Saturday

Cavatappi Nicoise (recipe in the comments)
Herbed goat cheese toasts (recipe in the comments)

Hot tea
Raspberries!
______________________________________________________________
This is a new recipe and one that will definitely be a keeper :) I love the salad and it evokes all the greatness of a salad nicoise without being quite so difficult to prepare. The toasts are exquisite and a wonderful addition. Of course, few meals are as wonderful as those that end with fresh berries. It was a home run all around - especially because it makes plenty for a picnic outside our art museum the next day!

Prep Notes
Difficulty: Moderate
Chopping: Green beans (halved), grape tomatoes (halved), olives, shallots, parsley, thyme
Time: 40 minutes
Make ahead: This was GREAT the next day!

Reaction
J: "Truly sensational summer!"
M: "The salad is great, but the toasts are transformative!"

Saturday

Veggie burgers
Pasta salad
Chopped vegetable salad

Hot tea
______________________________________________________________
So, we were planning to have a barbecue tonight with some people I work with, but T got sick early this morning, calling off our plans. So, we had a mini barbecue just the three of us. T was seeming better by dinner time, so he enjoyed it too. Even without the guests grilling and having summer-y food seemed festive.

Prep Notes
Difficulty: Super easy
Chopping: Olives, tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, radishes, lettuce
Time: 25 minutes
Make ahead: This isn't really great made in advance.