Alfredo Alfresco Recipes by Brooke Majors of The Lake Co.

Companion Recipes for:  A Lakeside Guide to Hosting (published in the 2026 Summer Issue - 2026-QTR2)
Writer and Host:  Brooke Majors of The Lake Co.
Photography: Jamelyn Pounds | Jamelyn’s Associate Media Co. 

Read our article on Brooke's hosting of her June event "Alfredo Alfresco" to learn more about choices and advice for hosting lakeside and at home in the summertime.  And check out her TikTok video too.  

Be sure to follow Brooke on both TikTok and Instagram as @brooke_majors

The Menu

Burrata and Roasted Tomato Appetizer

Ingredients

•  Cherry tomatoes
•  Olive oil
•  Italian seasoning
•  Flaky salt
•  Arugula
•  Fresh basil (some left whole, some sliced thin)
•  Cold burrata cheese
•  Balsamic glaze

​Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 450°F.
2. Toss the cherry tomatoes in olive oil, then roast them in the oven for 20 minutes or until the skins become tender.
3. Season the roasted tomatoes with Italian seasoning and flaky salt, then use a fork to gently mash them.
4. On a serving platter, lay down a base of arugula and whole basil leaves.
5. Arrange the warm, mashed roasted tomatoes in a circle around the edge of the plate.
6. Place the cold burrata cheese right in the center.
7. Cut open the burrata, then sprinkle the entire dish with flaky salt, more Italian seasoning, and the thinly sliced fresh basil.
8. Drizzle generously with balsamic glaze and serve.

The Pink Hydrangea
 
Ingredients
 
1 pound frozen strawberries
½ cup fresh mint leaves (and some for garnish if desired)
1 (59 oz) bottle pink lemonade
2 liters grapefruit soda (used some from Trader Joe’s but Fresca works too!)
1 cup fresh lemon juice (about 6–8 lemons)
1–2 cups plain seltzer water
Ice
 
Instructions
 

• Add frozen (or slightly thawed) strawberries and fresh mint leaves to a pitcher and crush with the back of a spoon into a nice rich puree.
• Add the remaining ingredients and mix well.
• Keep cold until ready to serve.  
• Serve in a decorative self-serve container.
• Pour over ice.
• ENJOY!

 
TIP - to make the recipe alcoholic, either of these 2 options work:
 

• Add 1 bottle (750 mL) prosecco just before serving
• or make the whole batch non-alcoholic and add a splash of prosecco to each individual glass

Olive Garden-Style Salad

Ingredients

•  Garden salad mix
•  Pepperoncini peppers
•  Red onion
•  Roma tomatoes
•  Olives
•  Parmesan cheese
•  Italian dressing

​Instructions
Chop the pepper, onion, tomatoes, then toss with the salad mix.  You can add the olives whole or chop them.  Pour in the Italian dressing and toss with the salad fully, then sprinkle with parmesan cheese to taste.   ​

The BEST Sourdough Bread Recipe

If you are a sourdough person, this is for you. If you aren’t the kind of person who enjoys spending hours making a single loaf of bread, just grab a loaf from a bakery!

Ingredients

•  525g water
•  20g salt
•  200g active starter (It should pass the “float test”)
•  700g bread flour

