Capture the spirit of summertime with relaxed, delicious recipes.
Warmer nights call for fresh, lively dishes in a laid-back setting. If you have outdoor space, set the mood for warm-weather dining with patio tables, flickering candles and strings of soft lights. If you don’t, you can bring that quintessential summertime experience indoors with fantastic, sun-kissed recipes.
Recipe development
Inspired by summer’s long, languid days, our team of chefs have developed nine fresh recipes. “Folks eat differently during the warmer months,” says Chef Jeff Basalik, executive corporate chef for the Kraft Culinary Centre. “They want satisfaction, but they look for lighter-styled dishes. We heightened flavor with citrus fruits and vinaigrettes. We incorporated lean proteins, like grilled fish and roasted turkey. For the dessert recipes, we went with refreshing flavors.” All nine recipes developed by our team answer the season’s call for casual, fresh food while keeping ease of preparation and execution front and center.
Behind the Recipes
Orange Honey Blossom Oatmeal Pancakes with Fresh Fruit
Great for summer breakfast and brunch menus, these pancakes are light and fluffy, but with the added goodness of oatmeal. In between each pancake is a delicious citrus spread made with Philadelphia Cream Cheese and Greek-style yogurt. Starring orange marmalade, orange-blossom honey and orange zest, Philly ensures spreadability and creaminess. A tumble of berries, coated with warmed orange marmalade, finishes this feast for the eyes.
Country Two-Cheese Sandwich Grill
Nothing says “outdoor café” like a grown-up grilled cheese sandwich with full-flavored cheeses and undertones of mustard and horseradish. This one features country-white bread spread with Grey Poupon Bistro Sauce. Fontina and smoked Gouda, caramelized onions and roasted red pepper are layered between, then the sandwich is grilled until the cheese oozes and melts.
Roast Turkey Ciabatta with Tuscan White Bean Spread
Summertime is sandwich time! This one transports to Italy with its split and toasted ciabatta roll, perfumed fresh basil, grilled zucchini (brightened with a marinade of Kraft Golden Italian Dressing), red onion, roasted yellow peppers and sun-dried tomatoes. For the sandwich spread, our chefs introduce wonderful texture and mouthfeel with a blended combination of Philadelphia Cream Cheese, northern beans, Grey Poupon Country Dijon, green onions, lemon zest and Italian parsley.
Island Shrimp Cakes with Pineapple-Mango Salad
The name alone adds sunshine to your menu. For the shrimp cakes, our chefs combine Gulf Coast shrimp with roasted red pepper, scallion, jalapeño, zucchini, carrot and ginger. Grey Poupon Bistro Sauce brings in a nice mouthfeel, as well as background notes of horseradish and Dijon mustard. Ritz Crackers tighten the cakes, which are dredged in flour and sautéed in olive oil. As a bright counterpoint, the cakes are served alongside a salad of fresh mango, grilled pineapple, cilantro, red onion and cucumber. Our new Kraft Lime Cilantro Vinaigrette adds another flavor dimension to the salad.
Crab & Shrimp-Stuffed Avocado Salad
A perfect counterpoint to a hot summer day, this refreshing salad is great as lunch fare. Our chefs make a roasted corn and jicama salad tossed in a spicy mustard vinaigrette, and lay half of a pitted avocado over it. They stuff the avocado with a mixture of jumbo lump crabmeat, grilled shrimp, roasted red bell pepper, cilantro, red onion, roasted poblano and tomato. Lime juice and zest, cumin and crushed red-pepper flakes heighten the profile while Kraft Mayo Real Mayonnaise binds it beautifully.
Falafel Pita Wrap
This dish explores the North African pantry of Mediterranean cuisine, with its aromatic, fresh flavors. Our chefs update classic falafel with their combination of chickpeas, goat cheese, cilantro, Grey Poupon, cumin, parsley, mint, lemon juice and Premium Saltine Crackers. Pocketless pita holds the falafel, as well as a lovely salad of English cucumber, kalamata olives, grape tomatoes, red onion, parsley and feta. Kraft Sun Dried Tomato Vinaigrette brightens the salad. For added mouthfeel and yet another layer of bright flavors, the chefs make a creamy spread with Kraft Mayo Real Mayonnaise embellished with Kraft Sun Dried Tomato Vinaigrette, roasted red pepper and crushed red-pepper flakes.
Baked Halibut with Julienne Fruit and Vegetable Salad
Seafood continues to be a mega trend. Here, our chefs showcase halibut in a clean presentation. The fish is baked and then served with a delicate salad of Asian pear, zucchini, celery root, red onion, carrot, yellow and red pepper dressed in a blend of Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing, harissa paste, lemon juice and zest.
Coconut-Key Lime Mini Mousse Cakes
Tropical flavors and a light-as-a-feather mousse topping make this a perfect summer dessert. Presented as a cupcake, it answers the mini-dessert trend with a playful, familiar presentation. Our chefs add a burst of lime flavor to a white cake mix with Jell-O Lime Flavor Gelatin. To give the mousse a tropical note, they add coconut milk, key-lime juice and zest to whipping cream and Jell-O Vanilla Instant Pudding.
Lemon-Raspberry Sorbet Bombe
For a refreshing, colorful dessert perfect for summertime, our chefs created this layered sorbet. Jell-O Lemon Flavor Gelatin and frozen lemonade concentrate are added to hot water. Once it thickens, they mix in Greek yogurt, then freeze that layer. A mixture of Jell-O Raspberry Flavor Gelatin combined with mashed raspberries, raspberry jam and a bit more Greek yogurt is layered on top. The result? A beautiful, sweet ending to a perfect summer’s day.