Lemon Linguini

1 box linguini
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup green onions, chopped
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
2 lemons, freshly zested and all of the juice squeezed
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
salt & pepper to taste

Method:

Cook linguini according to the directions on the box.  Mix the remaining ingredients together in a bowl you plan on serving with.  Once the linguini is finished pour into the serving bowl and adjust seasonings then serve.  Add more Parmesan at the table!

Sunshine Tomatoes

Do you ever wonder what to do with all the tomatoes you get this time of year!  I hate to waste anything so... why not use them for dinner.  Here is one of my favorites...

3/4 cup olive oil
6 tomatoes, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 shallots, chopped
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped basil or parsley (your choice)
1 teaspoon sugar
Salt and Pepper to taste

Method:

Mix ingredients together and put on salad, pasta, or place on crusty french bread toasted, YUM! This is wonderful!

Fresh Tomatoes

Tea Party Rules

1. Wear a conservative dress or skirt (never shorts or pants)
2. Sip slowly, don't gulp!
3. Be respectful and eat at least 1 cookie
4. Bring a little thing to share (food or flower)
5. Make sure you brush up on the news so you sound well informed and are able to bring interesting conversation:)
6. Don't forget to thank the hostess!
7. Most importantly....Have a great time!

Garlicky Basil Zucchini Sauce over Pasta

3 tablespoons olive oil ¾ cups chopped onions
3 cloves garlic, chopped
7 zucchini washed and sliced in ½ disks
¼ cup grated parmesan
2 tablespoons dried basil
¾ pound pasta
Salt and Pepper to taste

Method:

1) Clean the zucchini and cut into ½ inch disks.
2) Put olive oil in pot, stir in chopped onions and sauté on medium until onions are light gold.
3) Add chopped garlic, stir.
4) Add the cut zucchini and sauté until lightly golden.
5) Meanwhile, in salted boiling water add pasta of your choice, until al denta. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water.
6) Put pasta in a bowl, mix with zucchini mixture and grated parmesan. Add reserved pasta water if too dry.
7) Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.

Make it work

Add sautéed, sliced, boneless,

chicken breasts, if you’re

looking for protein.

Seasonal Corn on the Cob!

Various ways to make corn on the cob....
Well, just like anything else "Corn on the Cob" can be made in many ways!

1. The Traditional:  Boil in water on the stove top!  Peel the corn, place in the boiling water and wait 10 or so minutes!  Some like it with sugar added to the water and then some like to add salt!
2. The "Fair" style:  This requires a grill and in my book locks in the "true" flavor of the corn.  Just soak corn with husks in water for about 2 minutes.  Place corn on the grill (with the husks on) this takes about 10 minutes or so.  Peel corn an serve at once...you pick the toppings!
3. The "Micro" Corn:  Peel the husks off the cob and put in a shallow dish with a microwavable lid.  Depending on your microwave this could take up to 5 minutes or less.  (Not a big fan of this way...I feel the corn loses a lot of flavor in the microwave!)

Porcini Mushroom and Parsley Risotto

½ ounce dried porcini mushrooms
3 cups chicken or vegetable broth
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 cup diced onion (about 1 medium)
½ teaspoon coarse salt
1 cup Arborio rice
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese,
Plus additional for serving
2 tablespoons unsalted butter (optional)
½ container of Corn (optional)

Method

1) In a small bowl, cover the mushrooms with 2 cups water and set aside until soft. Remove mushrooms from bowl, but save the mushroom liquid and add enough chicken or vegetable broth to it to make 4 cups, keep warm.
2) In a risotto pan over medium heat, warm oil. Add onion and salt and sauté for 2 minutes. Raise heat and add rice, mushrooms and garlic. Cook for 1 more minute, stirring constantly.
3) Using a ladle, add the warm liquid mixture about a ½ cup at a time. Let the broth simmer and reduce almost completely before adding the next ladle full. Remember, to keep stirring!!! Continue with this until rice is just tender, but still firm to the touch, about 25 minutes. (You may not use all the broth.)
4) Next, add the parmesan, butter and Corn if desired. Stir in salt and pepper to taste.

Enjoy!!

Make it work

Add sautéed, sliced, boneless,

skinless chicken breasts,

if you’re looking for protein.

Spring Flavored T-Bone Steak

1 tablespoon crushed peppercorns
2 large garlic clove minced
2 tablespoons olive oil, to drizzle
2 tablespoons Salt or to taste
1 Lemon
4 T-bone steaks

Method:

1) Light the grill, Hot at first to lock in flavor then turn the temp down to medium.
2) Make a rub with the peppercorns, garlic, and salt.
3) Rub on steaks and grill until desired temp.
4) Drizzle a little olive oil and a squeeze of lemon on
     each piece and serve.

