Picnic Cake

We had a pretty lazy Labor Day weekend, but I did want to mark the unofficial end of summer in some way. So I whipped up this cake. It reminds me of the ambrosia dessert my Aunt Marge always used to have at her big summer parties.

With mandarin oranges and pineapple, this treat definitely tastes like summer – but I can also see using it as a winter pick-me-up when the cold and dreary days drag on – especially since my boys liked it so much.

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

Picnic Cake
Inspired by this recipe from The Country Cook

1 box yellow cake mix
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 14 ounce can mandarin oranges, plus 1/2 of juice from the can
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 4 ounce box vanilla instant pudding mix
1 20 ounce can crushed pineapple, plus all of the juice from the can
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 (4 ounces) of Cool Whip from a regular sized tub

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

Note: To reserve juices from canned fruit, place a strainer on top of – or inside – a similar sized bowl. Pour contents of can into strainer. The juice will be saved in the lower bowl.

In a large bowl, combine cake mix, butter, mandarin orange juice, eggs and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer on medium for about 4 minutes, until everything is smooth. Add oranges and beat to break up orange sections and incorporate into the batter.

Pour into prepared baking dish and use a spatula to smooth the batter out. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the cake is beginning to brown and is set in the center.

Remove from oven and cool about 15 minute on counter. Then transfer to refrigerator for about an hour.

To make the icing, add pineapple juice and pudding mix to a medium bowl. Beat for about 2 minutes. Stir in powdered sugar and beat again until combined. Add Cool Whip and use a rubber spatula to gently fold together. Then mix in drained pineapple.

Spread frosting on cooled cake. Refrigerate until serving. Refrigerate leftovers.

S'mores Pizza

Happy July 4th! Here's a summer dessert your kids will love.

As soon as I took it out of the oven, my boys starting grabbing the gooey marshmallows off the top.

This recipe makes enough for a crowd and would be great at a holiday picnic or pot luck.

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

S'mores Pizza
Inspired by this recipe from Six Sisters' Stuff

2 cups graham cracker crumbs
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar
2/3 cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 12 ounce package chocolate chips
4 cups mini marshmallows
1/2 cup chocolate chips, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line a large (13 inch) circular pizza pan or a large rectangular baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, combine all dry ingredients.

In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and beat to combine.

Add 1/3 of dry ingredients to the butter and sugar mixture and blend until combined. Repeat two more times until you incorporate all of the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.

*This dough was a bit sticky, so I rolled mine out on top of parchment paper, to make it easier to transfer to the pan.

**There will be a lot of dough. You might want to use less than you have, depending on the size of your pan, or if you prefer a thinner crust.

Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to fit the pan you are using. Transfer dough to pan. Press into place and press together any pieces that break or fall apart.

Bake for 12 minutes or until just beginning to brown and set in the middle. Remove for oven and set on a work surface. Sprinkle crust with most of the chocolate chips, then top with marshmallows.

Return to oven and cook for 5 to 8 minutes or until marshmallows are browned on top. Melt the 1/2 cup of chocolate chips and stir until smooth while marshmallows brown.

Drizzle melted chocolate on top of s'mores pizza. Slice and serve warm. Also tastes great at room temperature.

BLT Pasta Salad

Hey gang, I'm finally able to write a post because:

• We had no baseball games last night!
• I actually cooked something for dinner!

Yes, it's been one of those summers. Last week, I grilled a bunch of salmon at 10 am on a Tuesday and made a bowl of Ramen & Boy Choy Salad so that we'd have something to eat after my boys' games.

My husband and I ate the dinner I pre-made. My boys opted for frozen pizza.

This week I made some pasta salad. Genius, I thought. A hearty, cold salad that will be ready when we are! And since my boys eat bacon almost every morning, on a bagel with cream cheese, surely they would like this BLT Pasta Salad, right?

Sam took a big bowl for lunch yesterday, then told me later on that he threw it out and made a sandwich instead. Max hasn't tried it, but Bob and I enjoyed it.

How do you feed your family during these crazy days of summer? Please share!

