favorite summertime recipes

i tend to hand-write blog posts on my train ride to and from work, and lately i've been so immersed in the bartimaeus trilogy (which i highly recommend), that i haven't made time to write. that doesn't mean that i haven't been cooking. summertime is zooming along and my csa is in full swing. i also opted for a fruit share this year, and i've loved every week of fresh organic fruit. i've created some recipes that aren't really ready to share, so i thought i'd share some of my go-to favorites for the summer.

smitten kitchen's pickled sugar snap peas: sugar snap peas are an early summer treat that disappear pretty quickly into the season. i usually just eat them raw or very lightly sauteed with a little bit of salt. i questioned the merit of doing anything to my snap peas, but pickling them was a revelation. if anything, this quickle recipe makes the peas even crisper.

david lebovitz's baba ganoush: i've been getting eggplant from my csa for nearly a month straight. i love grilled eggplant, i like it sauteed and served over pasta, but this baba ganoush is hands-down my favorite way to eat eggplant. i use a little less tahini than called for but otherwise find the recipe perfect.

fig & plum's simple caesar salad: i know, i know, caesar salad is boring. every corner restaurant has it on their menu with stale croutons and dry chicken. that is exactly why you should make this classic at home. use real, fresh ingredients put it together with love. jess is right, this recipe is a keeper.

food in jar's roasted tomatillo salsa: this recipe is new to me this year (and the accompanying story is worth the read). this was my first summer receiving tomatillos from my csa. i've always enjoyed the flavor and just haven't used them at home before. this salsa is easy -- yes you can just throw everything in the blender, skins and all -- and tasty and is also a great marinade for veggies or meat.