We'll always have summer

Though you wouldn't know it from the extremely warm temps here in New York, we've approached the final weekend of the summer and are already a few days into September. Can someone tell me how that happened?

I'm continuing my vagabondness (new word I came up with to describe my state of never being at home) this weekend with my inaugural trip to Westhampton for my friend Kelly's bacheloretty party! I'm over the moon with excitement to celebrate with my gals, explore a new place and did I mention that we will be doing a 3 stop vineyard tour?(!) My first one ever and I couldn't be more excited!

Anyhow, summer holiday weekends immediately make me think of family gatherings, picnics and of course, complete gluttony. So today I'm giving you a roundup of some fun summer dishes to assist in your enjoyment of this long weekend!

Pizza Dip

No matter the weather, this hot pizza dip is always, always, always a crowd pleaser. Bring it to any party and you will surely be the belle of the ball, so to speak. Oh, and did I mention that it couldn't be easier?

White Bean Dip

If you're a guest and not sure of the hostess' available oven space, perhaps this light and refreshing white bean dip will do the trick. With a gorgeous green hue and creamy texture, this dip is not only delicious but it's healthy to boot.

Grilled Goods

If you're hanging at home with nowhere to go, why not fire up your grill and enjoy some extra special eats? After all, is there anything prettier than perfectly grilled zucchini coins? How about Shaun's tailgating Yurgers?

Baked things

And it certainly wouldn't be a party without some sort of dessert and I have a laundry list of go-to desserts, like Peanut Butter & Jelly Bars, Pineapple Carrot Bars, or basic Yellow Cake with the Best Ever Chocolate Frosting. Meanwhile, I'll be enjoying zucchini bread and butterscotch chocolate chip cookie bars...but more on that later.

So there you have it. A roundup of some fun and yum-inducing eats that will immediately up your food cred at any Labor Day party. So what do you plan to enjoy this weekend? Any parties, picnics or getaways on the menu?

Sundried Tomato & Olive Tapenade

You may remember my tales of our Kentucky Derby slash Shaun's Birthday party last week, where I prepared the most chocolately, alcohol laced brownies of all time and a new twist on classic hummus. Of course, I didn't stop there.

For yet another chic cocktail food, I once again consulted Giada DeLaurentiis' Everyday Italian since all of her recipes are nothing short of classy, simple and delicious to boot. When I stumbled upon her Sun-dried Tomato & Olive Tapenade, I knew it was the perfect addition to my Derby spread. Though Giada serves it up with endive leaves, I personally am not a huge fan of the taste. Not to mention that I have an unhealthy obsession with crackers. I'll pretty much eat them with anything slathered on top. Anyhow, let's get down to the goods...

Sun-dried Tomato & Olive Tapenade
Adapted from Everyday Italian
3 cans black olives
1 jar sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil

In a food processor (or a blender would probably work as well), combine drained black olives and sun-dried tomatoes, including the olive oil they were packed in. Pulse until the mixture is smooth, but still with chunky bits of olives and tomatoes. If for some reason your mixture is dry, add a bit of olive oil and mix until smooth. Mine was very oily just from the jar of sun-dried tomatoes, so no extra olive oil was necessary. Serve with crackers, corn chips, endive leaves, crostini or pita chips.

Could this spread be any easier? The sundried tomatoes give a nice bite while the olives maintain a sublty salty flavor. This recipe makes a lot of tapenade, but can you ever have too much when hosting a party? Well, in my case, you can because I had a lot left over...but I'm chalking that up to the fact that my mother always taught me to have enough food for an army and then some when having company. I even served it up in a super sweet tea cup and saucer since there's nothing more unusual looking than a giant bowl of tapenade. Instead, opt for a small serving dish (or in this case, cup) and garnish with the dipping materials.

So what do you think? Are you a fan of tapenade? What's your favorite party food?

White Bean Dip

Though I'm fairly certain that no one could ever get tired of pizza dip, sometimes I feel the need to change it up a note. And while I could live the rest of my days on potato chips and onion dip alone (yup, the kind from the packet that gets mixed with sour cream...so simple, yet so delightful), I didn't think that would be quite enough for an afternoon/evening of debauchery with some of our closest friends. So I consulted Giada DeLaurentiis' Everyday Italian cookbook to add a little va-va-voom to my Kentucky Derby party (and Shaun's birthday party). Looking for something easy yet packed with flavor, I came upon Giada's White Bean Dip. Loaded with natural flavors like lemon, parsley and garlic, this dip is super simple and delicious to boot.

White Bean Dip
*Adapted from Everyday Italian
1 15oz can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 C + 1 tsp fresh flat leaf parsley
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon)
1 garlic clove
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 C olive oil

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the beans, parsley, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper. Pulse until it's coarsely chopped. Turn the food processor to ON. While it's running, slowly add the olive oil through the top opening and mix until creamy. Serve in a cute dip bowl and garnish with parsley. Enjoy it with crackers, pita chips or corn chips.

So what do you think? Could this be any easier? And isn't it a great dip to whip up at the last minute?

Psst...did you miss part one of Derby fun? Check out my Mint Julep Brownies...