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

BLT Pasta Salad
Inspired by this recipe from The Kitchen.

1/2 cup light sour cream
1/2 cup mayo
2 tablespoons water
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
16 bacon slices, cooked crispy and diced
1 pound pasta, cooked to package directions (rotini or ziti) and cooled
3 ounces baby spinach leaves
1 pint curry tomatoes, halved
Salt & pepper to taste

In a small bowl, combine first 5 ingredients and combine with a whisk until smooth. Set aside.

In a large bowl, mix cooked pasta, bacon, spinach and tomatoes. Pour dressing on top and mix until pasta is coated in dressing.

Serve right away or refrigerate for 1 hour before serving, to let flavors combine.

Tequila by the Slice

A fellow baseball mom shared a recipe for this handheld cocktail in the middle of our summer season. So, so glad she did!

These adult "drinks" are light and refreshing on a hot day. Since I'm on vacation this week, they are top of mind (again!)

One tip: If you bring these to a gathering or party where children will be present, be sure to have some slices for the kids, too. This way you can avoid a little one taking a bite of "grown-up watermelon."

Another option: A friend added a drizzle of basil simple syrup when she recently served these. Also very yummy.

If you don't use a whole watermelon when you make this, you can use the rest for some delicious Watermelon Raspberry Rum Punch.

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

Tequila by the Slice
Inspired by KitchenFunWithMyThreeSons.com

1 seedless watermelon, quartered
Silver tequila
2-3 fresh limes, sliced
Coarse salt for topping

*Note: It is best to add the lime juice and salt right before you eat the watermelon slices. Doing so in advance makes the watermelon too salty.

Slice each watermelon quarter into 1-inch triangles. If you like, cut each piece in half to get smaller triangles.

Place watermelon slices on a large cookie sheet.

(Please pardon the drywall. Kitchen still a work in progress!)

Splash each slice with some tequila. Eyeball it. I used about 1/3 a bottle of tequila for a medium sized watermelon. Let sit 15 minutes. Turn over each slice and soak for another 15 minutes.

Serve each piece with a lime slice and some coarse salt.

To enjoy, drizzle with lime juice, sprinkle with salt and repeat!

Mini Cherry Pies

Nothing says summer like cherry pie, so here you go!

If your family likes cherries, these sweet little tarts will hit the spot for dessert or a hearty snack.

And if you don't have a cherry pitter, I recommend investing in one. I found a model that pits 6 cherries at a time for under $20. My son Sam gets great satisfaction out of using it; I love having a helper in the kitchen.

This recipe calls for a homemade crust, and I recommend taking the small amount of extra time needed to make it. So yummy.

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

Mini Cherry Pies
Inspired by this recipe from Cooking Light

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
4 1/12 tablespoons chilled, unsalted butter, cut in chunks
1/4 cup ice water
2 tablespoons chilled vodka
5 tablespoons, plus 2 teaspoons turbinado sugar, divided
2 tablespoons corn starch
5 cups fresh cherries, pitted and halved
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Optional: 1 large egg white, lightly beaten

Items you will need:

• Baking sheet lined with parchment paper. 
• Six 4-inch tart pans. 

No tiny tart pans? Use mini foil pie dishes instead.

Place flour and salt in a food processor and pulse to combine. Add butter and pulse a few times until mixture looks crumbly. Add 1/4 cup water and vodka. Pulse about 6 times or until the dough comes together.

Place dough on lightly floured surface and knead 2-3 times. Divide dough into 12 equal-sized balls.

Roll each ball of dough out into a roughly 4-inch cycle. Arrange on the lined baking sheet. Cover with parchment or plastic wrap and chill for 1 our or until firm.

Preheat over to 375 degrees. Move oven rack to middle position.

Combine remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, 5 tablespoons sugar and cornstarch in a large bowl. Add cherries and lemon juice, gently mix to combine.

Divide pie filling among the 6 tart or pie pans. Top each with second pie crust, or let your kids cut out fun dough shapes and use those instead.

