June 2020 Better Homes & Gardens Recipes

Sheena Chihak
·5 min read

Pack-and-Go Hoagies

Get a head start on this recipe the next time you're grilling by throwing on extra pork tenderloin or steak for the fillings.
Get a head start on this recipe the next time you're grilling by throwing on extra pork tenderloin or steak for the fillings.

The simplicity of sandwiches makes them our picnic top pick, and these go beyond basic in flavor. To max out on fillings, slice Italian-style baguettes lengthwise, leaving one edge attached, then hollow out the center. Choose from our Vietnamese-style bahn mi or caprese steak sandwiches.

Cream Pie Whoopie Pies

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Fancier than plain cookies and easier to tote than cupcakes, whoopie pies are perfect picnic fare.
Fancier than plain cookies and easier to tote than cupcakes, whoopie pies are perfect picnic fare.

Fancier than plain cookies and easier to tote than cupcakes, whoopie pies elevate any picnic or backyard cookout. We pushed this handheld dessert a step further with mix-and-match flavors inspired by our favorite diner cream pies: Strawberry Cream, Banana Cream, Double Chocolate, and Lemon Cream. How will you ever choose?!

Three-Bean Salad with Tahini-Lime Dressing

This fresh salad is a summer-focused refresh of bean salad. It travels well and tastes best made ahead.
This fresh salad is a summer-focused refresh of bean salad. It travels well and tastes best made ahead.

Our three-bean salad is a summer-focused refresh of classic bean salad. It travels well and tastes best made ahead, so it’s picnic perfect. Even after dressing, the salad will hold up to 24 hours. Tote in an insulated container to keep the salad at its freshest. In season green beans, corn, and cilantro mix with edamame and garbanzo beans (or any other canned beans you like).

Buy It: Thermos Steel Food Jar, $14.99, Target

Grilled Chicken with Blueberry-Tarragon Sauce

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If you don't want to use wine, ½ cup of pomegranate juice gives the sauce a similar tang. Either one is amazing on this grilled chicken recipe for that's perfect for summer.
If you don't want to use wine, ½ cup of pomegranate juice gives the sauce a similar tang. Either one is amazing on this grilled chicken recipe for that's perfect for summer.

Get that gorgeous blueberry sauce simmering on the stove, then move outside to get perfectly seasoned, tender chicken thighs on the grill for smoky flavor. Serve the combo with fresh zucchini noodles for an all-in-one dinner that proves grilling is for more than burgers and brats.

Buy It: Char-Broil Gas Grill, $239.99, Target

Beef Kabobs with Corn and Orzo Salad

No side dishes required in this all-in-one main-dish salad. Protein, veggies, and grains are all accounted for.
No side dishes required in this all-in-one main-dish salad. Protein, veggies, and grains are all accounted for.

This skewer and salad combo is like a deconstructed steak taco without the tortilla. Without the limitations of tortilla size, you can pile the veggies as high as you want. As always, if you’re using wooden skewers, soak them in water 30 minutes before building your kabobs so they don’t burn.

Buy It: Bradshaw Wooden Skewers, $4.99, Bed Bath & Beyond

Grilled Eggplant Tartines

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This meatless main dish is like eggplant Parmesan, bruschetta, and caprese all in one.
This meatless main dish is like eggplant Parmesan, bruschetta, and caprese all in one.

Tartine is a fancy word for open-face sandwich, and these tartines are a delicious combination of eggplant Parmesan, bruschetta, and caprese. It’s all of our favorite summer dishes in one 25-minute grilled dinner.

Spanish Gin Tonic

Spanish-style gin tonics (hold the "and") are typically finished with handfuls of fresh herbs, citrus or cucumber, and spices like peppercorns and juniper berries. They're completely customizable for your taste preference and what you've got stocked in your kitchen.
Spanish-style gin tonics (hold the "and") are typically finished with handfuls of fresh herbs, citrus or cucumber, and spices like peppercorns and juniper berries. They're completely customizable for your taste preference and what you've got stocked in your kitchen.

Give the simple G&T cocktail recipe a garden-inspired upgrade with the Spanish variation featuring ample fresh herbs. The cocktail is traditionally served in a balloon glass so you can appreciate the herbal aromas from the first sip.

Buy It: Riedel Gin Glasses, $69.99, Target

Focaccia with Herb Oil

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This herb-studded focaccia starts with purchased pizza dough for a quick-prep bread recipe.
This herb-studded focaccia starts with purchased pizza dough for a quick-prep bread recipe.

If you don’t have time to bake traditional focaccia (let alone the amazing focaccia art trend), this recipe that starts with purchased pizza dough is your recipe. Score the top of the dough, then sprinkle with olives and herbs for an app that looks made from scratch.

Baked Goat Cheese with Herb Oil

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A DIY herb oil made by blending blanched fresh herbs with avocado oil is the fresh finish to this bubbly cheese dip.
A DIY herb oil made by blending blanched fresh herbs with avocado oil is the fresh finish to this bubbly cheese dip.

For a summery take on bubbly baked cheese, finish a silky chèvre and cream cheese mixture with a drizzle of vibrant herb oil (made from blending blanched fresh herbs with avocado oil).

Related: Quick Hot Dip Recipes

Shrimp Skewers with Aji Verde

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Aji verde is a a mildly spicy Peruvian sauce made from chiles, parsley, and cilantro. It's a tasty accompaniment for grilled shrimp skewers.
Aji verde is a a mildly spicy Peruvian sauce made from chiles, parsley, and cilantro. It's a tasty accompaniment for grilled shrimp skewers.

Don’t let the words aji verde stop you from trying this recipe. Aji verde is simply a mildly spicy Peruvian sauce made from chiles, parsley, and cilantro. Whipped together in a food processor, the speedy accompaniment for these grilled shrimp skewers also has a bit of sour cream for tang.

Buy It: KitchenAid Food Processor, $99.99, KitchenAid

Strawberry-Mint Lemonade

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The secret to this sangria-inspired (nonalcoholic) sipper is a mint- and berry-infused simple syrup with lots of fresh fruit and mint to finish.
The secret to this sangria-inspired (nonalcoholic) sipper is a mint- and berry-infused simple syrup with lots of fresh fruit and mint to finish.

A homemade simple syrup infused with mint and berries elevates lemonade from kid drink to sophisticated sipper. It’s a nonalcoholic drink we’ll happily make on repeat all summer. Serve in a clear pitcher to show off the fresh fruits and herbs.

Buy It: DuraClear Pitcher, $31.96, Williams Sonoma

Crispy White Beans with Garlic and Herbs

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When roasted with garlic oil and fresh rosemary, a can of white beans becomes a can't-stop-munching crunchy snack.
When roasted with garlic oil and fresh rosemary, a can of white beans becomes a can't-stop-munching crunchy snack.

Canned beans prove they can go beyond casseroles and potluck side dishes in this crunchy, herb-flavored snack. Toss the beans in oil, herbs, and salt, then roast them for a poppable snack you won't be able to stop munching.

Warm Potato Chips with Parmesan and Herbs

Elevate a bag of kettle-cooked potato chips with Parmesan, sage, chives, and lemon zest.
Elevate a bag of kettle-cooked potato chips with Parmesan, sage, chives, and lemon zest.

Only have plain ol’ potato chips in the pantry? Think again! Transform a bag of kettle-cooked chips into an irresistible appetizer with a sprinkle of Parmesan, sage, chives, and lemon zest and a few minutes in the oven.

Related: 11 Easy Appetizers You Can Make with 3 Ingredients