It was such a long winter and spring was just a glance. Let's spend summer making our fresh favorite recipes. Each of these recipes will transform your menu selections while getting you in and out of the kitchen. The summer Italian spaghetti recipe is the perfect potluck or summer party cold dish. It is light and fresh showcasing some of summer's finest veggies and, if pressed for time, a good bottled Italian dressing will do just fine. The classic shrimp salad is deliciously creamy and so easy to make, in its simplicity is a perfect balance of flavors. Adding butter leaves make it a perfect meal for a summer lunch or dinner. Squash fritters are an excellent way to utilize fresh summer squash. Pan-fry the lightly seasoned patties until the outside is golden brown and crispy. The inside will still be tender and juicy letting the flavor of the squash shine through. The strawberry trifle is a make-ahead dessert that's always a crowd pleaser. It's filled with sweet strawberries, angel food cake and a homemade vanilla cheesecake mousse. This is a show-stopper dessert; serve it to your favorite people anytime. Last, but certainly not least, the no-bake key lime cream pie beauty is cool and refreshing. Talk about a mile-high pie, this is the one. Enjoy these recipes on repeat and make your summer shine!
Summer Italian Spaghetti Salad
1 16 oz pkg thin spaghetti, broken in half.
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup cucumber, diced
1 cup salami slices (or pepperoni, or both), cut into small pieces
1 medium green pepper, diced
1 medium orange pepper diced
½ small red onion, diced
¾ cup black olives, drained, thinly sliced
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp paprika
Salt and pepper to taste
Homemade Italian Dressing
1½ cups extra virgin olive oil
4 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp dried oregano
1½ tsp dried basil
1 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon, plus more to taste
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 tbsp Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Cook spaghetti according to package directions, usually 1 minute less in time (al dente); drain and rinse. Add a drizzle of olive oil so pasta does not stick together. Refrigerate until cool. Place in a large bowl; add tomatoes, cucumber, salami, peppers, red onion, and olives. Combine remaining ingredients; pour over salad and toss to coat. Add the Parmesan cheese; gently stir together. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours; serve.
Serves 10
Classic Shrimp Salad
2 lbs shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tbsp finely chopped red onion
1 large rib celery, finely chopped
Shrimp salad dressing:
1 cup mayonnaise
1 lemon zested and juiced (1 tbsp zest, 3 tbsp juice)
2 tbsp chopped fresh dill
1tbsp Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove minced
¼ tsp salt
Pinch freshly ground pepper
Butter lettuce leaves for serving
Make the dressing. To make the dressing, stir together the mayonnaise, lemon juice and zest, dill, mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper. Set aside. Boil the shrimp. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the shrimp and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until cooked through and pink. While the shrimp are cooking, prepare an ice water bath. Use a skimmer to remove the shrimp to the ice water bath. Let them cool for 3 minutes, drain them in a colander. Stir it all together. In a mixing bowl, stir together the cooled shrimp, red onion, celery, and dressing, until creamy. Serve plain or with butter lettuce leaves.
Serves 10
Summer Squash Patties
8 medium yellow squash, shredded
1 onion, shredded
1 ½ tbsp salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup cornmeal
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
Fresh ground black pepper to taste
2 tbsp olive oil
Optional sour cream and chopped chives
Place the squash and onion in a colander, sprinkle with salt, and drain for about 30 minutes, until no longer moist. In a bowl, mix the squash and onion, flour, cornmeal, egg, and cheese. Season with pepper. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Drop squash mixture by heaping tablespoonfuls into the skillet and cook 3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown.
Serves 6
Strawberry Cheesecake Trifle
Ingredients
2 pints fresh strawberries washed, hulled and sliced
? cup granulated sugar
1 medium lemon juiced
1 21 oz can strawberry pie filling
Vanilla cheesecake mousse:
2 8oz plain cream cheese blocks softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 ½ heavy cream
Whipped cream layer
2 ½ cups heavy cream
½ cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 angel food cake cubed
1 pint fresh strawberries sliced for garnish
To make the strawberry layer: Mix together the sliced strawberries with ? cup granulated sugar and 1 juiced lemon. Stir well then set aside to macerate for 10 minutes. Add the strawberry pie filling to the macerated strawberries, mix well. Set aside.
To make the cheesecake mousse: Using an electric mixer, whip together cream cheese with 1cup powdered sugar and 1 ½ cups heavy cream whipped. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla. Mix for 2 minutes on medium-high speed until creamy, fluffy, and combined.
In a separate bowl, use the mixer to whip the remaining 2 ½ cups heavy cream with half a cup of powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Whip until stiff peaks form, don't overbeat.
To assemble: Alternate layers of cubed cake, strawberry layer, vanilla cheesecake mousse and whipped cream in that order. Repeat until all ingredients have been used. Frost the top with the remaining whipped cream and garnish with sliced strawberries. Chill for at least 4 hours or overnight, prior to serving.
Serves 16
Key Lime Cream Pie
Ingredients
? cup butter, melted
4 cups heavy whipping cream
¼ cup confectioners' sugar
1 tsp coconut extract
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
½ cup key lime juice
¼ cup sweetened shredded coconut, toasted
Optional topping: key lime slices and maraschino cherries with stems
In a small bowl, mix crushed cookies and butter. Press onto bottom and up the side of a greased 9-in. deep-dish pie plate. In a large bowl, beat cream until it begins to thicken. Add confectioners' sugar and extract; beat until stiff peaks form. In another large bowl, beat cream cheese, condensed milk, and lime juice until blended. Fold in 2 cups whipped cream. Spoon into prepared crust. Top with remaining whipped cream; sprinkle with toasted coconut. Refrigerate until serving, at least 4 hours. If desired, garnish with cherries and limes.