Hi Cooking Moms, Dads & Friends,

TGIF! I’m waking up in beautiful Copper Harbor, Michigan today. It’s at the very northern tip of the upper peninsula in Michigan. I took my daughter Ireland there two years ago and fell in love with the area. We were here earlier this summer, and just wanted to come back one more time while it was warm. It’s just gorgeous! We brought Arlo the dog along and our kayak too! Our plan is to do lots of hiking, and we're hoping to catch the spectacular sunrises and sunsets too! Read my blog post Trip to Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula to see why we love it up here. Have you ever been to this area? I’d love to know your favorite spots! I promise to post pictures of our trip on Facebook and Instagram.

On our getaways this summer we always bring our little Weber grill and a big cooler. I hit the farmer’s market earlier this week and got lots fresh produce too! I picked up a big bucket of those baby pickling cucumbers. They are my absolute FAVE! Don’t let summer slip away without making my Super Quick Fridge Pickles! Who knew making pickles could be these easy? These are the BEST EVER! So crunchy and fresh! I brought 2 jars in the cooler for us to snack on this weekend. Delicious on my BBQ Beef and Super Easy Pulled Pork Sandwiches too!

It’s been a hot couple days so I made my Cucumber Dill Salad to keep us nice and cool!

I had to pack along my homemade Baby Red Potato Salad too. The bacon and fresh dill make it extra special! It goes with whatever you are throwing on the grill!

It’s tomato time! The tomatoes this summer are the best I’ve seen in years! My Caprese Salad in a Jar is perfect to eat on summer road trips and picnics. So pretty and fun!

Speaking of fun, I LOVE a good pasta salad! I’ve been making pasta salads at least once a week. Not only is it the perfect summer side dish but it’s great to have on hand for light lunches and dinners. Got Spaghetti in the pantry? Use it to make my Spaghetti Salad! Throw in tomatoes, cukes, zucchini and whatever else you have from the garden or produce that needs to using. So bright and colorful and kid friendly too!

Click Salads for more of my favorite summer salads. By the way, I’ll be making more of my favorite pasta salad recipes on Twin Cities Live and Fox 6 Wakeup next week. Hope you’ll watch!

You know what they say, everything tastes better on a stick! I agree! Make dinner more fun with my Italian Sausage Kabobs. Super easy and so yummy with marinara sauce for dipping.

I serve these with my Mushroom Couscous and Amazing Cheese Bread. Now that’s one delicious summer dinner! Click Dinner, Sides, and Appetizers here for more enticing recipes.

For dessert, we love kabobs! Why not make dessert kabobs? Make a batch of brownies or pick some up at the store and put together my Strawberry Pineapple Dessert Kabobs!

How cute are these Rice Krispies Treat Kabobs too? No muss, no fuss. The kids can help too! LOVE THAT! Click Desserts for more summer treats.

GIVEWAY ALERT! Follow The Cooking Mom on Instagram to Win!

Need a new slow cooker? I'm giving away my favorite Nesco Digital Slow Cooker on Instagram. They are the ABSOLUTE best! You could win too! It's EASY. Just click on Instagram and look for the Nesco Giveaway post for more details. And hey, if you need a new Nesco Roaster, Slow Cooker or Electric Skillet, now’s a great time to order one. Click Shop to get 20% off.

Looking for New Recipes? Why Not Order My Cookbooks?

If you like my recipes, I think you will love my cookbooks. Both of my cookbooks are full color, and each is filled with nearly 200 unique recipes. Lots of secrets, tips and fun stories, too! Click Amy's Books on Amazon to order.

Gotta run! Time to go hiking and explore Copper Harbor, Michigan. I promise to post lots of pictures of our weekend adventures on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Looking for new video recipes? Check out my videos on YouTube, too! Follow me!

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend. Stay safe and cook up some memories!

Take care,
Amy, The Cooking Mom

Strawberry Pineapple Dessert Kabobs

Order Amy's Cookbooks Online!