Busy, Late Summer Weekend Special

I hope that you all have a busy, filled-with-fun weekend planned. And of course, I hope you will carve out some time for a meal with family and friends. Summer won’t last forever; so, by all means, get grilling! Here are a few ideas for a delicious cookout:

Since tacos are on the menu (did I forget to mention that), you must start with guacamole. Yes, it seems a bit cliché but who cares. Everyone loves guacamole, especially mine (if I do say so myself.) Add some of my Fresh Tomato Salsa or maybe you’d like a heartier Black Bean Salsa or both.

For a salad, why not keep it simple – but not too simple. How about my Romaine & Radicchio Caesar Salad or, because the local tomatoes are just so wonderful right now … Heirloom Tomatoes with Balsamic Reduction.

For the main course … you must try my Grilled Shrimp Tacos with Charred Corn, Tomatoes & Salsa Verde. I promise you will like the combination of the smoky flavor of the shrimp topped with fresh, citrusy herbs.

Finish the evening with a sweet treat. (And maybe afterwards another glass of wine?) Anyway extra glass of wine or not, be sure to try my Blueberry-Ginger Cobbler. It got a big thumbs up from my entire family a few weeks ago. Don’t forget to add a scoop of Brown Sugar Yogurt Gelato … or your favorite vanilla ice cream.

Have a great weekend and bon appétit!

For a complete list of and links to all the recipes on this blog Click Here!!

What’s up with you this weekend? I’d love to hear from you! Let’s get a conversation going. To make a comment, just click on Comments below.

Want more? Click here for more seasonal menus! © Susan W. Nye, 2017

Loving Late Summer Grilled Shrimp Tacos with Charred Corn, Tomatoes & Salsa Verde

The back-to-school ads have started. Backpacks, notebooks, laptops and high tops – it’s a sign. A sign that summer is waning and fall will be here before you know. However, it is a sign that I suggest we all choose to ignore. After all, late summer might be the very best kind.

Think about it for a minute.

If you’re nine, you’re ecstatic. After several tries, finally, you passed your raft test. Since then you’ve been back and forth to the raft at least a thousand times. Maybe more. There is nothing better than swimming out to the raft with your friends. Okay, maybe a swim to the raft with your great-grandpa beats all.

If you’re nineteen, you’ve had a bit more than half the summer to develop a gorgeous tan. You may be due back at school in a matter of days but you don’t care. You’ve had a great summer. The menial summer job you were expecting to hate turned out fine. Your co-workers were fantastic and you made some money. You read several unexpectedly great novels. You look marvelous. Your friends will be green with envy.

If you’re twenty-nine you’re probably on a wonderful adventure or just back from one. Maybe you traveled through Europe or hiked the Himalayas. Maybe you took a week, maybe the entire summer. When I was twenty-nine, I spent the summer in Switzerland. And then, wouldn’t you know it, I forgot to come home. My friends were divided, some were jealous. The rest didn’t quite know what to think.

If you’re thirty-nine you may be having a bit of a crisis. At least I did. Don’t worry about it. You’ll be fine. With all that running (I ran a lot in my thirties) and Sundays at the beach and sailing, you look stunning. Confidence becomes you. Admit it; you’re coming into your own. You may not be the smartest person in the room but you get it. You know how great you are.

If you’re forty-nine or maybe fifty-nine and lucky, the summer sun has had plenty of time to give your hair a few highlights. You can pretend all those streaks are blond, not gray. Your friends will be amazed at how young you look. And that crisis-thingy you had back in your late thirties, it’s long gone. Wisdom looks good on you. Speaking of wisdom, you know and really don’t care that those streaks are gray. Truth is – you don’t want to spend half the afternoon every third week at the hair salon.

If you’re sixty-nine and beyond, you’ve made an exciting discovery. You are happier than you have ever been. You’ve spent the good part of the summer enjoying life. That’s what retirement is all about. Maybe you’ve taken a trip, maybe not. When you live in a beautiful place, a staycation is just fine. In fact, it’s more than fine.

Now finally, if you’re ninety or even ninety-nine the water is finally warm enough for your annual swim. Unlike your nine-year-old great-grandson, you have not been back and forth to the raft a hundred times a day. However, your friends of all ages will still be very much impressed that you continue take your annual plunge. They should be.

