Summer Recipes to inspire your Southern Hospitality
One of the things I love most about being a Southerner is the reputation of having Southern hospitality. Especially in the summertime when the days are longer and generally slower paced, it is definitely a season of gathering big or small. As Southern hosts and hostesses, we know that the best hospitality results from a lovely environment, sweet company, and often good food.
Those who know me well know my passion for entertaining. Feeding people is my love language and if I’m cooking a delicious meal, “why not make it into a party?” has always been my motto.
To celebrate the Summer season and hopefully inspire your own inner host or hostess, Bradley and I are sharing our family’s favorite Summer meal. You have our word that each recipe is easy, delicious, and a guaranteed crowd pleaser. Happy hosting!
Jack Rudy Cocktails
With any gathering, we are huge fans of a fabulous cocktail to start off the night. But often when hosting a party, it can be difficult to find a cocktail that suits everybody’s tastes. Grenadine, Bourbon soaked cherries, lime, and of course Bourbon make this cocktail a friend and family favorite of ours and the most requested drink for happy hour.
Over ice combine:
1.5 oz Bourbon
.50 oz Jack Rudy Grenadine
.50 oz Lime juice
Shake; double strain into glass. Add bourbon soaked cherries to garnish.
Pimento Cheese Spread
What Southern dinner party isn’t complete if pimento cheese isn’t part of the line up? When I say only the good stuff goes into this Southern Staple, I’m not lying. This might be the easiest appetizer recipe I have and one that makes my Southern girl heart happy.
Pimento Cheese Spread
1 1/2 cups of Duke’s Mayo
2 tsp grated onion
Dash of worstershire
1/4 tsp ground red pepper
1/2 cup diced roasted red peppers
8 ounces of finely grated sharp cheddar cheese
8 ounces of roughly grated extra sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup toasted (almost burned) pecans chopped
Mix the first 6 ingredients in a medium size bowl and fold in cheese and pecans until well combined. This spread can be served on crackers, flat pretzels or raw veggies. Our favorite is with flat pretzel chips.
Spicy Chicken
This spicy chicken recipe is has been a favorite of ours for years and we never get tired of it. The spicy kick is just enough to make this far beyond your basic grilled chicken marinade, yet perfectly subtle enough to pair with any side dish.
Spicy Chicken
Makes 8-10 servings
2 cups cider vinegar
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 tablespoons dried crushed red pepper
4 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons pepper
2 (2 1/2- 3 pound) cut up whole chickens
Stir together first 6 ingredients until blended. Place half each of vinegar mixture and chicken in large zip-top plastic freezer bag and seal. Repeat procedure with remaining vinegar mixture and chicken, placing in separate sip-top freezer bag. Chill chicken at least 2 hours or up to 8 hours, turning occasionally. Remove chicken from marinade and grill, covered with grill lid over medium-high heat (350-400 degrees) 35-40 minutes or until done, turning occasionally.
Three Cheese Pasta Bake
My son loves carbs more than any other food group and is a die hard pasta lover. This three cheese pasta bake was what he most often requested for any birthday dinner or special celebration. If you’re looking for the ultimate comfort food dish that will impress any dinner guest and is secretly easy to make, this recipe will not disappoint.
Three Cheese Pasta Bake
Makes 8-10 servings
1 (16 ounce) package of ziti
2 (10-ounce) containers refrigerated Alfredo sauce
1 (8 ounce) container sour cream
1 (15 ounce) container ricotta cheese
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese
Prepare ziti according to package directions; drain and return to pot. Stir together Alfredo sauce and sour cream; toss with ziti until evenly coated. Spoon half of mixture into a lightly greased 13 x 9 inch baking dish. Stir together ricotta cheese and next 2 ingredients; spread evenly over pasta mixture in baking dish. Spoon remaining pasta mixture evenly over ricotta cheese layer; sprinkle evenly with mozzarella cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until bubbly.
Strawberry Summer Salad
I love adding some sort of fresh greens to lighten up a big meal and over the years I’ve come up with a few easy tricks to dress up any basic salad. I love how versatile salads can be with endless possibilities and modifications to your own liking. Feel free to modify to your tastes and be sure to share with us your own creations!
Strawberry Salad
Makes 8-10 servings
2 (6 ounce) packages fresh baby spinach
2 pints fresh strawberries slice
Dressing
The dressing recommended for this salad is Poppyseed which you can buy or make homemade. A little trick I like to do to save time without compromising flavor is to combine a few salad dressings to create my own. For this particular salad, I combined store bought poppyseed and strawberry dressing.
Toppings: chopped cook bacon, chopped fresh broccoli, blanched sugar snap peas, sliced red onion, *brown sugar pecans
Brown sugar pecans
3/4 cup chopped pecans
2 tablespoons butter
Brown sugar (enough to lightly coat pecans)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. On a small roasting pan, combine pecans, butter and sugar. Place in oven for 5 minutes, then take out and stir to evenly coat pecans. Bake for another 5 minutes until pecans are roasted and sugar is caramelized. Such an easy way to dress up any salad.
Combine baby spinach and strawberries in a large bowl; toss with 1/2 cup of dressing just before serving. Serve with remaining dressing and desired toppings.
Blueberry Crisp
This blueberry crisp recipe is one Bradley came across when she was in college and has become one of our family’s favorite desserts. Surprisingly healthy and ridiculously easy, this is the perfect light treat to end your dinner on a sweet note that’s not too rich. This dish would also be great to bring to a brunch, or to eat for breakfast.
Blueberry Crisp
6 Servings
4 cups of blueberries
1 cup old fashioned oats
1/2 cup pecans
1/2 cup almond meal
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup coconut oil (melted)
1/2 tsp salt
Pour four cups of blueberries into 8x8 pan. Combine crisp topping ingredients and spread over berries. Bake at 350 degrees 35-40 minutes until fruit is bubbling and topping is golden. Serve with vanilla ice cream, or homemade or store bought whipped cream.
A true host or hostess knows that the heart of hospitality lies within the manner we make those we invite into our home feel welcome. Wether you’re hosting a fancy dinner party, or getting the family together for a cook out, every gathering big or small is an opportunity to make others feel special, welcome, and a sense of being at home in your home.
We hope some of these recipes inspires your next dinner party and becomes a favorite in your household! Cheers to good food, a good time, and Southern hospitality.
Southern Hospitality
“Not a tangible thing, but an attitude which has been ingrained in southerners forever. As a feeling of being sincerely welcomed as a guest or long lost friend; a way of life that lets’s people be as warm as the climate. It’s an easiness in speaking with total strangers or anyone, a unique friendliness encompassing the whole way of life in the deep South.
It’s not something one does, it’s the way one is”.
-Dee Jackson
