New seasons mean different things for different people. For some, it’s all about the wardrobe: sweaters for fall, new boots for winter, or fun tanks for summer. For others, it’s about sports. I don’t know anything about those, but insert appropriate seasonal comparisons here. And depending on where you live, you might be all for the seasonal weather changes: abundant sunshine in summer, sparkling piles of frosting-like snow in winter, leaves like confetti in fall, and endless showers in spring.
For me though, none of that matters. I don’t care about seasonal clothes, festivities, or weather; I care about food. Every season brings its own flavors that you can only enjoy once a year. As far as the actual season of summer goes, I feel pretty “meh” towards it. But mention summer food, and I’ll light up like a firecracker. S’mores, ice cream, fresh veggies, and grilled goodness are just a few of the reasons to salivate over summer cuisine. But if that’s not enough for you, let me give you 40 more reasons with my Sizzlin’ Summer Recipe Round-Up.
Whenever I get a cold, a nasty little monster takes up residence in my stomach. He’s ravenous, insatiable, and he doesn’t like to share. So, anything I eat, he steals for his greedy self. This causes me to be overwrought with fierce cravings and a violent kind of hunger that consumes me entirely. Resistance to this monster and the hunger he brings is futile, so it’s best to just ride it out.
I spent the better part of the day attempting to sooth this starving savage beast, but nothing seemed to work. The cold monster brings very specific cravings, and I didn’t have the means to satisfy the majority of them. One reoccurring craving he always seems to invoke is for PB & J. I haven’t had white bread in the house for years, so an actual sandwich was out of the question, but perhaps I could whip up something else that would elicit the same sweet and salty flavors.
With lightning speed, I concocted these cute and refreshing Personal Raspberry & Peanut Butter Cream Pies that finally quieted the grumbling, starving beast camping out in my tummy. I like to think of these as a slightly grown-up twist on classic PB&J, but they’re so simple and good that kids will love them too. This is the kind of treat that anyone, young or old, human or cold monster, can enjoy.
This time of year is bittersweet. We’re all eager to welcome fall with open arms. More specifically, we can’t wait to sink our teeth into pumpkin-flavored everything. Plus, fall is our last taste of mild weather before winter comes rolling in with guns blazing. However, as much as we like fall, it’s always hard to bid adieu to summer. It’s the favorite season among most people. And even if summer doesn’t top your favorite season list, you can’t deny that you love the warm, sunny weather, the cook-outs, the fresh fruit, and kicking back for a bit.
Letting go is always hard, but there’s no need to be bitter about it. We’re going to say goodbye to summer by remembering the good times…and the good eats!
Without further ado, here are my favorite Smart Cookie Cook summer recipes. Enjoy!
It may be the end of summer, but that also means it’s the start of Fall. We will dearly miss all those fresh summer eats, but we shall happily welcome comforting fall foods in their place!
Now that an entire year has passed since I started The Smart Cookie Cook, I have but one regret: that I didn’t start it sooner.
This website is the most gratifying, enjoyable thing I do in my life. I’m not ashamed to admit that college takes a backseat to Smart Cookie (but never fear, I still pull off good grades!). This is where my passion lies, in my food, my cooking, my baking, and in sharing it with you. I am so glad I have the opportunity to bring my Smart Cookie twists, tips, and tricks to all of you. When I make something delicious or think of something brilliant, my first thought is always, “I can’t wait to put this on Smart Cookie!”
My goal has always been, and will always be, to put smart twists on every dish, to make food the best it can be. From the start, I’ve wanted to bring you recipes that are both delicious and unique. I’m not satisfied with giving you good; it’s got to be great. Not only do I plan to keep on doing what I’m doing, but I plan to get even better. And you can bet your sticky buns that I’ll keep on churning out creative recipes, ingenious tips, and super fun videos. There’s nothing else I’d rather do. (Except maybe star on Food Network…)
Thank you so much to those who have supported me. And thank you to those who are just joining me. Nothing makes me happier than garnering new readers. I love to have you here. I hope you’ll keep stopping by in the years to come, because it’s only going to get better from here.
