When I went to visit my third graders a few weeks ago, they kept asking me to sign their yearbooks. I usually try to write more personalized messages for my students, but it had been over half a year since I last taught them, so it was hard to come up with something meaningful. Which is why I fell back to good ‘ol middle school-lazy H.A.G.S: have a great summer!
One of the great things about teaching kids is that you get to be the first to introduce them to a lot of things, like the solar system and fractions and onomatopœias and… silly yearbook acronyms.
At first, they read it slowly, confused with my short message:
“…Hags…?“
“Yep! It stands for Have A Great Summer: HAGS!” I explain, pointing to each letter as I huff my H, Tony-the-Tiger my Gr-, and ssssnake my S.
“Oh… HAGS! HAHAHHAHA!! I GET IT! HAGS! Look, Diana, HAGS! Have. A. Great. Summer!” the child would cry out in delight, showing anyone in a five foot radius, “LOOK! Mark! Look! HAGS! HAVE A GREAT SUMMER!”
Again and again and again.
They crack me up. Aw I miss those little buggers!
Well, I DO hope that everyone Has A Great Summer! Summer officially began this past weekend on June 21, although in my head, summer starts at the end of May… or at least by the time school gets out.
Or maybe in my head, summer is in February, because apparently that’s when I started posting summery recipes like ice creams and berry tarts. Anyway I figure most people who come by this blog have not made it that far back in my post history, so I’m taking the liberty of re-sharing four of my favorite summertime recipes with you!
One of my favorite little restaurants in college served up a rich and creamy pasta dish called The Godfather’s Favorite. It was also my favorite. And probably lots of other people’s favorites. Perhaps it will be one of your favorites, too! I’m posting this recipe here at the request of, coincidentally, my goddaughter’s mom! Ooh. I just thought of a really clever name for my version of this recipe. Heh heh. I bet you’ve guessed it already…
Since I rarely make the trek back up to my alma mater, I had to figure out how to make this myself. Thanks to the Internet, I was able to experiment a bit and put together something really, really close. Warning: this dish is not healthy. Make it when you’re going to have a bunch of younguns over who are not yet concerned about their cholesterol, carb, or fat intake. Pair it with a side salad to make yourself feel a little better about it. But do make it. It’s creamy, tasty, and deeeeelicious!
My Auntie K has been a major supporter of my sweet tooth since I was young, and has been spoiling me with baking supplies from Williams Sonoma since I was a kid. I attribute much of my love of baking to her, and think of her fondly whenever I use my stand mixer, melamine mixing bowls, ice cream containers, and most recently, a second ice cream maker attachment!
Yes, this means I think of her a lot. Thank you, Auntie K!
She also cooks like a boss. Seriously, what more could you ask for in an aunt?? I always look forward to meals at her home, because not only do I get to spend time with my family, but I know there will always be something tasty and delicious served up.
A few years ago, she made this amazing mango pudding. My husband went crazy for it, so I had to ask for the recipe. Happily, she’s the kind of lady who says things like, “Absolutely, recipes are meant to be shared and enjoyed!” So when friend after friend kept asking me for this recipe, I was happy to oblige.
We love eating salmon in this house. Good thing, too, because it’s always listed as one of those super healthy foods full of omega-3’s. I still don’t really get what omega-3’s are, but I know they’re good for you, so that’s reason enough for me! If you want to learn more about omega-3’s and everything salmon, check out this article here that is packed with great info!
We enjoy our salmon many ways: raw (sashimi!), seasoned and baked with garlic salt, garlic and lemon, and salt and peppered with garlic, dill, and dabs of butter. Lately, I’ve had a crush on a recipe from Ina: panko-crusted salmon! Mmmm. This one stands out because of the crunchiness. Yes, I love crunchy things. This one is a twofer: you get the crunchiness from the tasty panko topping, and the savory, mouth-watering crunch of pan-fried salmon skin on the bottom.
YUM.
I feel so fancy when I make this. I mean, panko, salmon, lemon, parsley, and dijon mustard? Doesn’t that just sound like an amazing combination to you? Yet it’s really easy to prepare. You just brush some mustard onto salmon fillets, top with a panko mixture, pan-fry on one side, then finish it off in the oven. It’s some seriously simple cooking that yields impressively tasty results. Ina’s timing for cooking salmon has always been just right for me, so I would follow the instructions to the minute.
Have you ever been in China in the heat of summer?
It is insanely hot. And humid. Like, I walk outside and my shirt begins sticking to me in a matter of seconds. The kinda humid that makes you want to stay in the shopping mall just to avoid the icky sticky humid air that awaits outside. The kinda hot that leaves you constantly searching for the next cool, refreshing drink you can find to indulge in.
Like watermelon juice.
Mmm-mmm watermelon juice! Chilled fresh watermelon juice. This stuff tasted like the nectar of the gods. I would get excited from the moment I put my damp palms around the cool cup, wet with condensation. I always finished it too quickly, but luckily it was fairly inexpensive there. In the states, I see the same small-sized cups of the stuff going for $4! Seriously? I could buy a whole, big watermelon for $4 and make eight cups of it!