Brush top crust, if using, with egg white. Sprinkle remaining sugar over crust or dough cut-outs.

Line a baking sheet with foil. Place tarts on baking sheet and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until mini pies are golden and bubbly. Remove from oven and cool 10 minutes.

Take pies out of pans to cool completely.

Serve warm or at room temperature. My boys liked these with ice cream on top.

Wrap and refrigerate leftovers.

Mom's Potato Salad

We had tons of family gatherings when I was growing up. That was a big plus to living where all of our relatives were within an hour's drive.

In the summer, potato salad was usually on the menu. My mom added a little twist to her recipe and I still love it — a chopped apple. The fruit gives the side salad an unexpected sweet crunch.

I remember my mom served it to a college friend's family when they were visiting. When I saw my friend's step dad again more than a decade later, he remembered the potato salad!

My recipe here may differ a bit from my mom's (because I make it for a family of 4 and she was usually serving 30+ people), but you'll get the same effect.

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

Mom's Potato Salad

1.5 or 2 pound bag of small yellow potatoes
1 bunch green onions, sliced and chopped
2 hard boiled eggs
1 large apple, peeled and diced (use Granny Smith, Honey Crisp of Fuji)
1/2 cup of your favorite mayonnaise
1/4 cup dijon or champagne mustard
1 teaspoon dill (fresh or dried)
*1 teaspoon dried spice mix for Green Goddess Dressing
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional: 1/2 cup diced celery or bell pepper

*If you can't find this, use another 1/2 teaspoon dried dill, 1/2 teaspoon dried onion, 1/2 teaspoon dried celery flakes and 1 teaspoon minced garlic.

Peel the potatoes. Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with water. Set the pot to boil. Once thee water boils, lower the heat a little and cook until a knife easily inserts into the potatoes.

Remove potatoes from heat and drain. Then rinse with cold water. Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, dice them and place in a large bowl.

Add egg, green onions, apple and any other vegetables, if using. Add mayonnaise, mustard, dill and Green Goddess spices.

Mix to combine, until everything is coated in the dressing. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve right away or chill before serving.

I liked this potato salad with barbecue chicken and grilled squash.

Refrigerate any leftovers.

Simple Cucumber Dill Salad

We've been eating lots of salads lately for a few reasons:

• My kitchen is a work in progress. 
• We have baseball practice or games almost every night. 
• Our days are jam packed, too.

I know you fellow moms can relate. Here's my morning yesterday:

8 a.m. – Take dog for grooming appointment.
8:30 a.m. – Take Sam to baseball clinic, go to bank.
10 a.m. – Pick up Sam and drop off Max at baseball clinic. Go to post office and dry cleaners.
11 a.m. – Take Sam to saxophone lesson.
12 p.m. – Pick up Max from baseball clinic.
12:15 p.m. – Pick up dog from groomer.

Summer salads are easy, refreshing and can often be made ahead. One of my faves is Chick Pea Salad. If you make that and have some leftover dill, you can use it in this cucumber recipe.

Do you have a favorite summer salad? Let us know what it is!

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

Simple Cucumber Dill Salad

2 English cucumbers, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
1 bunch green onions, (about 5 or 6) sliced
2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
2 to 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Fresh ground pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and gently stir to combine. Let refrigerate for at least 1 hour to help the flavors blend.

Salt individual servings to taste.

Refrigerate any leftovers.

Summer Corn Chowder

My boys are loving all of the fresh corn on the cob I've been serving up lately, but I was ready for a change. And since we had more corn and potatoes than I knew what to do with, chowder seemed like just the thing.

This is summer comfort food all the way. The creamy soup is sweet and smoky, thanks to some bacon. It makes for a hearty lunch or pair with a green salad — and dinner is served.

