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BBQ, picnics, parties on the patio. Summer is a fantastic time to break bread with friends, drink homemade sangria, and enjoy the smoke and sizzle of food on the grill with fresh herbs sprinkled on top.
Everyone will be vying for an invitation to your summer party, when you have a couple of fail-proof recipes up your sleeves. We’ve compiled the top five recipes for the summer. Most of these dishes can be prepped ahead of time, so you can butterfly the room tending to your guests without breaking a sweat. In case of emergencies, ask the boyfriend to man the grill/pan/pot roast.
Sweat always looks better on a guy’s forehead.
Grilled Herbs Shrimp
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This is always a crowd-pleaser. Marinate peeled shrimps in a bowl of spices and freshly chopped herbs (basil, garlic, parsley) for a couple of hours. Grill for two minutes on each side. Then serve on a bed of mixed greens. I’ve tried this dish several times, and it never fails to impress. Even the rookiest of rookies can’t mess this one up.
Get the recipe from Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa.
Fresh Clam Pasta With Creamy White Basil Sauce + Crispy Prosciutto
Half Baked Harvest
Am I the only one whose mouth is watering just from looking at those chunks of bacon? But wait, those reddish brown things are actually not bacon, but crispy prosciutto. Without being overpowering, prosciutto adds a salty crunch to the dish and complements nicely with the basil. Red chili flakes give it added heat.
Get the recipe from Half Baked Harvest.
Red, White, and Blue Sangria
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All you need for this sweet concoction is strawberries, blueberries, lemon juice, triple sec, white wine, and club soda. Then stir and pour. Pro tip: pay attention to your choice of stemware. Everything tastes better in a mason jar.
Watch the recipe in action from Country Living.
Alexandracooks
Roasted eggplant is divine (!) with tomato sauce. It’s meaty texture makes a vegetarian dish taste exactly that – meaty. While eggplants are at their prime in the peak of summer, make sure you have a bite of these bad boys.
Or two.
Get the recipe from Alexandra’s kitchen.
Slow Cooker Mexican Pulled Pork
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Who doesn’t love spicy shredded pork? In this easy peasy recipe, the slow cooker shoulders the brunt of the work. All you need to do is rub pork shoulder roast with spices and herbs, brown the meat, and the slow cooker will take over until it tenderly falls apart.
Check out the recipe from SimplyRecipes.
Now go get cooking!
