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I am generally not one to ramble on, but I need to give you a little background here. Last week, feeling nostalgic, I decided to replicate the meal that I had on our honeymoon in Nassau some 27 years ago, blackened grouper. So I got myself some grouper, and then realized that I don’t know anything about cooking fish. I searched for a recipe, and while I did come up with one for blackened grouper (which is nothing more than putting blackened seasoning on both sides of the grouper and then baking, broiling, or grilling it), I discovered Romesco Sauce for the first time. Where has this been all my life? If you are wondering what Romesco Sauce is, let me tell you that it is of Spanish and Portuguese origin. The base ingredients include roasted red peppers, nuts, garlic, bread (yes, bread!), olive oil, and vinegar. It is then processed into a paste wherein it will become one of your favorite sauces in the world! Not only is it tangy, spicy, and delicious, but it is so versatile. I have used it on its own, in pasta salad, as a topper for tomato soup, stirred into ranch dressing, blended into cream cheese as a spread, and recently in egg salad; it makes everything better! I also added a tablespoon to my recipe for Cheesy Garlic Bread, and it was magnificent! In case you’re wondering, I ruined the grouper. It was overdone, tough, and rubbery, but hey, I found the sauce! Romesco Sauce Slightly adapted from Gourmet Magazine, June 2000 1/3 c. whole blanched almonds, toasted 1 slice firm white sandwich bread, torn into pieces 2 large garlic cloves ½ t. dried hot red pepper flakes* ½ c. coarsely chopped Melissa’s roasted red peppers 2 T. red-wine vinegar ½ t. salt, or to taste ¼ c. extra-virgin olive oil Finely grind almonds, bread, garlic, and red pepper flakes in a food processor. Add roasted peppers, vinegar, and salt, then purée, adding oil in a slow stream. Season with black pepper. *Use less, if desired. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. View the full article

I was reading an article the other day about the fragrance that the largest numbers of people consider to be their number one, and that was vanilla. I can’t say that it is not high on my list, but, in my case, my number one most favorite fragrance is that of pesto in the making. There is something about basil being whirred around in a food processor that makes me positively heady. August is the time of the year when there is much pesto making at my house. Because I make it in small batches, and because I always have a good bit of basil growing in my deck garden, I tend to make it once a week. I ran myself out of the nuts that I generally use, so this time decided to make a rather bold (at least I thought it was bald) substitution in sunflower seeds. I absolutely love the result! I also like the fact that sunflower seeds are something I can grow on my own so that next year I will have not only fresh basil, but fresh sunflower seeds as well, making this dish nearly fully organic, and cost-effective at the same time. If you haven’t tried it, you absolutely must! Small Batch Basil & Sunflower Seed Pesto 6 cloves garlic peeled ¼ c. roasted, salted sunflower seeds ½ c. grated Parmesan cheese ½ t. kosher salt, more or less 3 c. fresh basil leaves, packed 1 T. freshly squeezed lemon juice Few gratings freshly ground black pepper ¾ c. good olive oil Place all ingredients EXCEPT the olive oil in a small food processor and pulse until blended. With the machine running, add the oil in a fine stream. Process until pesto is smooth. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. View the full article

I don’t have a lot of experience with fennel, but the little I do have tells me that it tends to enhance anything it’s in. One example is Ina Garten’s Potato Gratin with Gouda and Fennel. Another example, also by Ina, is right here. This Rigatoni with Sausage and Fennel is restaurant quality, for relatively little effort. Do your prep work ahead, buy your sausage in bulk, and this will be on the table in no time. You may never want to go out for Italian food again. Rigatoni with Sausage & Fennel From Cooking for Jeffrey by Ina Garten 3 T. good olive oil 3 c. chopped fennel (1 large bulb) 1½ c. chopped yellow onion 1¼ lb. sweet Italian sausages, casings removed 2 t. minced garlic (2 cloves) ½ t. whole fennel seeds, crushed with a mortar and pestle ½ t. crushed red pepper flakes Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 c. dry white wine 1 c. heavy cream 2/3 c. half-and-half 2 T. tomato paste 1 lb. pound rigatoni ½ c. chopped fresh parsley leaves 1 c. freshly grated Italian Parmesan cheese, divided Heat the olive oil in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven, such as Le Creuset, over medium heat. Add the fennel and onion and sauté for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Add the sausage and cook for 7 to 8 minutes, crumbling it with a fork, until nicely browned. Add the garlic, crushed fennel seeds, red pepper flakes, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper and cook for one minute. Pour in the wine, bring to a boil, and add the heavy cream, half-and-half, and tomato paste. Bring back to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 20 minutes, until the sauce has thickened. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil, add 2 tablespoons salt, and cook the rigatoni according to the directions on the package. Drain and add to the sauce, stirring to coat the pasta. Cook over low heat for 5 minutes to allow the pasta to absorb the sauce. Off the heat, stir in the parsley and 1/2 cup of the Parmesan. Serve hot in shallow bowls with the remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan on the side. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. View the full article

