July 28, 2025

One of Our Favorite Summer Dinners

A simple summer meal, made for gathering

Out here, summer dinners don’t require much. A folding table. A grill rolled down by the pond. A few chairs borrowed from the garage. The kids will kick off their shoes anyway, and the adults are mostly there for some conversation, not the presentation.

But there is one meal we keep coming back to…. one passed down from my grandma May. We’ve made it for just our family. We’ve made it for 25 people. It’s the meal that seems to work no matter what — and maybe that’s why we love it.

What’s on the table

It’s not fancy. That’s the point. Here’s the lineup:

• Vinegar Chicken – marinate bone-in (skin on) chicken thighs or drumsticks in white vinegar and salt for about 30 minutes. I’m talking straight vinegar with quite a lot of salt, a bowl to cover the chicken with about half a cup of salt. Bake at 375–400°F for about 45 minutes, then finish them on the grill until the skin gets nice and crispy and the chicken is done.
• Roasted Potatoes – however you like them. We keep it simple with olive oil, seasoning and onions.
• A Salad Kit – yes, the kind from the grocery store. Whatever sounds good that week.
• Rolls – bakery section. No shame.
• Cookies – ideally the famous ones our friend brings. But any cookie will do.

It’s easy to scale up, which is how we discovered it. One summer we found ourselves hosting 25+ family members and needed something fast that didn’t require a million steps. Afterward, we couldn’t believe how little cleanup there was… and how full everyone’s bellies were.

The setup

We call it the Lake Pond. It’s been in the works for years and finally came together this summer. Fields of horses stretch beyond the waterline, and the sounds of summer are everywhere — birds, frogs, splashing kids, someone laughing from across the table.

We rolled an old grill down by the pond for the summer. Chairs get unfolded. The paper plates come out. A stocked caddy holds the salt, pepper, napkins, and any other essentials. The current setup is nothing fancy. But the view is hard to beat.

Most nights end with the kids in the water, half-dressed and wild and free. No one rushes. No one worries about dishes and the paper products get thrown in the firepit. It’s just a good meal on a good night with good people.

What we’ve learned about hosting

There’s always a way to make hosting harder than it needs to be. But we’ve learned to ask one question: “Can it be made outside?”

If it can, we’re in. Outdoor meals mean the mess stays outside and the living happens out loud. And we’ve learned that the more we simplify the prep, the more we can enjoy the people.

This dinner is more than chicken and cookies. It’s a reflection of the life we’re building here:

• Easy over impressive.
• Time with family over time in the kitchen.
• Connection over perfection.

When you find a meal that lets more people gather and more memories be made, you hold onto it.

So we do.

–Dakri