Summer weekends call for most of my time being spent reading by or in a pool.  A prefer to cap off a lazy day with a freshly decadent meal and a great glass of wine… but who has time to slave away in the kitchen when you are working through a perfectly great book!?  Introduce the impressive yet easy menu!  A little prep work in the morning, tan your way through the day and then an hour of so of cooking and dinners on!

Nectarine Caprese with Honey Balsamic Reduction

Summer Veggie Salad with Cilantro Vinaigrette

BBQ Chicken with Carrot Puree

Root Beer Floats

Tips:

• Caprese: Use great ingredients and this will be a crowd pleasure! You also could cube the nectarines and serve on a skewer with tiny mozzarella balls and basil.
• Veggie Salad: We used fresh corn and didn’t grill it.  Sweet, fresh corn is super tasty (and as my sister mentioned) full of nutrients when in it’s original/”natural” state.
• BBQ Chicken: I used nice BBQ sauce and substituted thighs with boneless/skinless breasts.  We let it marinate all day in BBQ sauce (in the fridge) and then added minced garlic and seasoning right before we put it in the oven.  Make sure to have the chicken sit out for 30 minutes or so before putting it in the oven.  The meat turned out super moist and so flavorful!
• Carrot Puree: The carrot puree is also out of this world and definitely something I will serve with other meals.  The color is gorgeous!  You can also substitute 1 cup of half & half for 1 T of melted butter and the remaining amount of 1 cup with milk.