Hi Cooking Moms, Dads & Friends,

Happy Friday! I hope you had a great week. I’m pretty excited because the local sweet corn is here in Wisconsin. Bring it on! This summer why not dress up the butter for the corn and make it extra special? It's so simple. Just add a few herbs to softened butter to make my Cilantro Lime or Lemon Basil Butter. Now, slather it on. WOW! Talk about a taste of summer.

I’ve been trying to use fresh vegetables in just about everything because summer will be here and gone before you know it. My Southwest Corn and Black Bean Salad is healthy and delicious! It goes great with whatever you are grilling.

My Cheesy Corn and Green Chile Casserole is one of my favorites. It’s super easy and AMAZING! You just gotta try it. Why not pick up some extra corn this week. Make my Freezer Corn and you’ll have delicious fresh summer sweet corn this winter. It’s so great to have in your freezer for soups and stews and/or as a last minute side. Just throw it in the microwave and you’ve got a taste of summer all winter long. LOVE THAT!

Besides corn, it’s also tomato time! Got tomatoes and corn? Make my Cheesy Corn Stuffed Tomatoes! They are SO GOOD! I love to serve these with my Ginger Soy Flank Steak and my Grilled Potato Wedges. Click Dinner and Sides for more of my favorite summer recipes.

It’s been hot this week in Wisconsin! We’ve been eating lots of big delicious salads for dinner. Next time you are grilling chicken, why not grill a few extra pieces? Turn the leftovers into my BBQ Chicken Salad filled with meat and lots of veggies! It makes a really fun fresh summer dinner! The BBQ ranch dressing is so good. Super easy too! Click Salads, Nice ’n Lite and Dinner for more super good recipes.

I can’t even believe it’s back to school time. Not for me. Both my kiddos have now graduated from college and are working. Confession time…sometimes I really miss packing the kids' school lunches. I have so many recipes and ideas to make lunch bags fun! And get eaten!

Nobody likes a soggy sandwich. That’s no fun. Wraps are a great way to go. My Turkey Ranch Wraps are a favorite in my house! What kid doesn’t like Ranch? My Ranch cream cheese spread makes the wraps extra special! So easy. Healthy too! Especially if you use lite cream cheese. And the best part is you can make these the night before! They are great for end of summer picnics and road trips too! I also make these for game day parties. Cut them into small 2 inch pieces, and the kids and grownups just pop them right in their mouths. LOVE THAT!

You know what they say, everything tastes better on a stick! Looks cooler too! I couldn’t agree more. My Peanut Butter Sandwich Kabobs are always a hit.

It’s always a challenge to get kids to eat fruit. I’m betting if you throw an apple in that lunch bag it probably won’t get eaten. So, you gotta get a little creative. How cute are these Apple Race Cars? Super easy to make. Perfect for birthday parties too! Click Sandwiches and Appetizers and Snacks for more fun and yummy ideas.

For dessert this weekend, I’m keeping it easy breezy. I don’t want to turn the oven on. Why not pick up a pound cake and make my Strawberry Cheesecake Trifle? It’s so pretty layered in wine glasses or even clear plastic cups.

Have you made Dirt Cups with the kids this summer? Come on, do it! They are so yummy - and fun! Click Desserts and Drinks for more sweet treats.

Join The Cooking Mom for a Vacation of a Lifetime in 2022!

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, Irish cheese, and Jameson whiskey tasting! We’ll do it all. We’ll even stay in two real castles! 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!

Mackinac Island for Lilac Fest in June 2022!

I’m so excited to announce my latest culinary trip! 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 it, 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 more time on this trip to sightsee, shop or just relax! This trip is already filling up. 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!

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! I want to know where you want to go. What about Paris and a river cruise through France? That's on my bucket list for sure! What's on 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