Great Recipes that Use Summer’s Best Produce

Summer is the time to break out the grill, invite a few friends over to your home, and cook up a meal with all the season’s best flavors. Or, on those especially hot nights, the time to stay inside and cook in the air conditioning! Whether you’re a charcoal champion or prefer cooking in the cool, these simple recipes will help you plan an incredible meal for your family and friends.

The Snacks – Baked Parmesan Green Bean Fries

String beans, snap beans, French beans. Whatever your name for them, green beans are a summer staple. But to make them into a pre-dinner snack, it’s time to fry them up.

You’ll need:

1 Lb Green Beans, ends trimmed

1 Cup Italian Breadcrumbs

½ Cup All-Purpose Flour

¼ Cup Parmesan Cheese

2 Eggs

Salt, Pepper to taste

You’ll follow these steps:

Preheat oven to 425F. Cover a large baking pan with parchment paper.
Stir together the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper.
In a small bowl, whisk eggs.
Dredge beans in flour, then dunk in eggs, then coat in the breadcrumb mixture.
Place beans in a single layer on a prepared baking pan.
Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the coating turns golden brown and starts to crisp.

The Salad – Balsamic-Drizzled Watermelon Salad

Nothing says summer like Watermelon. This watermelon salad is a refreshing start to your main course. Looking for more greens? Add some arugula when you toss the salad together.

You’ll need:

1 Watermelon

1/3 Cup Balsamic Vinegar

1 Tbsp Sugar

2 Tbsp Olive Oil

2 Tbsp Lime Juice

Mint Leaves

Crumbled Feta Cheese

Salt, Pepper to taste

You’ll follow these steps:

In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, combine balsamic vinegar and sugar.
Continue cooking until it reduces to a syrup (about 5 minutes), then set aside to cool.
Cube the watermelon into a large serving bowl.
In a small bowl, whisk together lime juice and olive oil with a pinch of salt and pepper.
Pour the mixture over the watermelon, add chopped mint and feta, and toss together.
Drizzle the salad with balsamic syrup and serve.

The Main Course – The Red, White, and Bleu Burger

It’s not summer until you’ve thrown burgers on the grill. This bleu cheese burger can be topped any way you like, but the strong cheese really pairs well with the tomato and onion in this recipe.

You’ll need:

3 Lbs Lean Ground Beef

4 Oz Bleu Cheese Crumbles

1 Tsp Worcestershire Sauce

Tomatoes

Onions

Buns

Salt, Pepper to taste

You’ll follow these steps:

Mix the beef, cheese, and Worcestershire sauce together. You can add a few shakes of salt and pepper, too.
Pat out the patties (about 12), while your grill heats to a high temperature.
Grill the patties 5 minutes on each side, or until well done.
Serve with a few slices of tomato (the red), and onion (the white), and enjoy your patriotic burger on a bun, with any other toppings you like.

The Dessert – Grilled Peaches

Peaches come into season in May, but hit their peak in July and August. So including them in a summer dessert is a must. This recipe is easy and lets the peach flavor shine through.

You’ll need:

Peaches

Melted Butter

Cinnamon

Brown Sugar

Vanilla Ice Cream

You’ll follow these steps:

Cut the peaches into halves, and put on the grill at medium heat, cut side down.
Grill for about 3 minutes, or until the peaches start to soften.
Flip the peaches, brush with butter, and sprinkle with cinnamon and brown sugar.
Grill for another 3 minutes, when the sugar mixture will begin to caramelize.
Serve immediately, with ice cream or yogurt and granola to top it off.

Summer flavors are some of the favorites in the South. So firing up the grill is never a bad idea to keep your home cool, while enjoying your beautiful backyard space. Whether you spend your summers out in nature or keep cool inside, these recipes are perfect for enjoying the season—, especially in a sunny Tampa community. Find more great ideas for enjoying the summer by liking us on Facebook.

Anna Young