Hi Cooking Moms, Dads & Friends,

Happy Friday! WOW - June sure is flying by! I can’t believe the 4th of July is almost here. I’m so ready. My mom is in town. Both my daughter and son will be home too. We’ll have a full house, and I’m so excited! I plan to make the visit extra delicious.

To me, nothing says summer and the 4th of July like BBQ ribs. My Ribs 'n Beer recipe is always a hit in the summer. Ribs can be kind of a pain to make. Not these! I season them with my Rib Rub and bake them off a few days before my cookout. Then, when it's party time, just fire up the grill and baste them with BBQ sauce. Warning! Bring on the wet wipes because these are messy (in the yummiest way)!

Want to serve BBQ and keep it really easy breezy? Get out your slow cooker and make my Super Easy Pulled Pork. Just dump it all in there and go do your thing. Then, when it's mealtime, just set it on your table with a pile of buns and everybody can help themselves. Love that!

Click Dinner, Sandwiches and Slow Cooker for more of my favorite summer recipes.

When it comes to the sides, I just gotta start every dinner with a big beautiful salad or two. My Best Ever Layered Salad is my mom’s favorite. I can’t wait to make it for her. It’s my grandmother’s recipe! Everybody loves it. All those tasty layers and that Parmesan peppercorn dressing on top are to die for. Plus, you can make it ahead and unlike most salads it won’t get soggy because the dressing sits on top!

I'd be in the dog house if I didn't make my Baby Red Potato Salad over the 4th. It's a recipe I've been making forever! The fresh dill and bacon make it extra special. Come on, try it! Trust me, they'll be asking for the recipe.

I make a Mighty Good Macaroni Salad too. Click Salads for more of my super good summer salad recipes.

Beans are a must a every backyard BBQ! My jazzed up Baked Beans with bacon on top are so good. Super easy too. Click Sides for more delightful side dish recipes.

I love serving lots of fresh fruit at my parties! How cute is my Star Spangled Fruit Salad? Serve it with My Favorite Fruit Dip. That’s ALWAYS a hit!

The strawberries are so beautiful right now. You can pick your own. So fun! Or just pick up a few pints at the farmers market. There’s nothing better than fresh strawberry jam! My Strawberry Freezer Jam is the BEST! I'm not a big canner but this is so crazy easy. It’s great to have a taste of summer on your toast in the middle of winter. Click on my blog post Amy Goes Strawberry Picking for lots more strawberry recipe ideas!

For dessert this weekend why not celebrate strawberry season with Strawberry Refrigerator Cake? It’s nice and cool on a hot summer day. No time to bake? No worries. My Strawberry Cheesecake Trifles are so easy to make. So pretty too! For summer you can keep things extra casual and easy breezy by layering these desserts in clear plastic cups. They’ll still look amazing! Click Desserts for more fun summer dessert recipes.

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!

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.

The Cooking Mom Vacations! Let’s Travel Together!

Join The Cooking Mom in Puerto Vallarta in January 2023!

With summer in full swing, I’m sure you don’t even want to think about winter. But, now is the time to plan your escape from the cold and snow! I’ve planned the ULTIMATE winter getaway. Beat the winter blues and join me in beautiful Puerto Vallarta! It’s one of my favorite cities in Mexico. It’s got history, charm, beautiful beaches, and an incredible food scene. I took a group there last winter and it was over the top FANTASTIC! We had perfect weather with sunshine every day. Great news. We were even able to negotiate a better rate on this trip than last year. YIPPEE!

We’ll fly out January 15 and stay 7 nights at the most beautiful small boutique 4-diamond luxury resort right on the beach. This trip is also a really great value because ALL of your meals at the resort, fine wines, beer and even top shelf cocktails will be included. You’ll have the options to join me for an authentic Mexican cooking class, personalized food tours, tequila tastings and even whale watching! Or, you can just sit on the beach and relax. Either way it’s going to be fabulous! We can only take a limited number of people. This trip will book up quick! Click The Cooking Mom’s Culinary Trip to Puerto Vallarta to get the full itinerary and pricing information. You can also call Brittany at Bon Voyage Boutique Travel (920)725-2880 for more details or email her at brittany@bonvoyagebt.com for more details.

Join Amy on a River Cruise in France in April 2023! LAST CHANCE to SAVE BIG!

Have you ever dreamed of going on a river cruise? It’s the ULTIMATE way to see Europe! Bring on lots of wine tasting, gourmet meals, fresh croissants and pastries and so much more! Join me on a river cruise through Southern France from Burgundy to Provence. In April of 2023, we’ll cruise the Rhone river on a gorgeous new boutique ship with only 150 passengers! It’s first class all the way and it’s a true ALL-INCLUSIVE river cruise, meaning all your food, drinks, and excursions are included. Gratuity too!

Plus, you’ll have the option to stay a couple days after the cruise to experience Paris. It will be spring and the blossoms will be in full bloom. It’s going to be stunning!

We found out that if you book my trip you’ll get another exclusive EXTRA $150 per person discount! Plus they extended the deadline to SAVE even more. If you book and pay in full by June 30th, you’ll save an extra 10 percent!

Click Join The Cooking Mom on a French River Cruise to get all the dates and intriguing details. This trip is going to be so wonderful! Join me! Call Brittany at Bon Voyage Boutique Travel at (920)725-2880 for the new pricing details!

Planning New Trips for 2023 and 2024!

I’m so excited to be hosting AMAZING group culinary vacations! I just got back from an AMAZING trip to gorgeous Mackinac Island for the Lilac Festival. Have you ever been? If not you need to go! Let me know if you are interested in going with me back to the island next summer. Email me at info@thecookingmom.com. I’m planning my trips for 2023 ands 2024 right now. I’ve got more trips coming up. Join in the fun!

To find out more about my trips and what makes them so unique click Culinary Vacations with The Cooking Mom. Email me the trips you’d be interested in at info@thecookingmom.com! In April I hosted an incredible group trip to Ireland! Would you be interested in joining me on another trip to Ireland in the future? I’m definitely going back. Maybe to Scotland too! I’m planning my trips for 2023 and 2024 right now. Stay tuned!

Gotta run! My TV spot on Fox 6 Wakeup in Milwaukee is coming up soon. If you live in the Milwaukee area I hope you’ll watch! You can always see what I'm up to on Facebook and Instagram. Check out my food videos on YouTube, too.

I hope you all have a great weekend. Cook up some memories!

Take care,
Amy, The Cooking Mom