Don’t wait until fall to show your friends and family gratitude, celebrate Summersgiving! Similar to Friendsgiving, this Summersgiving menu has elements of your favorite Thanksgiving dishes but with a fresher take for Summer.
What is Summersgiving?
Summersgiving was first proclaimed by Philosopher Robert Solomon in 2009 because he loved Thanksgiving and wanted to celebrate summer with friends – like friendsgiving but in the summer. In 2019, the National Day Calendar made Summersgiving official. It is celebrated on the Saturday after the Summer Solstice to combine summer fun with Thanksgiving food. Similar to it’s fall cousin, it’s a day to celebrate life and show gratitude with friends and family.
In 2024, Summersgiving lands on June 22, which is also Summerween if you watched the Disney cartoon, Gravity Falls – I did not but was told of this fact. Regardless, I am always down for a food-themed holiday. For my Summersgiving menu, I blended flavors of both Easter and Thanksgiving, giving you the comfort food you already love and associate with Thanksgiving but with a slightly lighter and fresher taken on them.
APPETIZER: Honey Mustard Deviled Eggs – I feel like you have to have deviled eggs for this celebration. This honey mustard version has a larger proportion of mustard to mayo, a crunchy pretzel on top, and a little dill for garnish.
ENTREE: Bacon Wrapped Turkey Breast Stuffed with Pear Hash – I love both dark and white meat, but it’s hard to beat anything wrapped in bacon. This turkey breast tastes as good as it looks. I actually have made it for Friendsgiving in the past so it was an easy choice.\
Want to do Summersgiving on the grill?
If turning on your oven is unappealing, I suggest apple maple turkey burgers topped with a maple-dijon sauce, maybe even some grilled sweet potato fries while you are at it and a bacon & blue cheese broccoli salad.
SIDE: Brussels Sprouts with Honey Vinaigrette – While the bacon wrapped around the turkey breast could really pair with just about anything, I love bacon with Brussels sprouts. The honey vinaigrette also adds a seasonal flavor to them. Just a little sweetness to counter the slightly bitter Brussels. I think this would also be great with asparagus for a more seasonally appropriate dish.
SIDE: Herb Roasted Carrots & Parsnips – Sweet yet savory carrots and parsnips are a great Summersgiving side dish. Pluck those herbs straight from your garden for peak fresh flavor. Maybe let some of that honey vinaigrette from the Brussels creep in.
SIDE: Blue Cheese Scalloped Potatoes – I love the pairing of blue cheese and pear so I thought this would be the perfect side to that pear hash stuffed into the turkey breast. That and these are truly next level scalloped potatoes. And I wouldn’t be mad if that blue cheese cream sauce mingled with the other sides.
DESSERT: No-Bake Blueberry Pie – Listen, it’s hot out. Even though the oven is already on for other things on the menu, there’s no need to keep it running longer than necessary. Other than being no-bake, the best part is that you can make this fresh blueberry pie the day before when you brine the turkey. I like to make it with a pre-made graham cracker crust but you could also use a pre-cooked traditional pie crust if you prefer.
What’s on your Summersgiving menu?
Four years ago: Blackberry Bourbon Smash
Six years ago: Oatmeal White Chocolate Chip Cookies
Nine years ago: S’moreo French Silk Pie
Ten years ago: Fresh Strawberry Pie
Eleven years ago: Pork Loin Chops with Avocado-Manga Salsa and Spinach Quinoa
