September is when I start wanting dinner to feel like dinner again.

Summer meals are great, but they're often a little thrown together — something on the BBQ, a salad, whatever is easy between plans. Once the evenings start getting cooler, I'm ready to turn the oven back on and make something that feels a little more like everyone should actually sit down at the table.

This Maple Dijon Chicken & Apples is exactly that kind of meal.

It's cozy without being heavy, the apples give it just enough fall flavour, and everything cooks together on one pan, which is really the kind of September reset I can get behind.

Maple Dijon Chicken & Apples

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 4 boneless chicken breasts or 6 boneless chicken thighs

• 1½ lbs baby potatoes, halved

• 2 crisp apples, cut into wedges

• 1 small red onion, cut into wedges

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• Salt and pepper

• Fresh thyme or rosemary

For the Maple Dijon Sauce:

• 3 tbsp Dijon mustard

• 3 tbsp maple syrup

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• Salt and pepper

Directions

Preheat your oven to 425°F.

Toss the potatoes and red onion with olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread them on a large sheet pan and roast for about 15 minutes.

While they're cooking, whisk together the Dijon mustard, maple syrup, olive oil, apple cider vinegar and garlic.

Remove the pan from the oven and add the chicken and apple wedges. Spoon the Maple Dijon sauce generously over the chicken and toss the potatoes and apples lightly in any extra sauce.

Return everything to the oven for another 20–25 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F and the potatoes are tender.

Finish with fresh thyme or rosemary and serve straight from the pan.

Add a simple green salad and some crusty bread if you want to round it out.

It's warm, a little sweet, a little savoury and exactly the kind of supper that makes a cooler September evening feel pretty good.

Maybe fall isn't so bad after all.

There's something about August that calls for simple recipes made with fresh, seasonal ingredients. Whether you're hosting friends on the patio or enjoying a quiet evening with a good book, these crostini come together in minutes and feel just a little bit special.

Ingredients

• 1 baguette, sliced into ½-inch rounds

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• 1 ball (8 oz) burrata cheese

• 2 ripe peaches, thinly sliced

• 2–3 tbsp hot honey

• Fresh basil leaves

• Flaky sea salt

• Freshly cracked black pepper

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).

2. Arrange the baguette slices on a baking sheet and brush both sides lightly with olive oil.

3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden and crisp.

4. Tear the burrata into pieces and spread onto each crostini.

5. Top with a few slices of fresh peach.

6. Drizzle generously with hot honey.

7. Finish with torn basil, a sprinkle of flaky sea salt, and freshly cracked black pepper.

Serve immediately while the crostini are still warm.

There are certain smells that instantly take you back to a place.

For me, it's fresh basil, vine-ripened tomatoes, and lemons.

Ever since our trip to Italy last year, that combination has reminded me of wandering through little markets, stopping at cafés, and realizing that some of the best meals we had were also the simplest. Fresh ingredients, good olive oil, and food meant to be shared.

Now that my own basil and tomato plants are finally producing, I find myself thinking about that trip every time I step onto the deck to pick a handful of herbs or a few ripe tomatoes from my planter box.

This recipe is inspired by exactly that. It's simple, fresh, and one of my favourite appetizers to put out when friends stop by on a warm summer evening.

Whipped Feta Dip with Garden Tomatoes & Basil

Ingredients

For the whipped feta

• 200 g block feta cheese

• ½ cup plain Greek yogurt

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• Juice of ½ lemon

• Fresh cracked pepper

For the topping

• 1 cup cherry tomatoes

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• Handful of fresh basil, torn

• Hot honey, for drizzling

• Flaky sea salt

• Fresh cracked pepper

For serving

• Crostini

• Warm pita

• Crackers

• Fresh vegetables

Directions

1. Toss the cherry tomatoes with olive oil and roast at 400°F for 20 minutes, until soft and lightly blistered.

2. While the tomatoes cook, blend the feta, Greek yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, and pepper until smooth and creamy.

3. Spread the whipped feta onto a shallow serving plate.

4. Spoon the warm roasted tomatoes over top.

5. Finish with torn basil, a drizzle of hot honey, flaky sea salt, and fresh cracked pepper.

6. Serve immediately with crostini, pita, crackers, or fresh vegetables.

Every summer, my raspberry bushes seem to have a mind of their own. One minute they're producing a handful of berries, and the next they're overflowing onto the pathway, practically begging to be picked before the birds discover them.

Harvesting them has become part of my summer routine. It's one of those simple little moments that reminds me to slow down, spend a few minutes outside, and enjoy what's growing right in my own backyard.

If you're finding yourself with more raspberries than you know what to do with, this has become one of my favourite ways to use them. It's light, refreshing, and just as delicious with or without alcohol, making it perfect for backyard dinners, book club nights, or simply sitting on the deck after a long day.

Ingredients

• ½ cup fresh raspberries

• 1 tsp honey (optional)

• Juice of ½ a lime

• A handful of fresh mint leaves

• Ice

• 2 oz vodka or gin

• Sparkling water or club soda

• Extra raspberries and mint for garnish

Directions

Add the raspberries, lime juice, honey, and a few mint leaves to a glass and gently muddle until the berries release their juices.

Fill the glass with ice, pour in the vodka or gin, then top with sparkling water. Stir gently and garnish with extra raspberries, fresh mint, and a lime wedge.

Make It a Mocktail!

Simply skip the alcohol and replace it with a splash of lemonade or a little extra sparkling water. You'll still get all the fresh raspberry flavour with a drink that's just as refreshing on a hot afternoon.

Whether you're picking berries from your own garden or grabbing a basket from the farmers' market, this is one of those simple summer recipes that feels a little bit special without taking more than a few minutes to make.

Sometimes the best part of summer isn't the big vacations or packed schedules. It's wandering into the backyard with a bowl in hand, picking raspberries before the bushes completely take over, and ending the day with a cold drink on the patio. Those are the moments I find myself looking forward to every year.