If you don’t follow Daniel Mancini on Facebook or Instagram, I strongly encourage you to do so. He is very generous with his recipes, and posts often. In this intense heat, I am looking for things that are cool and refreshing; his cannellini beans spread fit the bill. This was so good that I really didn’t need dippers as a spoon would suffice. I altered his recipe a bit, adding freshly squeezed lemon juice, because I had some left over from a pasta dish that I’d made and I didn’t want to waste it. I don’t consider myself a particular lover of beans, but having tried this, I’m ready to buy cannellini beans by the case. Feel free to change up the fresh herbs to suit those that you have on hand and/or like. I have now made this a couple of times, varying each slightly, sometimes using basil and chives. You can’t mess this up. What a wonderful, healthy snack! Cannellini Bean Spread Slightly adapted from Daniel Mancini 1 15.5-oz. can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed ¼ c. extra virgin olive oil 1 t. fresh lemon juice 2 fresh sage leaves, optional ½ t. fresh thyme, optional ½ t. kosher salt ¼ t. freshly ground black pepper 1 T. freshly grated Parmesan 1 garlic clove, chopped Place everything into a food processor or blender process till smooth. Taste for salt and adjust. Daniel says that he makes this very often, and uses it as a dip for fresh cut vegetables, or spreads it onto slices of toasted Italian bread. It’s so delicious and, as I was saying, it’s healthy alternative to many commercial dips. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. View the full article

I watch a lot of Italian television. A. LOT. My current favorites, for those of you who may have an interest, are Don Matteo, Imma Tataranni, Montalbano, and Bulletproof Heart. One thing about Italian television is that they eat a lot of delicious looking food. More often than once I have headed to Google to look up a recipe. In one episode I saw a bowl of lemon spaghetti that looked particularly good. A Google search brought up this recipe from Giada de Laurentis; I decided to give it a try, and loved it! It is lemony and fresh, and almost addicting in its deliciousness. It is the perfect pasta to serve on a hot summer day. Giada’s Lemon Spaghetti 1 lb. spaghetti 2/3 c. extra virgin olive oil 2/3 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish ½ c. fresh squeezed lemon juice ½ c. (packed) sliced basil leaves Salt and fresh cracked black pepper, to taste Lemon zest for garnish Cook the spaghetti in lots of well-salted water. Meanwhile whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, and Parmesan cheese in a large bowl. When the pasta is cooked, transfer it with tongs to the bowl (it's ok if some of the pasta water comes with it.) Immediately toss vigorously to get all the pasta coated in the lemony olive oil mixture. Add a little more pasta water if needed. Add salt to taste, if necessary, and black pepper. Note: as you toss the spaghetti it will absorb some of the sauce. Add the fresh basil and give everything a last toss, and serve immediately with an extra sprinkle of cheese, lemon zest, and more fresh cracked black pepper. (For an even quicker meal you can whisk the sauce together and stash in the fridge for a day or two. Do not slice the basil until ready to serve.) As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. View the full article

As you have no doubt come to realize, I have been doing a lotwith zucchini. After the resounding success of my Fruit and Spice Zucchini Bread, I decided to give a chocolate version a try. This is insanely good! The crust is crackly and crunchy; the interior is chewy, almost creamy, and densely chocolate. I have had brownies that weren’t nearly this good. The beauty of this is that I count a slice as a serving of vegetables. While that may not be accurate, it is good, and works well any time of the day. Consider a slice for dessert topped with a scoop of ice cream and a drizzle of chocolate sauce. Heaven! Chocolate Zucchini Bread 1 T. melted butter 1 extra large egg 1 c. sugar ½ c. vegetable oil 1 c. grated Melissa’s organic zucchini* 1 t. vanilla extract 3 T. cocoa powder ¼ t. espresso powder 1 c. flour ½ t. baking soda ½ t. salt ½ t. cinnamon ½ c. mini chocolate chips Preheat oven to 350° F. Spray a 9” x 5” loaf pan with PAM; set aside. In a large bowl combine butter, eggs, sugar, oil, grated zucchini, and vanilla; beat well. In a medium bowl, combine cocoa powder, espresso powder, flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Stir in the chocolate chips. Whisk dry ingredients into wet ingredients until blended. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Cool on rack for 10 minutes before inverting and removing from pan. *About one medium zucchini As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. View the full article

