Early summer. Mid-Summer. Late Summer. High summer … low summer. Fast summer … slow summer. With my kids starting school next week, and pumpkins gracing the entryway of my supermarket (ever the premature appearance makers), the season’s got me all Seussian over here as I sit and contemplate, for the umpteen millionth time, how quickly the summer has flown by.  Each year I say this. Each year I feel this, and marvel over not only its truth, but how it seems to get truer with time. That’s a thing, I’m learning. A truer true and a you-er you. Truisms can gain strength the longer you sit with them … the longer you carry them with you. My continued observance of time, its relativity and its increasingly swift passing is a steady, consistent topic of fascination and lamentation for me. It crops up in my writing with regularity, and is my forever theme.

 Tomorrow is my birthday.

We’re here again already? Really?  Shoot. That was a fast one, that last trip around the sun. My 35th. But fast though it may have been, as they all seem to be after you’ve rounded the corner on your 30th, it was a good one. Very good, in fact. I genuinely think I’ve learned more in the last year – that I’ve grown more – than I did in the several leading up to it. Somewhere along my way, in the middle of my 35th lap, I made a conscious decision to be both more open-minded as well as more mindfull.

What?!? That sounds like a silly oxymoron – a paradox, of sorts. How can one fill their mind while it’s left open? It’s funny, when you think about it that way, with a literal spin. But really, all I mean is that I’ve tried to pay more attention to what I’m doing, when I’m doing it. To where I’m going, when I’m going somewhere. To who I’m with. To what I see. Taste. Hear. Smell. It’s like focusing, but with greater depth of purpose. Merely focusing on something is done with the goal of making that thing the center of one’s attention. That’s half the goal of mindfulness, to me. Being truly mindful – opening your mind to the fullness of EVERYTHING – brings with it the additional goals of appreciating, noticing, and understanding. That’s what it means to me, at least. Trendy and buzz-wordy though it may be, my current brand of mindfulness involves the practice of paying attention so successfully that distractions naturally fall away, and you are able to just appreciate the here and now. It’s one of the single best practices I’ve ever employed, and I understand its value – the truth of its great worth – more with every passing day. With every passing birthday … 

Oh, and I’ve gone looking for them, too: the noticing, the understanding, the appreciating. That makes all the difference in the world. You have to want to find them. You have to walk through life with intent. Simply saying, “I’m mindfull!” doesn’t cut it. You have to begin the process with the intention of altering your approach, and with the goal of shifting your perspective. There’s a fine line here, but the practice of being mindfull requires the persistent invitation of one’s intent. You need to go looking for the opportunities, and you’ll find that they’re everywhere.

I read these words this morning on Instagram, shared by one of my favorite writers, Dani Shapiro: “Days pass, the years vanish, and we walk sightless among the miracles.” – a Jewish Sabbath prayer

Don’t walk sightless among the miracles. Walk with the intention of seeing them; of savoring them. Open your mind, as well as your eyes. Go looking for them. And there they’ll be.

Today’s post, much like the very season itself, is bursting at the seams (at the screens?) with recipes. That’s right, I’ve got my second “$70 week” post here for you today and it’s filled with late summer goodness. We’re talking tomatoes and corn galore, with plenty of fresh basil, summer squash, and sweet berries and peaches to boot. This recipe collection reflects how I like to eat and cook (or not cook) at this exact moment in time, at this precise time of year. It’s hot; real hot. And I’m more interested in lighter fare that will satiate and satisfy without weighing me down. Read: that will prime me for the requisite ice cream consumption that will inevitably follow. Speaking of ice cream, I will be sharing my all-time favorite ice cream with you here very, very soon … so do stay tuned for that gem of a recipe. But for now, I leave you with FIVE wonderfully summery recipes that you can make without breaking the bank – literally the shopping list for the whole gaggle totals less than $70 (see below). And I’m going to bet that you already have quite a few of the ingredients on hand (soy sauce, garlic, cheese, eggs, onions, rice, tortillas, etc.). I prepared and enjoyed them all in a single week … and what a delicious week it was. Plus, it’s pretty food if I do say so myself. Not to be all shallow about it, but it’s nice when food is so naturally fetching. Summer’s produce is special that way. Enjoy, all.

x, L

SHOPPING LIST

FOR: Summer’s Harvest Tart with All the Things, Cheesy Summer Squash Quesadillas, Sweet Corn and Beet Hummus with Blistered Carrots, Kimchi Fried Rice, Sweet Corn Caprese

{Remember! Just like last time, this $70 week recipe series requires that you have a handful of very, very basic pantry staples on hand at all times: olive oil, salt and pepper, butter, sugar, and flour. It would fall above the $70 price limit, otherwise. Also! The listed prices reflect what I paid at my local (Kroger) supermarket. I purchase store brand items almost exclusively unless I know them to be inferior, and the total will increase if you opt to purchase organic produce. It will still be a massively budget-friendly week of cooking, though.}

1 zucchini ($0.73)

1 yellow squash ($0.73)

2 small yellow onions ($2.00)

Dried basil ($4.99)

Fresh thyme ($2.75)

Flour tortillas ($2.29)

White Cheddar or Medium Cheddar slices ($1.99)

16-oz bag shredded mozzarella, you’ll want the bigger size to use in 2 recipes ($3.49)

Garlic ($0.50)

Kimchi ($4.99)

Soy sauce ($0.99)

Jasmine or white rice ($0.89)

Eggs ($1.19)

Scallions ($0.49)

7 ears of fresh corn ($2.80)

2 large tomatoes, thinly sliced (about 1/3”) ($0.95)

½ cup cherry tomatoes, in assorted colors ($3.99)

8 oz ball fresh mozzarella ($2.99)

Store-bought pesto ($2.99)

Fresh basil ($1.00)

Canned whole beets ($0.69)

15-oz can of white beans (Great Northern, canellini, etc.) ($0.59)

Tahini ($5.79)

1 bunch whole carrots (about 8 or 9 carrots) ($2.00)

Puff pastry ($5.19)

1 peach sliced ($0.92)

Blueberries ($2.50)

Optional chicken thighs, for grilling alongside the caprese ($4.93)

TOTAL: $62.36

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Cheesy Summer Squash Quesadillas

This recipe is as good as simple, seasonal cooking gets, and perfect for the warmer summer months when you want to keep your cooking times to a minimum. You can cook 4 quesadillas at once when you do it in the oven, which keeps you from having to stand over a hot stove, flipping one after the other. The seasonal squash and sweet onions make this a great option during the warm summer months, and is something my family enjoys well into September.

Course Main Course

Total Time 45 minutes

Servings 4

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 zucchini thinly sliced into rounds or half-moons, if preferred
• 1 yellow squash thinly sliced into rounds or half-moons, if preferred
• ½ small sweet onion chopped
• ½ tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 4 large flour tortillas
• 8 Tillamook Medium White Cheddar or Medium Cheddar slices
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella I like Tillamook Farm Style Cut

Instructions

1. Start by preparing your veggie filling. Place a large nonstick skillet over medium heat and add 1 Tbsp of olive oil. Add the zucchini, squash, onion, and spices and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook, tossing frequently, until the veggies are tender; about 6 to 8 minutes. Set aside and cool to room temperature.
2. When the filling is cool, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
3. To assemble the quesadillas: Lightly coat a large baking sheet with a thin layer of olive oil and place it in the oven to heat up while you assemble the quesadillas.
4. Add some of the filling on top of each tortilla, covering just half the surface (you end up with extra filling). Top each quesadilla with two slices of Tillamook medium or white cheddar, followed by about ½ cup of the shredded mozzarella. Fold in half and press down firmly, being careful not to tear the tortillas.
5. Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Transfer the quesadillas onto tray (they’ll sizzle).
6. Bake for 8 minutes, and using a spatula, flip the quesadillas (over the folded edge) then press down with your spatula. Bake for about 8 more minutes or until the surface is crispy.
7. Remove from oven and serve immediately!

