There is not anything much better than enjoying fresh summer produce on a lazy afternoon.  My husband and I turn off our direct tv daily, and head off to the local farmer’s market every Saturday morning to pick up some of the best and freshest produce that we can enjoy for the week to come, and we have a couple plants of our own in our tiny garden.  There are so many options, but be sure that you are actually picking the summer produce that is best during summertime months.  Here’s a quick guide on what to buy and even tips on preparing fantastically tasty produce.

Corn – In our household corn seems to be a weekly staple, at least.  We love to grill it wrapped in aluminum foil, or we will boil it.  To help bring out that sweet flavor of the corn, use milk as opposed to water to boil it.  For a bit more zest, we sprinkle on Old Bay seasoning too.  Delicious!

Heirloom Tomatoes - Tomatoes are one of the best treats in the summer.  This year we planted heirloom tomatoes too, and they are wonderful.  We use these on an open faced sandwich for a great summer lunch.  On your slice of buttered bread, pile on a thick cut slice of mozzarella cheese and two slices of heirloom tomato.  Then sprinkle on a shredded cheese and cook the sandwich in a skillet.  To top it off, if you’re feeling fancy, combine chunks of tomato with diced onion, celery, and cucumber along with oil and vinegar.  An easy meal that looks difficult.

Summer Squash – This is another feature in our home garden because they are pretty easy to grow.  For a quick meal we put together a salad with the squash as the main attraction.  Let the thinly sliced squash sit in a mixture of lemon juice, minced garlic, salt, and extra virgin olive oil for a few minutes.  Add in spinach leaves and toss.  Throw on some crushed almonds to get some crunch, and you have a refreshing squash salad.

Peaches – I love that peaches can be so versatile, and I bet you thought they were just good for desserts.  Slice peaches and combine them with sliced tomatoes and red onion.  Pour some oil and vinegar over the top and add salt and pepper to taste for a fun salad.

Happy summer, and happy cooking!