You wouldn’t think that a hot day would be a good one to be fixing soup, but I had a great interest in adapting a recipe that I found online, so made a big cauldron (read: slow cooker) of it yesterday. It was so good! Thick, rich, and wonderfully delicious, it is worth making for the broth alone, it is so flavorful. This version is very mild. If you like your food spicy, use hot sauce, or a hotter version of salsa verde. I topped mine with vegetables, herbs, and a dollop of sour cream. Feel free to use crumbled Fritos or tortilla chips to top yours. For an even heartier soup, put a handful of tortilla chips in the bottom of the bowl before you fill it with this toothsome concoction. If you’re not one to have soup in the summer, save this recipe for fall. You’ll thank me later. Green Enchilada Chicken Soup 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs 1 28-oz. can green enchilada sauce 24 oz. chicken broth ½ t. paprika ¼ t. onion powder ¼ t. garlic powder 1 t. Montreal Chicken Seasoning ½ c. chopped celery (about 1 rib) 1 14.5-oz. can corn 2 Melissa’s shallots, chopped ½ c. chopped Melissa’s roasted red peppers 1 c. heavy cream 2 c. shredded Monterey jack cheese 4 oz. cream cheese, cubed, room temperature 4 oz. salsa verde Salt and pepper to taste In a 6-quart slow cooker place chicken breast or thighs, green enchilada sauce, chicken broth, seasonings, and vegetables. Cook on Low 6 to 8 hours. Remove chicken and shred. Return shredded chicken to the soup and stir in heavy cream, jack cheese, cream cheese, and salsa verde. Turn slow cooker to warm and stir occasionally until cheeses are melted. Add additional seasonings, to taste. Be generous with the toppings, almost excessive. I like to use avocado, cilantro, green onion, and sour cream. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. View the full article

I once met a person who didn’t like Fritos; we couldn’t be friends. That’s a bit of an exaggeration, but in my mind, there’s absolutely no reason not to love them. When I found this recipe on the Cookies & Cups website, the fact that a salad contained Fritos intrigued me, so I had to make it. Let me just say that with or without the Fritos it is delicious; with the Fritos it is over the top. It is colorful, fun, spicy, super tasty, and a must for summer parties, picnics, or barbecues. Spicy Frito Corn Salad Slightly adapted from cookiesandcups.com Dressing: 3 T. Adobo sauce (from a can of chipotles in adobo) 2 T. fresh lime juice ¼ c. Duke’s mayonnaise ¼ t. cumin ½ t. kosher salt ½ t. fresh ground black pepper Salad: 2 15.25-oz. cans corn, drained 2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced ¾ c. diced Melissa’s roasted red peppers 1/3 c. diced green bell peppers 1 small Melissa’s pickled jalapeño, diced ¼ c. diced red onion 1 c. chopped cilantro ¼ c. crumbled cotija cheese, plus more for garnish 2 c. coarsely crushed chili cheese Fritos In a small mixing bowl, whisk together dressing ingredients; set aside. In a medium/large mixing bowl, toss together all salad ingredients EXCEPT Fritos. Fold in dressing to coat. Refrigerate for at least one hour, more is better. When ready to serve, toss with additional cotija cheese and the crushed Fritos. Serve immediately. Don’t allow those Fritos to become soggy! As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. View the full article

A couple of weeks ago I posted a recipe for the salad dressing from the Mayfair Hotel in St. Louis. You can find that recipe here. Lynney commented that she loved the Steak Diane from that hotel, so I set about to find the recipe. Last night I made that Steak Diane, and I have to tell you that it is restaurant quality, and couldn’t be easier. It literally took no longer, including prep time, than 15 minutes. A baked potato, and broccoli blanched in boiling water for four minutes and seasoned it to my liking, made for an excellent meal. Don’t wait for a special occasion to make this, treat yourself. Mayfair Hotel’s Steak Diane 1 10-oz. boneless sirloin steak (about 1” thick) Butter 2 Melissa’s shallots, finely chopped 4 fresh mushroom caps, sliced 1 t. Worcestershire sauce 2 T. brandy Trim almost all fat from steak. Preheat a skillet until hot enough to sizzle a drop of water. Add just enough butter to prevent sticking. Brown steak quickly on one side, about 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium. Add shallots or mushrooms; cook 2 minutes. Turn steak; cook about 6 minutes or until steak reaches desired doneness. Tip the pan toward you; add Worcestershire sauce and brandy. Tip the pan away from you; carefully light with a long-handled match. (Or remove the pan from the heat while you light the brandy and then return it to the burner.) Slide the pan back and forth while the sauce blazes to blend well. When flame is almost extinguished, transfer the steak to a warm plate. Spoon sauce over the steak. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. View the full article

