8 Of Our Editors' Favorite Summer Recipes

Southern Living Strawberry Shortcake Sheet Cake ready to serve — Photo:
Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless

Summer, although notoriously hot, might just be our favorite season at Southern Living. And our editors' favorite summer recipes should give you some idea why. All of the best produce is suddenly in abundance, from fresh berries to okra and tomatoes, the grill is ready to be fired up, and friends are ready to come over for a cookout when the weather starts to warm. We polled the office to see what summer recipes our editors love most, and their picks might just inspire you to get cooking.

01 of 08

Sautéed Squash And Zucchini

Southern Living Sauteed Squash and Zucchini in a serving bowl — Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen

"The best summertime side dish! I am always on the lookout for pretty squash at my local market so I can cook up a big batch of sautéed veggies on Sundays to enjoy during the week," says Jenna Sims, Senior Digital Editor.

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02 of 08

Strawberry-Pretzel Jello Salad

"The first time I ever had this Strawberry-Pretzel Jello Salad was as a kid, at a potluck in the summertime, so to me this dish is full of nostalgia! It's also easy to make the night before an event and is the perfect mix of salty and sweet!" says Newsletter Editor, Hannah Zepeda.

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03 of 08

Cucumber-and-Vidalia Onion Salad

"A bowl of marinated cucumbers in the fridge just tastes like summer to me! My grandmother always made this, but she skipped the dill, so I do, too," says Betsy Cribb Watson, Senior Homes and Features Editor.

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04 of 08

Cakey Strawberry Cobbler

"I am not usually a huge cobbler fan, but this strawberry version changed my mind! It's the perfect summertime dessert," says Jenna Sims, Senior Digital Editor.

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05 of 08

Summer Sauce

"I love this stuff. It's truly an all-purpose sauce: marinade, salad dressing, pasta sauce. I even mix it with yogurt to make a dip," says Deputy Editor, Lisa Cericola.

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06 of 08

Best-Ever Succotash

"I always love a good succotash because it brings together so many of my favorite summer veggies! Plus you can swap out ingredients for whatever you find at the market, like field peas in lieu of lima beans or serve it with thick slices of heirloom tomatoes rather than tossing in cherry tomatoes," says Cameron Beall, Associate Homes Editor.

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07 of 08

Strawberry Shortcake Sheet Cake

"I made this for a family 4th of July party and it was a huge hit! And it's a perfect showcase for your farmers' market strawberries," says Rebecca Baer, Senior Digital Editor.

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08 of 08

Chicken Under A Brick

"I love surprising my summer cookout guests with a throwback recipe like this one! At first they're like, 'Hey Josh, 1992 called, and it wants its chicken back.' Then they taste it and promptly apologize. Plus, grilled lemons make everything taste better," says Josh Miller, Senior Food Editor.

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8 Of Our Editors' Favorite Summer Recipes

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