Recipe Notes

This recipe is wonderfully simple, but its success does depend on a few key tricks. First, be sure to let the filling cool completely before you stuff your tortillas, as any heat will create steam, therefore making it difficult for the tortillas to get crispy. The thin layer of oil on the pan as well as the pan pre-heating step will also help contribute to nice crispy quesadillas.

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Sweet Corn Caprese Salad

The addition of fresh, sweet corn makes a traditional caprese salad SO. MUCH. BETTER. Ahem. Sorry to shout. But the sweet pops you get from the corn completely elevate the traditional tomato + mozz salad into something heartier and more filling; perfect for a light summer supper, when served alongside some simple grilled chicken thighs (how I like to serve it). Corn and tomatoes are summer sisters, after all, and they just play together so, so well. Served with your favorite store-bought (or homemade) pesto, this is one of my favorite recipes of the year.

Ingredients

• 4 ears of fresh corn shucked and cleaned
• 1 Tbsp olive oil plus extra for drizzling
• 2 large tomatoes thinly sliced (about 1/3”)
• 8 oz fresh mozzarella cheese torn into large pieces or thinly sliced into pieces
• Store-bought pesto for drizzling
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Fresh basil for scattering
• Grilled Chicken what I like to serve it with, optional

Instructions

1. Lay the ears of corn on their sides, on a large cutting board, and cut the kernels off by slicing into the ears with a large chef’s knife. The kernels will just fall right onto the cutting board for you; no need to stand them up on bowls or anything of the sort (I find people always complicate this). Just cut down until you’ve reached the end of the kernels, and discard the naked cobs once you’re finished (or save them for stock).
2. Add the oil to a large non-stick skillet (or cast-iron) set over medium heat. Add the corn and cook until it’s done; about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Turn the heat off and set aside. Allow the corn to cool slightly before serving.
3. Transfer the cooled corn to a large serving platter and top with the sliced tomatoes and mozzarella. Season with salt and pepper once more, and drizzle with extra olive oil, to taste. Serve with the pesto alongside or drizzled over top, a scattering of fresh basil, and (if you like) some simple grilled chicken for a complete meal.

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Kimchi Fried Rice

Adaped from Julia Turshen

Ingredients

• 5 Tbsp olive oil
• ¼ cup finely chopped yellow onion
• 1 garlic clove minced
• Salt
• ½ cup cabbage kimchi finely chopped
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 1 cup cooked rice preferably day-old, at room temperature
• 1 egg
• 1 scallion thinly sliced

Instructions

1. Heat 3 Tbsp of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions soften and look barely brown; about 10 minutes. Increase the heat to high, add the kimchi, and cook for about 3 minutes - until it begins to crisp on the edges. Add the soy sauce and rice and stir thoroughly to combine. Cook until the rice is warmed through and also beginning to brown; about 5 minutes. Transfer the rice to a bowl and set aside.
2. Wipe the skillet clean with a paper towel and add the remaining 2 Tbsp of olive oil to the pan and return it to the stove set over high heat. Crack the egg into the skillet, sprinkle it with a pinch of salt and immediately cover the pan with a lid. Cook until the egg white is cooked through and the yolk is barely set. Slip a spatula underneath the egg and transfer it on top of the rice. Scatter the scallion over the dish. Serve immediately, making sure to break the yolk so it acts like a sauce.

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Sweet Corn + Roasted Beetroot Hummus with Blistered Carrots

If this isn’t the heartiest platter of hummus there ever was. I made this recently for a simple, “meatless Monday” meal and it was just the perfect thing. It may not look like much, but the heartiness of the white beans, corn, and beets that are all whipped up in this hummus pack a big punch – it’s very filling. I pile a bunch of roasted, blistery carrots over top and this eats like a substantial fork-and-knife salad, one of my favorite food groups. I serve this with a simple green salad on the side, with lemon and olive oil, for freshness, crunch and a burst of acid. "Wait!" You must be thinking. "A salad with a salad?!" Yes, I say. Because it all just works. And because summer.

