Can you believe summer is over? Luckily, the summer produce is still hanging around the markets - I just found the most epic corn last weekend! I made this salad to go with our Sunday dinner and I thought you might like it too. It’s so ridiculously simple so it barely requires a recipe but those are the best recipes! You can totally mix and match to make it your own.

Don’t have parsley? Use basil! Don’t have basil, use thyme! No herbs in the house? No sweat - this will be amazing no matter what. As long as your corn and tomatoes are fresh, then you’re set.

End of Summer Corn Salad

3 cups corn, off the cob (3-4 cobs)

2 cups sliced tomatoes

1/4 cup chopped parsley

1/4 cup chopped basil

2 tablespoons chopped thyme

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

salt to taste

Mix everything together and let it rest for about an hour before serving. That’s it!

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I have this dream of a camp. Not like “camping” but an actual camp like Wandawega. Their photos are inspiring. It’s so pretty. And rustic. Our family has an old log cabin from the turn of the last century that’s cute - in parts - but VERY rustic. We’ve done a ton of work but it’s still not a “camp” - yet.

The dream would be to have a “camp” that is darling and useful. Somewhere all of my children could gather when they’re super old and still laugh about the fun we used to have there.

Until then, you can follow me on Instagram at @camp.at.parker as I work to fix up our old log cabin and create a little corner of the dream camp I’m hoping for.

Mercer Blue Rim Bowls | Explore Camp Flag | Custom Signal Flags | National Parks Monopoly Game | Pendleton Blanket | Oyster Door Knocker | Sea Bags Beverage Bucket

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Some Camp Style Recipes

Last year we went to Washington DC for Thanksgiving and we had the BEST time! I think Thanksgiving is a weird holiday so we have started bailing on it and doing something more fun with our kids. The kids have a few days off so we have planned some epic little trips to get away for a few days.

Washington DC is on Jud’s list of places to visit and it was an amazing choice. To prepare, I studied a ton of online resources and asked a friend who lives in DC. Together, we compiled an amazing trip. It’s all below for you to take from it what sounds fun to you!

Travel safely!

Side note, I ADORE clam chowder so I ate it when ever it was possible. You’ll find that every restaurant we visited has a great chowder.

EATS

Old Ebbitt Grill - The old school DC vibes you are hoping for with pretty good oysters and even better martinis.

Tabard Inn - A quirky little hotel with a darling dining room. Ask to be near the fireplace! And order the chowder.

Martin’s Tavern - A classic spot in Georgetown - it’s where Jack proposed to Jackie! And the food is SO GOOD.

Four Seasons Lobby - For a cocktail. And people watching. At the holidays it’s decorated and SO beautiful.

Carouso’s Grocery - I’m obsessed with grocery stores. This Italian one is to die for! And eat all of the things.

SIGHTS

We are pretty sure we saw it all. Here were the favorites.

Ford Theater Tour - Reserve a spot ahead and you can pop right in. Totally a facinating part of history.

American History Museum - Our family favorite - everything cool is here! Including Julia’s kitchen.

Air & Space Museum - No explanation needed

Capital Building Tour - It’s a giant group tour but still totally cool. If you can get in with your senator, then you get the fancier version.

White House Tour - These were closed over the Thanksgiving holiday. Check dates before traveling!

Georgetown - When I was a kid, my aunt lived in Georgetown and it was my favorite part of the city. It still is. Wander the streets, head up to the university, eat lunch in town.

National Mall Tour - we were surprised by how good the Korean War Monument was - hit all of the major ones, but don’t miss some of the less well known ones too

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Things that remind me of DC

This is on heavy rotation at our house. It’s usually because I haven’t planned on what’s for dinner and this requires very few ingredients and all of them are on hand at our house! We are Korean food fanatics.

I’ve even cheated and made this when the ground beef is still frozen - just pop it in a low pan, cook until it’s browned. Then add all of the marinade ingredients to the pan. Just start the rice first and you’ll be done with the meat right when the rice gets done! Twenty minutes and you’ve got dinner on the table.

