Endless Crunk Summer

Summer is filled with potlucks, picnics, and bountiful trips to the farmer's markets. Even though we're trying to stay in shape for our bathing suits, we're also indulging in delicious summer fare.

Many of the recipes in Cookin' Crunk are perfect for summer! I have lots of recipes that call for seasonal summer produce and others that are meant to be served at picnics and summer potlucks. I've made two of those dishes this week!

Today my office held our annual summer party. Work let out at noon, and we headed downstairs for a cookout on the loading dock, where we typically load newspapers into delivery trucks. There were coolers of beer, burgers (and yes, they grilled some vegan Boca burgers), grilled veggies, and lots of potluck-style sides. I brought the Dillweed Potato Salad from Cookin' Crunk:

This cool, vegan, mayo-based salad is loaded with tender red potatoes (I recommend cooking them a little al dente so they don't get mushy), fresh dill, celery, red onion, and green olives.

Also this week, I made the Harvest Crowder Pea Soup from Cookin' Crunk:

Every year about this time, our farmer's markets are stocked with all sorts of fresh peas — black-eyed peas, purple-hull peas, lady peas, and my fave, crowder peas. Crowders are like bigger, not-as-mushy black-eyed peas. They're perfect in this soup made with fresh basil, carrots, celery, onions, and veggie broth.

I hate to think that summer is almost over. So I won't. I'll just keep living it up with summery meals for as long as possible and pretend like fall and winter will never come.