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Best Beach House Recipes - Perfect for Destin Vacation Rentals

One of the joys of staying in a South Walton or Destin vacation rental is the fully equipped kitchen. And while you certainly want to go out to eat some meals, it is nice to have the convenience and cost savings of preparing meals at your beach house. So as you plan your next beach vacation, you may be thinking about recipes that are easy to prepare and will feed a large group of your closest family and friends. 

We recommend The Beach House Cookbook. Written by New York Times Best Selling Author Mary Kay Andrews, The Beach House Cookbook is filled with recipes that are easy and delicious. In fact when Mary Kay comes to see her friends in Destin, she stays with Newman-Dailey Resort Properties. During her last visit, we sampled recipes from The Beach House Cookbook at one of our premier vacation homes, the Emerald Beach House. The gorgeous five bedroom, six and half bath home features a chef ready kitchen and was the perfect location for for sampling some of the delectable drinks and dishes. Here’s a few we recommend:  

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Appetizers:  Baked Crab & Artichoke Dip and Coconut Rum Fruit Salad

With fresh, locally caught blue crab available at local seafood markets, Mary Kay’s baked crab and artichoke dip is a delicious way to incorporate local ingredients for a crowd pleaser. Complement the dip with a fresh fruit salad. Mary Kay grew up in Florida and enjoyed a bountiful harvest of citrus fruits from her family and neighbors’ yards. These days she buys jars of mixed citrus fruits and skips the work of sectioning the fruit. However, visitors to the Emerald Coast can stop by one of the neighborhood farmer’s markets or Whole Foods-Destin to purchase fresh fruit for your salad.

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Drink: Sandbar Sangria

Looking for the perfect refreshing drink at the beach? Consider Mary Kay’s Sandbar Sangria. What’s especially fun about her beachy version is that it is made with two bottles of dry rose wine and whatever fruit you have on hand. For the fizz, she uses flavored sparkling water, like LaCroix, but you can also use sparkling wine like prosecco. Serve in a clear pitcher so your guests can enjoy seeing this pretty pink concoction. 

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Breakfast: Jeanne’s Breakfast Casserole 

We love this dish not only because Mary Kay’s friend shares the name of our CEO Jeanne Dailey, but this is a great dish for large families staying at the beach. Members of the family can get up at separate times and simply warm this delicious breakfast casserole, grab a cup of coffee and enjoy at their leisure. No schedules, no coordination, just enjoy being on beach time.

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Lunch: Bloody Mary Marinated Tomatoes

Staying in Destin is the perfect time to enjoy fresh-caught Gulf-shrimp from one of the many seafood markets in town.   Mary Kay loves this recipe because no matter what time of year it is, you can usually find decent cherry or grape tomatoes. She added pickled okra and bacon after being inspired by the Bloody Marys served at AJ’s Dockside Restaurant. She adds if you’d like to keep the Bloody Mary image intact, wet the rim of a shallow serving dish and dip it in Old Bay seasoning. Yum!

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Dinner: Smoked Pork Butt with Beach House Barbecue Sauce

This recipe was originally prepared on the Big Green Egg, which we love but understand that there won’t likely be an Egg at your rental house. Therefore, there it can be cooked in the oven… We really like that it feeds a large group and there will be leftovers for lunch tomorrow.  In addition, Mary Kay’s recipe for the Beach House Barbecue Sauce  

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Dessert: Old Glory Parfaits

We love this All-American recipe. Whether you’re enjoying it for a holiday such as the Memorial Day, Fourth of July or Veteran’s Day or just enjoying a cool dessert in the heat of summer, we think you’ll love its sweet layered goodness.  

Ready to make all these delicious recipes? You can purchase The Beach House Cookbook online or an autographed copy at Newman-Dailey’s check-in office in Miramar Beach. 

Living, Dining and Kitchen Areas on 1st Floor

Beach House Vacation Rental Home

Gathering many generations or several families in one vacation home is not only fun it’s more affordable. Groups can all contribute to groceries and share in the costs of the rental. Beach homes are also popular for gathering for the holidays. Everyone can come together under one roof and when the week is over pack up and leave the cleaning to the pros. It’s a dream come true. And the Emerald Beach House is a great choice.  With 5 bedrooms, 6 ½ baths, this home sleeps up to 22 friends and family members. Emerald Beach House features three floors of versatile spaces and just one block off the beach. The home’s private pool is ideal for gathering after a day at the beach and enjoying a backyard barbecue. Cooking is pure pleasure with all the upgraded appliances, granite counters and chef-ready cookware. Upstairs two large balconies offer beach views and create the perfect perches for viewing a famous Destin sunset. 

Ready to book your next beach vacation? Learn more or book one of our beach houses online.

Need a different size beach vacation rental home, view Newman-Dailey’s vast selection of Destin vacation rental homes and condominiums online or call 1-800-225-7652 and our friendly vacation specialists can help narrow your search. 

See you @ the beach!