Now, we can’t have a proper birthday celebration without cake. I had a hard time deciding what flavor to choose until I asked myself an obvious question: What’s my favorite cake? I then realized this was a loaded question, because I have multiple favorites. If I had to narrow it down to two, I’d probably say strawberry cake and coconut cake. Rather than ripping my hair out over trying to choose between the two, I decided to fuse both flavors into one cake.
And man, was it good.
This Strawberry-Coconut Poke Cake is everything I love in one perfect dessert. I started with a moist and tender strawberry cake. That alone was fantastic, made with fresh strawberries, & worlds better than a boxed mix. I can also attest to it being the most delicious cake batter I’ve had, so much so that I’m freakin’ lucky I didn’t get salmonella.
I took that great cake and made it greater. How, you ask? I poked it and soaked it with sweet strawberry syrup and indulgent cream of coconut. It’s intensely infused with those fruity, tropical flavors. Plus, you know it’s going to be decadently moist and succulent. That’s the great thing about a poke cake; you never have to worry about it being dry.
Then comes the best part: Coconut Whipped Cream-Mascarpone Frosting. Yeah, sounds amazing, right? Well, it tastes even better. It’s light yet rich and creamy, then kissed with coconut flavor. This may be what the clouds in Jamaica taste like. But that’s just a theory.
This cool and refreshing cake = perfect for summer. It tastes so light, which may trick you into eating one honkin’ slice. Don’t fight it; this heavenly cake is worth it.
If this doesn’t say “Happy Birthday, Smart Cookie,” than nothing does.
A Few Tips Before You Get Cooking:
Make sure you watch the video to catch the step-by-step instruction, plus hear me (poorly) sing “Happy Birthday”!
I can get around you using a boxed strawberry cake mix if you promise to make this AMAZING frosting. It’s the easiest frosting ever, and so darn good.
You can add food dye to the cake and/or strawberry syrup to make the color more vibrant. I added a few drops to the syrup, but not the cake.
Can’t find cream of coconut? Use coconut milk instead.
You could make this as a 2-tiered round cake if you wanted.
You should make this early the day you plan to eat it or, even better, the night before. It takes some prep time between the cooling and chilling. Plus, the longer it chills, the greater the flavor.
“Hulled” simply means removing the green parts from the strawberries.
The colder the cream, the quicker it will whip. In fact, I recommend putting your mixing bowl in the freezer for a few minutes before whipping.
Strawberry-Coconut Poke Cake
Makes 12-16 servings
Ingredients:
For the cake Cake adapted from Cook’s Illustrated Classic White Cake and Good Things Catered
16 oz. very ripe strawberries, hulled
2 tsp sugar
1/4 cup milk, at room temperature
6 large egg whites, room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/4 cup cake flour, sifted
1 3/4 cup sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
12 Tbsp unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), at room temp
red food dye, optional
3/4 cup cream of coconut
For the strawberry syrup Syrup adapted from Taste of Home
1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries
1/4 cup water
2/3 cup sugar
1 tbsp. strawberry gelatin
red food dye, optional
For the Coconut Whipped Cream-Mascarpone Frosting Frosting by The Smart Cookie Cook
2/3 cup mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
2 cups heavy cream, chilled
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tbsp. coconut milk
1 1/2 cups shredded coconut
Directions:
*Note: It’s a good idea to macerate the strawberries the day before so they don’t set you back time-wise when you’re ready to make the cake.
Slice strawberries and toss with a teaspoon or two of sugar and cover. Let them sit at room temperature for a couple of hours, until nice and juicy.
Place strawberries in a food processor or blender and puree until completely smooth.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 9×13-inch pan. Set aside.