So, you see, regardless of your age, life couldn’t be sweeter.

All the best for the final days of summer and bon appétit!

Grilled Shrimp Tacos with Charred Corn, Tomatoes & Salsa Verde
A tasty late summer feast for people of all ages! Enjoy!
Serves 8

3-4 ears corn
Olive oil
2 – 2 1/2 pounds extra-jumbo (16-20 per pound) raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons dry white wine
Zest and juice of 1 lime
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 tablespoons chipotles in adobo puree*
1 teaspoon cumin
Kosher salt to taste
16 small or 8 large flour tortillas
Salsa Verde (recipe follows)
2 cups cherry tomatoes, chopped
About 4 ounces queso fresco or feta cheese, crumbled

Preheat the grill to high.

Brush the corn with a little olive oil. Lay the ears directly on the grill and cook for 5-7 minutes, turning to cook evenly. Remove from the grill and when cool enough to handle, use a sharp knife to remove the kernels from the cob.

Meanwhile, put 2-3 tablespoons olive oil, the wine, lime juice and zest, garlic, cumin and chipotle puree in a bowl, season with salt and stir to combine. Add the shrimp and turn to coat. Stirring once or twice, marinate the shrimp at room temperature for about 15 minutes.

Thread the shrimp onto wooden skewers** or place them directly on the grill. Grill the shrimp, turning once, until just opaque, 1-2 minutes per side.

Wrap the tortillas in foil and, turning once, warm on the grill for 2-3 minutes.

To serve: place a tortilla on each plate, top with shrimp, charred corn and chopped tomatoes, drizzle with Salsa Verde and sprinkle with queso fresco.

* To make chipotle puree – take a can of chipotle in adobo and toss the peppers and the adobo sauce in a small food processor or blender and process until smooth. Transfer to a clean glass jar and store in the refrigerator. Use as needed.

** If you like, you can thread the shrimp onto wooden skewers like kabobs. When cooking for a crowd, it is quicker to turn kabobs than lots of individual shrimp. Be sure to soak the skewers in water for about 30 minutes.

Salsa Verde
Makes about 2 cups

Zest and juice of 1 lime
2-3 tablespoons (to taste) white wine vinegar
2-3 scallions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons capers, drained and finely chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2-1 ancho or jalapeno chili, minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
About 1 1/2 cups fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
About 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
About 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
1/2 cup or to taste extra-virgin olive oil

Put the lime zest and juice, vinegar, scallions, capers, garlic and chili in a bowl, season with salt and toss to combine. Finely chop the herbs, add to the bowl and toss to combine. Whisking constantly with a fork, slowly add the olive oil and whisk to combine.

If you prefer, you can make the salsa in a mini processor. Throw everything in and give it a whirl.

Let the salsa sit for at least 30 minutes before serving. Serve at room temperature.

Can be made ahead, covered and stored in the refrigerator for 1-2 days.

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One Year Ago – Heirloom Tomato Salad with Grilled Corn, Cucumber & Feta
Two Years Ago – Bluebree Grunt
Three Years Ago – Almond Macarons with Chocolate-Raspberry Ganache
Four Years Ago – Watermelon-Limeade
Five Years Ago – Filet de Sole Meunière
Six Years Ago – Artichoke Leaves with Shrimp
Seven Years Ago – Spicy Grilled Chicken
Eight Years Ago – Corn & Tomato Salad
Nine Years Ago – Summer Rolls

Or Click Here! for a complete list of and links to all the recipes on this blog!

What about you? What do you love about late summer? Feel free to share!

Want more? I’ve got links to lots more to read, see & cook. © Susan W. Nye, 2017

Second Half & Blueberry-Ginger Cobbler

It’s the second half of summer. We need to make the most of it. There will be no grousing about the rain or heat or anything else. Until we built the little brown house in the woods, my family always spent August on Cape Cod. From the time they were babies, my parents vacationed on the Cape in August. The tradition continued.

July was a crazy quilt of long weekends on the Cape at one or the other grandparents’ cottage, a day trip to the north shore and summer camp. When all else failed, we spent the afternoon at the town beach. August was a rickety rental a stone’s throw from the ocean.

I don’t know why but I never questioned the August vacation rule. For that matter, I doubt I thought much about it. However, I did find it decidedly strange when some of my friends went off to the beach in July.

