2 PERFECT Summer recipes!

Sorry about my delayed post!  Yesterday just COMPLETELY got away from me!  Bonus for you, though:  I have not one, but TWO super easy, under 30 minutes, healthy and cool summer recipes for you today!  (Happy FridayJ)

The first dish received RAVEEEEEE reviews in our house on Wednesday night...we made Kristen's version of PF Changs Chicken Lettuce Wraps!

I had scanned for several "swap recipes" online, but her recipe got big bonus points for being healthy AND quick.  These took about 20 minutes to whip upJ

And were oh-so-cool and delicious.  I just LOVED all of the textures from the crisp lettuce, water chestnuts & chopped peants.  Scott proclaimed that "PF Changs had NOTHIN on this dinner!" hahahahaha....a side of garlic noodles & we would have been all setJ

But instead of noodles, we sided the dish up with some fresh cut watermelon, which I was so TERRIBLY delighted to find out that this one was SUPER SWEET!  YEAH!

OK, OK...and these wraps were so good that MAYBE one more had found it's way to my plate.  I consider this the 'slider' version of a wrapJ

And to cooooool off from the SUPER hot day that was Wendesday, I figured it was pretty appropriate to break out that VERY difficult recipe of frozen banana custard....

1 frozen banana whipped into a frenzy (with a handful of butterscotch chips throw in for good measure) and the banana turns into the creamy consistency of ice cream.  It still amazes me every. single. time!

And even though Scott & I BOTH would have been happy with lettuce wraps for 2 nights in a row, I now bring you the BONUS round of this post:  Dinner #2...and with another nod to summer & quick dinners, I present the Asian Turkey Kebobs....

Another under 30 minute wonderJ  Scott mixed up the ground turkey with some panko, soy sauce & diced scallions and rolled them into meatballs.  Meanwhile, I diced up a pear and MORE scallions to get ready to kebab...

1, 2, 3...a sprinkle of sesame seeds and DONE! 

While the kebabs were cooking on the grill, I got to work on the basting/dipping sauce....

• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• And 1/3 cup of the secret ingredient:

I know!  Weird, right??  But for whatever reason, the Sprite works wonders with all those lovely flavors.

Baste the kebabs with the soy sauce/Sprite sauce and grill until the meatballs are cooked through....

Love, love, love these...all of the flavors of the savory meatballs, sweet pear & crispy scallions go so well together.  And of course...can't forget a dip in the pool of the Sprite sauceJ

And I just could NOT pass up another night of swwwweeet swwwweet watermelonJ  It just HAD to happen.

But what DIDN'T happen again last night?

Banana custard.

Why???  Because I was oh-so-excited when I came home and found a box addressed to me sitting on my dining room table.  And what was in that box??

A gift from my Jersey blogger buddy at "Our Italian Kitchen"!  Aren't they adorable????

And they tasted as good as they looked!!!   Thanks a million, Amanda!  You made my day!J

OK and one last little thing I had to show you guys that I thought you might likeJ  So Penny was wandering around me a lot this morning while I was working out (guess she heard Bob Harper say "Downward Dog" one too many timesJ) and I had to CRACK UP when I got up from my savasana at the end of my workout and found this...

Those toys all surrounding me made me smileJ  Needless to say she got lots of kisses when I was doneJ Hahahahahaha....

Alright...well, that DREADFUL humidity finally broke and we are enjoyin some GORGEOUS (dare I say: FALL LIKE!) weather here in Jersey.  Please, please let it last because I was about to buy 2 one way tickets to the West Coast (land of no humidity) the other dayJ  How do you folks in the South stand it??  Seriously, I gots to know! J

Anyway...hope you guys have a WONDERFUL WEEKEND!!!!!



PS-I have updated all of the recipes, travel & food finds in my links at the top.  Have some fun and try out something newJ