Hi Cooking Moms, Dads & Friends,

I know it’s been a very tough week with all the unrest in the country. I hope you and your family are well despite everything that’s going on. I feel so blessed to have my daughter Ireland home with me. She is a senior in college at the University of Minnesota. We’ve been watching all the news and staying informed, but we’ve also been trying to take a break for long walks and bike rides. I also got a new kayak! I’ve been out twice now. Already tipped once! LOL! The summer season is here, and the sunshine and warmer weather feel so good.

Ireland and I have also been cooking together every night. We’ve been making big wonderful salads every night to celebrate summer. Ireland, like me, is a salad girl. The berries are just beautiful right now at the grocery store! The price is right too! Why not pick some berries up this week and toss together something special?

I love making homemade salad dressings. It’s so easy. My Raspberry Poppy Seed Vinaigrette is one of my FAVORITES! Toss it together with spring mix lettuce, berries, and nuts and you’ve got one heck of a delicious start to dinner!

My Strawberry Spinach Salad is my go-to in summer. Those buttery pecans make it so yummy! It’s ALWAYS a hit!

I also love making big pasta salads in summer. I usually make them on the weekend and then we can eat them for lunch during the week.

If you are making bacon this weekend, what not make some extra. Then, turn it into my BLT Pasta Salad. If you like a good BLT sandwich I think you’ll love this salad. It’s super easy and kid friendly too!

Got a can of tuna? Use it to toss together my Tuna Noodle Pasta Salad! The peas and dill make it extra special! Click Salads for more sensational summer salad recipes.

We may go on a picnic this weekend. A soggy sandwich is no fun. Make my Party Pinwheel Sandwiches. They hold up great for picnics, and road trips too!

Speaking of sandwiches, just because it’s summer don’t put your slow cooker away! I use mine all summer long. My Slow Cooker Apple Bourbon Pulled Pork Sandwiches are perfect for summer!

Do you know you can even make Mac ’n Cheese in your slow cooker? No need to even boil the macaroni. Just throw it all in there! You gotta try my Slow Cooker Mac ’n Cheese. It’s AMAZING! Click Slow Cooker for more of my favorite slow cooker recipes.

For dessert, it’s strawberry time. My Strawberry Refrigerator Cake will be a HUGE hit!

Don’t have time to bake? No worries. Pick up a pound cake and make my Strawberry Cheesecake Trifle. You can make one big trifle or little mini’s layered in wine glasses, canning jars, or even clear plastic cups. So pretty! Click Desserts for more of my summer FAVES!

Join Me LIVE from My Kitchen on Facebook!

A huge thank you to all of you who have been watching me cook LIVE on Facebook for the last 10 weeks. Next week I’m going to take a break from my daily videos to spend some time with Ireland before she heads back to Minneapolis. But I promise I’ll be back! I'll also still be posting recipes. So, follow and like The Cooking Mom on Facebook to see when I'm cooking LIVE from my kitchen and what I’m cooking next! I’m working on lots of new budget friendly, easy breezy recipes for summer. Let’s cook together!

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Gotta run. Arlo the dog wants to go for a walk!

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I hope you have a wonderful weekend. Please stay safe and cook up some memories!

Take care,
Amy, The Cooking Mom

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