​Instructions

1.  Make the starter ahead of time: It should be active enough to float a teaspoon on a cup of water. This is usually 8–12 hours after feeding (100g water, 100g flour, 100g starter).
2. Mix the dough: Whisk the starter into the water, add the flour, and mix until it forms a shaggy dough ball.
3. Rest: Let it rise for 1–4 hours.
4. Add salt: Mix in the salt by pinching and stretching it into the dough.
5. Stretch and Folds: Pull the dough from the bottom, stretching it up and over itself. Turn the bowl a quarter turn and do it again. Repeat 4 times. Do this once every 30 minutes for a total of four rounds of stretch and folds.
6. Bulk Rise: Allow the dough to rise for 1 hour at room temperature. Cover the bowl with plastic (Fun fact: shower caps work great for this!) and set it in the fridge for 12–15 hours or overnight. Remove from the fridge and let it sit for a couple of hours until it gets close to room temperature.
7. Divide and Bench Rest: On a clean, floured surface, pour out the dough and lightly dust it with flour. Cut it in half. Take each half and form it into a round ball (There are tons of videos online showing ways to do this). Let the dough balls rest for 20–30 minutes.
8. Final Shape and Rise: Flip the dough ball over so the “top” is on the counter. Gently stretch and pull the sides to form a seam, pinching as necessary. Place the dough seam-side up in a rice-floured, cloth-lined banneton or bowl. Let it rise in the fridge for 2–4 hours.
9. Baking: Preheat your oven and Dutch oven to 450°F for at least 30 minutes. Take the dough out of the banneton/bowl and place it seam-side down in the Dutch oven. Score the loaf as desired. Place the lid on the Dutch oven and return it to the preheated oven. Bake for 30 minutes at 450°F. Remove the lid and bake uncovered for 10 more minutes. Remove from the oven and Dutch oven, then place on a cooling rack for at least 1 hour.

Homemade Pasta

(It’s easier than you think!)
Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

•  1 ½ cups Bob’s Red Mill Semolina Pasta Flour (You can grab it at Publix)
•  ½ t salt
•  2 eggs, beaten
•  2 T water
•  2 T olive oil

Instructions

1. On a clean work surface, combine the flour and salt. Make a well in the center and pour in the beaten eggs, water, and oil. Combine with your hands or a dough scraper to make a stiff dough.
2. Knead for 10 minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic (When you poke it with your finger, it should bounce back). Wrap the dough in a towel or place it in a plastic bag and let it rest for 20 minutes.
3. On a lightly floured surface, roll to your desired thickness and cut as desired—or use a pasta machine!
4. Bring a large pot of salted water (Salty like the ocean!) to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until tender, about 3–5 minutes.

Tips: I recommend cooking it immediately. When cutting the pasta, keep the dough floured so it doesn’t stick to itself. Try to place each noodle into the pot individually to keep them from sticking together.

Homemade Alfredo

Ingredients

•  ½ stick salted butter
•  1 T fresh minced garlic
•  2 T all-purpose flour
•  32 oz heavy whipping cream
•  8 oz Italian 5-cheese blend
•  1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
•  1 t white pepper
•  1 cup reserved pasta water

​Instructions

1. Melt the butter over medium-low heat in a large saucepan.
2. Add in the garlic and cook until fragrant.
3. Whisk in the flour and cook for about one minute until the flour is combined.
4. Slowly incorporate the heavy whipping cream. Cook until it thickens, then turn the heat down to low.
5. Whisk in the cheeses and white pepper.
6. Stir until completely incorporated, then slowly add in the reserved pasta water until you reach your desired consistency.

Homemade Marinara Sauce

Ingredients

•  28 ounces San Marzano tomatoes (canned whole)
•  ½ yellow onion, diced very fine
•  2 cloves garlic, diced very fine
•  1 ½ T extra virgin olive oil
•  ⅛ t red pepper flakes
•  2 fresh basil leaves
•  ⅛ t dried oregano
•  1 t kosher salt (plus more to taste)
•  Sugar (optional, a pinch at a time if your sauce tastes too acidic)

Instructions

1. Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add 1 ½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil.
2. Add ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes, ½ yellow onion, and a pinch of salt. Cook until the onions are translucent, about 3–4 minutes.
3. Add 2 cloves garlic and cook for one more minute.
4. Add 28 ounces San Marzano tomatoes to the pan.
5. With a potato masher (or the bottom of a mug), mash down the tomatoes gently. It can get a little messy, so do this part slowly. Keep mashing until they are mostly broken down.
6. Stir the tomatoes into the olive oil mixture well.
7. Add 2 fresh basil leaves, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and ⅛ teaspoon dried oregano, then stir.
8. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low and let simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.
9. Taste the sauce for any additional salt.
10. Serve over pasta, as a marinara dipping sauce, or on pizza.