Drink, Eat, Treat: Watermelon Margaritas, Cilantro Lime Chicken Rice Skillet, and S'mores Brownies

EDITOR’S NOTE 

Happy Friday. Skimm HQ is taking a well-deserved break today for the holiday weekend, so we’re bringing you a special edition of the newsletter, dedicated to our favorite summer recipes. On my menu this weekend? This Dumpling Tomato Salad. It’s the elite combo of easy, reheatable deliciousness and prime summer produce you didn’t know you needed. I’ll also correctly grill hot dogs (yes, there’s a wrong way), before setting up this condiment bar (though, I’ll be skipping most of these controversial toppings). Plus, I’ll serve Ina Garten’s iconic Flag Cake (IYKYK). And to top it all off? I’ve stocked up on the latest Cheez-It flavor, which ranch people are going crazy over. Just in case I don’t feel like cooking…

— Alex Carr / Editorial Director / New York, NY

You’ll Want To Sip this Watermelon Margarita All Summer Long

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Apologies to peaches, but if there’s one fruit that screams summer, it’s watermelon. And while you could (and should) add it to salads, blitz it into gazpacho, and, of course, eat it straight from the fridge, there’s nothing quite as refreshing as a watermelon drink — which is exactly why we’ll be serving A Cozy Kitchen’s Watermelon Margaritas all weekend. Equal parts sweet and tart, this supremely summery cocktail comes together quickly, doesn’t demand any fancy bartending skills, and tastes just as delicious without alcohol. Not to mention, if you don’t have the time (or, let’s be honest, desire) to cut up a watermelon, you can always buy the pre-cut stuff. We promise, no one will know.

The Time Commitment: Don’t be thrown off by the total cooking time of an hour and 10 minutes. The margs need to chill for an hour (during which you can too), leaving just 10 minutes of actual prep work. 

Key Tips: Feeling spicy? Give your drink a kick by adding a few jalapeño slices to the mix and/or rimming your glass with Tajín seasoning. Also, if you prefer your margaritas frozen, throw all the ingredients in a blender and skip the straining and shaking steps.

Other Takes: If you prefer something less fruity, the Lone Ranger — which some are calling the drink of the summer — is like a French 75, but with tequila and sparkling rosé instead of gin and Champagne. Not feeling tequila? A Basil Gimlet is a fresh and herby twist on the classic. Or, try a Sgroppino: Made with sorbet, vodka, and prosecco, it’s basically an adult slushie. If you’re looking for an alcohol-free drink, this Strawberry-Ginger Limeade is almost (emphasis on almost) too pretty to drink.

This Cilantro Lime Chicken Rice Skillet Is a One-Pot Wonder

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When the weather’s so warm and sunny, who wants to spend all their time in the kitchen? But since no one can subsist on ice cream and fresh fruit alone, it’s good to have a few impressive, deceptively easy seasonal recipes to put on repeat. Make sure one of them is The Modern Proper’s Cilantro Lime Chicken Rice Skillet, which combines garlicky chicken, herb-studded rice, fresh corn salad, and creamy lime sauce in one pot.

The Time Commitment: Just under an hour, meaning you’ll have plenty of time to set your outdoor table, whip up a cocktail, and enjoy dinner al fresco.

Key Tips: Having one of those no-energy nights? Skip the creamy lime sauce, which The Modern Proper deems optional. And if you want to make this dish even more flavorful, keep this idea — courtesy of a commenter — in mind: “I used chicken bone broth instead of water for extra protein and it was so yum.”

Honorable Mentions: Looking for more summer dinner inspo? This Steak Salad with Stone Fruit, Pistachios, and Cheddar makes the most of summer produce and comes together in just over 30 minutes. Same with this Pasta With Zucchini, Feta, and Fried Lemon which is a “less saucy, more pasta-salad-like pasta” best served at room temp (making it perfect for picnics). Another great vegetarian option is this Taverna Salad, which combines a classic Greek salad with a Lebanese fattoush to create a “colorful, meal-of-a-salad.” And while some persnickety chefs would have you think otherwise, trust us, you don’t have to wait for peak tomato season to make this Fried Tomato Sandwich With Lemon-Basil Sour Cream & Chile Oil.

The S’mores Brownies We Never Knew We Always Wanted

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Just because you stopped going to summer camp — *checks ID* — several, uh, years ago, doesn’t mean you no longer get to enjoy the ooey, gooey, chocolatey goodness of s’mores. In fact, there’s a, dare we say, even better way to enjoy the campfire classic. Enter: Broma Bakery’s S’mores Brownies, which are essentially the fudgiest, most decadent brownies you’ve ever had, sandwiched between a crispy, buttery graham cracker base and a layer of toasty marshmallow topping. Best of all, you don’t have to go foraging in your backyard for sticks.

The Time Commitment: Forty-five minutes. But if you’re feeling pressed for time, you can swap the homemade brownie layer for your favorite boxed mix.

Key Tips: To get that toasted-over-the-campfire taste, this recipe calls for a blowtorch. On the off chance that you don’t have one of those lying around, you can always place your brownies under the broiler for a few minutes. And while you might be tempted to use the very expired Hershey’s from your pantry, Broma Bakery insists you should use a high quality chocolate (like this), which “will really make or break the finished product.” Same goes for the graham crackers.

Other Takes: For more creative riffs that rival the original, start with these S’mores Bars, which are basically a cross between Rice Krispies treats and s’mores, plus Golden Grahams. From there, we recommend trying this S’more Butterscotch Caramel Dump Cake, which in our experience, is best enjoyed straight from the pan, with a spoon and a scoop of ice cream. But if you’re more of a cookie person, you can’t go wrong with these S’mores Chocolate Chip Cookies or these S’mores Cookie Bars, featuring homemade marshmallow creme. And, last but not least, S’mores Ice Cream Sandwiches are certainly going to be messy, but worth it.

Unleash your competitive side with today’s games and puzzles. Choose from an anagram word search, digital jigsaw puzzle, or crossword (with a twist). Better yet: Try them all.

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