As July changes into August, it marks one of my favorite times of the year. There is such a bounty of local fruit and vegetables available that it makes evening meals so much easier!

Instead of traditional meal planning with lists and recipes, I usually just throw together what is ripe and ready on our farm. We have corn, cantaloupe, broccoli, peaches, etc. We also have just the start of tomatoes and lots of basil. And of course, there is the never-ending supply of zucchini - yellow and green, as well as summer squash.

So, while looking through Sally's fabulous blog, Bewitching Kitchen, for my August Secret Recipe Club assignment, I had an eye on tempting recipes with seasonal ingredients. Of course, Sally has so many amazing recipes, it would be hard not to find something to fit the season!

Sally was born in Brazil and so I was tempted by her list of Brazillian dishes like Shrimp Moqueca and Baked Coconut. Both of those I want to go back and try soon!

Sally also has an Ultimate Apple Cake recipe that I just had to try. ... and I have made it twice already it was such a smashing success. I was intrigued when Sally posted that the cake was not only fool-proof but contained so many diced apples, you might be skeptical that the cake would really turn out. This was not my first apple cake try, but it was my family's favorite by far!  Yes, since I was talking about seasonal fruits, we do have early apples now. Crazy, right?

But, that is not the recipe I ultimately decided to share here. I finally settled on Sally's Sauteed Zucchini With Sundried Tomatoes and Basil.

This just summed up summer flavors perfectly for me right now. It was also something my whole family could enjoy. I did make Sally's original recipe, but my only addition was a few grape and cherry tomatoes that we found in the field behind out house. I love sundried tomatoes, but my kids prefer the fresh tomatoes more. Either way you make it, I am sure you will enjoy this simple side.  !

Start with medium sized zucchini, washed and quartered so they are all about the same size. Smaller zucchini will have smaller and more tender seeds.  Pat them dry and then salt lightly to help draw out even more moisture.

No one enjoys a limp or soggy squash! Just 10 minutes will help with that.

Just blot them dry and saute with a little olive oil and garlic till they have some color and are fork tender. Then toss with the tomatoes, basil, and some fresh lemon juice. Season and enjoy!

This would also be a fun dish to make outdoors on the grill if it is too hot indoors for cooking. Either way, I hope you give this fun side a try and head over to see all the tempting recipes on Sally's blog, Bewitching Kitchen!

SAUTEED ZUCCHINI WITH SUN-DRIED TOMATOES AND BASIL

adapted from Bewitching Kitchen

You will need:

• 2 medium zucchini
• 1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
• 2 Tbsp. virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. minced garlic
• 3 sundried tomatoes, drained and diced
• 6 basil leaves, sliced in thin strips *or fresh grape or cherry tomatoes halved
• 1/2 lemon juiced
• salt and pepper to taste

Rinse and quarter the zucchini lengthwise. Pat dry, and arrange on a single layer on a baking sheet lined with paper towels. Lightly salt the squash and allow to sit for about 10 minutes. Blot any excess moisture and make sure the zucchini are roughly the same size.

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini and garlic. Saute till fork tender and starting to brown. Remove from the heat and toss with tomatoes, basil, and lemon juice. Season to taste and serve immediately.

Enjoy! 

An InLinkz Link-up

It's National Ice Cream Day! Celebrate with Us.

I received information and coupons in exchange for posting about National Ice Cream Day. All opinions and experiences are my own. 

With all the heat of summer bearing down on us here in Oregon, it was time to break for a cold treat. Luckily, it also happens to be National Ice Cream Day. Will you be celebrating along with us today?

Grab your spoon or your favorite Popsicle or frozen treat and let's celebrate! There are many choices to keep you cooled off today.

Okay, during summer we don't really need a reason to enjoy a cold, sweet treat, do we? No. there is always a reason for enjoying one of the many Unilever brands of cold treats.

What is your ice cream personality? Here are a few suggestions depending on what you enjoy.