I have been over the moon using the grill my dad gave me when I moved into this house. I didn’t get much use out of it for the first nine years, but I am making up for that now. It took me a bit of time to get confident enough to stray from pork steaks, hamburgers, and the occasional zucchini, but stray I did in making these grilled chicken satays with peanut sauce, a super easy, super delicious recipe from the Damn Delicious site. The skewers make these easy to maneuver and the kids will find them lots of fun. If you are a fan of chicken with peanut sauce, these are a must make. Chicken Satays with Peanut Sauce From damndelucious.net Marinade: ¼ c. coconut milk 2 T. reduced sodium soy sauce 2½ t. yellow curry powder 1½ t. turmeric 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 T. freshly grated ginger 1 T. brown sugar 1 T. fish sauce 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1 inch chunks 1 T. canola oil Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste For the peanut sauce: 3 T. creamy peanut butter 1 T. reduced sodium soy sauce 1 T. freshly squeezed lime juice 2 t. brown sugar 2 t. chili garlic sauce, or more, to taste 1 t. freshly grated ginger To make peanut sauce, whisk together peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, chili garlic sauce, and ginger in a small bowl. Whisk in 2 to 3 tablespoons water until desired consistency is reached; set aside. In a medium bowl, combine coconut milk, soy sauce, curry powder, turmeric, garlic, ginger, brown sugar, and fish sauce. In a gallon size Ziploc bag or large bowl, combine chicken and marinade; marinate for at least two hours to overnight, turning the bag occasionally. Drain the chicken from the marinade, discarding the marinade. Bring grill to medium high heat. Thread chicken onto skewers*. Brush with canola oil; season with salt and pepper, to taste. And skewers to grill, and cook, turning occasionally, until the chicken is completely cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165° F, about 12 to 15 minutes. Serve immediately with peanut sauce. *Soak skewers in water for 30 minutes to an hour prior to using to prevent them from catching on fire. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. View the full article

This tablescape is a riff on the “Supper by the Shore” tablescape that I did last week. One of the reasons that I wanted to create this was not only because I wanted to use my adorable individual fish tureens, but also as an illustration at how easy it is to adapt one table setting into another. The centerpiece of this table is the water pitcher that I used last time, only this time it has been pressed into service as a vase. It is in the “Stamped Seahorse” pattern from Maxcera, and full of yellow alstroemerias, a cheerful and long-lasting flower. I wanted the pop of yellow at center to be picked up in the stemware, so I chose one of my favorites, these yellow goblets. Noritake flatware with ridged ceramic handles, add even more yellow to this setting. The whimsical and adorable miniature fish tureens in yellow and turquoise are vintage and were a promotional item from Chicken of the Sea. Aren’t they just the cutest things ever?! As you can see, I kept the round tablecloth in burlap and fishnettopper the same as I did last week. This week I added wicker placemats. The turquoise salt and pepper shakers are Fiestaware, giving a nice complementary pop of color; the little yellow dish heated by a tea light candle is made in Holland by Boska. The napkins are the same ones that I used last week, only this week I changed the position of them from under the plates to the right on top of them, emphasizing the secondary color. I love candlelight at a dinner table, so this week chose glass candleholders with a space in the bottom for the organic element of my choice, in this case river-washed stones, adding more to the center of the table, to give that ocean bed feel. When you’re setting a table, no matter the occasion, keep in mind that a few changes or variations can make a big difference. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This post is linked to: Tablescape Thursday View the full article

I have gone absolutely wild using my grill this season. I have already used it more this summer than I have in the past three years. I know nothing about grilling, but I am learning fast with various forms of experimentation. Week before last I grilled cauliflower steaks. This week I’m grilling zucchini. There is absolutely nothing to this, and I find that thicker slices keep the zucchini from going limp as it often does on the grill if the slices are too thin. Make dinner easy on yourself by doing as much as you possibly can outdoors. Keep that kitchen cool! Grilled Zucchini 1 to 2 Melissa’s organic zucchini, sliced diagonally ½” thick ¼ c. your favorite Italian salad dressing ½ t. dried parsley ½ t. dried basil Few gratings freshly ground black pepper Garlic salt Slice zucchini and allow to drain on a paper towel-lined plate for 15 to 30 minutes while you are preparing the grill. In a medium to large bowl, whisk together Italian dressing, parsley, basil, and pepper. Place drained zucchini into the dressing tossing to coat. Place it on the grill at medium/high heat and close the cover. Grill for 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove to a plate and sprinkle with garlic salt. Serve immediately. View the full article

Believe it or not, I found yet another recipe for pimiento cheese, this one is southern style. I have been singing the praises of pimiento cheese for a long while. I grew up on this stuff; as a girl I had it as a filling for sandwiches, as an adult I find the benefit of enjoying it with fruits and vegetables. I mentioned a couple of posts ago that I’m trying to cut back on carbs, so instead of enjoying this as I usually would on crackers or a crusty roll, I am enjoying it with celery, grapes, and apple slices. It is a delicious and satisfying snack. Southern Pimiento Cheese Slightly adapted from mash.com ⅓ c. Duke’s mayonnaise 2 oz. cream cheese, softened 1 t. grated onion ¼ t. black pepper ¼ t. garlic powder ¼ t. Creole seasoning 2 t. Worcestershire sauce 1 t. dill pickle juice 4 oz. diced Melissa’s Roasted red peppers 2 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese In a bowl, mix together mayonnaise and cream cheese until well blended. Stir in the onion, salt, pepper, garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce, and pickle juice. Fold in the pimento and cheddar cheese. Serve immediately, or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. View the full article

