Oh Summer How I've Missed You So...

I know we are a few weeks off until that official day on the calender but thanks to that amazing weather all weekend, Memorial Day tends to feel like the "opening day" of Summer.  Those nice 3 day weekends do wonders for the body; you kick the intensity down a couple of notches, suck in that nice fresh summer air and mellow out because for 3 months it is all about relaxed, laid-back living.  During the rest of the year it always feels like you are up against some time crunch where you are rushing from thing to thing and never getting a chance to take a breather but then comes summer and the attitude completely changes.  Plans seems to fall into place because it's where the day takes you and you squeeze out every possible waking hour by eating later and lingering longer.  There are 3 other seasons to be all tight, perfect and in control...let your hair down and have Summer take you where it's meant to go.  Figure out what you want out of Summer this year and make the personal pledge to yourself that you are going to get everything you want out of it because it's right in front of you, full of promise for the taking.  


So in honor of the "opening day" of Summer, here are 2 amazingly easy recipes to enjoy all season long.  Let me highlight the beauty of the fast and easiness vibe to both of these dishes because as much as I love outdoor dining, grilling, and all of those wonderful Summer foods I hate having to be chained to a hot kitchen for long periods of time while I have far more enjoyable things to take part in.  First off, here is great new take on Classic Potato Salad made with eggs and pickles from my favorite blogger Dinner: A Love Story.  My calendar is marked for June 5th when their first cookbook comes out but Jenny and Andy among many others things know how to do Summer right so use their blog as a go to for meals all season.  They are the geniuses behind the Yogurt Marinated Grilled Chicken and I'm fully aware that I am mildly obsessed with them but more and more I feel like they could be my friends or neighbors with their "down to earth" take on food and entertaining.  The potato salad is a breeze to make and the combination of smashed potatoes, eggs and sweet pickles gives it a classic taste reminding you of something you've had a while back but couldn't quite replicate until now.  

Perfect summer kind of meal complete with a Narragansett 

These Brownies with Orange Cream Cheese Icing and Toasted Coconut should become your "go-to, do not pass go until you've made these" summer dessert whether it be for a picnic, get together or just a hankering for something sweet.  I actually made these brownies several years ago when the recipe was first published in Bon Appetit back in the summer of 2007 (and after a quick flip through the summer recipe binders realized that I still had the article carefully filed away) but became reacquainted with them this past Friday evening.  Like the good Connecticut residents that all of my friends and I am, we knew that we had to kick off the weekend at "The Place" which turned out to be a very fun evening filled with lots of laughs, wine and seafood.  We all brought different things and my friend Deanna volunteered to bring the dessert.  I love my friend Deanna dearly, we have literally been friends for about 90% of our lives and while she has many talents and attributes she isn't actually one to jump at the opportunity to bake so when she said she would bring dessert I was somewhat intrigued to see what was going to be the result of this move.  When the dessert was presented Friday night and I recognized what it was, I almost fell off my stump at the thought that Deanna went so far into the baking world that she had made her own homemade brownies but she actually did one better then that...she pretty much blew my mind with this trick that you all should adapt immediately.  Take your favorite store bought mix of brownies and prepare according to the package directions.  Mix into the batter a melted bar of 75% cacao chocolate until well incorporated and then continue along with the baking instructions on the back of the box.  Top with the homemade orange cream cheese icing from the link above and finish off with a healthy amount of toasted coconut.  By all means as I've said before "if you feel the need and desire to go all Martha Stewart on us please go ahead and make the homemade brownies" but can I assure you that people are not going to know the difference with this little trick.  And plus, you have far better uses of your time in these Summer months then to be slaving over brownies with 12 different ingredients in them.