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These tomato mayo cheese toasts from Ali Slagle became my summer MVP. The trick is you gotta give that spread a second to get a bit melty... the second slice is always better than the first in a makes your eyes roll back in your head kind of way. https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1024469-tomato-cheddar-toasts?smid=ck-recipe-android-share

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oooo these sound great — like pimento cheese! her recipes are always great.

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I needed your positive energy this morning. Thank You!!! ❤️

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oh thanks Pam!

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I've made the potato salad at least 5 times this summer. Everyone loves it. It's quick, simple, and so tasty! I've been adding some grated carrot for added veg/color too!

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im so happy to hear this!!!!!!!!!

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I’m so glad you’re back! My best meal this summer was the last week my 14 year old was here for the summer. We had a Jaws watch party where I made a giant seafood boil complete with clams that had been in the ground the day before. For dessert: handfuls of saltwater taffy from a day at the beach.

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this sounds so fun and sweet!!!!!!!!

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Happy end of summer! I loved eating blueberry ice cream in Bar Harbor - the perfect afternoon snack after hiking in Acadia. I’ve been cooking/baking a lot and love making a variety of flatbreads. They’re perfect with chopped tomatoes, dips, salads, or just on their own.

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sounds like a wonderful summer <3

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Just here to say that next week is my birthday and I have already planned a stop at my local bagel place for an everything bagel with ham, egg, and cheese with salt, pepper, and ketchup on my way to work that morning. Good order! (Though I've never done the hot sauce thing, and that is now changing. LOVE hot sauce.)

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happy almost birthday!!!! I hope you have a wonderful bagel and a wonderful day!!

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Also, the best thing I ate this brutally hot summer in Texas was, naturally, ice cream. A local pizza place, Tiny Champions, does rotating sundaes. A few weeks ago they had one with toast flavored ice cream swirled with chunky peanut butter and a strawberry jam topping. It was bonkers delicious, like a grilled PB&J in ice cream form. I'm still thinking about it weeks later.

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Houstonian here - I’ll need to check that out! We get our milkshake fill during summer at Burger Joint.

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Burger Joint is a solid choice for milkshakes, as is Burger Bodega. I used to live super close to a Beck's Prime, and would always get their strawberry milkshakes as well. Tiny Champions is a regular for me at this point. It's so good. The pizzas are always solid, but the stars are ALWAYS the small plates. Get the beans. Here's to not needing milkshakes and ice cream soon-ish!

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okay do I need to visit houston?!

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just really love this moment!

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whoaaaa

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Tomato sandwiches! (My poor Colorado growing tomato plants have FINALLY made that happen). Charred/grilled/peeled sweet peppers in olive oil and red wine vinegar (to pretend I’m in Tuscany) ice cold watermelon with tajin, and my 12 year old’s new favorite salad - your Palm Springs cous cous recipe from Simply Julia. It is the bomb!

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awww yay!!! and all sounds so so so yum

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The five best things were :

Julia’s salmon, avocado arugula salad

Julias potato salad

Chicken piccata

An avocado half baked with egg and cheese and a slice of smoked salmon

Pasta with raw tomatoes and cheese

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love this list so much carol!!!!!!!!!!!!

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This is the first year ever I have enjoyed zucchini thoroughly and it’s thanks to the Thomas Keller tiktok zucchini method - but it’s too hot so I do it on the grill!

I’ve also loved a smoothie bowl.

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oh I have to check it out!

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I am still dreaming about a simple dessert that my friends and I were served in July as part of a picnic lunch and wine tasting at Presqu’ile winery in Santa Maria, CA: Sliced, macerated strawberries topped with a combination of whipped Burrata, soft goat cheese and full fat plain Greek yogurt. It was barely sweet- with just a touch of honey and maybe lemon zest? Garnished with mint and almond slivers, it was as delicious as it was beautiful.

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this sounds so lovely!! thanks for sharing this — I can picture the whole moment :)

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