In a small bowl, combine 3/4 cup puree, milk, egg, vanilla and mix with fork until well blended. If you have leftover puree, you can refrigerate for later use.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, add sifted flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Mix to combine. Beat in butter at low speed. Mix until combined and resembling moist crumbs. Add puree-mixture and beat at medium speed for about 1 minute or until evenly combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and hand beat for 30 more seconds. Note: The batter will not get any pinker in the oven, so if you’re disappointed in the color from your berries, add a drop or two of pink or red food coloring.
Poor batter into prepared pan and spread in an even layer. Bake for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cake cool completely (about 1 hour).
While the cake cools, make the strawberry syrup. In a small saucepan, combine the strawberries, water and sugar; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 2-3 minutes or until berries are soft. Strain into a small bowl, pressing berries lightly; discard pulp. Add gelatin to syrup, stirring to dissolve completely. Cool to room temperature.
Use a knife sharpener or the end of a wooden spoon to poke holes in the cake, leaving a 1/2-inch barrier around the perimeter of the cake. Poor the strawberry syrup evenly over the cake’s surface, letting it seep into the holes. Give it a minute to absorb then pour the cream of coconut over top, using a spatula to press it down into the cake. Cover and refrigerate until fully absorbed and set, about 2 hours.
Make the frosting: In a medium mixing bowl with a hand mixer, beat the mascarpone cheese until soft. Add the cream, vanilla, and coconut milk and whip until stiff peaks form. Make sure the mixture is homogenous and the mascarpone isn’t sitting at the bottom. Add a bit more coconut milk if you’d like it more coconutty. Immediately spread onto chilled cake in an even layer. Top with the shredded coconut. Refrigerate cake for at least 2 hours before eating. The longer it chills, the better the flavor will be. However, you can serve immediately if you’re on a time constraint.
Store cake in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to four days.
Banana splits are as iconic to the world of ice cream as red velvet is to the world of cake. When we think of banana splits, we imagine red & white soda fountains from the 50′s and warm summer evenings spent at the ice cream parlor. This special sundae stands the test of time; it is still as beloved today as it was decades ago.
I decided it was time to give this classic a modern day twist. A few weeks ago, I discovered how awesome a homemade ice cream cake can be when I made my father a Buster Bar Ice Cream Cake for his birthday, and I thought to myself, what else can be morphed into ice cream cake form? Thus, here I am, tackling the iconic banana split sundae. I took all the essential flavors and components of the retro treat and compiled them into cake form. The result was both delicious and whimsical.
Here’s the freeze: layers of chocolate, banana, and strawberry ice cream separated by layers of fudge crunch and topped with hot fudge “frosting,” whipped cream, and of course, maraschino cherries. The rainbow of ice cream colors is so pretty to look at, not to mention impressive, but it’s crazy easy to assemble. A monkey could make this ice cream cake as long as he allowed for the proper freezing time. Make this a day in advance or start early, and you’ll have yourself one beautiful and delicious Banana Split Ice Cream Cake.
All the flavors come together beautifully, just like they do in a classic banana split. It’s a fun twist on a frozen favorite.
Check out my video below to see the freeze-by-freeze breakdown!
A Few Tips Before You Get Cooking:
Make sure you watch the video to check out all my tips for making this cake.
Although this cake is easy to make, it requires about 5 hours of freezing time since you have to freeze each layer. I promise it’s worth it!
Oreos would have the same affect as the chocolate wafers for making the filling.
Banana Split Ice Cream Cake By The Smart Cookie Cook
Ingredients:
1.5 quarts chocolate ice cream
1.5 quarts banana ice cream
1.5 quarts strawberry ice cream
1 1/2 boxes Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafers (9-oz. each)
2 16-oz. jars hot fudge (recommended: Mrs. Richardson’s)
6-8 maraschino cherries, for garnish
whipped cream, for garnish
chocolate sprinkles, for garnish
Special Equipment: springform pan
Directions:
Allow chocolate ice cream to soften. Either leave it out at room temperature for 30 minutes or microwave for 1 minute and stir. It should be softened, not melted. Meanwhile, crush the chocolate wafers in a food processor until crumbled. They should be textured, not fine.
