Welcome to the thick of summer! The summer months give us time to recharge our batteries whether by exploring somewhere new for vacation or heading out to a summer music festival or just enjoying time outside with friends and family. We at RecipeLion Magazine are here to help you enjoy your summer feasts to the fullest.

The July/August 2019 issue starts with a selection of summer salads that range from party-favorite deli salads to green salads you’re going to want to bring along to work. Then expand your healthy eating palate by discovering new ways to cook with everyone’s favorite fruit: the avocado! They aren’t just for guacamole – avocados star in a variety of different dishes, including pudding. (Yes, you read that right – chocolate pudding, in fact!)

Next, add a bit of sizzle to your summer, with one of our spicy, flavorful buffalo chicken recipes, from a piping hot party dip to a family-style casserole. Then, if you need something to cool the heat, check out our section on sweet Southern desserts. From classic peach cobbler to travel-worthy pecan pie bars, there’s something here for everyone. 

Plus, we’re giving “TGIF” a whole new meaning by celebrating our own version of “fried”-day with everything from fried chicken to fried pickles. If you haven’t tried fried pickles, you don’t know what you’re missing!

Here’s a look at what’s on the menu:

5 Treats Sweeter than a Southern Belle

Summer and sweets go together like peaches and cream, or caramel and pecans.

• Apple Butter Peach Cobbler: Does any fruit scream “summer” more than the peach? This homemade peach cobbler recipe is especially enticing because you make it in the slow cooker, which means you don’t have to worry about heating up the entire house when it’s already 90 degrees out.
• Caramel Praline Bread Pudding: Pralines are a southern classic made with pecans, butter, and sugar. What makes this recipe particularly enticing is the homemade salted caramel sauce on top that you’re going to want to save for use in other recipes!
• Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars: The South is known for its knack at nailing comfort home cooking, and there’s perhaps no dessert more ubiquitous with southern cooking than pecan pie. We’ve put a little twist in the standard recipe by making these into bars instead, adding portability for all of your summer adventures. Just drizzle the top with melted chocolate for the finishing touch.

Fresh Summer Salads

Stop wondering what to bring for that cookout. These salads will impress everyone at the table.

• Apple-Cherry Salad: Want to know the secret to keeping just about any salad recipe from getting boring? Add fruits and nuts! You get the crisp brightness of the fruit contrasted against a crunchy, nutty flavor for a refreshing pick-me-up.
• Strawberry-Cream Cheese Salad: This recipe’s an oldie but a goodie. The sweet and creamy strawberry–cream cheese top contrasts wonderfully against the crispy, salty pretzel crust.
  
• All-Day Tropical Fruit Salad: Even if you can’t travel to a tropical island this summer, you can enjoy tropical flavors. From grapes to pineapples to coconut, this sweet dish is infused with the tastes of the season. You can either serve it right away, or if this dish is part of a party spread, make it the day before and keep it in the fridge. It’ll stay yummy all day long!

For the Daredevil: Buffalo-Style Faves

A little hot sauce goes a long way in adding some fun and fire to your feast.

• Spicy Buffalo Chicken Bites: If you’re looking for an appetizer that’s a bit fancier than your standard buffalo chicken recipe, you’ve come to the right place. The spicy chicken is contrasted against the cool coleslaw and celery and wrapped up tight in an egg roll wrapper.
• Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Sliders: Sliders are the ideal dish to serve to large parties of people, primarily because they leave plenty of room on the plate for small samplings of other dishes. This chicken slider recipe is packed full of flavor from spices to sauces, but given that it’s all cooked up in the slow cooker, it takes almost no effort to put together.

TGI “Fried” Day

Who doesn’t love a little fried food on the plate? You’ll find five recipes in this section perfect for satisfying that craving for fried foods.

• Crispy Country Fried Steak: You may see this as Chicken Fried Steak, too. Whichever your preference, this dish gives you all the flavor and satisfaction of fried chicken, but with beef!
• Buttermilk Fried Pickles: This midwestern county fair staple may sound strange if you aren’t familiar with it, but I promise they will win you over. Serve them up as an appetizer or side dish the next time you have people over and watch them disappear in no time.

Alert! Alert! Avocados Ahead!

If aliens ever visit earth, I’m going to guess it’s for the avocados.

• Nutritious Chickpea & Avocado Sandwich: While avocados have certainly cemented themselves into the hearts (and diets) of the nation, chickpeas are still gaining steam. If you’re looking for a way to add this superfood into your routine, this sandwich is the perfect start. Chickpeas are full of protein, healthy carbs, and fiber, making them an ideal substitute for meat in a sandwich.
• Chocolate Pudding with Avocados: All the joy and flavor of the chocolate pudding you remember, and with all the healthy goodness of avocados. It’s a win-win!

I hope you enjoy the July/August issue of RecipeLion Magazine as much as we’ve enjoyed putting it together. We’re so happy to be here cooking with you and we’re looking forward to many more recipes, dishes, and meals to share. 

Happy cooking—and happy eating!

Kim Mateus

Editor & Publisher

P.S. Please enjoy this issue of RecipeLion Magazine, and let me know what you think about it by commenting below with your feedback! Your input is valuable to us and can help us make improvements.