Last week in a Facebook post, Nathalie Dupree mentioned making macaroni pie for supper. She posted a picture and it looked like a bowl full of comfort. She happened to mention that it was in one of her cookbooks, one that I own, so I dug it out and gave this recipe a try. It is easy to put together, hearty, and full of cheesy goodness. If you have a busy day ahead (and who doesn’t?) you can make it early in the day and refrigerate it until you’re ready to bake. Serve it with a green salad, crusty roll, and a glass of white wine. Macaroni Pie From Mastering the Art of Southern Cooking by Nathalie Dupree 3 c. cooked and drained spaghetti(macaroni) 4 T. butter, melted 4 large eggs, beaten to mix 3 c. milk 1½ t. Dijon mustard 2 t. salt Freshly ground black pepper 1 t. cayenne, optional 1 pound sharp Cheddar or Gruyère cheese, grated Preheat oven to 350°F. Roughly cut the cooked spaghetti into 3-inch pieces and toss with half the butter. Lightly whisk the eggs with the milk in a large bowl. Add the mustard, salt, peppers, and half the cheese. Put half the spaghetti into a greased 3-quart baking dish, sprinkle with cheese to cover and 1 tablespoon of the butter. Ladle on half the egg/cheese mixture, top with the rest of the spaghetti. Ladle on the remainder of the mixture and enough cheese and the remaining butter to cover the top. If the dish is deep, it may not need all the cheese. Move to the preheated oven. If the dish is less than three inches deep, bake for 30 minutes; if deeper, bake for about 45 minutes. Check and reduce the heat 25 degrees if the cheese is browning too much or the custard is bubbling. Cover lightly with foil and continue to cook until a fork inserted in the custard comes out clean and the top is golden brown, up to 40 minutes more, depending on the thickness of the baking dish. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. View the full article

The late Mr. O-P was from New Jersey, so every summer, sandwiched in between other obligations, we made a trip to the Jersey shore under the guise of visiting friends and family. I miss those days. While I still have an interest in travel, without him, my heart just isn’t in it. So, I decided that the next best thing would be to enjoy the feelof the shore by way of this seaside table for two. The versatile round tablecloth in burlap gets a lot of use. In this setting it is topped with a fishnetto give it that true ocean vibe. The hurricane at center, wrapped in rope, I bought years ago from Pottery Barn. It’s amazing, how changing the size and color of the candle, makes such a big difference in its overall appearance. I love it! I decided to go with rustic chargers, so used my favorite tin ones from local shop The White Rabbit. They are topped with chestnut brown nubby-edged plates from Pier One’s spice collection. The salad plates on top are part of a set of four, each with a different denizen of the sea. They are made in Italy and were purchased years ago from World Market. The teal napkins and turquoise stemware are from Pier One. The adorable starfish tea-light holders are either from Pier One or Crate & Barrel, I can’t remember which. I have had them a long time and love them. The bamboo flatware is always great fun and elicits lots of comments. You can find it here. I hope you enjoyed seeing my humble attempt at Seaside dining. Come back next week when high swap a few things around and make this table look entirely different. You can do the same. Sometimes it’s just that easy. See you then! As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This post is linked to: Tablescape Thursday View the full article

I have never been particularly successful at growing zucchini. It is not for the lack of trying, believe me. I will get zucchini that will reach 4 inches long and then fall off the vine. Don’t ask me why. One time I was successful at growing a rather large zucchini unbeknownst to me. I happened to look out the kitchen window and saw the boys playing football in the backyard. I wondered how they were doing that since we didn’t own a football, so went out to investigate. Come to find out a zucchini plant had grown out of the compost pile yielding a football-sized zucchini. Just one. They’d picked it and used it as a football. I couldn’t even make hash out of what was left of that poor, pathetic thing, but I digress. For those of you with more zucchini than you know what to do with, this recipe for zucchini casserole is tasty and toothsome. It’s easy to assemble, and even the kids will enjoy it. Cheesy Zucchini Casserole 4 slices bread, cubed, lightly toasted ¼ cup melted butter 2 c. cubed Melissa’s organic zucchini (1 large) 3 scallions, chopped ½ t. seasoned salt Pinch of cayenne pepper ½ t. Melissa’s minced garlic 1 large egg, beaten 1½ c. shredded Cheddar cheese, divided Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray an 8” x 8” pan lightly with PAM; set aside. Place bread cubes in a medium bowl and pour melted butter over the bread; toss to coat. Add the zucchini, scallions, seasoned salt, pepper, garlic, egg, and 1/2 cup of the cheese; mix well. Transfer the mixture to prepared baking dish and top with the remaining 1 cup cheese. Bake, covered, for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake for another 10 minutes. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. View the full article

