Summer Dinners: What Meals Have You Been Making?

Summer is just the best. It may be hot and it may be buggy, but we still love lingering over a meal late into the evening. With so much fantastic fruit and vegetable produce finally in season, how can we not?! What's the best dinner you've made recently?

Some new friends invited us over for dinner this past weekend and it ended up being one of those long, progressive, multiple-bottles-of-wine type dinners. There was a cheese plate that beckoned whenever we felt peckish and steaks marinating on the counter. There were puppies under tables and jazz music for swaying to.

We didn't end up actually eating until the sun had almost set. Our hosts grilled the steaks and made a simple salad of zucchini ribbons dressed in a lemon vinaigrette. I had brought a cheesy cauliflower gratin topped with crunchy breadcrumbs. For dessert, we had a strawberry-rhubarb pie that was arguably the best pie of summer.

In fact, this was arguably the best meal of summer. Good friends, good food, good wine. Can you ever ask for anything more?

What about you?

(Images: Emma Christensen)

Comments (19)

Tacos (and other Tex Mex). With tomatoes and jalapenos overflowing in our garden, tacos have been perfect. Add in an amazing chili-cream sauce I found on the Foot Network and we just can't get enough!

I can't think of a most memorable meal but many dishes come to mind: a caesar-style salad made with ribboned kale that I've made 4 or 5 times already; an orecchiete dish with italian sausage and red grapes; plum ice cream and burgers stuffed with gorgonzola cheese and red onion. On those are off the top of my head. I'm sure I can come up with others if I really thought about it.

I made chicken ropa vieja and corn salsa last night, using almost entirely veggies from the CSA (I had 1 onion, 1 pepper, limes, 1 jalapeno & a carrot from the grocery store). We ate everything in tortillas as tacos/burritos with blackberry nectarine cobbler for dessert. Turned out SUPER WELL.

I made farmers market ratatouille and have really been enjoying it. Its so summery, healthy and delicious!

Odd, I find I have more long lingering dinners in winter!

We've been grilling a lot or doing lots of quick easy throw together things (like stir-frys) when my husband and I get home from work late and its reading 117 on the thermometer outside, we just want quick and easy. Oh, and my hubby has noticed a sharp increase in pints of ice cream shared after dinner. I blame the weather.

That cheesy cauliflower gratin looks delicious!! Is the recipe on this site?

Good produce + grilling weather = amazing meals. The best thing I've made so far this summer is a panzanella (with farmer's market tomatoes and homemade bread) served under a grilled whole snapper with a basil vinaigrette. It was heaven.

Also take advantage of the tomatoes to make a delicious and easy pico de gallo that serves as the highlight of many meals, from tacos to burritos to huevos rancheros.

I am absolutely loving the summer produce. Last week we had a killer dinner of marinated and cast-iron-seared skirt steak, homemade corn tortillas, and guacamole, mango salsa, and roasted tomato/pepita salsa. Everything was made from scratch -- the beautiful produce makes salsas and guac extra-amazing in the summertime! Simple mixed greens salad served alongside.

We've been enjoying grilled pizza, grilled meat and vegetables, crock pot meals (to avoid turning the oven on), pasta salads, salads, lots of fruit, homemade salsa, etc. We're also drinking plenty of rose wine.

That looks wonderful! The best dinner with friends I've had thus summer was a charcuterie plate (four cheeses, three salumi, some pickled peppers, a fig jam, crackers), some grilled zucchini with a balsamic vinaigrette, and a fresh-from-the-market salad with some local feta and strawberries. Dessert was grilled peaches with vanilla ice cream.

But, as you say, the real joy of the dinner was sitting around well into the evening, munching when hungry but, really, just enjoying each other's company.

roasted corn tacos (from smitten kitchen) were AMAZING this weekend. We also liked them with goat cheese instead of feta.

My husband just made lasagna using our eggplant, yellow squash, and zucchini. I love using up the vegetables from our garden!

Venison steaks with a blackberry sauce. Perfect for a romantic dinner under the stars.

I've been super busy with a summer job, so I haven't been able to cook as much as I would have liked. But I did squeeze in a peach-strawberry pie (ah-mazing), Asian-style short ribs (based on Toni Ritchie's recipe in her book Braises and Stews), and homemade strawberry jam. My boyfriend made some yellowtail with white wine reduction last night.

Despite the heat, I'm finding myself hooked on braises. Counterintuitive?

Wild Rice Salad
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/jul/30/native-recipe/

Tonight was salmon burgers with tomatoes and basil; sautéed swiss chard; and grilled potatoes with turmeric, paprika, salt, pepper (one of the good uses for pepper from a post earlier today), and chipotle chilies.

Delicious peach and avocado ceviche with flounder from the local seafood market! Perfect summer dish! Recipe and photos are on my blog...
http://katesentertainingideas.blogspot.com/2011/08/school-of-fish-ceviche-featuring.html
Enjoy:)

I have been making this easy chicken dinner from Martha Stewart! It's simple but tastes like it took a lot more work, which is the perfect way to fool my boyfriend! http://thefirstapartment.blogspot.com/2011/06/martha-stewart-sunday-easy-chicken.html

~Blair

Peach and tomato salad--just slice up the best of both, toss with a tiny bit of olive oil, sprinkle with chives and bleu cheese. Awesome.