summertime eats

It's very exciting to me to have summertime here. I like to pretend that I'm living in California again and if I concentrate really hard, sometimes I think I even smell the ocean. So we are taking advantage of the summer like never before. Lots of picnics, grilling, playing outside, swimming, and pretty much anything that has to do with the outdoors. HF even has poison oak right now! Poor guy is itchy and blistery and is now taking some kind of a steroid. Poison Oak is a not-so-good thing about Summertime, but this is my new favorite time of the year for sure. I could definitely do without snow. On today's menu.

Nacho Libre-style corn at Chow.com. I never thought about using the husk as a handle. Pretty smart. Rolling it in the Cotija cheese isn't absolutely necessary, but a good 'n tasty idea.

*(note added later: I would only use 1/4 tsp. of cayenne, 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. of the salt, and half the garlic it calls for. It was pretty over-powering. Otherwise it was totally delicious)

Elote is the official name for the nacho libre-style corn. Here's a recipe from allrecipes.com

Sirloin Tip steak with yummy marinade that I posted previously. Tasty stuff.

Mini sweet peppers from Costco pictured above. I'd like more recipes to make with these, so if you know of any, please let me know. For now, we are eating them raw with ranch dip.

Fresh, ripe cantoloupe. Choosing, and storing melon at HGTV.

Thinking about making Strawberry Freezer Jam. I've never done anything like that before but I would like to. I've never even made homemade bread. (everytime my mom hear's me say that, she practically kills over, doesn't think she raised me right). I want to fill cute mini jars and containers, maybe give them as gifts. On the hunt for a healthy recipe. Every recipe I find has SO MUCH sugar. Suggestions and recipes welcome! One idea: Freezer Jam for Frances at Familyfun.com