I don’t know about you, but when I have a salad as a main dish, particularly one as light as my new favorite with Mayfair salad dressing, I am going to need something on the side. I recently found a recipe for cheesy herbed garlic bread that sounded good, so I had to try it. I’m not entirely sure why the word “herbed” makes its way into the name because the only thing herb-y about it is the parsley or basil that you sprinkle on top, and that is optional. I will say that this bread is truly delicious! It is cheesy and garlicky and loaded with flavor. The recipe calls for it to be spread on a split ciabatta loaf. I bought ciabatta rolls from Aldi (they are amazingly good), and used them. This is a keeper! Cheesy Herbed Garlic Bread As seen on livinglou.com 1 large ciabatta loaf ½ c. Duke's mayonnaise ¼ c. unsalted butter, softened 4 cloves garlic, minced 2 green onions, thinly sliced 2 c. cheddar cheese 2 c. mozzarella cheese ¼ t. freshly ground black pepper 1-2 T. chopped fresh parsley or basil, optional Preheat oven to 350°F. In a medium bowl, mix mayonnaise with butter, garlic, green onion, cheddar, mozzarella cheese and pepper. Slice ciabatta loaf in half lengthwise and spread cheese mixture over all. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Sprinkle with parsley or basil and serve immediately. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. View the full article

I love party food, and by “party food” I mean something that I wouldn’t fix on a normal day. I’m talking canapés, cheese dip, little weenies wrapped in bacon, deviled eggs, and, in this case, pea salad. There is something that just says summer about pea salad. This one is crunchy, fresh, and flavorful, and needs to be made ahead of time, something I always find to be a good thing. Bacon Pea Salad 4 slices thick cut bacon ¾ c. Duke’s mayonnaise 1 T. real maple syrup 1 T. granulated sugar 1 T. grated onion Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 1 20-oz. pkg. frozen peas 2 T. chopped fresh parsley 2 ribs celery, chopped ½ c. cubed cheddar cheese, white or yellow 1/3 c. chopped red onion Cook bacon until crispy in a medium/large skillet over medium-high heat. Drain bacon on paper towel-lined plate; chop. Reserve 1 tablespoon bacon grease. Whisk together mayonnaise, reserved bacon grease, maple syrup, sugar, grated onion, salt, and pepper, in a bowl until combined. Stir in bacon, peas, parsley, celery, cheddar cheese, and red onion until coated. Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. View the full article

In a post I wrote a few weeks ago, I mentioned Stanley, and Judee inquired as to who Stanley was. I introduced you to him in this post, but it’s probably time that I give you an update. Stanley is my cat, and today is his third birthday. This dog person, ignorant of all things feline, adopted a cat during the pandemic. My only experience with cats prior to this was when my son, his wife, and their two cats, moved in with me for six weeks while awaiting the completion of their new home. I fell in love with their cats, and longed to have one of my own. My ignorance played into my hands when I adopted Stanley. Had I known his background, I probably wouldn’t have done so. I must say that when one of the women at the shelter followed me out to my car when I was taking Stanley home and said to me how much they appreciated my “taking a chance on Stanley” adding that he was the kind of cat who would be likely to spend his entire life in a shelter, I wondered what I was getting into. He had apparently been at another shelter and had completely shut down. He would interact with no one. So he moved to the shelter where I found him and still didn’t have much to do with anyone. He had come from a home where he hadn’t been treated particularly well. The home was full of big dogs and small children, and that was a combination that proved difficult for him. When I brought him home, I didn’t see him for a month. He hid that entire time. The only reason I knew that I even had a pet was because his food bowl would periodically empty, and the litter box would be used. I was patient. I had no idea what I was doing anyway, so I just kept doing it; I let him call the shots. When one day I saw his little face at the top of the steps leading to the lower level, I was thrilled. At that point I decided that I was going to hand feed him by playing hockey with little pieces of kibble, shooting them across the floor to him one by one, each time making the length shorter and shorter until eventually he was eating out of my hand. He still wouldn’t let me touch him, but I loved being able to get that close. A month to the day of my adopting him, I was stretched out on the bed watching something on TV, and he leapt on top of it and started rubbing up against me and purring. That was a wonderful day! We have been best buddies ever since. He is a sweet and loving cat. He is, however, still skittish. If I move too quickly he will flinch. He still will not let me pick him up. I never grew up with a cat, I always had dogs, but I am so in love with my sweet boy Stanley, and he seems fairly relaxed with me. For those of you who are cat people, I would like some tips on how to get him to use scratching posts. I have bought every kind imaginable -- upright, flat, wavy, triangular, and I can’t get him to use any of them. He does seem to like the furniture, and that’s not working for me. Thanks for asking, Judee. I do love my boy, even when he awakens me at 5:00 AM to put food into his bowl that he then proceeds to ignore. Cats! Happy Birthday, Stanley! View the full article

