summer food is hard to burn

If I've ever talked to you about cooking, I've probably mentioned that I only know how to make 6 things. This is not entirely true.

I cook in spurts. I get excited about the kitchen, collect new recipes, experiment, and end up with a series of 6 or so items that I love. I then make them all the time until my husband gets sick of them. And then, because those 6 have worn out their welcome, I retire them long enough to forget they're still in my cooking repertoire.

Fortunately, I've stumbled upon a series that may last a while. And once we tire of these recipes, I probably won't forget them easily. Here are some of the happiest summer foods I've found. They're packed with vegetables (read: good for you), but rather than tasting like obligatory veggie servings you must choke down, they're tasty and light.

Click on the links and eat up:

• Adrienne's frittata. You can't mess it up—provided you remember that broilers work quickly. I didn't. The first time.
  
• Deja's burger relish. I haven't actually tried making black bean hamburgers (sorry, Dej—perhaps in the next 6 recipes). But I did pair the relish up with some apple-gouda-cheese-chicken brats we found at costco. The combination was amazing.
• Strawberry salad. I lied. This one isn't new, but I love it in the summer. The link is as close to my recipe as I can find. I usually just use Brianna's poppy seed dressing instead of making my own (I'm lazy). I've also left out the red onion before and nothing in my kitchen has exploded.
• And, the most repeatedly made recipes of the bunch: Lara's yummy pita dips. The woman who gave me these is so gourmet that she knows where to buy pomegranate molasses (and which brand is best!). Obviously, I worried I would mess something up. Not a chance. The explanations are so clear that even I could make these foods. (I made them again tonight. I'm eating them right now.) Be sure to let the bulgur sit long enough to soften. And don't be surprised when your mother-in-law calls to say she ate the extra you left at her house for all three meals the next day.
  

Well, there's summer for you. I hope it's yummy.