Penne with Summer Squash, Cherry Tomatoes and Pesto

This is seriously the easiest, most delicious, summer pasta. We eat it often throughout July and August.

• 1 lb. Penne or other short pasta (Farfalle works well here too)
• 4 medium zucchini or other summer squash, quartered lengthwise and then cut into 3/4″ pieces
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 cup Pesto (Make your own, it’s quick and easy. I usually have some frozen for last minute weeknight meals, or you could go store bought for ultra convenience)
• Salt, pepper and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese for serving

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta. Cook for 5 minutes, then add the squash. Continue cooking for about 3-5 minutes more until the pasta is al dente and the squash is just tender. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water and drain. Return the pasta and squash to the pot and add the cherry tomatoes, pesto, reserved water and toss to combine. Taste to see if it needs any salt and pepper, then transfer to a big serving bowl. Generously grate with cheese just before serving.

*This tastes great room temp, so feel free to prep and set aside.

Grilled Citrus Chicken Thighs, with Chives!

I love grilling whole chicken legs, but Brad and I often make these for big groups. Boneless skinless chicken thighs are inexpensive, cook up fast, and yield juicy, delicious results.

*Before you start cooking anything else. Prep the chicken to marinate and set aside:

• 3 lbs. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 lemons, juice and zest
• 2-3 garlic cloves, smashed and roughly chopped
• Big pinch of cayenne
• Salt and pepper
• Handful of chives, chopped

In a large ziploc bag, toss the chicken thighs with the oil, lemon, garlic, cayenne, salt and pepper. Set the bag on a plate and allow to marinate for at least 45 minutes, turning once or twice, before grilling.

Grill the chicken thighs over a medium-high heat for about 4 minutes per side. As soon as they’re cooked through, remove them to a platter, and toss with chives and serve.

*My other variation on this is to sub lime for lemon juice, add a few chopped jalapeños (seeds and all) instead of cayenne to the marinade, and toss with cilantro at the end. My brother loves this recipe.

Corn Salad

• 3-4 ears of corn (depending on size)
• 1 bell pepper *or* 2 jalepeño peppers, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup shallots, minced
• Handful cilantro, chopped
• 1 lime, juice
• A few tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Grill or boil the ears of corn until just tender. When they’re cool enough to handle, cut the corn off the cob and add to your salad bowl. Add peppers, shallots, and cilantro.

Make a quick dressing of olive oil, lime juice, salt and pepper. Toss everything to combine and set aside until you’re ready to eat.

Mesclun Salad with Cucumbers, Feta, Peaches and Prosciutto

• Mesclun or whatever kind of good leafy greens you’ve got on hand
• 1 Cucumber
• 4oz. Feta
• 2 Peaches
• 2 oz. Prosciutto, sliced
• Sherry Vinegar
• Olive Oil
• Agave Nectar
• Salt and pepper

Start with a big bowl of salad greens. Peel the cucumber and slice lengthwise, use a spoon to scoop out the seeds, then slice into 1/4″ slices. Next cut feta into 1/2″ cubes. Cut prosciutto lengthwise into 1″ strips, then cut crosswise into 1/4″ pieces (I had some, so I added it – delish, but definitely optional). Peal the peaches and cut into 1/2″ pieces. Toss them with some lemon juice, strain them and add them with the cucs, cheese and prosciutto to the salad.

I made a simple vinaigrette with 2 parts olive oil, 1 part sherry vinegar, a squirt of agave nectar, salt and pepper. When you’re ready to eat, gently toss just with just enough dressing to lightly coat everything, being careful not to overdress or overtoss.