Best “How to” Tips for Summer Cooking

From turning on the grill to peeling peaches and grilling corn, this post is filled with my favorite “how to” posts for easy summer cooking.

Summer is in full swing and the farmer’s market stands are overflowing with corn, peaches and zucchini. Whether you’re firing up the grill, preparing to make a peach pie or whipping up a batch of guacamole, there are a few kitchen skills that will help you to throw together meals with ease. This post is filled with some of my best tips and tricks for making summertime cooking virtually painless. Heck, even enjoyable!

Grilling Tips

There’s no reason to relinquish control of the cooking tongs once grilling season hits. How to: Grill Like a Girl…My Best Tips, which includes How to: Turn on a Gas Grill…Barbecue 101 will have you flipping burgers like a pro in no time.

Knife Skills & Sweet Pineapples

Whether it’s the middle of winter or the height of summer, nothing speeds up dinnertime prep like good knife skills and a sharp knife. How to: Hold & Cut with a Chef’s Knife – Knife Skills 101 will give you the skills you need.

If you like grilled pineapple as much as I do, but hate wrestling with the spiky fruit, head to How to: Choose & Cut a Pineapple. It will make your life easier. I promise.

Peaches & Avocados

Oh, how my husband wishes I used How to: Peel a Peach to make a summertime peach pie, but my ineptitude with pie pastry leaves that dream unrequited. Nevertheless, it’s always good to know how to deal with these stubborn fruits.

While I may be a failure in the pie department, I can whip up avocado recipes with my eyes closed. How to: Prepare an Avocado comes in handy every time.

Corn & Mangos

There is nothing that epitomizes summertime more than a lightly charred ear of sweet corn. Eat it straight or top the salad with the kernels. How to: Grill Corn shows you how to achieve tender, smoky corn with little effort.

Mangos are one of the most baffling fruits to prepare, but the flesh of this exotic-tasting fruit can make the most amazing sorbet or fresh tasting slaw. Check out How to: Cut a Mango to navigate your way around that pesky pit.

Now go raid that farmer’s market and get cooking!