My mother was pretty good at declarations. When I told her of friends heading to the Cape or New Hampshire or Maine in July, her reply was something akin to, “some people just don’t know any better.” If you didn’t know her, from that remark, you might think Mom was a snob or at least very opinionated. While Mom loved a good opinion, she was never a snob.

I admit at some point, probably when I was a teenager, I was vaguely uncomfortable with her pronouncement. I think I had just read the Great Gatsby. I hated to think that we were the kind of people who fled the city in August. Was it possible that we were among those careless people with more money than sense?

I needn’t have worried. Our family was neither fabulously wealthy nor remarkably careless. We lived in the suburbs. We didn’t lie around all day in white dresses surrounded by billowing curtains and complain about the heat. We wore shorts and t-shirts. We road bikes, climbed trees and ran through the sprinkler when Mom couldn’t take us to Morses Pond.

Anyway, except for my Great Gatsby moment, once we were ensconced in the little brown house in the woods, the subject was moot. Mom and we kids left the suburbs within minutes of the final school bell in June and returned late in the afternoon of Labor Day. Dad took the 4th of July holiday week off and came up weekends. We still wore shorts and t-shirts. We left our bikes at home but climbed trees and hiked in the hills. We swam, sailed and made a feeble attempt to learn tennis. If it rained, we played Monopoly and did jigsaw puzzles. We didn’t wear white dresses and the little brown house did not have billowing, floor-to-ceiling curtains.

It wasn’t until fairly recently, like maybe in the last few years that it finally dawned on me as to why the Nyes took their vacation in August. (It was one of those duh rather than ah ha moments.) The Atlantic Ocean was too cold for swimming in July. Or so said, generation after generation of adults. Ocean or lake, salt water or fresh, you name it, kids will swim anytime from Mother’s Day to Columbus Day. Unless there’s an El Niño (or is it La Niña), then they’ll swim on Christmas Day too.

Anyway, it is just about time for my father to greet the second half of summer with a swim in Pleasant Lake. While July is definitely the warmer of the two months, Dad’s now ninety-year-old bones prefer to wait until the lake reaches a more balmy 75 degrees or at least a refreshing 65. Who needs a calendar when you’ve got family traditions?

Wishing you a lovely August and bon appétit!

Blueberry-Ginger Cobbler
Pick-your-own or pick up a couple of quarts at the farm, it’s blueberry season. Enjoy!
Serves 8

Blueberry filling:
6 cups picked over blueberries
3/4 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
Zest and juice of 1 lime
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt

Biscuit dough:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small bits
1/2-3/4 cup sour cream

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter a 2-quart baking dish.

Prepare the filling: put the blueberries in a bowl, add the brown sugar, cornstarch, ginger, lime zest, cinnamon and salt and toss to combine. Add the lime juice and toss again. Set aside.

Make the biscuit dough: put the flour, crystallized ginger, brown sugar, baking powder and soda and salt and cinnamon in food processor and pulse to combine. Add the butter and process again until the mixture resembles fine meal. Transfer to a bowl, add the sour cream and stir until the dough comes together.

Assemble the cobbler and bake: transfer the blueberry mixture to the prepared baking dish, drop spoonfuls of biscuit dough onto the fruit and transfer the cobbler to the oven.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes or until the fruit is bubbling and the top is golden. Serve warm with vanilla or ginger ice cream.

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One Year Ago – Grilled Filets Mignons with Salsa Verde
Two Years Ago – Corncakes
Three Years Ago – Grilled Corn, Black Bean & Cheese Quesadillas with Fresh Tomato Salsa
Four Years Ago – Summer Salad with Green Beans, Blueberries & Goat Cheese
Five Years Ago – Shrimp Salad Niçoise
Six Years Ago – Insalata Caprese
Seven Years Ago – Mojito Melons
Eight Years Ago – Grilled Antipasto
Nine Years Ago – Nana Nye’s Fish Chowder

Or Click Here! for a complete list of and links to all the recipes on this blog!

What about you? Do you have a summer vacation story to tell? Feel free to share!

Want more? I’ve got links to lots more to read, see & cook. © Susan W. Nye, 2017

Le Premier Août & Szechuan Noodle Salad

Flipping the calendar from July to August sends the message home. Holy smokes, summer is half-over. I suppose some might say it’s more than half. In a few weeks, life in our little town will begin to get very quiet again. Moms, Pops and their kids will head south for pre-school soccer practice and back-to-school buying binges. But that’s them. For me, the first of August will always be summer’s midpoint.