So I did.
Nothin’ like a cold glass of watermelon juice for a hot summer day!
Raise your hand if you are addicted to milk tea.
Yes, I see you. And you, and you. For those of you who haven’t tried it yet, I’m not sure if you should: It’s very habit-forming, and can be pretty expensive to go out and buy. When I was ten, I remember a D.A.R.E. officer telling us that some people were so addicted to cigarettes that they would would smoke a pack a day, and at $3.50/pack, that came out to over a thousand dollars a year! My jaw dropped. A THOUSAND BUCKS TO KILL YOURSELF?!
Well, my boba-loving friends, sometimes I wonder if we’re in the same boat. Instead of cigarettes, it’s milk tea… and instead of cancer, it’s diabetes or obesity or something. But the $3.50 price tag sounds about right, and I’m willing to bet there are some of you who, if you really thought about it, guzzle down this frothy liquid almost daily. Some of you even get it twice in a day sometimes:once after lunch, and again that evening when a friend texts to see if you’re free. Oh… well… for the sake of hanging out. Yes, yes. I suppose I will have to just get another one… *giddy laughter inside*.
How did I know about that? Yes, it’s me too.
This is how I came to realize that I was addicted to milk tea. Now, addressing the addiction is probably the heart of the matter, but I’m not ready for that yet, so until then, I will merely search for a way to minimize the cost of it: MAKE IT YOSELF!
I’ve tried, JoEllen, I’ve tried! It’s just not the same. It doesn’t taste as good.
Yes, I hear you. I, too, have been trying for the last 15 years to nail down the perfect milk tea recipe myself, to little avail. As the options of milk tea shops keep expanding, so my milk tea taste buds keep getting refined. I have never been able to make a satisfying cup of milk tea to adequately stave off the next milk tea run… until now.
I know I always say this. But it’s true: this is hubby’s fav.
I’ve made so many ice creams– green tea, earl grey, strawberry sour cream, dark chocolate, mocha, salted caramel, coffee, vanilla bean, vanilla bean with roasted berries and streusel (brilliant, Lauren!), vietnamese coffee, honey lavender, blueberry creme fraiche, and… the list goes on. Sometimes, I will spend a whole evening creating a mess in the kitchen and proudly present my creamy creation to my husband: “TRY THIS.”
He obliges.
The house will smell of burnt sugar (when I missed the three millisecond window of perfection on my first batch of caramel for salted caramel ice cream) and the sink will be overflowing with more dishes than two pints should account for, and I will eagerly await his reaction… (DOYOULOVEIT?!?)
Hubby: Mm… it’s not bad.
Me: …
Hubby: I like your mint chip better.
Me: (Deflated.)
But only for a moment, as I consider how this is probably a good thing.
Do I really want my husband to love the ice cream that takes 20 dishes and 2 hours to make, or the one that takes one bowl and three minutes to stir together?
This looked like one of those ideas that would sound good in my head but maybe not actually taste that great in real life:
Yeah… nope. It was good.
I saw it here, but… is it just me, or is there no recipe there?
I mean, the pictures are pretty self-explanatory, but I know I used to be heavily recipe-dependent, so if you’d like a recipe to follow along with, I’ve approximated what I did to make mine! It’s pretty finger-lickin’ delicious.
This would be a great side for a bbq this summer– if you’re gonna get your hands dirty anyway, might as well! It makes for a fun presentation if you’re having friends over, and who can resist some savory garlic bread? Yum!
A friend recently posted this in a mommy facebook group that I’m a part of, and I knew I needed to follow this conversation: 
We’ve been blessed by an amazing community of friends and family that showered us with tons of love and food when we first had our baby, so I can tell you from experience that it is a REALLY APPRECIATED act of service for families with new babies! Even so, I still have trouble coming up with meal ideas when it’s my turn to sign up for someone else’s meal registry. I’m guessing you will find yourself in a similar situation soon, if not already. Whether it’s a family going through a difficult time due to illness or unexpected circumstances or new parents who could use a helping hand, a nice meal can really show your care and love in a special way.
These bars are fantastic. They’re as good as they look. I love them.
They are the perfect summer treat, with some limey tang, smooth sink-your-teeth-into-it cool creaminess, and just the right balance of sweetness. If you like tart stuff, this is the recipe for you! The original recipe says animal crackers > graham crackers for the crust, but I’ve only ever made it with graham cracker crumbs and I liked it that way. I would probably like animal crackers, too, but I just haven’t tried it. Graham crackers just felt right. Plus, you can buy a box of graham cracker crumbs nowadays, where you actually get more graham cracker per ounce than you do when buying them whole (at Target)!
I should really make these bars more often. I made them last year for July 4, and they were a hit. I’m a little sad I’ve waited almost another year to make them again. Why the wait? I don’t know. I was too busy having a baby and making chocolate things or something. But I definitely regret it now.
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