The back-to-school commercials start earlier every year. We’re at the halfway mark of summer. Enjoy the moment and celebrate the season. Every year we try and grow a different variety of tomato. We learned years ago that cherry tomatoes can become extremely invasive. They reseeded and took root everywhere from an empty, broken pot to a crack … Continue reading
It has been a scorcher with punishing heat. One day, the only reason we got out of the pool, was to make lunch and then dinner. When the temperature is climbing toward triple digits, salads are a reliable dinner staple. The summer produce is providing some picture-perfect vegetables and fruit. The tomatoes in our garden … Continue reading
How do you grill on a really hot day? Jump in the pool first. Have the Mike’s Hard Lemonade resting on one side of the grill. We had some friends over last summer, who stayed for dinner, after a day of kids in the pool. We chatted and gathered ingredients for dinner. Before you know it our friend said, “Wait … Continue reading
Nothing says summer like hot dogs on the grill. Summer vacation has officially begun. The guys were in the pool all day. Flip flops are left around. Summertime. The living isn’t exactly easy. But, it has slowed down a bit. As a nod to the woman, who held the writing workshop, that got this blog started, … Continue reading
Grilled vegetables and a nice glass of wine. A perfect summer menu for outdoor dining. If you can arrange an evening breeze, and no mosquitoes, you have a thoroughly enjoyable dining experience. For our grilled vegetable gazpacho, we like to use tomatoes as the base. Next, we use a combination of yellow and green zucchini, sweet … Continue reading
Panzanella is a simple bread and tomato salad using stale bread. It’s a great addition to a summer menu, as it can sit at room temperature, at a barbecue or backyard party. The idea is to use tomatoes, onions, and really, any other ingredients you like, to make a salad where the stale bread soaks … Continue reading
Google the word “tripe.” One of the first definitions to come up in a search gives you this explanation: The rubbery lining of the stomach of cattle or other ruminants, used as food. “Used as food?” Does that mean it isn’t actually food? There are no pictures of tripe to accompany this post today. There … Continue reading
“Mom, since it’s my graduation, and the last day of school, can I choose what we have for dinner?” Sure. Yesterday, was pajama day for the little guy and graduation for the fifth graders. Yet, they went to school one last morning to complete the days for the school calendar. Report cards were handed out too. … Continue reading
We knew this time was coming. Yet, it doesn’t seem real. My “2002 baby” graduated from elementary school this morning. We went to a local restaurant to celebrate and that carried over to a friend’s house. It’s times like these that remind us it doesn’t have to be a lavish spread to celebrate a milestone … Continue reading
There’s a rule in our house. When trying new foods, if the guys don’t like something (and thankfully, that’s not often) they have to give a reason for not finding pleasure in the food. They’ve offered up everything from “It’s too spicy!” to “I can hear the crunching in my head!” These are not comments … Continue reading
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