Of course, I may be confused but I seem to remember that summer vacation always began the last week in June. I think the final school bell rang on Wednesday but it could have been Tuesday or Thursday. Ten weeks later, on the day after Labor Day, we returned to cinderblock walls and linoleum floors. By the way, if this description suggests that I attended reform school or kiddie lockup, I can assure you that is not the case. Most of the schools in my suburban town were built quickly during the post-WWII baby boom. They weren’t pretty but they went up fast. In any case, August 1 was more or less the midpoint of our summer vacation.

The first day of August also commemorates the founding of the Swiss federation. Having lived there for almost two decades, La Suisse will always be my second home. Le Premier Août (translation the first of August) is Fête Nationale Suisse or Swiss National Day. You might want to think of it as the Swiss equivalent of our Independence Day. You might but you’d be a bit off base. The day commemorates the peaceful start of the Swiss federation not the start of a revolution.

The hoopla (or lack-of) dates back to 1291. Maybe things have changed but to say that Le Premier Août festivities are understated would be an extreme exaggeration. At least when I lived in and around Geneva, celebrations were pretty low key. Then again, so are the Swiss. As a tourist wandering through, if you didn’t know something was happening, you’d probably miss it.

If you can believe it, Fête Nationale Suisse was more or less ignored until 1891. (America held its first birthday party one year to the day of signing the Declaration of Independence.) For most of the time I lived in Switzerland, August 1 was business as usual. You might see a flag or two waving in a window box but not much more. (The flags did lend a cheery, patriotic air to the geraniums.)

Now admittedly, there was at least a modest amount of enthusiasm for the seven hundredth anniversary in 1991. Low keyed as they were, those celebrations triggered something. I’m guessing someone in Bern realized that a few festivities were good for the economy. So with very little fanfare, Fête Nationale Suisse was finally declared an official holiday in 1994.

Now, I seem to remember celebrating Le Premier Août at least a time or two. If nothing else, it was a nice excuse to spend an evening by the lake. We’d reserve a table at one of the lakeside, seasonal cafés and enjoy filet de perche or pack a picnic and head to the town beach.

One year, it might have been 1994, I returned home to find a cheerful crowd gathered in the field across the road. At the time, I was living in the countryside outside of Geneva. I loved that apartment. It was one of three in an ancient barn renovation. The apartment was huge with a view of fields and hills on one side and the Alps on the other. As I got ready to call it a night, I paused to watch several families celebrate. The kids danced around and their dads helped them set off fireworks. It was a jolly gathering, filled with fun … and a bit of excitement. No ambulances were called but more than one fire was stamped out amid shrieks of glee.

Wishing you bonne fête and bon appétit!

Szechuan Noodle Salad with Chicken or Pork
So, no – this recipe is not Swiss. However, it was one of my favorite summer dishes to take along to a lakeside picnic when I lived in Geneva. Enjoy!
Serves 8

8-12 ounces vermicelli rice noodles
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 (2-inch) piece ginger, peeled and chopped
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
Juice of 1 lime
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon or to taste chili sauce
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2-2 pounds cooked chicken or pork, thinly sliced or shredded
6-8 radishes, thinly sliced
1/2 English cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
3-4 scallions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint
3 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

Put the vermicelli in a bowl, cover with hot water and soak for 10 minutes. Drain, rinse under cold water and drain again.

While the noodles soak, put the garlic, ginger, soy, vinegar, lime juice, fish sauce, sesame oil and chili sauce in a small food processor or blender, season with salt and pepper and process until the garlic and ginger are finely chopped. Add the olive oil and process until smooth.

Put the well-drained noodles in a bowl, add enough sauce to lightly coat and toss to combine. Let the noodles chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Add the vegetables and chicken or pork to the noodles and, adding more sauce if necessary, give everything a toss. Add half of the herbs and toss again.

Transfer the noodles to a serving platter or individual plates, garnish with the remaining herbs, sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve.

Feel free to add more veggies – thinly sliced red pepper, carrot curls, peapods, thinly sliced Napa cabbage and bean sprouts will all make great additions.

