You’re soaking in the warm weather and have eaten your fill of hamburgers, watermelon and other seasonal go-tos. But there’s still plenty of summer left to enjoy. Breeze through the dog days with our handy shopping list and 10 complementary recipes, which celebrate the best of the season. We’re confident you’ll be surprised at the delicious combinations and refreshed dishes you can put together with these simple ingredients.
Grocery List
Shop the season with some of our favourite ingredients.
- 5 Atlantic salmon fillets (6 oz /175 g)
- 2 packs Sensations by Compliments Sterling Silver Beef Kabobs with Vegetables
- 12 chicken thighs or 8 chicken drumsticks
- 1 sweet red and 1 sweet orange pepper
- 16 tomatoes
- 1 package Sensations by Compliments Deluxe Hamburger Buns
- 1 bottle Sensations by Compliments Spirited Mickie Sweet & Tangy Bourbon BBQ Sauce
- 2 packages spinach (284 g)
- Comté or Swiss cheese (9.7 oz/275 g)
- 1 box rotini pasta (12 oz)
Note: Amounts are slightly rounded up to the nearest whole measure.
Storage & Cooking Tips
- If tomatoes are not fully ripened, store them on the counter and not in the refrigerator, as the cold will halt the ripening process.
- Use a big pot when cooking the rotini. Pasta generally doubles in size when cooked, and this will ensure it has enough room to move around and cook uniformly.
- Marinate the fresh chicken for the Piri-Piri Style Chicken and the Pulled Chicken Sandwiches on the weekend and freeze. Defrost overnight in the fridge and grill when needed.
What’s Cookin’
Pantry staples bring together these ten sensational summer recipes.
BBQ Chicken Salad with Lime Dressing
Put the remix on chicken salad with a delicious (and easy!) three-ingredient homemade dressing and a crunchy garnish of tortilla chips. Serve it for a casual patio lunch with a glass of chilled lemonade.
Grilled Beef & Couscous Salad with Curry Vinaigrette
Store-prepared meat and veggie kabobs make prep easier for this pilaf-style meal salad, which also includes cheese, chickpeas and spinach. This salad is just as delicious warm as it is at room temperature, and leftovers are great for lunch the next day.
Grilled Steak & Cheese Quesadillas
These satisfying quesadillas are cooked on the grill, so you can stay out in the backyard and watch the sunset while you wait for the pesto tortillas to crisp up. For a change, swap the beef kabobs for any leftover grilled meat you have on hand.
Grilled Burger Bun Tomato & Cheese Pizzas
These 15-minute personal pizzas make a quick kids’ snack or dinner thanks to the use of a hamburger bun as the base. They’re also a perfect way to use up leftovers from your burger bar party.
Piri-Piri Style Chicken with Spinach
Spice up your weekday chicken dinner with a Portugese-style Piri-Piri sauce: a spiked yogourt marinade infused with lime. Wilted spinach with caramelized garlic makes a quick, fuss-free side.
Salmon Noodle Salad with Spicy Ginger Peanut Sauce
This Asian twist on classic pasta salad uses chili, lime and sesame oil — an easy way to add zing with pantry staples. The salmon marinade doubles as the dressing base, saving you an extra step.
Filled with flaky barbecued salmon, brown rice, salsa and Comté or Swiss cheese, the humble tomato is elevated from simple salad status to classy appetizer or side. Enjoy it with a glass of rosé (it pairs well with both tomatoes and salmon!) on the deck.
Pasta Salad with Salmon & Tomatoes
Yellow pepper, tomatoes and basil bring summery flavour and confetti colours to rotini pasta tossed with a classic balsamic and olive oil dressing.
Spicy Thai Pulled Chicken Sandwiches
If your family likes pulled pork, they’ll love this! A Thai-inspired marinade flavours the chicken — cilantro, mango and spinach add the finishing touches.
Mediterranean-inspired aromatics of lemon, garlic and thyme partner with Comté or Swiss cheese and breadcrumbs to make a crisp topping for tender tomatoes. Tip: For a side with meatier texture, sub in zucchini for the tomatoes.
