There is beauty in seasons. Something to savor right now, and always something to anticipate. But in the grocery store, it's easy to forget about seasons. You'll notice that we have practically every growing thing we could want, whenever we want it, no matter what month of the year. We're spoiled, yes, and that comes in handy sometimes, but I think we're missing out on something big. We have seasons for a reason, and they should help establish the way we eat.

To everything, there is a season.. a proper and suitable time. Eating seasonally means enjoying our food at the height of its natural harvest time, when it is at its peak for flavor, ripeness, and nutrients. That's when we can get the most out our crops! If we could learn to wait for our produce, until we can have it in season, there would be so many benefits..

Now, how do we know what's in season? There's a few options here.

If you do your research, you'll know exactly what to be excited for, and when. Take right now, for example. It's August, and I am overwhelmed by fruity goodness.. raspberries, strawberries, watermelon, plums, peaches, blueberries, cherries, apricots.. oh my! All of them are juicy and ripe right now! I could go crazy.

My strategy for getting the most out of seasonal ingredients is a weekly visit to the farmers market in town. I love it there! And after you know what you have to work with, it's really fun to build a menu around your fresh finds. One of the easiest ways to turn your whatever's-in-season veggies into a quick, delish side dish, or even dinner is to toss them into a stir-fry. Stir-fry is for any season! and this one is my absolute favorite! It tastes just like the best Mongolian grill place you've ever eaten at. The yummy sauce is flavored with ginger, lime, and garlic, and adds a subtle heat behind each bite.. mm! It's the perfect way to enjoy lots of fresh veggies, no matter what time of year.

When summer arrives there is nothing like having a cookout. I love the smell of being outdoors with the grill going. It reminds me of when I was little girl growing up in Georgia. As soon as the weather hit a certain temp the grill was uncovered and it was back in action. You would find my mom grilling every chance she had. This of course made everyone in the house happy. Even though I no longer live close to my parents you will still find my mom grilling away in the summer months. This time she just grills for most the neighborhood. Yes, our neighbors love my mom.

In my house, my husband does most the grilling. Which I’m totally fine with and encourage. He isn’t much of a cook so he thinks he can contribute by doing the grilling. So I handle the indoor cooking and he handles the outdoor. I have a sneaking suspicion that it’s his way of keeping me away from “his” grill, too. I’m the same way with some of my indoor appliances so I guess we are even. Living in South Florida we have the great luxury of grilling pretty much year-round. One of our favorite things to grill is burgers. My husband is a big burger fan and pretty much has one every weekend. With that being said, I’m always looking for new ways to make a burger. The burger my whole family loves are these Chicken Apple Bacon Burgers, they have a slight sweetness to them and the addition of the bacon makes them perfect. After all, my grandmother used to always say….”everything tastes better with bacon”. I made the burgers for a small get together recently and made them as sliders. They were a hit not only with the adults but the kids too. They really are the perfect size for the little ones. You can make them big or small but no matter what they are the perfect summer time grilling recipe.

Enjoy those last days of summer grilling everyone!

The smell of the grill takes me back to happy summer days as a kid. Life was lazy and simple, and most of it was spent at the swimming pool. We'd trek home in dripping swimming suits, hang our towels on the swing in the backyard, and Mom would fire up the grill for dinner. I loved to listen for the puff of propane at the beginning and watch the smoke rise as I waited for the glorious smell to fill our yard. Mmm!

When it comes to grilling, you don't need (or want) to fuss over too much prep, but I've learned that it's never a bad idea to season your meat before you cook it. Today I'm going to share my mother-in-law's recipe for a chili-garlic spice rub for pork tenderloin, and it's a crowd-pleaser! A spice rub is such a quick, easy way to make your next dinner-on-the-grill even more delicious. Just stir up a few basic spices, and you'll get perfectly seasoned meat every time! And If you dress up the spices in a cute little jar it makes a sweet homemade gift.. I remember getting one of these at my bridal shower. It's so handy!

In the summer months our grill replaces the oven as much as possible. Not only because of the heat but because everything tastes better with that smoky, caramelized flavor. I'm always sad to give it up when we get pummeled with snow in the fall.

It's amazing what you can all cook on the grill. Some of our favorites are Sundried Tomato, Feta and Basil Bruschetta, garlic bread, pizza, naan, corn on the cob, baked potatoes, grilled peaches, smores and bananas stuffed with sundae toppings. The more you fill up the grill, the more you free up room in the kitchen, which means less mess to clean up and I'm all for that!

My husband does most of the grilling at home. He does a bang up job and is master of the meats. But, when it comes to things like vegetables and dough, I step in and do my business. I really enjoy the fact that for this short season of cooking I'm not making supper alone. Summer meals are already so simple that when you've got extra hands on deck it feels effortless.

These Cajun Grilled Pork Chops are one of our favorite ways to grill pork. While they're grilling the Cajun spices seep into the meat and caramelize the outside, sealing in the juices and making them ultra flavorful. Although they are utterly delicious on their own, paired with this super simple pan sauce they become something truly special.

The Creamy Mushroom Pan Sauce takes no more then 10 minutes to make, making it perfectly timed to whip up while the meat is cooking. It's flavorful, creamy and packs a bit of heat thanks to the Cajun spices.

If your family is sensitive to heat you may consider making your own Cajun Seasoning, like I do. I'm sure you have most of the ingredients on hand and you can tailor it to your family's liking. I make it as is because we like the heat, but you could easily leave out the red pepper flakes to remove that deep spiciness.

When you're in need of a stick-to-your-ribs meal this pairs perfectly with mashed potatoes and green beans.

Summer is one of my favorite times of the year because that means I get to fire up my grill.....often! Creating gourmet burgers makes me so happy, burgers are like little pieces of artwork, you can really let your imagination and creativity go wild with flavor combinations and toppings.

This giant size burger I've created has got all of my favorite ingredients piled up nice and high. I'm talking blue cheese, bacon, avocado, caramelized onions and a toasted onion roll.....swoon! The burger itself is nicely seasoned with some Worchstershire sauce, garlic and cilantro, YUM! Fire up the grill friends, it's time to impress your friends with this impressive GIANT size burger. Enjoy!

Preheat grill to medium high heat. Cook bacon in a large skillet until brown and crisp. Transfer bacon to a paper towel lined plate. Reserve drippings. Using same skillet as the bacon was cooked, add onion slices over medium low heat. Cook until softened and caramelized, about 15 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl, mix ground beef, salt, pepper, bacon drippings, worcestershire sauce, garlic and cilantro until just combined. Form into 4 equal size patties, about 1/2 inch thick. Place patties onto grill that has been greased. Grill 4-5 minutes each side, until cooked through. Place rolls cut side down onto grill to toast lightly. Spread cut side of rolls with mayonnaise then layer bottom rolls with a burger, blue cheese, avocado and 2 slices of bacon. Close with top roll and serve.

4 large burgers