My new fave — char scallions on the grill and add them to salads and dips, or use as a burger topper!

Summer is a time when the natural rules shift just a bit. Kids get a later bedtime, ice cream is a regular after-camp snack, and this mother needs to make sure to never ever make heavy comfort food for supper all summer long. As long as it feels di­fferent, it marks this time of year that I never want to end.

One core difference between summer and the rest of our lives is bringing the cooking outside. But if you’re not in the mood of actually grilling, anything on a skewer is a close second.

Summer on a stick is a welcome change, and my way of saying even the basics can feel exciting when you're in the mood. But there’s another perk to this. Mixing and matching, and skewering your favorite options onto a stick becomes somewhat of an activity during these long, often unstructured days.

Skewers work like a charm when you’re trying to bring people together. Eating one of the primary meals of the day is as utilitarian as it gets, and this just takes mealtime and makes it more playful. Putting whatever you find in the fridge — or one of Miriam’s fantastic recipes — on a stick is in the spirit of vacation and a lighthearted way of enjoying these fleeting days of summer.

Imagine that the directions on the package read: Have fun with it, make it interactive, get everyone involved, and achieve the goal of camaraderie during these no-rules days.

Chanie Nayman

Food Editor, Family Table

Foil- and Plastic-Free Cholent

I recently started putting a large sheet of parchment at the bottom of my Crock-pot when I make cholent, and it makes all the di­fference in the world! I’m not a fan of the plastic cholent bags, and I love this as an alternative. I also wrap anything I put into the cholent in parchment (navel pastrami, potato kugel) because I prefer to limit the usage of aluminum foil.

Preserve Your Pot

One more cholent trick — when serving, don’t use a metal spoon, or anything that will scratch the bottom of the Crockpot. Scratches will cause nonstick surfaces not to work as well and the food will adhere to the bottom.

(Originally featured in Family Table, Issue 705)