Last year my friend Faith, the incredibly talent editor of The Kitchn, came out with a gorgeous cookbook called Bakeless Sweets: Pudding, Panna Cotta, Fluff, Icebox Cake and more No-Bake Desserts. I no-baked from it all last summer and just pulled it out again last month. You guys, this it the ultimate dessert summer cookbook. Faith knows what we all like – cool, sweet desserts that range from the traditional to adventurous. And she also knows that we don’t have time for complicated cooking techniques and fancy equipment. Her desserts are all easy and accessible and taste completely fabulous.

To get us all in the mood to turn off our ovens this season Faith has stopped by to chat about her book and generously give away a copy. If you want to see the kind of recipes that are in it you should checkout my take on her Graham Cracker Lemon Icebox Cake and her No-Bake Brownies, they are soooo good!

We were strawberry picking up a storm last week so brace yourself for a few upcoming strawberry recipes. Unfortunately, we had to do most of the strawberry picking in the fields north of us. The strawberry patch I planted is very slowly ripening and has so far yielded about 10 berries total. I think next year it will be more abundant as the plants mature. In the mean time, we are happy to pick wherever and whenever and I was thrilled to have about 20 pounds to work with last weekend.

Last month my friends at Ball Canning sent me some of their newest products for summer. I immediately fell in love with the lid that screws onto their wide mouth jars and is intended for infusing beverages. I try to drink lots of water and teas in the summer but I stay away from sugary drinks as much as possible to avoid the unwanted calories. Instead I infuse my beverages with natural flavors like vegetables, herbs, and fruits. This new lids makes it so easy to do! Here are a few flavor combinations I’ve been enjoying lately:

This spring I started a fantastic partnership with Arla Dofino because I love their cheeses. They are naturally delicious and align perfectly with my mission of incorporating good food into my family’s life every single day. The great thing about Arla is that they want you to get the BBQ spirit and are giving away a three month supply of cheese to one lucky winner. Yes! Naturally delicious cheese for your family for the whole summer!! How great is that?! Their cheeses are perfect for topping your summer burgers, melting onto grilled pizzas, or even pairing with fruit and crackers to make an easy entertaining cheese plate. Here is how you can enter to win:

Since we are talking about awesome frozen desserts this week I had to include this post for making ice cream cake in a loaf pan. Seriously, you guys, this is soooo easy. Plus, it is super fun for kids. Here is how you make it!

I was never really into flavored cheeses until I started working with Arla Dofino. There cheeses are the first ones I’ve ever tried with actual natural flavors like real peppers or dill incorporated into the cheese. There is nothing artificial about them! The cool thing about naturally flavored cheeses is that can give new life to tried-and-true dishes. For example, a regular grilled cheese can be transformed if you use Pesto Gouda instead of cheddar. Quesadillas take on a whole new life with Chipotle Gouda, and salads taste amazing with a sprinkle of shredded Dill Havarti. Last week my in-laws were visiting so I used the Jalapeno Havarti to make an easy summer entertaining dip.

The best and worst think about the food writing world is staring at amazing recipes and food all day. My friends and favorite writers are constantly thinking up new and amazing dishes. I try to Pin them all with the hopes of making them someday but there is never enough time! Last week I finally tasked myself with making Phoebe’s amazing peanut sauce. It has always been high on my to-do list and I was totally craving an Asian-inspired noodle dish so it was finally the perfect time to give it a whirl.

This is my best friend of summer salads. The one I pull out time and time again when I want a light dinner, or a heavier side dish, or I generally just have a craving for a BLT. (I know that sounds silly, but those cravings happen fairly often!) I first found it on Food52 practically the day after it was published. I made it the week after publication and have done so steadily ever since.

Even though school is almost over you still need easy recipes for dinners that can be in the oven then on the table in under half an hour. Not to mention, you need recipes that don’t require excessive heat or stewing since it is simply too hot to do so! One of our latest easy favorites is a quick baked cod. Any white fish will do, really, it is all about the seasonings in the end.

With summer coming up it is time to transition to no-cook food. Or, at least food that requires minimal heat when it is simply too hot to crank up the burners for hours on end. On these occasions I rely on icebox desserts. Anything that doesn’t require baking is instantly more convenient to make. In this case I whip up a quick lemon curd and assemble the cake before slipping it into the fridge. It really is that easy!

Now that I am back in my summer rhubarb routine I am trying to come with a few new recipes to fold into my tried and true. This is one I spotted on Epicurious a while ago and have finally (finally!) gotten the chance to try. My strawberry plants are still ripening so I made these with berries from the store. (The cool spring weather means our strawberry season is way behind.)  It was super easy and was beyond delicious. It tasted like strawberry-rhubarb pie in a glass  – sweet and refreshing. I added some sparkling water to dilute it a bit and add some effervescence, but you can do what you want. Here is the recipe for your new favorites summer drink.

Working with Arla Dofino has given me the best education on cheese. I’ve always loved (LOVED!) cheese and done my best to buy only the highest quality cheese I can afford for my friends and family. Naturally, this means avoiding processed cheeses since they are known for not being as healthy. However, up until now I didn’t really know why processed cheese wasn’t so good for me.

Many moms, like myself, are choosy about the milk they give their families, but I find it surprising that not as many are concerned about the cheese they serve. It makes sense that we should be aware of what’s in the cheeses just as much as the milk we are putting on the table.

Arla Dofino is one of our favorite household cheeses now because their cheeses are made with a few, natural ingredients, and taste great because of their attention to quality. But what does this all mean, exactly? Here is the skinny: