6 Southern Inspired Recipes Perfect for Summer
Hello and welcome to a Sunday edition of Kelly's Kitchen. Today, I'm featuring 6 Southern inspired recipes I love to make at home during, well, the Summer. I've got a little bit of everything for you today: from sweet to savory.
With the 4th coming up, I'm always on the lookout for easy-to-make crowd-pleasers. Most of today's recipes aren't too involved, and I've got hacks to simplify them even further. I hope you enjoy them!
The Summary
Kelly is sharing 6 Southern inspired recipes perfect for Summer.
You can get the full recipe card for a dish by clicking the link at the end of each section
6 Southern Inspired Recipes Perfect for Summer
1. Herby Chicken and Rice salad
Last week we had a delicious Indian-inspired chicken and rice dish, and this week we have another chicken and rice recipe. Today, Herby Chicken and Rice Salad – a perfect summertime chicken and rice dish. We are using a store-bought rotisserie chicken, making this an easy, quick salad to throw together for a hot day’s dinner. Let’s get right to it!
This recipe is by Emily Nunn. She has a newsletter called “The Department of Salad: Official Bulletin”, which I subscribe to, and quite enjoy. This recipe though, came from a feature in May’s Southern Living magazine called, “Lost Salads of the South”. It’s a great feature with a bunch of great salad recipes.
2. Tomato Sandwich
I have another recipe that puts the tomato at center stage. As luck would have it, my tomato plants set a ton of fruit this year and a whole bushel of tomatoes are ready at the same moment. After a sad showing of tomatoes last summer, I did a bunch of research for this summer’s growing season and it’s been quite rewarding to see that effort pay off.
A Tomato Sandwich is a very simple sandwich, but this recipe is so much more than a few slices of tomato on bread with mayo.
I took a big detour with this recipe and instead of the classic white sandwich bread, I used sourdough focaccia I made and froze back in the wintertime. A departure from the classic Southern Tomato Sandwich, but no less delicious!
3. Smoked Meatloaf
This meal has been on my mind for a few weeks now and now I know why. This meatloaf is the best meatloaf I have ever had. Every time I have been to a barbecue joint that has meatloaf on the menu, I always think, “Yeah, right. Meatloaf. I am here for the ribs, or the pulled pork. Not something I can make easily at home.” Well, shame on me because it’s taken me 40+ years to realize that smoked meatloaf is something unto itself; separate from the rest. A revelation.
4. Egg Salad Sandwich
Today I have a simple recipe for a new way to enjoy an egg salad sandwich. Rather than a minced egg situation, we have medium-sized chunks of egg, diced celery, onion and pepperoncini peppers all lightly dressed in a mayonnaise, dijon and vinegar dressing. Liberally seasoned with kosher salt and black pepper, sandwiched between fluffy soft potato bread slices. I think it’s The Best Egg Salad Sandwich – let’s do it!
5. Smoked Chicken Chili
Today we are making what may seem like the perfect cold-weather comfort food. And it is! But in my opinion, a good chili is great for every season. This pot of beans, tomato and chicken only needs to simmer on low heat for about 30 minutes, so it’s a quick cook and it’s pretty much hands-off.
We are starting with leftover smoked chicken, but you can use a store-bought rotisserie chicken – and with the addition of liquid smoke, you won’t be missing out on the smoked chicken flavor. Which, really makes this chili different. It feels more like summer chili, if you will; with the flavors of summertime barbecue. Let’s do this Smoked Chicken Chili!
6. Atlantic Beach Pie
Hello and welcome! We are satisfying our sweet tooth today with an Atlantic Beach Pie. I found this recipe on Food52, and after seeing a similar pie called a North Carolina Lemon Pie, I thought I’d give it a go. The main differences between the two versions, as far as I can tell is the Atlantic Beach Pie allows for a mix of lemon and lime juice and finishes with a sprinkling of flaky sea salt. These twists are thanks to Bill Smith of Crook’s Corner in Chapel Hill. I took another liberty with this recipe and crushed the crackers coarse, so the crust would have a more craggy texture. This made for a very crumbly crust, but I really like the bigger shards of salty Saltines. Let’s get to it!
In Case You Missed It
Celebrate the 4th of July early with Beth. Click the title or image below to read the article.
Kelly, I just can’t get enough of your recipes! They make my mouth water! I just started following you on Pinterest. Little by little I’ll be trying them out.
Hi Nancy, Thank you so much! I am so happy you are enjoying the recipes. xo Kelly