Hang Onto Summertime Eats

If you are plugging your ears while singing “la, la, la, la, la” with the mention of summer coming to an end, we are with you. We are hanging on until the bitter end, making fresh salads with the summer harvest from local markets, picnicking in the park making homemade ice cream.

Summertime Picnic

Eating outside and the warm weather is such a pleasure. I wish having friends over for supper on the patio, drinks in hand and the kids playing in the backyard could happen all year round.

We recently headed to High Park for a family picnic. My husband packed up the food and barbecue, I packed the toys and off we went.

Here’s what was on the menu:

Turkey burgers – ground turkey was lurking in the back of the freezer so my husband defrosted it, mixed in some mustard, onions and fresh herbs.

Fenwood Farm organic chicken hot dogs – a new one for us this year, my daughters like that they are thin and enjoy eating them with a bun. They usually have sausages from Butcher By Nature, but they are a bit big to navigate into a little mouth with a bun.

Corn on the cob – wrap in tin foil with some butter and fresh herbs.

Skewers – parboiled baby potatoes and fresh peppers.

We brought along an oil and vinegar dressing for the potatoes and peppers, mustard, sliced pickles and barbecue sauce for burgers and dogs, our new favourite corn condiment–lime and paprika and homemade lemonade.

There’s something about a charcoal barbecued meal that tastes of summer. I never want it to end.

Homemade Ice Cream

Desert was packed in a cooler bag with four ice blocks. Here’s what we made along with a video of how the kids can make it with you.

We’ve made this recipe all summer with a variety of fruit. With peaches-a-plenty now, that’s next on our ingredient list.

I’ve recently learned that Harmony cream (use whipping cream in this recipe) packs a mineral punch from the cows being grass and hay fed instead of corn and soy based feed. It comes in 250 mL cartons, perfect for one batch of ice cream.

Berry Maple Ice Cream

3 cups berries of your choice (can be previously frozen, partially defrost)
3/4 cup maple syrup
1 cup whipping cream (organic if possible)

Puree berries with a hand blender or food processor. Add cream and maple syrup to combine. Pour into ice cream maker and leave to churn for 20 minutes or until frozen through.

So before the mornings become dark, that fall wind starts blowing, head out with the kids and make the best of the last days of summer!

What’s your favourite food to barbecue?