• Salty and Sweet: Klondike Caramel Pretzel, MAGNUM Double Peanut Butter, and MAGNUM Almond and are just a few which master the timeless combination.
• Mint and Chocolate: Some of the new varieties in 2015 include Good Humor Girl Scouts Thin Mints Bar, Breyers Gelato Indulgences Mint Chocolate, and Klondike Mint Fudge Cookie Kandy Bar. 
• Fruity Desserts: Fruttare frozen fruit bars are made with real, delicious fruit, and this year, the brand is moving towards sustainably sourcing every piece of fruit. Flavors include Strawberry, Coconut & Milk, Banana & Milk, Mango, and more.  (Bonus: they start at only 60 calories a bar!) 
•  Candy: Popsicle Tootsie Pop – one of the brand’s newest varieties – surely won’t disappoint; for non-Tootsie Pop lovers, try Popsicle Airheads or Popsicle Sour Patch Kids.
• Anything Vanilla: Breyers offers several varieties: Natural Vanilla (America’s favorite Vanilla!), French Vanilla, Extra Creamy Vanilla, Homemade Vanilla, ½ the Fat, Sugar Free, etc.
• The Classics: Take a trip down memory lane and enjoy same of the classics – Good Humor Strawberry Shortcake Bar, Good Humor Chocolate Éclair, Giant Vanilla Sandwich, Cherry Popsicle, and more.

Today my kids enjoyed their favorite flavors of Popsicles and later tonight, I will be curling up with a little bowl of Breyers Mint Chocolate.

What cold treat will you enjoy today?

Malibu Chicken Sandwiches - A Grilling Favorite!

 This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc.  its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #FireUpTheGrill #CollectiveBias

Our grill is currently getting quite the workout! I took a childhood favorite of mine, Malibu Chicken, and turned it into an amazing grilled chicken sandwich with grilled pineapple and crunchy sweet red baby bell peppers served on a ciabatta bun. Mmm... summer perfection on a plate!

As a child, there were a few go-to meals I would always order when we ate out. Malibu Chicken was one of those. The combination of Swiss cheese, tangy ham and a sweet mustard sauce was my favorite way to dress up a simple chicken breast. Just recently I was thinking about that Malibu Chicken, but I wanted to make it summer friendly by throwing it on a bun with a few more veggies and sweet grilled pineapple.

Did it work?

Yes! I think this twist on my childhood favorite is even better than the original. My secret weapon is marinading the chicken breasts in buttermilk first to keep them tender and juicy.

Honestly, buttermilk just makes it better. Marinating the chicken ahead of grilling keeps the chicken breast really moist and flavorful. No one enjoys dry grilled chicken, right? I just added salt and pepper, a little garlic and paprika to the buttermilk.

My other sandwich addition was to throw on some grilled pineapple. My kids are obsessed with the warm, juicy slices of grilled pineapple right now. Just throw them on the hot grill before cooking the chicken. (I like to add them to a clean grill.) Grill marks are optional, though always fun, as long as the pineapple is warmed through and starts to carmelize, they will be amazing.

And then throw on the chicken! I didn't do anything extra to these boneless, skinless chicken breasts other then the marinade and then a little salt and pepper.

But the real stars of this meal were all the great Kraft brand items I picked up my local Walmart. In fact, I was able to pick up Kool-Aid and a fresh Walmart Marketside Ceasar Salad kit to pull this all together for an easy weeknight meal outside.

With a warm grilled sandwich, side salad, and cold drink, does it get much more "summer" than that?

So once the chicken wsa cooked through, I piled on a few slices of Oscar Mayer Selects Natural Applewood Smoked Ham and topped it with a Kraft Big Slice of Swiss cheese. Just an additional minute or two on the grill and the cheese was sufficiently melted.

Then it was time to create my perfect Malibu Chicken sandwich! I picked up lettuce as well as red baby bell peppers for my sandwich, again all at Walmart. Don't you love it when you can get everything in one stop?

I put a little Kraft Real Mayo down first and then started to layer my ingredients on the fresh ciabatta buns.

And since I am a fan of sweet bell peppers and pineapple together, I thought it would add the perfect 'crunch' to my sandwich. We are loving those cute little baby bell peppers right now. My kids love to snack on them plain, but they also work well to throw into recipes.

