Ree Drummond Shares 10 Things She’s Most Excited About This Summer

The kids talked me into installing a pickleball court and now I have no excuse not to play! I’m just going to need some friends and family to come by for a match with me. Ladd’s not exactly into it!

I’m eating all the good stuff nthis season: cherry pie, grilled peaches and a whole bunch of watermelon treats. On a sweltering Oklahoma afternoon, watermelon always saves the day.

What could be better than fresh, sweet summer corn? I could eat it every day! Here’s a little trick: If you’re cutting the kernels off, run the back of your knife all the way down the cob so you get all of that glorious, creamy milk.

I don’t think I could get through summer without fresh pesto. It’s my love language, especially when I can cut basil right from the garden. To make some, just puree 3/4 cup basil leaves with 1/2 cup grated parmesan, 3 tablespoons pine nuts, 2 garlic cloves and salt and pepper to taste, then drizzle in 1/3 cup olive oil while the motor is running.

Ladd has always worked the grill for our BBQs (I like grilling inside on a grill pan, in the comfort of my AC!). But so many of my favorite cookout foods don’t even require a grill, like slaws, salads, cornbread and all those great desserts.

The Oklahoma sky is so glorious at the end of a long summer day, but when the sun finally goes down, another amazing show starts. The stargazing here is incredible. A few years ago, I snapped this photo of the northern lights!

This drink became a trend a few years ago and I still love it as much as I did the first time I tried it. It's just lime juice, tequila and sparkling water: Fill a glass halfway with crushed ice, top with 1 tablespoon lime juice, 2 ounces tequila and 6 ounces Topo Chico. That's it!

We started our sweet little hometown 4th of July party in 2017, and I've had so much fun watching it grow over the years.