Korean Beef

with Sesame Vegetables & Rice

Serves 4

1 pear, grated

¼ cup soy sauce

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons gochujang

1 cloves garlic, grated

1 tablespoon ginger, fresh grated

1 pound ground beef

2 tablespoons sesame oil,

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

½ lb broccolini

½ lb asparagus, cut into 2 inch pieces

2 cups rice

1 jar Kim Chee, for serving

STEP 1

In a medium sauce pan pour in rice and 4 cups of water and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook about 20 minutes until water is evaporated.  Check at 10-ish minutes and give it a stir and make sure it isn’t sticking.  Fluff with a fork before serving.

STEP 2

In a bowl or a Ziploc bag, combine pear, soy sauce, brown sugar, gochujang, garlic, and ginger.  Mix in ground beef and knead with your hands to make sure the beef is covered in sauce.  Set aside.

STEP 3

Heat sesame oil in a large saucepan over high heat.  Quickly sauté sesame seeds, broccolini, and asparagus.  Cook 3-5 minutes until vegetables are bright green and sesame seeds are toasted.  Pour vegetables out of the pan and set aside.

STEP 4

In the same pan, cook the ground beef breaking it up with a spoon while it cooks.  Cook until all pink has disappeared and liquid has evaporated.

STEP 5

To serve, scoop rice on the plate, top with ground beef and top with cooked vegetables.  Add kim chee at the table and let everyone help themselves.

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Today is my birthday! I love my birthday. I’m a big fan of getting older - it’s so much better than the alternative. But it’s also fun! A day to celebrate me! With everyone I love. I’m so lucky to get to have a birthday.

In honor of my birthday, I’ve put together a bunch of my favorite things so you can celebrate along with me!

Very Cherry Birthday Punch

Literally the best champagne punch I have ever made. It’s my absolute favorite. My birthday cake every year is a Black Forest Cake - this goes perfectly with it!

Spaghetti with Clams

This is the best dinner ever. I order it every time it comes up on a menu - it’s almost all I ate when we were in Italy. I’m obsessed with clams - and in pasta with delicious olive oil - I’m extra obsessed.

Birthday Cake Cookies

These are actually perfect. They’re fluffy, filled with white chocolate chips, and covered in sprinkles. I cannot get enough of them! They’re perfect for those of us who don’t care about cake - but LOVE cookies.

Leave a comment if you decide to celebrate with me! I love to celebrate with all of my friends and you are some of my favorite friends.

Now that school has started up again, I’m back to meal planning and weeknight prep. It’s sometimes a drag, but I found that I actually try new recipes during this phase so that works out! I had totally forgotten about these kabobs and they are delicious! I’m also a huge fan of couscous on the weeknight. It cooks in just minutes and then is done just in time for the meat to come off the grill. I’m legit making these tonight.

Oh, and don’t skip the sauce! I’ve discovered recently that having a sauce on the side of every meal makes it totally shine.

Spicy Beef Kabobs

with fresh couscous salad

Serves 4

2 lb sirloin steak, sliced thin

½ onion, grated

¼ cup parsley

¼ cup cilantro

½ tsp allspice

½ tsp coriander

¼ tsp red pepper flakes

½ tsp salt

2 cups chicken stock

1 ½ cups couscous

1 cucumber

1 cup sliced tomato

½ cup chopped parsley

½ sliced red onion

juice of one lemon

zest of one lemon

¼ cup olive oil

2 tbs red wine vinegar

4 oz feta cheese

1 cup plain greek yogurt

¼ cup grated cucumber

1 clove grated garlic

salt

STEP 1

Preheat oven broiler or the grill on high heat.  Soak skewers in water if using wooden skewers.  Combine herbs, spices, and grated onion in a Ziploc bag.

STEP 2

Bring chicken stock to a boil.  Remove from heat and add couscous.  Stir gently then cover and let rest for 5 minutes.

STEP 3

Place thinly sliced meat into the prepared marinade and let rest while the couscous cooks.

STEP 4

Thread meat onto skewers.  Place on a foil lined baking sheet and pop into the oven.  Bake 10-15 minutes until cooked through.

STEP 5

Loosen cooked couscous with a fork.  Toss with chopped cucumber, tomato, remaining parsley, red onion, and dress with lemon, olive oil and red wine vinegar.  Add feta cheese.