Then I served up my Malibu Chicken Sandwich with my side Ceasar salad and a big glass of Kool-Aid. Yum!

Malibu Chicken Sandwich

You will need:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 c. buttermilk
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 2 tsp. paprika
• salt & pepper to taste
• 8 pineapple rings (2 per sandwich), drained and patted dry
• 4 slices Kraft BIG Slice Swiss Cheese
• 8 slices Oscar Mayer Selects Natural Applewood Smoked Ham
• 2 red baby bell peppers, sliced
• lettuce
• Kraft Real Mayo
• Sweet Mustard Sauce

Sweet Mustard Sauce

• 2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 2 tsp. Kraft Real Mayo
• 1 tsp. yellow mustard
• 1 tsp. honey
• 1/2 tsp. Worchestershire sauce

Whisk together the buttermilk, garlic, paprika and salt and pepper in a dish. Marinade the chicken in the buttermilk mixture for up to 4 hours.

Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.

Spray the grill with non-stick spray and then grill the pineapple slices for 2-3 minutes per side. Keep an eye on them so they don't burn.

Season the chicken with salt and pepper on both sides. Grill the chicken for 5 minutes on the first side. Then flip with tongs and grill till the chicken is cooked through. Check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer. When done, place two slices of ham on each chicken breast. Top with a slice of Swiss cheese. Cover for a minute or until the cheese just starts to melt. Remove from the grill.

To create the Sweet Mustard Sauce, whisk together the Dijon mustard, Kraft Real Mayo, yellow mustard, honey and Worchestershire sauce. Set aside or chill until you are ready to assemble the sandwiches.

To assemble, spread ciabatta buns with Kraft Real Mayo. Place a lettuce leaf on the bottom, top with a chicken breast, then top with 2 pineapple slices and sliced red pepper. Drizzle the Sweet Mustard over the chicken breast and top with the remaining bun.

Enjoy!

And don't forget to grab all the ingredients for this summer meal idea at Walmart. They have have a great selection of Kraft brands as well as Marketside sides and a fresh produce section to help you pull it all together like a pro.

And if you are looking for even more great grilling recipe ideas? Ccheck out the Kraft digital cookbook full of inspiration for your summer meals.

Blueberry Lemon Yogurt Freezer Pops

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Yoplait®. The opinions, experiences and text are all mine.

Summer came fast this year and this past week it has been really hot! Here in Oregon we are not used to all the triple digit weather and the forecast shows no relief coming. I had promised my kids a trampoline for summer and it arrived just in time for these sweltering temperatures to hit.

Despite the heat, my kids have been trying to get in as much time bouncing as possible. We have a misting hose set-up near one side and that helps, but when my kids come back inside in the afternoon they are both hot and hungry. I created an easy snack to give them both energy and cool them off at the same time! These Blueberry Lemon Yogurt Freezer Pops with Yoplait are easy to make and perfect for a hot day of fun.

That is definitely my idea of wholesome summer snacking!

We love Yoplait yogurt in this house. I really enjoy Yoplait Greek, but my husband is a traditionalist, he always choosesYoplait original. We found all our favorite flavors on our last shopping trip to Walmart. Walmart carries Yoplait Original, Light, Greek, and Gogurt®.

I grabbed a couple containers of Lemon Burst, my absolute favorite, to pair with local fresh blueberries and a little granola for added crunch. Whenever I make a dish with blueberries I always add a little lemon zest or juice. The two flavors complement each other so well!

And after a hot day of hard play, nothing is better than a cold, creamy yogurt freezer pop to cool off with.

Gather up your supplies and let's make some freezer pops!

To speed up the freezing process, I love to use frozen blueberries in my freezer pops, but you are welcome to use fresh, frozen or freshly frozen as you have available.

I wanted a little added crunch in these freezer pops, so I added a little maple almond granola to the bottom of my freezer pop tray as well as sprinkle the top with just a bit more before inserting the sticks to freeze.

I love how simple these are to make! My kids are always excited about frozen treats, and on hot days like these, this is how I like to snack on my favorite Yoplait yogurts.

