Summer Recipe: Fresh Corn Salad

summer corn salad

We daydream about good thymes in the garden every summer. 🙂 Although we haven’t mastered many garden skills yet, we’re trying. Jenna has a strong showing of tomatoes and zucchini’s most summers. Jessica has had moderate success with spinach, herbs and radishes. Oh, and mint has multiplied everywhere. We are happy to report this year’s garden is growing, and fingers crossed we produce some actual food for our families, and the animals don’t grub on it all before we do.

With gardens, come more garden salads, and entertaining in the backyard. We hope to share more recipes with you, and heres’s the first one.

Fresh Summer Corn Salad
Recipe adapted by Cookie and Kate
serves 5-7 people as a side salad

Salad Ingredients:

  • 9 cherry tomatoes, chopped
  • 1/2 Yellow pepper, finely chopped
  • 1 jalapeno, with seeds removed and finely chopped
  • 5 Green onions, chopped
  • 1/2 cup crumbled feta
  • 4 cobs fresh corn, either grilled or boiled and then sliced off the cob
  • 1/2 english cucumber, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped

Dressing Ingredients:

  • Red wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons
  • Garlic, 2 cloves pressed
  • Olive oil, 1/4 cup
  • Sea salt, 1/2 teaspoon
  • Black pepper to taste

fresh corn salad from the garden

fresh corn salad for summer entertaining

Make DIY String Light Poles with Concrete Stands for Outdoor Entertaining

concrete-globe-lights-aspen-trunk-picnic-table-wood-alfresco-dining-outdoor-entertaining-the-home-depot-diy-challenge

When we started this little blog years ago, we dreamt of working with large and reputable corporations – one of the companies at the top of our list was The Home Depot. So, needless to say, we were giddy with excitement to join the DIY concrete challenge at The Home Depot Blog.

We hadn’t worked with concrete before, and honestly, we can’t wait to work with it again. After happily spending hours in The Home Depot, we stayed in a semi-comfortable DIY zone and opted for a somewhat simple project to add outdoor lighting to Jessica’s patio.

We created rustic string light poles with a concrete base.

concrete-globe-lights-aspen-trunk-picnic-table-wood-alfresco-dining-outdoor-entertaining-the-home-depot-diy-challenge

Our mom was the first to see the DIY concrete project; in fact, she helped mix the concrete. She loved it so much, she requested a DIY concrete stand to string lights in her backyard, too.

concrete-globe-lights-aspen-trunk-picnic-table-wood-alfresco-dining-outdoor-entertaining-the-home-depot-diy-concrete-challenge

Whether you’re experienced with concrete or beginners like us, you can easily make this DIY concrete stand. It’s a high impact DIY project on a low-budget. Plus, you will take your outdoor summer entertaining to a whole new level of ambiance and warmth.

Check out the full tutorial at The Home Depot Blog.

concrete-globe-lights-aspen-trunk-picnic-table-wood-alfresco-dining-outdoor-entertaining-the-home-depot-diy-concrete-challenge

summer, summer, summertime…

time to sit back and unwind.
~ lyrics courtesy of Will Smith’s Summertime song…you knew it, huh? 

As I was creating my lust-list for Damsel in Dior’s Follow Fridays last week, I found myself lusting over and over again for summer entertaining items. Since I wasn’t able to share all of them with you then, I’m sharing them with you now.

Take a look…don’t you just love and want them too? I know they would look perfect on my antique wood picnic bench on the back porch.

Happy Memorial Weekend everyone. Hope you entertain in style this weekend. And, most importantly let us all take the time to remember loved ones we’ve lost, and particularly honor and remember those in the military service who have died serving our great country. We are forever grateful.

Blue Striped Table Cloth, Terrain {$98}
Galvanized Metal Rectangular Tray, Pottery Barn {$39.50} 
Wildflower Collection in Burlap Bags {for favors}, Terrain {$25}
Mason Jar Shakers, Terrain {$16}
RÅSKOG Kitchen Cart, Ikea {$49.99}
Smith and Hawken Metal Cage String Lights, Target
Striped Sea Grass Carafe, Terrain {$24}
Marimekko Unikko Green and Blue Melamine Plate, Crate and Barrel {$4.95}
Andros Blue Melamine Dinner Plate, Crate and Barrel {$4.95}
Wire Utility Basket, Terrain {$16}
Mason Jar Drink Dispenser, Pottery Barn, {$69}
Hammered Acrylic Drinkware Lime, Pier1 {$4.60}

 {images via Terrain, Party-Tales, Pottery Barn, Crate and Barrel, Target, Pier1, Ikea}