Pour softened chocolate ice cream into a springform pan and spread out in an even layer. Sprinkle half of the wafer crumbs over top in an even layer. Freeze until firm and frozen, about 1 hour.
Soften the banana ice cream. Pour into the springform pan on top of the frozen chocolate layer. Gently spread out in an even layer. Top with remaining half of wafer crumbs and freeze until firm and frozen, about 1 hour.
Soften the strawberry ice cream. Pour into the pan on top of the frozen banana layer. Gently spread out in an even layer. Freeze until firm and frozen, about 1 hour.
Use the first jar of hot fudge to “dirty ice” the cake. Gently spread it out in an even layer, but do not overwork it or you will tear up the ice cream. Don’t worry about it looking pretty; we will add another layer on top of this. Freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.
Top with the second jar of fudge. You will now be able to spread it out smoothly without affecting the ice cream. You may freeze for another 30 minutes or take it out now. Carefully remove from the spring-form pan. Use whipped cream, cherries, and sprinkles to decorate. Serve immediately and store in the freezer in an air-tight container.
In the heat of summer, we naturally crave fresh and juicy fruit. We want foods that are light and refreshing, like tall glasses of ice-cold lemonade or frosty fruit popsicles. Any kind of chilled or fruity dessert is ideal. It’s just like how we gravitate to warm and comforting dishes like soup in the dead of winter. Our body asks for the opposite of what the weather provides us in order to create an inner balance.
Ever since the first warm day arrived in CNY, my family has been clamoring for a light summer dessert. I can be very attached to chocolate, so it took a while for their requests to get through to me. I momentarily parted ways with my beloved chocolate desserts to whip up something that would appease my family’s fruity needs. They mentioned fruit pie, which is all fine and dandy, but I wanted something a bit more fun.
After a bit of brainstorming, my mind gave birth to these Mini Strawberry Mousse Pies. Besides being insanely adorable, they are the perfect summer dessert. I decided to miniaturize them because food is just so much more fun that way. There’s something to be said for having your own personal pie and not having to share.
My next twist on these tiny pies was a Golden Oreo cookie crust. Regular Oreos are a common crust component. In fact, Oreo cookie crusts may be my favorite kind of crust of all. So I figured, if you can make a crust out of original Oreos, then why not Golden Oreos? It worked out beautifully, creating a sweet vanilla-flavored crust that was delightfully golden and crisp.
The Golden Oreo crust was the perfect base to cradle the lusciously light and fluffy strawberry-mascarpone mousse. By combining pillowy fresh whipped cream with creamy mascarpone, you get a mousse that’s wonderfully light and airy yet rich and creamy at the same time. It’s just heavenly. I made the mousse with fresh ripe strawberries so you really get that wonderful, real flavor. No artificial stuff here! Plus, that slight tartness of the berries perfectly balances out the sweet Golden Oreo crust.
Since these pies are chilled, they are wonderfully refreshing on a hot day. Their mini size makes them great for parties and get-togethers. You can make them early in the day then store them in the fridge until you’re ready to dive in. Between their fresh fruit flavor, light filling, and beautiful pink color, these teeny-tiny pies are made for summertime.
A Few Tips Before You Get Cooking:
Like I mentioned above, I encourage doing this as a make-ahead dessert. The longer the pies chill, the better the flavors will infuse.
These are quick and easy to make, so you have no excuse not to try them.
If you’re not a pie person, you can serve the strawberry-mascarpone mousse in a glass. That stuff is certainly good enough to eat straight up with a spoon. In fact, my mother prefers it that way.
You could do a Nilla wafer crust instead, although the Golden Oreo version is a refreshing new twist that I highly recommend.