Blueberry Lemon Yogurt Freezer Pops

You will need (makes 10 freezer pops):

• 3 - 6oz Yoplait Original Lemon Burst yogurt
• 1 c. blueberries
• 1/2 c. of your favorite granola

Mix together the yogurt and blueberries.

Sprinkle a little granola in the bottom of each mold before filling. Sprinkle a little more granola on the top before replacing the lid and inserting sticks.

Freeze for at least 4 hours or until hard. To remove, run the bottom of the mold under a little tap water till loosened.

Enjoy!

Be sure to keep an eye out for in-store demos for Yoplait in select Walmart stores the weekend of July 10. If you get a chance to attend, I would love to hear all about it!

What ideas do you have for wholesome snacking this summer with Yoplait?


This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Yoplait®. The opinions and text are all mine.

Blackberry Vanilla Bean Milkshakes

This Blackberry Vanilla Bean Milkshake recipe shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #SunsOutSpoonsOut #CollectiveBias

As a child we spent many summer weekends exploring the trails and waterfalls around southern Oregon. After a long morning hike, we would head in for lunch or dinner at a little place on the way home called, Munchies. They specialized in big hefty portions and catered to the log truck drivers passing through their rural community as well as hikers and tourists like us, In a tiny unassuming building you could enjoy fresh cut fries and burgers well suited for big appetites."Munchie", the stuffed beaver mascot was always dressed differently, and yes, that is still a vivid childhood memory. You don't soon forget a beaver wearing shades and a sun hat!  I loved several of their menu items but always looked forward to their seasonal blackberry milkshake.

It wasn't just a regular milkshake. No, it was bursting with seaonal Oregon blackberries, had ribbons of thick blackberry syrup and lots of big fresh blackberries in the milkshake cup. The milkshake itself was thick and smooth, just dotted with plump fruit.

It was the stuff childhood dreams are made of...

The nearby burger and sandwich hut has changed hands a few times and gone are the seasonal treats like fresh blackberry milkshakes. *sigh*

But, I still wanted to share the experience with my kids. So this past weekend we jumped in the car and headed to the berry patch to pick fresh blackberries for a special summer treat. Cold milkshakes are one of my favorite parts of summer fun. It has been a scorcher so far in Oregon. We don't typically get this hot, this fast. So both the people and berries have suffered a little. As you can see, picking was a little slim...

But, you promise 3 kids ice cream and then send them out to pick and somehow... they find enough berries for milkshakes.

My daughter is always fashionable, but we all had glasses and hats to stave off the hot weather we have been experiencing.

I know, some of you are more prepared for triple digits during summertime. Here that isn't supposed to be a common occurrence. Oregon is usually a bit cooler... and a whole lot wetter!

My oldest is such a big help when it comes to picking. He is also very good about sampling as he picks. I love the tell-tale berry streaks on his sun-kissed cheeks.

Of course, to make the perfect Blackberry Vanilla Bean Milkshake you need to use the best ice cream. I went with Blue Bunny Vanilla Bean because a milkshake is only as good as the ice cream used in it. It was also an excellent way to motivate my picking crew!

I recently stocked up on several flavors of Blue Bunny Ice Cream because, well... it is summer! There are so many fun ways to enjoy ice cream on a hot summer day. I also picked up regular vanilla and will be using that for a fun bundt cake recipe next week. I love the idea of using ice cream for baking. Stay tuned for all the fun and a new recipe coming soon.

Okay, back to that amazing milkshake!  Nothing is better than a sweet blackberry vanilla bean milkshake at the peak of berry season! And I love Blue Bunny because of it's rich flavor and smooth texture. I also appreciate how easily it scoops.

Let's get started, shall we?

Blackberry Vanilla Bean Milkshakes

You will need:

• 3 c. fresh blackberries, rinsed + a handful for garnishing
• 1/4 c. sugar
• 2 Tbsp. corn starch
• water - enough to dissolve the cornstarch
• 3 large scoops of Blue Bunny Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
• 3 oz. milk

Place 2 cups of fresh blackberries and sugar in a small saucepan. Let the berries come up to a simmer, stir to dissolve the sugar. Add more sugar as necessary for your berries. Add a little water to the cornstarch and dissolve completely with your finger to break up any clumps. Stir the cornstarch slurry into the berry sauce until thickened. Set the pan aside and allow to cool.