STEP 6

Mix together yogurt, grated cucumber, and grated garlic.  Serve couscous and top with kabobs straight from the oven with dipping sauce.

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The original James Bond drink

The perfect Friday night clink-clink

It’s a little lillet and vodka and gin

Pour it in a pitcher - add ice - and begin

Not shaken, but stirred

More than one and your vision is definitely blurred.

Vesper Cocktail

1 ounce vodka

2 ounces gin

1/2 ounce lillet blanc

lemon peel

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail pitcher. Add ice and stir gently. Strain into two cocktail glasses and garnish with a lemon peel.

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These are a HIT in my house. This is a regular on the weekday menu for breakfast - especially if I cook the sausage patties ahead of time and have them in the fridge and ready to go.

If we’re doing breakfast for dinner, then I’ll make a salad to go with it - the one in the pictures is arugula and watermelon tossed with balsamic and olive oil. But if I’m serving at breakfast, then the kids will get some sliced strawberries or whatever fruit is in season on the side.

They would definitely not eat a salad. Especially at breakfast.

Breakfast Cheeseburger

Serves 4

4 english muffins

4 eggs

Breakfast sausage

Beecher’s cheese

Hot sauce + ketchup + Worcestershire

STEP 1

Form the sausage into 4 patties.  Cook on medium heat.

STEP 2

Toast the English muffins and butter each side.

STEP 3

Mix together hot sauce + ketchup + Worcestershire

STEP 4

Place the cooked sausage on the muffin and top with a slice of cheese.

STEP 5

Fry each egg in 1 tbs remaining sausage grease and pop on top of the melted cheese.  Add special sauce to taste and eat hot.

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Clam Chowder is literally my favorite soup ever. We took a roadtrip several years ago down highway 101 which goes down the coast of Washington, Oregon and California (at some point it turns to Highway 1 but I can never remember where that happens). Every restaurant that we stepped into, I got clam chowder. Some were great. Some were gloopy. Some had too much dill. Some had too many potatoes. One was even red which is the most dreadful thing you can do to chowder.

Clam Chowder

Serves 4

4 strips bacon, chopped

1 small onion, finely chopped

4 stalks celery, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic

¼ lb potatoes, finely chopped

1 can clams

8 oz clam nectar/ clam juice

4 cups seafood stock

1 bay leaf

1 cup half and half

¼ cup flour

2 tbs parsley, chopped

1 bag oyster crackers

STEP 1

In a large pot, cook bacon until browned.

STEP 2

Add onion, celery, potatoes, and garlic. Cook until onions and celery are softened. Stir regularly.

STEP 3

Pour in stock and clams. Don’t drain the clams before – pour the liquid into the pot. Add the bay leaf. Cover and cook 20 minutes.

STEP 4

Whisk together half and half with the flour. Very slowly whisk in 1 cup of the hot soup broth.

STEP 5

Pour flour mixture into the soup pot and stir until incorporated.

STEP 6

Serve with fresh parsley and oyster crackers on top.

Every summer my mom makes her signature crab cakes. My cousins will happily sit and pick crab for hours if it means we get crab cakes for dinner. We all adore them. The secret is that it’s barely held together with anything - so it’s basically all crab. By letting them rest for a bit in the fridge - you can even leave them all day - they hold together a little better and cook a lot better.

Gwen’s Crab Cakes

serves 4-6

1 pound fresh cracked Dungeness crab

1/4 cup mayonaisse

1 egg, beaten

1 cup panko breadcrumbs

1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning

1/4 teaspoon dry mustard

1 teaspoon baking soda

juice of 1/2 lemon

salt and pepper

butter

STEP 1

Mix all ingredients together – except for the butter – add salt and pepper to taste.  From the crab mixture into patties.  Let them rest about 1/2 hour in the refrigerator.

STEP 2

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, place patties in the preheated pan and cook 3-5 minutes on each side until cakes are golden on each side and warmed throughout.  Add a tablespoon of butter to the pan between each batch.

STEP 3

To keep the crab cakes warm before serving, keep them on a cookie sheet in a 200 degree oven.

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