Hi Cooking Moms, Dads & Friends,

I hope you had a wonderful week! I’m super excited to announce my next big trip! You may know besides cooking I love to travel! Now that my kids are grown I’ve got time to travel to the places I’ve always dreamed of going. I’m hosting really special culinary trips.

Earlier this summer I hosted a trip to one of my favorite places, beautiful Mackinac Island, Michigan. It was amazing! If you missed out on the fun, join me next summer because I’m going back. We are staying at my favorite resort on the island. It’s fabulous! We’ve even added an extra night so there will be even more time on this trip to sightsee, shop or just relax! Like my last trip, this will book up very quickly! We can only take a limited number of people. Click Join The Cooking Mom on Mackinac Island to get all the delicious details. We’ll be there next June during lilac season again. It’s absolutely gorgeous that time of year! I hope you’ll join me for this trip of a lifetime!

Speaking of traveling, this week was bittersweet. I put my mom on a plane back home to Arizona. She’d been here visiting for the past month. It’s always sad to say goodbye but we had a wonderful time together! My daughter, Ireland even came home from Minneapolis to surprise us all for my mom’s birthday last weekend. She really got me good! We had no clue she was coming. It was so special!

Today, I'm waking up in the Minneapolis area. I drove my daughter back home and yesterday I was on Twin Cities Live cooking up a couple of my favorite summer pasta salad recipes. Click Summer Pasta Salads to watch the video of me making 2 great pasta salads! I LOVE a good pasta salad! In the summer I make it 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 using. So bright and colorful, and kid-friendly too!

Speaking of kids, my Sesame Noodle Salad is also a HUGE winner! It’s got a little peanut butter in it. Pasta and peanut butter. Most kids' favorites! Growing up it was my daughter’s favorite! I used to pack it in her school lunch bag. I can’t even believe it’s time to get ready for back to school. Summer is sure flying by. Yikes! Click Salads and Nice ’n Lite for more summer pasta salad, side salad, and fruit salad recipes.

I love a good sandwich for dinner in the summer! When it’s hot outside, get out your slow cooker and make my hot BBQ Beef Sandwiches. They are crazy easy and so good! Serve them with my Loaded Potato Salad. I make a Mighty Good Macaroni Salad too!

Click Sandwiches and Slow Cooker for more super good sandwich recipes.

For dinner this summer I’m trying to keep these meals really easy breezy. 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.

Why not keep it all outside on the grill this summer, even the sides? My Grilled Potato Wedges and Fancy Baked Potatoes on the grill are perfect summer sides! Click Dinner and Sides for more of my summer faves.

For dessert, the fresh Michigan peaches are here! My Peach Crostata is even easier than homemade peach pie!

Use canned peaches to make my Easy Peachy Dump Cake. You can even do it in a foil pan on the grill.

Cool off with my quick and easy Peach Smoothies. Click Desserts and Drinks for more delicious summer sweets and drink recipes.

Let’s Travel Together in 2022! Join me for Vacations of a Lifetime!

Besides my newly announced trip to Mackinac Island next summer, I’ve got 3 other amazing trips planned for 2022! My trips are different from the rest. We’ll stay in the very best hotels and go in search of delicious food! My trips are a stress-free, fun way to travel! To find out why my trips are so special check out my blog post by clicking on Culinary Vacations with The Cooking Mom.

Escape Winter and Join me in Puerto Vallarta in January 2022!

Let’s beat the winter blues and spend a week in one of my favorite cities, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico! This is gonna be one heck of a trip! We’ve got a SUPER FUN group going. Join us! We’ll stay in a small (just 70 rooms), 4-diamond luxury beach front resort. All of your gourmet food and wine and top shelf cocktails at the resort are included! We’ll also join local foodies in search of Puerto Vallarta’s freshly made warm tortillas, the ultimate street tacos, tamales, amazing fresh seafood, and fabulous cocktails too. It will be whale watching season during this trip. We are currently offering a discount of $140 per person! Call Brittany at Bon Voyage Boutique Travel TODAY to take advantage of this offer 920-725-2880. Click Join The Cooking Mom in Puerto Vallarta to see pictures and get lots more details.

Ireland in April 2022

I’ve always dreamed of going to Ireland! Let’s experience it together! This trip is booking up. From Irish cooking classes, to scone baking, whiskey tasting, a VIP tour of Guinness, and so much more. We’ll do it all. We’ll even stay in a real castle outside of Dublin! I can only take a small group so get your reservation in soon! Click Join The Cooking Mom in Ireland to read more about this trip and find out how to reserve your spot!

Wait List for Italy in September of 2022!

My trip to Tuscany in September of 2022 is sold out. Call Brittany at Bon Voyage Boutique Travel 920-725-2880 or email her at brittany@bonvoyagebt.com if you would like to be on the wait list in case we have any last minute openings.

To find why my trips are so special check out my blog post by clicking on Culinary Vacations with The Cooking Mom.

I'm starting to plan now for my culinary vacations in 2023! We also want to know where you want to go? What about France? A river cruise through Europe? Greece? Scotland? Closer to home eating our way around New Orleans? Wine Tasting in Napa or Oregon? These are all on my bucket list! What about yours? Email me the trips you’d be interested in at info@thecookingmom.com!

Order Amy's 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.

Please Invite Me!

Now that life is getting back to normal, I’m excited to start doing live cooking demos again! I'd love to come to your town and meet you! Tell your library about me. I’ll come do a cooking demo for your company or event too. Click Hire Amy for more ideas for how we can spend time together!

I hope you have a great weekend. Gotta run! You can always see what I'm up to on Instagram. Follow me! I'm also on Facebook and Twitter. Check out my videos on YouTube, too.

Cook up some memories!

Take care,
Amy, The Cooking Mom