It’s not often that I make quick bread, but when I do, I want a loaf that is full of flavor, and lots of fruit and nuts. This one has all of those things plus the addition of a vegetable. Will your family realize it? No, they won’t. Will they love this quick bread? You bet they will! If you don’t like raisins (Why not?), then leave them out, or replace them with another dried fruit such as dried tart cherries, cranberries, or apricots. If you don’t like walnuts (Again, what is wrong with you? J), then substitute pecans. But, whatever you do, don’t tamper with the spices, because this is the perfect combination. This bread is slightly sweet, with a crunchy top and pleasantly dense interior. It is wonderful as is, with a bit of butter, or a slather of cream cheese. It is as good toasted as it is un-toasted, and will last on the counter for up to three days, if necessary. Fruit and Spice Zucchini Bread 1½ c. flour ½ t. koshersalt ½ t. baking soda ¼ t. baking powder 1 t. ground cinnamon ½ t. allspice ½ t. cloves ½ t. nutmeg 1 extra large egg 1 c. sugar 1½ t. vanilla extract ½ c. vegetable oil 1½ c. grated Melissa’s organic zucchini ½ c. golden raisins ½ c. chopped walnuts (Optional) Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9” x 5” loaf pan with PAM; set aside. Sift together flour, salt, soda, baking powder, and spices; set aside. In a large mixing bowl, whisk egg until frothy. Add sugar, vanilla, and oil, whisking until combined. Fold in zucchini and raisins. Add dry ingredients, mixing well. Stir in nuts, if desired. Pour prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour or until loaf tests done. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. View the full article

I don’t know how you are planning to celebrate the Fourth of July, but because of the heat, I will be celebrating indoors. Whether indoors or out, a picnic is always a fun answer. There is nothing like relaxing on a blanket surrounded by colorful dishes, fragrant flowers, a glass of bubbly, and a wonderful meal topped off with a festive dessert that says party! This red, white, and blue picnic display is in honor of the birth of our nation. It’s quite serendipitous how all of this came about. I was rummaging around in the belly of the beast (as I often do), and came upon this picnic basket that had been given to Mr. O-P and I as a wedding present back in 1995. I brought it upstairs, opened it up, and found it full of picnic items, most of which were more utilitarian than I generally opt for. When you consider every day a celebration, you generally don’t want to waste time on utilitarian. I mentioned my find to friend and fellow blogger Alycia of Tablescapes at Table Twenty One, wherein she was reminded of a picnic basket of her own. As a consequence, I threw down the gauntlet and challenged her to create four different picnic displays between now and the same time next year, and I’ll do the same. Be sure to check her blog for her beautiful Fourth of July "yardscape," and to see what other magic she comes up with for her picnics. If you would like to play along, Amazon has quite an assortment of them; I am currently lusting after this one. I took everything out of the basket, saved a few pieces, and donated the rest. Then I set to work turning what would probably have been an adequate picnic into a fun, rather romantic, and colorful one. The fabric in this picture belonged to my mother. Patriotic yardage used as a backdrop she used to use as a table covering. The tablecloth beneath the basket is one that we used when I was a little girl to top picnic tables at the local park when we would have a picnic after swimming lessons. You can find something similar here. I made a stack of red, white, and blue plates; the blue ones I found in an antique shop, and are actually a part of a children’s tea set, all in cobalt. As luck would have it, my daughter-in-law is celebrating her birthday on the first of this month, so I had wrapped birthday gifts at the ready, conveniently in colors of our nation’s flag. The flatware is from Target. The candlesticks are antique and to be used during those romantic nighttime picnics when sparks fly; the glassware Mikasa Park Lane. Whatever you do to celebrate the Fourth make it colorful and spectacular! As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This post is linked to: Tablescape Thursday View the full article

I love sloppy joes, but I don’t love standing at the stove browning ground beef, sweating onions and celery, or stirring occasionally as it simmers. The best way, in my opinion, to make sloppy joes is in the slow cooker. No standing at the stove, no browning ground beef, no sweating onions or anything else. Just crumble the meat into the crockpot, add all of the other ingredients, give it a mighty stir, and kick back and do whatever you’d like for the next six hours. When the filling is ready, drain well, pile it high on toasted buns, and wait for the accolades. Slow Cooker Sloppy Joes Adapted from afarmgirlsdabbles.com  3 lbs. ground chuck 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped 1 c. finely chopped celery 6 large cloves garlic, minced 1 14.5-oz. can fire roasted diced tomatoes 1 c. chili sauce ½ c. ketchup 1/3 c. packed brown sugar 2 T. prepared mustard 1 T. Worcestershire sauce ½ T. dry mustard 1 T. chili powder 1 T. cumin 1 t. garlic powder 1 t. espresso powder ½ t. paprika ¼ t. freshly ground black pepper, or more to taste Play all ingredients into a 7-8 quart slow cooker, being sure to break up the ground chuck as you do so. Stir everything together until the beef is well coated in all of those wonderful spices. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours. Drain before using; freezes beautifully. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. View the full article