Top with fresh whipped cream to take these over the top.
If you can’t find the mini cake pans I use, you could use ramekins instead.
In order to make sure your whipped cream whips up quick, and especially since it’s warm out now that it’s summer, you should pop your mixing bowl into the freezer for a few minutes before whipping.
Mini Strawberry Mousse Pies with Golden Oreo Crusts By The Smart Cookie Cook
Yield: 5 mini pies
Ingredients:
24 Golden Oreo Cookies (I used Double Stuf)
4 tbsp. butter (1/2 stick), melted
2 cups heavy cream, chilled
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
12 strawberries with the leaves sliced off, plus 5 whole strawberries for garnish
2/3 cup mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Special Equipment: 5 4.5-inch round cake pans or ramekins
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a food processor, crush the cookies until they resemble a fine crumb. Pour into a small mixing bowl with the melted butter and stir until well-combined. Distribute the mixture evenly among the 5 pans. Use your fingers to press the crumbs down into a thin, well-packed crust and form it to the shape of the pan. Bake crusts for 5-10 minutes or until golden brown. Set on wire racks to cool.
While the crusts cool, make the filling. In a large mixing bowl (preferably one that has been chilled), beat the heavy cream and powdered sugar until stiff peaks form. Be careful not to over-beat or you’ll have butter. Cover and store in fridge.
Place the strawberries in a food processor and puree until completely smooth, about 5-10 minutes. Pour the juice into a mixing bowl with the mascarpone and vanilla extract and whisk until well-combined. Retrieve the whipped cream from the fridge and fold in the mascarpone-strawberry mixture just until well-combined. The mousse should be one color. Cover and store in fridge until pie crusts are completely cooled.
To assemble the pies: Fill a large ziplock bag with the mousse, pushing it down to one corner of the bag. Snip off that corner to create a piping bag. Twist the top of the bag to seal the mousse in the bag then pipe into cooled crusts. Be generous; you have more than enough mousse. Piping is quicker, but if you don’t want to pipe the mousse, you can just spoon it into the crusts.
Top pies with additional strawberries or whipped cream. Store in fridge until ready to eat. I recommend letting them chill at least 4 hours before serving. If you have leftover mousse, store in the fridge in an air-tight container.
The other day, I was with my sister and mother at the grocery store as they were planning their dinner. I was only half paying attention because I usually make my own meals. It’s easier that way since I’m not only a vegetarian, but a picky one at that. My sister wanted mac and cheese, and my mother, who is on a health kick lately, retrieved a box of Velveeta to check out the nutrition stats. Both my mother and sister were appalled at the atrocious amount of fat and calories for one teeny-tiny serving. My sister then inquired, “Why don’t we make our own lighter pasta dish?” That was when my interest was piqued.
I butted into the conversation, offering to make the light pasta myself. I am always grabbing at opportunities to make bloggable dishes. Since my mother isn’t crazy about cooking, she was fine with me taking the reigns. And so, I began calculating how I could make something that tastes rich and flavorful like mac and cheese without all the fat and calories. Plus, I wanted to add in as many nutritious benefits as I could.
First thing first: I opted for whole-wheat pasta. To be frank, you’re a fool for ever using white pasta these days. Whole wheat and whole grain pastas are packed with protein and fiber, offering you way more nutrition than white pasta ever could. And it’s such a simple switch to make! No taste is compromised, plus you get a nice al dente bite.
Next, I knew I needed some cheese, so I went for lower fat, higher flavor options.First, I employed parmesan. It’s got some serious salty, tangy flavor, so a little bit goes a long way. Then, to get some awesome, indulgent creaminess, I used fat-free ricotta cheese. That adds a wonderful texture without adding all the calories and fat that milk, cream, or butter would.
Using olive oil instead of butter also helps us out. Then, because I believe light food does not have to equate to flavorless food, I bring in fresh garlic and shallots to really up the flavor ante. Finally, a trio of summery veggies bulk up this dish while providing tons of vitamins. Plus, they’re plain delectable!
