Summer Sunday Suppers

Its funny I think that as the kids head back to school and summer starts to drift towards fall that is when the best foods arrive from our gardens. Funny because we now have less time to prepare it more things going on and the lazy days of summer are fading away.

It is why Sunday Suppers become a little more important to family at this time of year.   It is why at around 4pm on Summer Sunday’s you can smell the BBQ grills being fired up, charcoal lit the smell of lighter fluid in the air. Sunday afternoon is the last time you can relax before you start your week. Before kids have to be shuttled to and from sports before you or your partner have to work late at your job. Before the drive thru at McDonalds looks like a good idea because you only have 7 min before someone has to be somewhere.

What is a Summer Sunday Supper?? I have a friend whose Italian Mother and Grandmother always made sauce on Sundays and would prepare pasta and a big salad, sausage and peppers and a pie or a cake for dessert. The wonderful part Summer Sundays was the cooked down tomatoes and herbs used from the garden. It somehow Changed Sunday Supper for a few weeks in August and early September it made it just a little fresher and a little more filled with color.

For me the Summer Sunday Supper that my mom made usually meant a grilled meat of some kind, corn on the cob we got from the guy on the corner out of his pick up. Tomatoes and cucumbers made either creamy or sweet and sour vinegar way.  Sometimes watermelon there were many a watermelon seed spitting contest off of our back deck. Always and I mean always Sundaes on Sunday. Vanilla ice cream with moms homemade hot fudge and sprinkles.

Yesterday I attempted to make my moms version of Sunday Supper. It was a beautiful day and the grill needed a work out.

I marinated in olive oil, pineapple juice,garlic and ginger some Korean Beef Ribs they are a thin tender piece of meat that you can eat with your hands if you so choose. The bones are wonderful little holders of the tender meat. Ideal for a BBQ.

Grilled corn is one of my favorites. soak your corn for a few minuets in water and than slap it on the grill turn it a few times so as not to burn it to bad. Take it off, peel it, slather with butter and salt and enjoy!!  I dare you to stop at just one ear!!

Lastly was my own version of that cucumber salad. I sliced up thin a sweet onion I got at Farmers Market halved about 3 cups of cherry tomatoes from a friends garden(thank you Becky) and from another friends garden sliced up one very large cucumber(thank you Rita). tossed it all with 2 tablespoons pesto. 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream, 2 Tablespoons of Apple Cider Vinegar said and ground pepper to taste. *a note about pesto. it is very easy to make but it is even easier to use a good jarred pesto. most do not taste all that good but the Kirkland brand from Costco is amazing and tastes like you made it in your kitchen. I use it for almost all pesto just easier than making from scratch.

I would love to hear about your Summer Sunday Supper family traditions and if you don’t have a tradition now would be a great time to start one.