Smothered Sauteed Shrimp with Rice

1 medium yellow onion, chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup basmati rice
16 cooked shrimp
2 cups lobster base, warmed
4 ears of corn, boiled and cut off of cob
1/3 cup 2% milk
3 Tablespoons butter (optional)
3 Tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1/3 cup shredded Parmesan, serve more at the table!
Salt and Pepper to taste

Method:

1. Put olive oil and chopped yellow onion in pan (Risotto pan works best, this could also be a Saute pan)!  Saute onion until opaque and add rice promptly!
2. Add warmed lobster base (is simply a seafood bouillon, I prefer an actual lobster base because it keeps in the refrigerator for a long time) as soon as you put the rice in the pan and saute while stirring continuously.
3. Keep adding lobster base into the pan with rice until almost finished.  If you run out of lobster base substitute a little water.
4. Add the corn, milk, shrimp and butter promptly.  Stir until warmed!
5. Add the chopped parsley and Parmesan.
6. Stir and serve at once...Enjoy!!! This should be the consistency of Risotto!

Make it Work

This is a wonderful dish I have made with

left over corn on the cob!

Pretty Lemon Chicken

1 whole chicken cleaned
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 bunch of parsley
2 tablespoons grated lemon rind
½ teaspoons black peppercorns, crushed
Salt and Pepper to taste

Method:

1) Preheat oven to 350.
2) Make olive oil rub; olive oil, lemon rind and salt and pepper.
3) Clean out whole chicken, salt and pepper and stuff with bunch of parsley.
4) Rub chicken with olive oil lemon rub and place in preheated oven for about an hour, or until internal temp
    reaches 180.
5) Discard parsley from cavity and serve at once!

                  Above: Pretty lemon chicken with seasonal corn on the cob and rosemary red potatoes!

Whole Grain Pasta Shells with Zucchini, Fresh Herbs and Lemon Zest

1 Box of whole-wheat pasta shells

1/3 cup olive oil

1 Yellow Zucchini (cut into 1/4 inch slices)

1 Green Zucchini (cut into 1/4 inch slices)

2 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced

1/2 onion diced

2 tsp., grated lemon zest

1/4 cup parmigiano

3 Tablespoons fresh basil, chopped

3 Tablespoons fresh Parsley, chopped

1/4 cup reserved cooking water

Salt and Pepper to taste

Method:

1) Boil water, when water begins boiling rapidly put pasta shells in! 

Boil according to package directions.

2) In a saute pan heat up olive oil and add onion and garlic.  Saute for a few minutes and add both Zucchinis and continue to saute until al dente.

3) Add reserved cooking water to the zucchini mixture

4) Place Pasta, zucchini mixture all chopped herbs, parmigiano, and lemon rind in and bowl and mix until well distributed.  Add salt and pepper to taste!

Make it Work:

You can use regular pasta if that is all you have

even a rice pasta will work!  It is all according to

your taste buds.  

Swordfish with Garlic and Parsley

3 tablespoons olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

½ cup parsley

4 swordfish steaks

Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1)Preheat oven to 350. Put olive oil in skillet that can be transferred to oven, cook garlic until light brown.

2) Put in swordfish, a little salt, and bake 10 to 12 minutes, or until done. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Make It Work:

This dish would taste wonderful

with rice and a garlic salad from

the salads and such section (only

If you have time of course).

Check Out Alisa's Garden

http://www.alisasgarden.blogspot.com/

She is amazing!

Fresh Lemon Crock Pot Turkey Thighs

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 clove of garlic

1 grated lemon rind

2 large Turkey thighs (bone in)

1 can of mushrooms (optional)

Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Put Turkey thighs in crock pot and place all ingredients in over top of thighs. Do NOT add water,

it will make juice of its own along with the olive oil. This is wonderful; the turkey just falls off the

bone.

Make it work:

You can also use Turkey Breasts in place of the turkey thighs. If I have left over white wine in the house I poor a little (¼ cup) in as well.

Baked Tilapia with Fresh Lemon Pepper

1½ tablespoons grated lemon rind

2 tablespoons olive oil

½ teaspoon black peppercorns, crushed

½ teaspoon salt

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 Tilapia fillets (frozen would work fine:

             Just make sure you pat them dry first)

Method:

1) Preheat oven to 425.
2) Combine first five ingredients. Marinate both sides of each fillet.
3) Place in oven safe pan and bake for 10 minutes or until fish looks opaque.
4) Serve with the leftover lemon cut into wedges and decorate the top of each piece of fish with more lemon rind if desired.

