DINNER PARTY GUIDE NO. 2

It's almost officially summer!

My birthday is actually June 21 - first day of summer, and I have to admit, it's truly my favorite season right now. Fresh fruits and vegetables, berries finally being in season - it is a good time to eat, my friends (very important comma...).

So if you're planning on having a little party this weekend, or just want to impress a certain someone...here is another dinner party guide!

Starter: Grilled Tomato Toasts

Fresh, home-grown summer tomatoes may be one of my top three favorite foods of all time.Glory in that seasonal tomato taste with these fantastic grilled tomato toasts, and you may never want to move on to the first course.

Salad: Avocado and Pineapple Salad

Keeping it fresh with a fruity and simple salad, this unique combination is sure to please. This salad is a super tasty way to start off the meal and is surprisingly refreshing.

Main: Key West Grilled Chicken

I am a lime fanatic, and going to Key West, I absolutely loved all of the Caribbean flavors! It was actually our mission on that island to try as many key lime pies as possible - a very worthy mission indeed. This Key West grilled chicken recipe is super simple, super delicious, and a nice, light summer dinner to utilize that grill now that the suns out!

Side: Sticky Rice and Grilled Red Peppers

No recipe for this one - just make sure to buy calrose (sticky rice) at the store, and cover your red peppers with some olive oil and seasoning salt (Slap Ya Mama is the best!!) and toss them on the grill while you are cooking your chicken. You want to cook them (either whole or sliced) over a medium flame until they feel softened and are slightly charred.

Dessert: Homemade Ice Cream

Take your pic - there are SO many amazing recipes out there! My all-time favorite ones come from David Lebovitz - his salted butter caramel ice cream is from the gods, and the chocolate recipe on his blog is divine and infinitely adaptable. I don't know about you, but one of my goals this summer is to use my ice cream maker more (seems reasonable), and this weekend seems like the perfect time to get started!

(Top Photo from Rocket News 24)