Our Cooking Club is a delightful way to celebrate the Love & Lemons community of readers. The concept is straightforward: each month, I choose a recipe, you prepare it, and leave a comment on the recipe’s blog post. At the end of the month, I randomly select one winner to receive a prize.

I cherish the sense of community that comes from so many individuals cooking one recipe each month. We’re kicking off our July challenge today with our panzanella recipe, and I hope you’ll join in the fun. Here’s how it works:

The Prize: A $100 Whole Foods Gift Card!

At the end of the month, I’ll randomly select a winner and share some of your photos. This time, we’re giving away a $100 Whole Foods gift card!

Additionally, for every entry we receive, we’ll donate $1 to No Kid Hungry.

July marks the beginning of peak tomato season, making it essential to choose a tomato recipe this month. I’ve opted for one of my personal favorites: panzanella!

In case you’re unfamiliar, panzanella is a Tuscan bread salad. It’s an excellent way to utilize stale bread—the dry bread absorbs the sweet tomato juices and tangy dressing, transforming into a delectable summer dish.

This salad is not only a fantastic summer side but can also serve as a main course on warm nights. With fresh veggies, it’s incredibly refreshing and requires minimal cooking (about 10 minutes in the oven for toasting the bread).

• Make it vegan: Omit the cheese! It’s entirely optional—you won’t miss it.
• Make it gluten-free: Use high-quality gluten-free bread; a crusty loaf works best.
• Pairing suggestion: Savor the Italian vibes with a sip of a Hugo spritz or Aperol spritz!

Enter the July Challenge

Want to participate? Here’s what you need to do:

1. Prepare our panzanella recipe at some point during July.
2. Comment on the panzanella blog post by July 31.
3. For a bonus entry, send a photo of your creation to cookingclub@loveandlemons.com.
4. For another bonus entry, post your photo on Instagram, tagging @loveandlemons and #loveandlemonscookingclub.
5. Sign up for our email list to stay updated on next month’s recipe!

I will randomly select a winner and share some of your photos in early August.

Last Month’s Recipe

In June, we celebrated summer BBQ and picnic season with a classic cookout side: coleslaw! Many of you added your own unique twists to the recipe:

• From Ilona: “I left out the maple syrup and added a touch of pomegranate molasses. Delicious!”
• From Adrienne: “I included chives and some tarragon from my garden. Ideal summer side!”
• From Deeann: “I substituted radicchio for red cabbage as that’s what I had at home. It turned out fantastic and I will definitely be making it again!”
• From Ruby: “If you lack apple cider vinegar, or want to add extra depth of flavor, use the liquid from a jar of pickles.”

Those are just a few inspirations! I’m so excited to explore variations of this recipe for the rest of the summertime. 😊 Here are some of your photos:

Congratulations to Alison, our winner!

To Recap

Enter the July Cooking Club Challenge by…

1. Making my panzanella at any point during July.
2. Leaving a comment on the panzanella blog post by July 31.
3. Sending a picture of your panzanella to cookingclub@loveandlemons.com for a bonus entry.
4. For another bonus entry, posting your photo on Instagram, tagging @loveandlemons and #loveandlemonscookingclub.

Happy cooking!