This light and flavorful pasta is perfect for summer time. It’s not gunked up with cream, butter, and fatty cheeses that will drag you down like the summer heat. Instead, it’s got creamy ricotta, just the right amount of tangy parm, garlic, shallots, and fresh veggies. It’s a perfect medley that you won’t feel guilty about eating.
It’s obvious Kraft and Velveeta can’t turn out pasta this nutritious, but I guarantee that boxed junk won’t be half as delicious and flavorful either.
A Few Tips Before You Get Cooking:
You can feel free to use whatever veggies you like.
You can use a different pasta shape, but I recommend sticking with something that has ridges to catch the ricotta.
This is a great side for barbeque nights!
This is also an awesome vegetarian meal. Between the protein-packed pasta and all those veggies, this is a hearty dish.
Light Summer Pasta with Ricotta & Fresh Veggies By The Smart Cookie Cook
Ingredients:
1 lb. whole-wheat rotini or fusilli
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 shallot, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 heads of broccoli, chopped
1 summer squash, sliced in coins
1 zucchini, sliced into coins
1 cup fat-free ricotta cheese
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
kosher salt, to taste
dash red pepper flakes
Directions:
In a large pot of salted, boiling water over high heat, cook the pasta according to the box directions. Drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, in a large sauce pan, bring the olive oil to medium heat. Saute the the shallots for 2 minutes, then add the garlic and saute for another 2 minutes.
Add the broccoli and squashes and stir to coat in the oil. Add another tablespoon of oil if it seems dry. Cover and steam until veggies are tender, stirring occasionally, about 15-20 minutes.
Turn the heat down to low. Season veggies with salt and red pepper flakes. Add the pasta and cheeses and stir until well-coated. Turn off heat and serve immediately.
Summer seems to go on forever in the best way possible, up until Fall appears once more and we realize how quickly the season of sun truly sped by. But those long summer days can start to melt into one another, becoming monotonous and dull. I say we shake it up. Let’s make this the summer of color and zest. We’ll start with these Rainbow Roasted Veggies.
If ever there was a dish that said “summer,” this is it. It is colorful, exciting, and bursting with fresh flavors. Oven-roasting brings out the best in this colorful array of veggies, extracting that wonderful flavor just waiting to break out. Butternut squash, zucchini, onion, red peppers, and broccoli are all attending this summer party, and they’ve each got something delicious to offer. Together, they create a colorful spectrum of oven-roasted deliciousness. Season it up good with salt and pepper, then add some red pepper flakes to bring the summer heat. Finish it with a sprinkle of grated parm if you like.
This is summer perfection. It’s got flavor as big as the sun, and it’s so simple!
A Few Tips Before You Get Cooking:
Use whatever veggies you like, but I found this to be a winning combo.
Use fresh veggies; it really makes a difference as far as taste & texture goes.
Chopping is annoying. Get it done beforehand so all you have to do later is pop the veggies in the oven.
Don’t like spiciness? Omit the red pepper flakes.
Rainbow Roasted Veggies By The Smart Cookie Cook
Ingredients:
1 zucchini, sliced
1/2 butternut squash, cubed
1 large or 2 small heads of broccoli, chopped
2 roasted red peppers from a jar
1 onion, sliced
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
3 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
dash red pepper flakes
optional: 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Set aside.
In a microwave-safe bowl filled with 1/4 cup water, cook the butternut squash on high for 5 minutes. Drain.
Combine all the veggies in a large mixing bowl, reserving the roasted red peppers, onion, and garlic. Mix in the olive oil, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes until evenly coated. Pour the veggies out in a single layer on the baking sheet. Roast for 20 minutes or until just about done, then add the red peppers, onion, and garlic and roast for another 5-10 minutes or until golden brown and fork tender. Top with parmesan cheese & enjoy.
