My Favorite Summertime Recipes

Blackberry Limeade

Well, it's almost summer! I can't believe it's less than a month away. I'll be off of work for two months & I can't wait! Of course I will be taking 9 credits, but they are all online, so it shouldn't be too bad. At least I won't have to worry about having to write a paper at the end of a work day during the summer months!

So yes, I'm very excited about summer & I have been counting down the days for quite some time. Not only am I excited about having time off, I'm also excited about spending time out on the Chesapeake Bay AND I'm excited about all of the delicious summer foods I am going to make.

Here are some of my favorite summer-time meals, drinks, and desserts. What are your favorites?

FAVORITE SUMMERTIME MEALS

Tasty Turkey Burgers with Sundried Tomato, Basil & Parsley (I'm making these this weekend)
Double Tomato & Cheesy Pasta Salad
Sweet & Spicy Marinated Shrimp
Cherry Tomato Tart with a Basil Garlic Crust (one of my absolute faves)!
Three Tomato Pie
Maryland Lump Crab Cakes with a Lemon-Parsley Butter Sauce
Chilled Strawberry Soup
Grilled Lemon & Rosemary Chicken Skewers

Three Tomato Pie

FAVORITE SUMMERTIME DRINKS

Mango Lassi with Coconut
Bubbly Basil Lemonade (one of my absolute faves)!
Blackberry Limeade

Bubbly Basil Lemonade

FAVORITE SUMMERTIME DESSERTS
Strawberries Tossed in Vanilla Sugar
Strawberry Balsamic Sauce (serve over vanilla ice cream)
Basic Vanilla Ice Cream
Blueberry Buckle
Roasted Cherry Brownies
Key Lime Pie Tarts
Chocolate Mint Ice Cream with Cacao Nibs (one of my absolute faves)!
Blackberry Cobbler
Peach Kuchen 
Cantaloupe Sorbet

Peach Kuchen

Limey-Mint Cooler with Lemon

Have you ever had a virgin mojito (or a regular one)? They are SO good! I had several limes that were on the verge of going bad, so I decided to do something about it. A mojito was kind of what I was going for, and although it didn't taste exactly like one, it came pretty darn close. It also tasted pretty darn good! 

When we visited with our friends last weekend, they sent us home with oregano, parsley, and chocolate mint (yes, chocolate mint) from their garden. I decided to use the limes with the chocolate mint to make this refreshing beverage. I happened to have a couple of lemons that also needed to be used, so I added lemon juice to the drink too.

Now, don't fret if you don't have any chocolate mint leaves, regular mint leaves will work just as well! But it is really fun to say that I made something with chocolate mint...

Recipe for Limey-Mint Cooler with Lemon

INGREDIENTS:
For the simple mint syrup:
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup water
15 chocolate mint leaves (or regular mint leaves)
For the drink: 
1 1/2 cups of lime juice
Juice of 2 lemons
4 - 6 cups chilled water (depending on your sweetness preference)
Simple mint syrup

DIRECTIONS:
For the simple mint syrup:
Add one cup of water and one cup of sugar to a small pot. Add in the mint leaves. Put the pot over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and stir occasionally until the sugar has fully dissolved, then remove from heat. Pour syrup into a heat-safe liquid measuring cup and set aside to cool.
For the drink:
Add the lime juice, lemon juice, cooled simple mint syrup, and desired amount of chilled water to a drink pitcher. Stir with a wooden spoon and then put in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Makes 6 - 8 servings. Enjoy!

NOTE: 
For a more authentic virgin mojito taste, top your drink off with some sparkling water (I didn't have any on hand, so that's why I didn't).

*Looking more more tasty drink recipes? Try out the Bubbly Basil Lemonade or Mango Lassi with Coconut!*