In a blender add the Blue Bunny Vanilla Bean Ice Cream and milk, pulse till smooth. Add in 1 cup of fresh berries and pulse slightly to break up the berries.

To serve, add a little milkshake mixture to your cup and then add a heaping spoonful of berry sauce, keep alternating until the glass is full. Top with a fresh blackberry and a straw or spoon.

Enjoy!

I have to admit, a hot day of picking berries is much more enjoyable when it ends with ice cream. I am pretty sure as long as I have Blue Bunny Ice Cream on hand, my kids will help me with all our local farm adventures.

You can find a big selection of Blue Bunny Ice Cream, like Vanilla Bean, at your local Walmart. Also be on the look-out for 4th of July in-store demos with Blue Bunny and Chips Ahoy. Oh, boy! Doesn't that sound amazing? Check the store list to see if there will be a demo coming to a Walmart near you.

Be sure to check out all the flavors at BlueBunny.com. You can also check out all the other great #SunsOutSpoonsOut recipe ideas. I'd love to hear your favorite!

VooDoo Deviled Eggs - #HotSummerEats

I received complimentary product from Voodoo Chef to help me create my recipe for #HotSummerEats. All experiences and opinions are my own and were not influenced by the products I received.

Okay now, can you have a backyard BBQ without a big plate of deviled eggs?

Deviled eggs are a staple of every picnic, BBQ and holiday spread. Now, I know not everyone enjoys deviled eggs, so these are just a twist, a nod if you will, to the original that my Mom would make. The biggest difference is I don't add mayo... or pickle relish, etc.

Actually, when the big #HotSummerEats box of sauces arrived on my doorstep and I saw this bottle of VooDoo Chef Southern Gold, I started reading the list of ingredients.

It sounded an awful lot like the makings of an amazing deviled egg.

I should mention that this is the last day of the #HotSummerEats fun. Don't forget to enter the giveaway below and check out all the recipes from the past week. I am sure you will find something delicious and inspiring. Special thanks to Camilla from Culinary Adventures with Cam who organized this past week's recipes. She did an amazing job of setting this all up. I truly hope you enjoyed all the fun.

If I can be totally honest, I am not a fan of deviled eggs... but I do adore creamy hummus. So an idea started to come together in my head. What if I combined my fresh hatched chicken eggs with garbanzo beans and this VooDoo Chef Southern Gold BBQ Sauce?

It was pure genius, I tell you!

VooDoo Chef offers a whole lot more than just BBQ sauces, too. From finishing salts to rubs and even coffee, there are many different flavors in their line I would like to try for myself. But this Southern Gold is just delicious! It is a mustard-based BBQ sauce that packs a whole lot of flavor.

I started by pulsing up my garbanzo beans with a little olive oil and VooDoo Chef Southern Gold. Then I boiled my eggs, peeled and halved them so I could remove the cooked yolks.

Yes, that went right into the food processor too, along with a little lemon juice, salt and pepper and just a tad more olive oil.

Over all these VooDoo Deviled eggs are creamy, hearty and delicious! Sprinkle with just a little smoked paprika and you are ready to party!

VooDoo Deviled Eggs

You Will Need:

• 1 - 15 oz. can of garbanzo beans, drained rinsed and hulls discarded
• 2 Tbsp + olive oil
• 3 Tbsp + VooDoo Chef Southern Gold to taste
• 6 large eggs
• salt and pepper to taste
• smoked paprika for dusting
• chopped parsley to garnish

Start by boiling 6 large eggs. I like to place mine in cool water and turn onto boil. Set a timer for 13 minutes from when the water is turned on. I peel my hard boiled eggs immediately, while warm, under tap water so the shells don't stick. Slice boiled eggs in half and set aside.

