Summertime in the Garden

....fresh basil pesto

fresh garden basil pesto~I used almonds this time

Graduation Caps for my Grad!!

Ghirardelli chocolate squares & PB cups

Mini Shrimp Appetizers

herbed cream cheese, oven roasted shrimp-topped with bell pepper & feta

Bake won-ton wrappers in your mini muffin tin to make fun little bites

Spaghetti Squash Lasagna

Lotsa layers of cheese & oven roasted vegetables

growing spaghetti squash this year

it looks like angel hair

I make this so much in the summertime

Summer garden cucumbers

Rigatoni with Bolognese

A apple a day

Green Apple*golden delicious too

I luv my friend Jen

Rolled Mozzarella Appetizer

I've been wanting to try this fun appetizer~I added fresh basil, sliced tri-tip,sliced roasted peppers,chopped artichokes & olives and a drizzle of pesto. As always I overstuffed it which made it difficult to slice. Adding thinner ingredients would make it look nicer when you are entertaining but it was still tasty~

Yes please

Sauce-Simmer'n: Standing Rack of Pork

Sauce-Simmer'n: Standing Rack of Pork: I love serving a standing rack of Pork or rib roast at the holidays. Its a easy impressive dish. I marinate the roast  in milk, which ten...

Standing Rack of Pork

I love serving a standing rack of Pork or rib roast at the holidays. Its a easy impressive dish. I marinate the roast  in milk, which tenderizes the meat. It is roasted standing up so it cooks evenly. You simply rub it with olive oil & seasonings and let it roast~

Up Up & Away

I love this, it reminds me of my backyard- the hot air balloons take off in the field next door & float up and over my house & garden. Its so fun!

My Favorite Tool

Kuhn Rikon~this is my favorite tool right now, it's a spatula but it has a silicone edge which is great for scooping or getting along the edge of your pan or skillet. I am always looking for it & its a tool I use everyday.

Cheesecakes I love em~

These are some of my Mom's quickie cheesecake recipe that I dressed up with homemade crusts~Cheesecakes are so fun you can add so many different toppings, syrups or fresh fruit

44 Charles Street

I enjoyed this Danielle Steel story~some of the characters are chefs and cooking up great things throughout the book

Melanzane

Oven Roasted Eggplant with  Fennel, Mushrooms and Gorgonzola

Italian Pork Roast dinner on a bed of Pastina pasta

This is really a easy dinner that is great over any pasta. Its a center cut pork roast. I seared it first then topped with with a few slices of bacon, a splash of marsala & topped it with my roasted butternut squash  sauce & let it simmer until tender, I added sliced mushrooms while I cooked the pasta-

Brick Chick

Brick Chicken

its seared first for a crisp crust- then oven roasted, the weight of the brick helps it cook evenly & it turns out moist.

Split the whole chicken so it lays flat & prepare with your favorite marinade. One I did was cuban with a little rum, brown sugar, o.j. celantro  and the other was olive oil, bell pepper, lemon. Have fun creating new marinades

the following day I made a pasta salad with the left over chicken-olives, marinaded artichokes, tomato, blue cheese, chopped peppercini, onion, pesto, cubed mozzerella with a drizzle of balsamic dressing & fresh basil

Baking French Macaroons with Tiara

Yummy for our first time~Will try again!

Farmers Market

Every weekend my daughter Tiara, my niece Amy & I go to a different local farmer's market~Looking for farm fresh seasonal produce, fresh baked breads & other favorites such as pestos, cheeses, flavored butters & yummy desserts. Sometimes homemade fire roasted pizza or fresh coconut water served in a coconut! Losta fun & makes for a nice Sunday supper~

This pasta reminds me of the curly ribbon along the lasagna

~fresh baked Italian cookies from the Mona Lisa Market