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One Year Ago – Roasted Beet & White Bean Hummus
Two Years Ago – Cucumber-Mint Agua Fresca
Three Years Ago – Double Corn & Cheddar Muffins
Four Years Ago – Blueberry Clafouti
Five Years Ago – Blackberry Chocolate Chip Frozen Yogurt
Six Years Ago – Brown Sugar Yogurt Gelato
Seven Years Ago – Red Pepper Dip
Eight Years Ago – Grilled Chicken, Shallots & New Potatoes
Nine Years Ago – Barbecue Chicken

Or Click Here! for a complete list of and links to all the recipes on this blog!

What about you? Do you have a camp story to tell? Feel free to share!

Want more? I’ve got links to lots more to read, see & cook. © Susan W. Nye, 2017

Looking Forward to a Sunny Weekend Special

How do you know the drought that plagued New Hampshire for a couple of years is over? Well, look outside. If it’s not raining now, it was raining yesterday and might just rain again tomorrow. In any case, the garden is lovely and green.

I’ve got an interesting story to finish up this weekend but I’m still looking forward to some outside time this weekend. And, of course, what could be better than a cookout at the end of a beautiful summer day. Here are a few ideas:

Start with a delicious app. The corn at the farmstand is not quite local but it was picked this morning and delicious. Sounds like its a good time to try my Corn Cakes or my Grilled Corn, Black Bean & Avocado Salsa.

For a salad, I’m just loving grilled greens this summer. I tried grilled romaine for the first time about ten years ago. I was hooked. You must give my Grilled Romaine Salad.

Now on to the main course … how about … Grilled Pork Tenderloin? A great dish, to turn to it when you have a group over. A big group? No problem just double or triple the recipe. Add a tasty and good for you, make ahead Wheat Berry Salad.

Now for something sweet. Local raspberries are at the farmstand so maybe you’d like to whip up a batch of Brown Sugar Yogurt Gelato and garnish liberally with raspberries. No? How about Cherry Cobbler? (With a scoop of Brown Sugar Yogurt Gelato? … or your favorite vanilla ice cream?)

Have a great weekend and bon appétit!

For a complete list of and links to all the recipes on this blog Click Here!!

What’s up with you this weekend? I’d love to hear from you! Let’s get a conversation going. To make a comment, just click on Comments below.

Want more? Click here for more seasonal menus! © Susan W. Nye, 2017

What’s Normal? & Grilled Romaine Salad

So, what exactly is normal these days? The early morning pundits and the late night comic warn us that the chaos in the White House is not normal. Perhaps they are afraid that we will somehow or other get used to the chaos, even comfortable with it. It will become our new normal.

I think that we’ve all had times when we were trying to find normalcy. When I moved from Switzerland to California, it was a huge leap. Nothing was normal. Not the weather, not the traffic, heck not even the language. For the first time in a long time, the checkout at the grocery store required English – a cheery hello and thank you. After almost two decades, the more formal “bonjour, Madame” and “merci – bonne journée” had become automatic. These simple words are part of polite, everyday life. And being polite is normal.

By the time I landed in New Hampshire, I’d pretty much mastered greetings and goodbyes in English. However, I did re-discover how cold winter could get. In addition, after a long time away, I was living close to family again. Just like that, boots, shoveling, cold and lots more time with family became part of my normal routine. Managing the ups and downs of self-employment became normal. The flexibility to ski or kayak in the middle of the week became normal. Who knew? Living a balanced life is normal.

Five years ago, my dad became very ill so I moved into my parent’s house to help out. Now believe me when I say, “I don’t know nothin’ ’bout takin’ care of no people.” That said, I could drive Dad to doctors’ appointments and call 911. I also make a mean pot roast. Meanwhile, Mom moved into assisted living. Very little about 2012 and 2013 was normal. I’d say nothing was normal that year, except for helping people I love. That is normal.

By the summer of 2013, Daddy-o was beginning to feel better. I moved back home and he came along with me. Mom stayed in assisted living where she was well cared for and doted on by the staff. We couldn’t see the light but we were pretty confident that we were in the tunnel. We were good; we would find our new normal.

