Keep It Cool With Summer Recipes

When the temperatures start reaching the mid to high 90s, the thought of a hot meal doesn't sound too appealing, does it? With the abundance of fresh vegetables, ripening fruits and just caught seafood choices available in our area, trying a new drink, salad, main course or dessert recipe makes meal time a bit easier to handle on a hot day.  Whether your vegetable or fruit harvest comes from your own garden or the local vegetable stand, if you're like me, finding new recipes that are light, cool and often healthier always makes summer a great time for satisfying culinary curiosity.

From Southern Living, I found this yummy twist on a caprese salad, Grilled Peach and Mozzarella Salad.

My family loves fresh corn, but sometimes I feel a little uninspired by corn on the cob three nights in a row.  I looked for a corn salad recipe that I thought would tempt all my family members and found this one on Tatertos & Jello.  Fresh Summer Corn Salad will probably be a hit in your home, too.

Make your own salsa!  Salsa is so much better when made with fresh ingredients.  Whether you serve it as a summer appetizer with tortillas or use it as an accompaniment to grilled chicken or seafood, the myriad of flavors in a fresh salsa will definitely delight your palette.

This recipe for Fresh Tomato Salsa is from Epicurious, one of my favorite cooking websites.

If you're looking for a great fruit salsa, using seasonal fruit then this Peach Salsa, makes a perfect match for grilled tuna.  Julia's Kitchen has the perfect Grilled Tuna and Peach Salsa recipe, that also works well with grilled chicken.

For me, nothing says "Summer" like a softshell sandwich with a thick slice of homegrown tomato.  Even better?  A softshell crab BLT, like the one found at Wine, Bread, Cheese.

Tired of the same old potato salad?  Try this French Style Potato Salad from Martha Stewart.

Summer Squash is my favorite summer vegetable.  It's so versatile and sometimes I think I have probably tried every variation possible.  When I do find a new recipe, like this Squash Ribbon Salad from TheKitchn, I'm thrilled.

Cantaloupe season is in full throttle right now.  How can you not love a delicious, slice of cold melon on a hot day?  But cantaloupe also dresses up quite nicely and makes for a perfect summer appetizer when hosting a dinner on a hot, summer night.  This Prosciutto-Wrapped Melon recipe from Fine Cooking makes a delicious, yet different presentation for your summer guests.

Whether you call them Butter Beans or Lima Beans, when you find them fresh, they are incredible.  They evoke memories of summers on your grandmother's front porch, spent shelling butter beans and snapping beans.  This recipe for Summer Lima Beans from Organic Spark is a far cry from the typical Southern Butter Bean recipe, but  it's a keeper.

Do you have a favorite summer recipe? Share it with us!