Hey, Reader, it’s Erin.

I feel like every month, I open this email with something along the lines of: Somehow, it's already (insert month name here.)

But honestly, time is flying, and we are barreling toward the start of school and the impending arrival of fall. Which, let's be clear, will not arrive in Austin for at least two months, if not longer, but we are inching closer.

So today, I want to talk about food to enjoy this time of year. I just love all the fresh goodness available, from backyard gardens to roadside stands and farmer's markets. This time of year is my favorite because, despite the heat, there is so much to enjoy and soak in.

So let's talk about a few things to eat this month...

For busy weeknights:

Steak Salad with Orange Vinaigrette

This steak salad is a thing of beauty, and it comes together pretty quickly, when all is said and done. With a perfectly seared steak (cooked any method you prefer), fresh greens, oranges and a light orange vinaigrette, this recipe is pure perfection for the end of summer.

BBQ Chicken Sliders with Avocado Slaw

There's something so much fun about eating bite-sized sliders for a meal. I personally adore the barbecue flavors of this recipe. (I am from Memphis, after all.) It reminds me of home and cooks up quickly enough to make it a winning weeknight meal.

When you want to get together:

Grilled BBQ Chicken Flatbread

This colorful flatbread is perfect for a gathering because it's full of flavor... and you can customize it to everyone's tastebuds, too, with various fresh veggies. So add whatever toppings you like and skip the ones you don't love.

Grilled Burgers

Burgers are a quintessential food for the summertime, and they are one of my favorites for summer hosting. Why? You can mix and form the patties early, keep them chilled in the fridge, make a platter's worth of toppings and put that in the fridge, too, then grill them up when the time is right and let guests dress them to their hearts' desires.

Planning ahead

Salmon Caesar Salad

I've missed salads so much recently (between the cyclospora outbreak and us not having the tools to actually make homemade salads during the renovation), so I'm dreaming of this simple but satisfying Salmon Caesar Salad. Made with salmon (cooked the way you like it — you can roast it, oven poach or grill it) and a homemade salad mix of your own liking, this is an easy dinner to make and share... or keep for yourself.

Chicken Zucchini Enchiladas

The combination of chicken and zucchini might sound odd, but let me tell you, it is delightful. Plus, this recipe is a great way to use up extra zucchini from the garden... assuming you've got a plant that's happy and producing. (I do not because I am a lackluster gardener who has big dreams but has yet to reach them.) Also, this adds some bonus veggies into dinner for the whole fam.

Currently loving...

• New kicks. I grabbed a pair of these fun sneakers at the outlet mall last weekend when we went back to school shopping. My usual sneakers are on their last leg (foot? sole?), and I spotted these, loved them and they feel excellent, so in to my cart they went.
• Steam clean. We've been using our grill pretty much every night this summer because of the kitchen renovation, and this new-to-use steam grill brush without bristles has been incredible.
• Television. We were late to discovering The Bear, but we devoured the first few seasons in the past year. And just this week, we finished watching season 5. Without diving too deep or spoiling things, I feel like it was wrapped up nicely in a way that we don't always get with TV shows we love. If you watched it, I'd love to know your thoughts!

I hope that one of these recipes fits the bill for you this week, and I hope that you find it delicious!

If you ever need help finding the right one, just hit reply. I'm always happy to help.

Bye y’all!
Erin

P.S. Don't forget you can click "Update your profile" at the bottom of any email from me to update your email preferences. I have several newsletters that I send throughout the week, including one that tells you about all the newest recipes on the blog! However, I never want to email you more than you like'd, so make sure your profile is up to date!

Howdy! I'm Erin. At The Speckled Palate, you'll find easy recipes and drinks that call for simple, fresh ingredients that hopefully inspire you to invite your people into your home for super low-key gatherings. Buy me a cup of coffee. take me to the blog

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