For me, this new version of life required a lot of juggling. I had writing assignments to find and finish as well as a part time job, taking care of one parent and daily visits with another. There were still lots of trips to the doctors and a few to the emergency room. This new life, this new normal was filled with comprises. For instance, I was tempted to insert an adjective above as in … taking care of one aging parent … However, my now nonagenarian father prefers that I don’t harp on his age. Compromise is normal; so are love, laughter and patience.

Well, here it is, it’s summer. It’s hot; it’s humid. It’s New Hampshire; it’s normal. As the day wears on, clouds thicken. Tempers may flare as the humidity gets more oppressive. Then boom! At the end of a steamy summer day, a thunderstorm is normal in New Hampshire. Sometimes a good thundershower clears the air. Sometimes it doesn’t; sometimes it takes another shower or a little more space and time. Either way, it’s normal. The list of normal stuff is long. Along with all of the above and more, there’s integrity, forgiveness and courage. Being normal is not always the same as being easy.

Wishing you a happy summer and bon appétit!

Grilled Romaine Salad
Grilling the lettuce adds a wonderful smoky taste to this salad. Enjoy!
Serves 8

2 heads romaine lettuce, trimmed and quartered lengthwise
Olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1 avocado, peeled and sliced
About 1 cup peeled and chopped cucumber
Thinly sliced red onion (pickled if you have the time)
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
2-3 ounces feta, crumbled

Preheat the grill to medium-high. Drizzle the romaine wedges with a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Place the romaine pieces, cut side down, on the grill. Grill the wedges for about 2 minutes, turning so that all sides are charred.

Transfer the wedges to a serving platter or individual plates, garnish with avocado slices, cucumber and red onion. Sprinkle with toasted pine nuts and crumbled feta, drizzle with Creamy Vinaigrette and serve.

For a one dish supper, add grilled shrimp, chicken or steak.

Creamy Vinaigrette
Makes about 1 cup

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons anchovy paste
3 cloves garlic
1 (about 1/8-inch thick) slice red onion, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon (or to taste) pureed chipotle in adobo sauce
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 cup (or to taste) extra virgin olive oil

Put the lime juice, vinegar, mayonnaise, mustard, anchovy paste, garlic, onion, Worcestershire sauce and chipotle in adobo in a mini food processor or blender and season with salt and pepper. Process until smooth. With the motor running, slowly add the olive oil and process until thick and creamy.

Transfer the vinaigrette to a storage container with a tight fitting lid and store in the refrigerator. When ready to serve, give the container a good long, vigorous shake to recombine the ingredients.

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Two Years Ago – Blueberry Crostata
Three Years Ago – Orzo Salad with Lemony Pesto & Grilled Tomatoes
Four Years Ago – Watermelon & Cucumber Salsa
Five Years Ago – Grilled Chicken Salad Provencal
Six Years Ago – Lobster with Corn, Tomato & Arugula Salad
Seven Years Ago – Greek Green Beans
Eight Years Ago – Blueberry Pie
Nine Years Ago – Grilled Lamb

Or Click Here! for a complete list of and links to all the recipes on this blog!

What about you? Do you have a camp story to tell? Feel free to share!

Want more? I’ve got links to lots more to read, see & cook. © Susan W. Nye, 2017

Steamy Weekend Special

So, you say, this is summer in New Hampshire. Yes, indeed. A little steam, a little heat and maybe a roll of thunder in the evening. As long as I can get to the beach a couple of nights a week, I’m okay with it. How about you?

Pack up the picnic basket, buy a bag of charcoal and head to the water. It’s a good weekend to spend an evening or three on the beach. Here are a few ideas for that picnic basket:

Start with a great dip, some fresh veggies and pita chips. Maybe you’d like to try my Roasted Red Pepper Dip or Baba Ganoush? (That said there is nothing like a ripe, red tomato – fresh off the vine. You will love my Fresh Tomato Crostini.

For the main course … how about … Grilled Shrimp with Salsa de Cacahuate y Chile de Arbol? For a taste of Asia, throw some boneless chicken thighs in my Hoisin Marinade and grill to perfection. Add a couple of salads – my Grilled Zucchini & Feta Salad with Lemony Vinaigrette and Lemon-Herb Quinoa Salad would be perfect.

Now for something sweet. You could take a walk and look for ice cream or bring along a batch of my Peanut-y Chocolate Chip Cookies or Cheesecake Brownies.

Have a great weekend and bon appétit!

For a complete list of and links to all the recipes on this blog Click Here!!