. Crisp and slightly sweet. Perfectly golden. Ugh. Love it. I literally love corn. There, I said it. And when you can get fresh corn, on the cob, well--what are you waiting for? Make this salad!!

Along with juicy/sweet/crisp corn, cut right off the cob, we are going to throw chopped cherry tomatoes and green bell peppers into a nice, big serving bowl. After a little toss to mix things up, we are going to coat the whole she-bang in a delicious pesto sauce. Traditional pesto is all we need here. The freshness of the basil with the rich bite of pine nuts and the salty tang of parmesan cheese elevates the flavor and send it off the charts.

Enjoy this salad with a burger. Or hot dog. Or grilled sausage. Or a shrimp bake. Anything! I have eaten this salad 3 times in the past week and I think it will be a staple on your summer table as well :-) Enjoy!

Cashew Butter Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

In the world of chewy, decadent, delicious cookies, I think these little bebes reign supreme. They are a wonderful marriage of crumbly peanut butter cookies, gooey chocolate chip cookies, and chewy oatmeal cookies. The trifecta, if you will.

Bonus! These cookies are dairy free and contain no flour. Perhaps they aren't completely guilt-free, but I completely support having an extra 2 or 3. They are just the perfect little snack bite!

Cashew Butter Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies come together in a mixing bowl with a strong wooden spoon. A little elbow grease goes a long way. Softened cashew butter is our base. Nutty, slightly sweet, totally decadent. To the cashew butter we add unsweetened apple sauce, quick oats, baking soda, a pinch of salt, and a bit of sugar. Because we are worth it, I toss in some mini chocolate chips--totally necessary!

I really cannot say enough good things about these cookies. I am obsessed with cashews and, as a result, absolutely love cashew butter. But don't worry--if you have almond butter or peanut butter on hand, they will work just as well! If you want a more traditional oatmeal cookie, feel free to sub out the chocolate chips for a few raisins instead!

Add these cookies to your next BBQ menu--they are sure to be a hit (and nobody will know they are just a teeeeny bit healthier than most cookies!)

Peanut Butter Ice Cream

Oh yes, oh yes, you're welcome.

Say it with me now: Peanut. Butter. Ice Cream. Peanut. Butter. ICE CREAM!!

I am still trying to figure out if my mom getting me an ice cream machine was the best or worst thing to happen to me. Probably a little bit of both. Sure, my waistline isn't THRILLED but in everything other sense, ice cream machine = life.

Many ice cream recipes are custard based, so it involves egg yolks, and tempering said egg yolks, and letting the mixture thicken. And these ice creams are delicious, they really are. But this. Ooooh, this.

This Peanut Butter Ice Cream is ridiculously simple. Fool-proof, even. But more importantly than that, it is outrageously delicious. It is made of a just a few good ingredients, and it is this simplicity that takes this ice cream above and beyond. The salty sweet joy of peanut butter packed into every creamy, cool spoonful.

As long as you have an ice cream maker (or a very nice friend with a ice cream maker!) you can absolutely make this recipe! And trust me when I say you should make it A.S.A.P.!

Chicken Caesar Sandwiches with Dill Potato Salad

I think picnics are an under-utilized date idea.

What is more fun and romantic than packing up a homemade meal, preparing refreshing adult beverages, and enjoying dinner in the park? 

Yesterday was the first perfectly warm summer day in Boston so Cory and I wanted to be sure we spent some time outside enjoying the sunshine. A picnic down at Jamaica Pond was just what the doctor ordered!

I prepared simple but delicious Chicken Caesar Sandwiches with a side of Dill Potato Salad. A great picnic meal should be easily portable and just as delicious chilled, warm, or at room temperature. For this meal, I prepared the potato salad ahead of time and the sandwiches just before we packed up to leave. 

I think the best compliment Cory gave was saying how it felt like we had bought the sandwiches at a nice sandwich place. And they are an absolute cinch to make, for far less dough than you'd spend at a local sandwich shop! The homemade potato salad is just a bonus! I lightened it up by using greek yogurt and dijon mustard for the dressing, and tossing it with red and yellow potatoes, celery, shallots, and fresh dill. Totally fresh and delish.