Like many of you, I’ve been cooking at home a lot more this summer than any other. I often surf the web to come up with ideas, but many times I end up flipping through the pages of my favorite cookbooks — a thirty-year collection of standouts. Recently I was sent a copy of Lei Shishak’s latest cookbook, Beach House Dinners — Simple, Summer-Inspired Meals for Entertaining Year-Round. And, after trying a few of the recipes ( tomato soup, BBQ ribs, and burgers), the book has secured a permanent spot on my stack of gems.

Lei Shishak is the owner of the beloved Sugar Blossom Bake Shop in the coastal city of San Clemente, California. After a long day at the Bake Shop, Chef Shishak makes a beeline to her beach house to cook what she considers the main meal of the day, dinner. “Our devices are off.” she says, “Work is done for the day, and we are ready to make and share an amazing meal.”

A Culinary Institute of America-trained chef, Shishak has authored three other cookbooks: Beach House Baking, Beach House Brunch, and Farm-to-Table Desserts. In Beach House Dinners, Shishak’s love of the sand-and-surf lifestyle shines through, with high-quality recipes that will take you away to beaches you long to visit.

The cookbook’s easy-to-read print, clear cooking instructions, and complete index of ingredients make it a breeze to navigate. And true to its subtitle, the recipes in Beach House Dinners are easy-to-prepare, some with make-ahead steps. In the welcoming paragraphs, Shishak notes that the straightforward recipes leave you “. . . plenty of time to relax, enjoy conversations on the beach, savor dips in the ocean, and bask in the warm sun.”

Flipping through the beautiful photographs of long, sandy beaches and mouthwatering food, I was transported (in spirit anyways) from my cramped New York City apartment to a place where seagulls live and breathe the salty air.

**With a sweet and tangy mayo-ketchup-relish sauce and a big dollop of caramelized onions, The book’s “Double Double, Animal Style” Burger is a take on California’s legendary In-N-Out Burger.**

Beach House Dinners will become your guide for summer-inspired classics like Butter Poached Lobster Rolls, Panzanella Salad, and Summer Tomato Soup, all three of which are included in Shishak’s personal favorites, marked by a red heart. Other favorites:

Sticky Sweet Chicken Wings
Grilled Halibut with Honey Soy Marinade
St. Louis Jerk Spareribs
Marinated Lamb Kebabs
Creamy Thai Curry Quinoa
Classic Meat Lasagna
Salmon Burger

As for practical information, Shishak has included plenty of helpful hints (in blue boxes within the recipes), along with important cooking temperatures and metric conversions. The book also provides useful lists of required gadgets, tools, and pantry items.

The recipes in Beach House Dinners — Simple, Summer-Inspired Meals for Entertaining Year-Round are designed to take you to the beach, making this cookbook a must-have for the summer. But don’t pack it away when the temperature drops. These summer-inspired meals, as the title suggests, are for enjoying all year long.

Find the book (hardcover or kindle) on Amazon.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of the cookbook for review. All opinions are my own.