Course Main Course

Servings 4

Ingredients

• 2 ears of fresh corn shucked and cleaned
• ¾ cup olive oil divided (give or take; you’ll eyeball it for the hummus)
• 2 whole cooked beets I use canned, for convenience
• 15- oz can of white beans rinsed and drained (Great Northern, cannellini, etc.)
• ¼ cup tahini
• 2 garlic cloves
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 bunch whole carrots no need to peel (about 8 or 9 carrots)

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Lay the ears of corn on their sides, on a large cutting board, and cut the kernels off by slicing into the ears with a large chef’s knife. The kernels will just fall right onto the cutting board for you; no need to stand them up on bowls or anything of the sort (I find people always complicate this). Just work your way around, cutting down just until you’ve reached the end of the kernels, and discard the naked cobs once you’re finished (or save them for stock).
3. Add 2 tsp of the oil to a large non-stick skillet (or cast-iron) set over medium heat. Add the corn and cook until it’s done; about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Turn the heat off and set aside. Allow the corn to cool slightly before using.

4. In your food processor, add the cooled corn, beets, white beans, tahini, garlic, and some salt and pepper. Process until the mixture becomes a choppy puree and begins to totally break down. Remove the top piece of the processor, and steam in ½ cup of the olive oil (with the motor on) gradually, allowing the hummus to come together and whip up into a fluffy pile of goodness. If you need more oil, go for it. If you reach your desired consistency before using the full 1/2-cup, then stop. It's all good. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed. Transfer the pretty pink hummus to a serving platter.

5. Meanwhile, lay your carrots out on a large baking sheet and drizzle with the remaining 2 tsp of the oil, rolling them around to coat. Season them lightly with salt and pepper (to taste). Roast the carrots until they’re cooked through, charred and deeply browned on the outsides; flipping/turning once halfway through the cooking time; about 30 minutes. Serve the roasted carrots on top of the hummus.

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Late Summer’s Harvest Tart with All the Things

Rich and buttery, flaky and cheesy, and absolutely packed with summery goodness, there may be no better way to pay homage to all that the season has to offer. Both sweet and savory items can play so beautifully together in a space like this - on a bed of cheesy puff pastry - and a few slices of this tart, with a glass of sparkling rose', is the perfect thing to enjoy on a summer evening wth friends. Or at a table for one. 

Ingredients

• 1 ear fresh corn shucked and cleaned
• 1 sheet of frozen puff pastry thawed (such as Pepperidge Farm)
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella such as Tillamook, or to taste
• 1 peach sliced
• ½ cup cherry tomatoes in assorted colors
• ½ cup fresh blueberries
• Fresh basil for scattering
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. 

2. Lay the ear of corn on its side, on a large cutting board, and cut the kernels off by slicing into the ear with a large chef’s knife. The kernels will just fall right onto the cutting board for you; no need to stand them up on bowls or anything of the sort (I find people always complicate this). Just work your way around, cutting down just until you’ve reached the end of the kernels, and discard the naked cob once you’re finished (or save it for stock).

3. Place the puff pastry onto a large baking sheet, and press or stretch it out a bit, until you get about a 10-inch square (no need to bother with rolling it out on a board, although you certainly can if it helps). Using a fork, poke a bunch of holes into the surface of the tart, just jabbing it all over like you’re mad at it. Try to leave about a 1/2-inch border that is un-poked. It will puff up, creating a nice crusty edge.

4. Top the tart with the shredded mozzarella, then the fresh toppings, scattering them all around however you see fit. 

5. Bake the tart until it's golden brown and the crust is cooked through, about 30 minutes (just keep an eye on it). Serve warm.