In a food processor, puree up the garbanzo beans with olive oil and 3 tablespoons VooDoo Chef Southern Gold. Add the egg yolks and season to taste. Add more BBQ sauce or olive oil tto suit your tastes, and to achieve the desired creamy texture.

Pipe egg mixture back into the cooked egg whites. Dust with smoked paprika and garnish with chopped parsley.

Chill before serving. Enjoy!

An InLinkz Link-up

Be sure to check out all the amazing sponsors, and learn more about the giveaway prizes in my #HotSummerEats Sponsors and Prizes Post.


a Rafflecopter giveaway Disclaimer - Thank you to #HotSummerEats sponsors BenBella Vegan, Caribeque, Casabella, Gourmet Garden, Intensity Academy, Not Ketchup, Out of the Weeds. Pirate Jonny's, Quirk Books, Spicely Organics, T.Lish , and Voodoo Cheffor providing the prizes free of charge. These companies also provided the bloggers with samples and product to use for#HotSummerEats without additional compensation.All opinions are my own.

Cuba Libre with Homemade Cherry Vanilla Syrup - #HotSummerEats

I received a complimentary book from Quirk Books and product from Casabella to help me create my recipe for #HotSummerEats. All experiences and opinions are my own and were not influenced by the products I received.

Summer is a great time to grab a cold beverage and relax. One of my all-time favorite alcoholic drinks has been a rum and coke. But, it doesn't get any better than a Cherry Vanilla Rum and Coke!

Welcome back for another great #HotSummerEats recipe. This recipe comes from Quirk Books' Summer Cocktails. I am not very handy with the mixed drinks, but this book inspired me to try a few more things at home. With great photos and some exciting drink and cold treat ideas (the Hot Watermelon Sherbet and Lemon Love are also calling my name!), there are some great recipes you will want to check out in this book.

After flipping through for a few days, and even having my husband make suggestions, I decided on featuring the Cuba Libre... a rum and Coke cocktail staple. Of course, once I looked at the variations they suggested, I knew I would have to make it "With a Cherry On Top".

You see, right outside my living room window is the cherry orchard and right around the time the sponsor's items showed up, our orchard was in full bloom. I also was sent a lovely Cherry Pitter from Casabella.

So you can see how this was a perfect match!

This Cherry Pitter from Casabella is going to save me a lot of work this year. I have had every kind of cherry pitter imaginable and this did a great job of keeping the mess off my shirt and walls. Place the cherry in the middle and push down. All the juice and mess goes downward, into the covered end.

Be sure to check out all the other great innovative products Casabella has to offer.

So armed with a pound of fresh cherries, vanilla bean paste, sugar and water, I went about creating a Cherry-Vanilla Syrup for my cocktail. But, in truth... this syrup would be amazing for a whole host of other uses. Just use it in place of a regular simple syrup.

lll

Cuba Libre - With a Cherry On Top
from Summer Cocktails by Quirk Books

You Will Need:

• 2 oz. of rum, golden or dark
• 1 oz. cherry-vanilla syrup
• ice
• Coke to fill the glass
• 1 stem-in cherry for garnish

To make the Cherry Vanilla Syrup:

• 3 c. pitted cherries
• 1 c. sugar
• 2 vanilla beans, scraped (or 2 Tbsp. vanilla bean paste)
• 1 c. water
• 1 Tbsp. fresh squeezed lemon juice

Prepare the Cherry-Vanilla Syrup ahead of time. It can be refrigerated for up to a month.

Puree the cherries, sugar and vanilla bean seeds in a blender. Add to a small saucepan and combine with the water. Bring up to a simmer, stirring to dissolve all the sugar. Remove from the heat and strain out any excess pulp. Stir in the fresh lemon juice, cool and store in an airtight container.

So assemble the drink, Add ice cubes to your glass, then add the rum, the cherry-vanilla syrup and then top off with Coke. Garnish with a cherry and then kick back and relax. Enjoy.

Connect with Quirk Books on Twitter, Facebook and Youtube to find more great titles like Summer Cocktails.

Be sure to check out all the amazing sponsors, and learn more about the giveaway prizes in my #HotSummerEats Sponsors and Prizes Post.

An InLinkz Link-up