Stacy Lyn’s 20 Favorite Simple Summer Recipes
Summer has hit! The humidity can be brutal, but underneath the trees at the farm, it always seems to stay 10 degrees cooler than the rest of Alabama. As a result, we do a lot of eating underneath those trees. I wouldn’t trade these times for the world. The conversations are priceless – everything from politics to the perfect wedding cake. Simple, no-fuss summer recipes are the ticket for outdoor eating.
Although the humidity and heat are stifling in Alabama during the summer, the harvests here are incredible. Sometimes we can even get two harvests in one season if we time it just right. That means plenty of feasting on fresh produce.
Summer Recipes: Salsa Is a Star
My favorite summer foods change each year, so I thought I’d share a few I’m majoring on this year.
One of the most versatile summer recipes is this fresh salsa. We pretty much eat it every day, whether we spoon it over our fish, mix it into salads, or just scoop it up with chips. In addition, I’ve been canning it this summer. It usually doesn’t last long enough for me to can it, but this year, I have been determined to put some up for the winter.
Go-To Recipes for Ripe Figs
Figs are just getting ripe! Consequently, I’ve been using them on salads, stuffing them with mascarpone and candied walnuts, and making fig preserves. Also I use warmed preserves as a sauce over chicken and quail. Mmmmmmm….that’s what I am talking about!
A Summer Squash Bonanza
Do you have a boatload of squash from your garden? In that case, squash boats with cheesy goodness and sausage are sure to become a winner among your summer recipes.
However, my ultimate favorite in this roundup — I’m not sure if it is the taste or the ease of it and no clean up — is Grilled Eggplant Parmesan. The skin of the eggplant is its own bowl! I do peppers this way too.
Sizzling Scampi and Creole Catfish
On the other hand, for an easy main dish, you can’t count out scampi, snapper, and catfish: complete summer perfection!
My 20 Favorite Summer Recipes
I hope you will give a few of these super easy summer recipes a try.
Also, watch me make these dishes on YouTube! Don’t forget to subscribe while you are there.
Incidentally, many of these recipes are in my book Harvest with big, beautiful photos. Order yours today!
Oven Roasted Okra
The crunchy, not-at-all-slimy texture of this roasted okra makes it one of my go-to summer recipes.
Fried Green Tomatoes
I have two favorite recipes for fried green tomatoes: this one and the healthier "baked" version. Check out both recipes!
Figs Stuffed with Mascarpone and Maple Walnuts
The long, hot summers of the South are ideal for growing figs. As a result, this is one of my favorite summer recipes, along with fig preserves.
Creole Fried Catfish Tacos with Black-Eyed Pea Chutney
Catfish tacos with a spicy Creole kick? Who could ask for more? These tacos make a perfect summer feast with with fried pickled okra.
Homemade Roasted Tomato Basil Soup
Made from freshly harvested tomatoes, this tomato basil soup is summer perfection in a bowl.
Squash Boats
Ahhh, squash: some summers, we have it coming out of our ears. This is one of my favorite simple summer recipes for it.
Summertime Salsa Recipe
As mentioned, this salsa is one of my most loved and most used summer recipes.
Fig Preserves
Making fig preserves is easier than you might think! Therefore, I hope you'll give it a try with this recipe.
Grilled Eggplant Parmesan
Here is another of my favorite summer recipes for eggplant. This one is low-carb!
Roasted Bell Peppers Stuffed with Sausage and Cheddar
This roasted peppers recipe makes a hearty main dish.
Southern Creamed Corn
This creamed corn was a staple on my Granny Gray's table. It's a great summer recipe because you can prepare it in no time at all.
Creamy Corn Pudding
This is another corn recipe that takes me back to my childhood. It's one of my standby summer recipes for fresh corn, but you can also use frozen or canned.
Fried Pickled Okra
One more okra recipe: fried pickled okra, a southern delicacy! Serve it alongside your catfish tacos.