Lately I have been trying to lower the intake of carbs in my diet. I am not particularly a sweet eater; my downfall tends to be bread and pasta. So when I found this recipe by London chef Antonina Parker on Instagram for a bread-less version of grilled cheese, I knew that I had to try it. I did not miss the bread one bit in these deliciously hearty open-faced, knife-and-fork, grilled cheese sandwiches. Most definitely company worthy, these would make a wonderful dish at a brunch, lunch, or a nice starter for a sit down dinner. Grilled Cheese Mushrooms Adapted from Antonia Parker 4 Melissa’s portobello mushrooms, gills and stems removed 4 T. olive oil ½ c. grated cheddar ½ c. grated Parmesan 2 small garlic cloves, minced Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste Persillade Sauce ¼ c. flat leaf parsley Zest of one lemon and the juice of half ½ small clove garlic, minced 2 T. extra-virgin olive oil Preheat oven to 400°F. Place mushrooms on a foil-lined baking tray and drizzle each with about a teaspoon of olive oil and scatter with salt and pepper. Roast, stem side up, for 6 minutes. In a small bowl mix together the two cheeses, grated garlic, and lots of pepper. Remove mushrooms from oven and divide cheese mixture between them, mounding on top. Bake for another 5 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbling. While they are cooking, place all of the persillade ingredients into a blender and mix until smooth. Plate the mushrooms with the sauce drizzled around them. View the full article

Is it hot where you are, because good gravy, Marie, it is hot here! I am talking dog days of August hot, and it’s only June. I keep looking at the weather forecast, hoping for a reprieve, but we are going to be in the upper 90°s/100°s for the next 10 days to two weeks. It’s not often that the weather provides fodder for a table setting, but this heat sure did. This is the first time that I have ever decorated a table in all white, and I really love it! It started with a bouquet of white lilies that I picked up at the grocery store. I love lilies and their fragrance (I know that not everyone does), and the entire house smells wonderful! I trimmed them down to fit this white vase, and put it at the center of my table on top of a round tablecloth in burlap that I have used previously. Chippy white chargers, as everyone knows, are from Pier 1. They are topped with dinner plates and salad plates in the Blanc Amelie pattern from Maison Versailles. On top of that I have put one of my absolutely favorite pieces, a Mottahedda pots de creme. Because of all the white, I felt it needed sparkle, so yet again, used Mikasa Parklane stemware. I also decided to get out my crescent-shaped salad plates that I don’t use nearly as often enough. Because I was looking for a lot of sparkle, I thought it was time to get out my mother’s crystal knife rests. She bought these in her brother’s gift shop in Las Vegas back in the ‘70s. Aren’t they beautiful! And such a good idea to keep the tablecloth from getting soiled. Honestly, I don’t know why there aren’t more of these around. If you look closely you will see little mini salt and pepper shakers at each place setting. These are small, but always hold enough to get the diner quite easily through a dinner. I find that guests really appreciate these so that they don’t have to ask to have salt and pepper shakers passed. The flatware is by Wallace and it is in their Napoleon Bee pattern. The candlestick holders were an anniversary gift from the late Mr. OP years ago. I found them in a local antique shop, fell in love, and he gifted them to me shortly there after. Stay cool this summer with an all white table setting. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This post is linked to: Tablescape Thursday View the full article

I am one of those people who love cauliflower, and always have done ever since I was a child. I will eat it cooked, I will eat it raw, and I will eat it crumbled into a salad. Whatever way that you would like to serve it to me, I will happily consume it. (Unless, of course, cauliflower is used in a way in which nature did not intend. Cauliflower, for example, is not rice, nor is it pizza crust. I’m just saying.) One way that I had not tried, however, was on the grill. After two years of sitting idle, this year I decided to clean and fire up my grill, and on days when it isn’t so blisteringly hot (UGH!), I am having a marvelous time! Yesterday I grilled a couple of burgers(beefy perfection!), and decided that I would do a cauliflower steak at the same time. There is absolutely nothing to making these, and I found it to be a wonderfully enjoyable way to eat cauliflower. Grilled Cauliflower As seen on allrecipes.com 1 head cauliflower, cut into thick slices* 1 T. olive oil 1 T. brown sugar 2 t. seasoned salt Preheat an outdoor grill for medium high heat and spray the grate with PAM olive oil cooking spray (or the grill spray of your choice). Sprinkle cauliflower slices on both sides with olive oil, brown sugar, and seasoned salt. Cook cauliflower steaks on the grill until char marks appear, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a grill safe pan with a lid (I covered mine with foil), cover, and continue cooking on the grill until tender, about 20 minutes. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. View the full article