Yes, it's summer time; time for simple, easy living. I know we've been in the kitchen more than ever these last few months and you might need some new go-to ideas for the long hot days ahead. The spaghetti salad is a great make-ahead recipe that serves a crowd. If you add some chopped chicken or cubed hard salami you have a meal maker! The zucchini tater tots can make use of your garden zucchini or those supplied by your friendly neighbor. The dipping sauce choice is the key to getting the kids to eat their veggies! A pretty side dish, making use of an array of colorful peppers, is the potato corn medley. Line your pan with heavy duty foil and there is no clean up. And, of course, there is always room for dessert. The cherry clafoutis is so pretty and super easy. We grow cherries, but any fruit can be substituted. Think blue berries, blackberries, or peaches. Put it in the oven while you are having dinner and serve it warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. You won't be disappointed!

Spaghetti Salad

Ingredients

Spaghetti Salad

1 (16 ounce) package thin spaghetti (broken into 4 inch pieces)

3 Roma tomatoes (diced)

1 medium zucchini (diced)

1 medium yellow zucchini squash (diced)

1 medium orange bell pepper (diced)

1 medium red bell pepper (diced)

1 medium red onion (diced)

1 cucumber (diced)

2 (2.25 ounce) cans sliced olives (drained)

8 ounces block cheddar cheese (cut into small cubes)

Dressing:

1 (16 ounce) bottle Italian dressing or make your own

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 tsp paprika

½ tsp garlic powder

Topping:

⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 tbsp coarse ground pepper

Cook spaghetti according to package directions, then rinse in cold water and drain. Set aside and let cool. Place tomatoes, zucchini, squash, peppers, onion, cucumber, olives, and cheese in a large bowl. Add cooled spaghetti noodles and mix well. In a small bowl, mix together the salad dressing, Parmesan cheese, paprika, and garlic powder. Pour on top of the spaghetti and vegetables and mix until combined. Sprinkle the top with the remaining Parmesan and the pepper. Let sit in the fridge for at least 2 hours before serving (this salad gets better with time, as the flavors meld together).

Serves a crowd

Parmesan Zucchini Tots

Parmesan Zucchini Tots

Ingredients

1½ cups shredded and lightly patted dry zucchini, about 1½ medium zucchini

1 cup panko bread crumbs

½ tbsp dry Italian seasoning

½ cup shredded parmesan cheese

1 large egg

Shred zucchini with a vegetable grater. When done, pat zucchini dry with a few sheets of paper towels. While you don't need to completely dry the zucchini, you do want to absorb some of the moisture. I used about 4 sheets of paper towels. You want to keep drying the zucchini until the stage where when you pat the shredded zucchini with a paper towel, the paper towel is moist but no longer soaking with water. Preheat oven to 375°F. Measure out 1½ cups of patted dry zucchini and add to a large mixing bowl. Add egg, cheese and bread crumbs. Stir until everything is thoroughly combined. Take 1 tablespoon of zucchini batter and squeeze between palm of hand, compressing it. Some water should also release out. Using both hands now, shape to resemble a cylinder tater tot shape. Place onto a baking sheet lined with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Repeat with remaining zucchini. Bake for about 15-20 minutes until bottoms are golden brown and crispy. Flip over and bake for another 5 minutes. Serve warm with dipping sauce of your choice.

Serves 6

Roasted Potato Corn Medley

Ingredients

Roasted Potato Corn Medley

2 lbs baby red potatoes, halved

1 corn on the cob, husk on

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 orange bell pepper, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

1 medium chopped red onion

½ tsp cumin

½ tsp ancho chili pepper powder

1 tbsp coarse salt

1 tsp coarse black pepper

3 tbsp olive oil

A small handful of fresh basil leaves to garnish

2 green onions, thinly sliced to garnish

Preheat oven to 400˚F. Toss potatoes, bell peppers, red onion, cumin, ancho chili pepper, salt, pepper and olive oil until coated then place in a foil-covered roasting pan. Spread the vegetables out into a single layer, leaving an empty space for the corn on the cob. Place the corn on the cob, husk still on, in the empty space. Put the pan on a middle rack in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the corn on the cob and set aside. Put the pan back in the oven and cook for another 30 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. While vegetables continue to cook, remove the husk from the corn and slice off the kernels. When the potatoes are tender enough to be pierced with a fork, remove the pan from the oven. Stir in the corn kernels and add the fresh basil leaves and sliced green onion to garnish.

Serves 4-6

Cherry Clafoutis

Ingredients

3 tbsp butter, cut into bits

Cherry Clafoutis

1 cup flour

⅔ cup sugar

¼ tsp salt

3 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 cup 2% milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp kirsh or brandy

3 cups pitted cherries or fruit

Heat oven to 350℉. Butter a 10 inch ceramic quiche pan, large pie plate or 8 ramekins. Whisk flour, sugar and salt in a bowl. Using another bowl, whisk eggs with cream, milk, vanilla and liqueur. Stir wet mixture into the dry until lumps are gone and mixture is combined. Pour batter into prepared pan. Scatter cherries over batter and dot Clafoutis with butter bits. Bake 50 minutes or until clafoutis is barely set (individual pans at 35-40 minutes). Serve warm or at room temperature with whipping cream or vanilla ice cream.

Serves 8