Make It Work

For easy clean-up top the pan with foil and a

piece of parchment paper, this helps the

fish slide right out of the pan.

Here is another Idea: Tilapia, fresh green beans and a side of wild rice!

Monster Glazed Lemon Donut

I have entered a contest for a fun little recipe: "Monster Glazed Lemon Donut"

Below is a link in which you can vote daily if you're interested:  This particular one I made at easter time...that's why you see jelly beans all over it:)

http://www.mixingbowl.com/message/recipe/view.castle?g=2167782&m=13912820

Risotto with Parmesan Cheese and Parsley

Ingredients:

4 cups meat or vegetable broth (your choice)

2 tablespoons olive oil

½ onion, chopped fine

½ cup parmesan cheese, grated

2 tablespoons parsley, chopped

1½ cups Arborio rice

Salt and Pepper to taste

Method:

1) Have meat/vegetable broth warm and near the risotto pan.
2) Put 2 tablespoons olive oil in pan when warm add chopped onion, cook until translucent then add the rice  and stir until everything is coated well.
3) Add ½ cup broth at a time to the rice and keep stirring with wooden spoon. Keep doing this until you have used up all of the broth.
4) The rice is done when the rice is firm but tender. Add grated parmesan cheese and parsley; stir to
incorporate. Adjust salt and pepper and serve at once.

Make it work:

This meal does take a little longer, because

the risotto needs more stovetop time.

Fresh Turkey Burgers with Lemon

1½ tablespoons olive oil

¼ cup chopped parsley

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ pepper

½ cup parmesan cheese, grated

½ cup bread crumbs

1 lb ground turkey

1 egg

Zest of one lemon rind

Method:

1. Heat oil in skillet to medium-high heat
2. Mix remaining ingredients in a bowl and make into patties.
3. Put into skillet and cook until inside temperature reads 165.
4. Serve on buns or focaccia bread with a squeeze of lemon juice over the turkey burger and top with mayo.

Make It Work

These burgers would taste wonderful with a fruit salad, even canned fruit would do. Our children like canned mandarin oranges, canned mango, and canned pineapple. Also, this would make great meatballs minus the lemon rind.

Baked Tilapia with Fresh Lemon Pepper

Ingredients:

                                                   1½ tablespoons grated lemon rind

                                                       2 tablespoons olive oil

                                                     ½ teaspoon black peppercorns, crushed

                                                     ½ teaspoon salt

                                                       2 cloves garlic, minced

                                                       4 Tilapia fillets (frozen would work fine: Just make

                                                                                   sure you pat them dry first)

Method:

1) Preheat oven to 425.
2) Combine first five ingredients. Marinate both sides of each fillet, a few minutes is fine.

3) Place in oven safe pan and bake for 10 minutes or until fish looks opaque.

4) Serve with the leftover lemon cut into wedges and decorate the top of each piece of fish

     with more lemon rind if desired.

Make It Work :

For easy clean-up top the pan with foil and a piece

of parchment paper, this helps the fish slide right

out of the pan.

Chicken Parmesan Garlic Salad

Garlic Chicken Breasts

3 Small boneless chicken Breasts

3 tablespoon Olive Oil

1 teaspoon Garlic Salt

1 teaspoon Pepper (Or to taste)

Method:

Saute Chicken breasts in olive oil on stove top. If chicken breasts are large make sure to cut them in half before cooking.  Sprinkle Garlic salt and Pepper on breasts before adding them to the pan, cover them to make them cook quicker.  When the internal temp. reachs 175 - 180 degrees they are ready.  Remove promply and set on plate to keep the juices in the chicken (Do not slice until the salad is complete and dressing is on the lettuce).

Garlic Dressing

1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 cloves garlic minced

¼ cup salad oil

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

¼ teaspoon dry mustard

2 tablespoons parmesan cheese grated

Method:

Mix together and pour over lettuce or a combination of lettuce and spinach.  Place cooked chicken on lettuce and grate extra cheese over the entire dish.  Also can add pepper to taste.  Enjoy...This is wonderful!

The Best Garlic Salad Ever!

Garlic Salad

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 cloves garlic minced

¼ cup salad oil

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

¼ teaspoon dry mustard

2 tablespoons parmesan cheese grated

Method:

Mix together and pour over lettuce or a combination of lettuce and spinach.

Images of SUMMER!

Clothes drying on a line...Fresh Tomatoes off the vine...Cucumber Sandwiches...Yard Games...Swimming in the lake...Eating Ice Cream...Beach Umbrellas...Saturday Morning Farmer's Markets...Flower boxes over flowing...The smell of fresh cut grass...long bike rides...books to read...Summer nights with fireflies twinkling in the dark:)