It was bright and sunny all day but right when as I got my camera out to take these pics the sky turned dark grey and we got a major downpour. It was much needed for our little tomato and basil plants but made for a stop and go photoshoot. Mark is typically not a fan of cold soups and I was pretty sure I’d would be eating this gazpacho solo. I gave him a bowl to try and watched him cautiously take a sip. I turned away to snap a couple more pics and looked back to see Mark standing there with a nearly empty bowl! His words: best gazpacho ever. I’m not sure if this even technically qualifies as gazpacho since the squash is roasted and it’s not all raw but I’m thinking the savory smokey flavor is what got him hooked. So here’s to a bowl of sunshine in your belly! Have a good weekend friends!

Ingredients for the Yellow Gazpacho

2 ears of corn
1/2 small red onion, sliced
2 bell peppers
4 small squash
2 cups vegetable stock
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
1/4 tsp coarse salt
fresh ground pepper
fresh parsley for garnish

a bit of cream or kefir drizzled on top (optional)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400F. Slice the onion and the squash. Toss the squash and onions with a little bit of olive oil and pinch of salt. Roast the veggies for 15 minutes of until just beginning to brown. Cut kernels off cob. Half the peppers. Add all the ingredients (except the parsley) to your high speed blender and blend until smooth. If you would like a more liquid consistency, add a bit more stock. Taste for salt and pepper, pour into bowls and garnish with parsley.

These last few weeks of summer just keep stretching on. The heat seems permanent and I’ve honestly forgotten what if feels like to be cold. Will I ever need a jacket again? Doubt it. If there’s a plus side to this sweltering humidity it’s got to be the poppin’ produce. This succotash is proof of that. Succotash is a hearty southern side dish that brings out the best of summer’s veggies. Sweet golden kernels of corn mixed with buttery beans and bright pops of cherry red tomatoes and bell peppers make for an eye-catching summery dish. And speaking of poppin’/eye-catching, guys… this hammered copper pan has got me all heart-eyed. Besides the fact that it’s pretty to look at its got some serious heat efficiency which basically means that when it gets hot it’s ready to go! Summer veggies like these cooked up in just a couple minutes. Oh and when the weather does finally cool down I plan on making some super cozy dishes up in here because it’s oven safe up to 500F! You can check out Lagostina’s copper line here and find the pan I have here. Have a wonderful weekend friends!

Ingredients for the Succotash

2 ears of corn
2 cups of lima beans or butter beans
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1 bell pepper, chopped
1/2 a large onion or one small onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt (more to taste)
1/4 cup chopped basil

Directions

It’s best to prep the veggies before the pan heats up. Chop the onion and the bell pepper. Mince the garlic. Remove the kernels from the corn. Halve the cherry tomatoes. Chop the basil.

1. In a large skillet heat the olive oil and butter on medium heat. Add the chopped onion and salt and sauté until fragrant and translucent, about 5 to 7 minutes.

2. Next add the beans, bell pepper and garlic and sauté for 3 to 5 more minutes.

3. Lastly add the corn and tomatoes, cover pan with lid if you have one so beans become tender and cook for an additional 5 to 7 minutes until vegetables are just tender.

4. Garnish with fresh chopped basil.

Notes

This post is unsponsored. Lagostina generously gifted me with the Lagostina Martellata Hammered Copper Covered Casserole in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are always my own.