Last August, I spent a relaxing week vacationing on North Carolina's Outer Banks with a friend (and fellow personal chef) and our husbands. Away from our work kitchen and surrounded by fresh seafood and summer's best produce, cooking was a real joy instead of part of the daily grind. No complicated menus, no stress, just a week of straightforward, satisfying meals made from scratch. The vacation kitchen is where easy-to-memorize recipes like this classic blue cheese dressing really shine.

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Some people see vacation as an escape from cooking, but I often find that time in the kitchen is much more relaxing when I'm on a trip. Unfortunately, most rental kitchens aren't stocked with the right tools and ingredients to make vacation cooking what it should be: simple, flexible and above all, pleasurable. But you can ensure your own happiness by packing these ten items on your next trip.

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This is a salad to put in your back pocket and come back to all summer long. It goes from weekend picnic to make-ahead weekday lunch in the snap of a finger, and it's full of satisfying nibbly, crunchy, chewy bits. The grapes are my favorite part — an unexpected burst of sweet in the middle of a bite. A tangy mustard vinaigrette adds the finishing touch and brings it all together.

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Do you ever wish that you could have a little genie on your shoulder who would just tell you what to make for dinner? Me, too. I think this book Twenty-Dollar, Twenty-Minute Meals is that genie. It's a straight-shooting cookbook full of the kinds of quick, no-fuss recipes that we crave on any given weeknight.

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The deep love of a G&T continually proves strong, not just in the summer and most definitely not just stateside — the New York Times called 2013 the Year of the Gin and Tonic and Europeans love this little cocktail just as much as we do. Yet, on a recent trip to Portugal, I found their G&Ts to be quite different than what I was used to sipping. That’s when a local bartender dropped some knowledge on me.

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Do you love horchata?  This sweet, creamy, rice-and-almond-based drink is not to be missed, especially now that summer is here and a cool, refreshing drink is always appreciated.  While traditional horchata contains milk and sugar, it can also be made without dairy and lends itself well to sugar alternatives such as agave or dates.  Read on for our classic Mexican horchata recipe with some extra ideas for non-dairy and sugar-free alternatives.

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Grilling can seem like a lot of hard work if you are not in-the-know. Growing up in the South, I spent most of my youth presuming it was a man's activity — all of those 'secrets' and 'rituals' seemed best left alone by the ladies. And while, yes, when it comes to charcoal grills, smokers, and Big Green Eggs, there can be a certain amount of finesse involved, the actual act of cooking over fire doesn't have to be engulfed in a shroud of mystery. With this fabulous chicken recipe, grilling can be for everyone!

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Did you go to summer camp as a kid? I didn't, but just last week I learned that it's never too late when I boarded a bus full of strangers and embarked on an adventure complete with campfires, bunk beds, and hands-on workshops. It was a life-changing experience, accompanied by the taste of fragrant mountain conifers. 

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It doesn't often get swelteringly hot in Seattle. Even in the heart of the summer, we'll have a few record-setting days, but rarely more than a handful. But when I visit my mom's cabin in upstate New York, the marriage of heat and humidity can often make for pretty uncomfortable days and a loss of appetite — which is why we always have this cool, easy yogurt dip at the ready. 

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I had only been living in the Bay Area for a few weeks — boxes still unpacked, favorite shoes still missing — when I boarded a puddle-jumper plane bound for San Diego to be with an old and dear friend while she got married. She met me at the airport with two other friends, and before heading to the hotel, before diving into pre-wedding prep, and before even catching our breath, we were off to get tacos.

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