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

Summer Corn Chowder
Inspired by this recipe from Kroger

2 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels
5 slices bacon, chopped
1 medium onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 medium yellow potatoes, peeled and diced
2 cups chicken stock, plus more for thinning out chowder as needed
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons Greek yogurt
Salt and pepper to taste
1 small red bell pepper, thinly sliced and diced
2 green onions, thinly sliced
Optional: your favorite hot sauce, shredded cheddar cheese

Using a sharp knife, stand corn cob in a shallow bowl or plate and slice off the corn kernels. After kernels are removed, scrape the cobs with the knife to squeeze out any remaining corn juice. Set aside.

In a Dutch oven or large pot, fry bacon until crisp over low heat. Remove bacon and drain on a paper towel-lined plate.

Add the onion to the hot bacon grease and cook about 5 minutes or until translucent. Add garlic and potatoes and cook another 2 minutes. Add chicken stock. Increase heat and bring to a simmer. Cover pot, lower heat to maintain the simmer and cook for 8-10 minutes.

Add corn and milk and continue to cook with the pot covered, for about 10 more minutes, or until you can easily insert a knife into the potatoes.

Turn off heat. Use an immersion blender to roughly puree the soup to make it thick and chunky. (If you don't have an immersion blender, transfer about half of the soup to a blender and puree until smooth. Return pureed corn and potato mixture to pot.)

Stir in Greek yogurt and salt and pepper to taste.

If the chowder is too thick, stir in more chicken stock, 1/2 cup at a time, until your reach a consistency to your liking.

Dish up into serving bowls and top with bacon, red pepper and green onions. A dash of hot sauce and a sprinkle of shredded cheese is also nice.

Avocado-Crab Salad

This summer has been sweltering in Charlotte. After days and weeks on end of 90-plus degree days and what feels like 90-plus percent humidity, I have new found appreciation for meals that don't require the oven. Allow me to introduce you to my new favorite beat-the-heat, no-oven-required dinner: avocado-crab salad.

Even the hubby, who typically doesn't like avocado any other way than guacamole, likes this a lot. Here's what he said to me the second time I made this, "Amy, are you sitting down? I want you to know that I'm now open to eating avocado more ways." Success!

XOXO,
Amy

Avocado-Crab Salad
Serves 4 or serves 2 for dinner and 2 for lunch the next day

2-4 teaspoons red onion, finely chopped
Juice of 2 limes
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
4 grape or cherry tomatoes, dices
4-6 slices of red pepper, finely diced
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
8 ounces lump crab meat, drained and gently pulled apart (or you can take your kitchen scissor like I do and roughly cut up the meat)
2 medium Hass avocado (about 5 ounces each), cut in half and pitted
2 butter leaves or handful of spring mix salad (optional)

In medium bowl, mix together all ingredients, except crab, avocado and lettuce. Add crab and gently toss.

Fill each avocado with crab salad and serve atop lettuce, if desired.

Eat leftovers within two days.

Additionally, I think a little bit of finely chopped celery would go well in this salad. Also, if you don't have red onion on hand, I would sub with green onion if you have that.

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Easy Summer Recipe Round-Up

Cooking has been rough lately. I just haven't been feeling creative. Do you ever feel that way or is it just me? In order to inspire myself (yep, this is a totally selfish post), I'm going through the HDHH archives to find my favorite summer meals. 

Now let's get cooking!

Erin

Tomato + Goat Cheese Sandwich. The kids and I usually hit up the Bellevue Farmer's Market on Thursdays, and I get a Pineapple Tomato or two. They are yellow and super sweet. This sandwich will be perfect to change things up from my usual Tomato + Mozzarella situation. 

Summer Salad with Berry Vinaigrette. I'd better make this one before berry season ends! Berry time is fleeting, people. Sigh.

Corn, Tomato, and Edamame Salad. I threw this salad together last weekend, and it was just lovely. A change of pace from your usual side dish. 

Healthier Fried Rice. Because it's bathing suit season, and I still want to have an extra large bowl of ice cream after dinner.

Sausage and Mint Stuffed Tomatoes. Do you notice the tomato theme here? Can I come up with a way to eat them every day of the week?

Smokey, Coffee-Rubbed London Broil. Andrea cooks her London Broil in the oven, and I usually do, too. But since the husband loves to grill, think I could get him to cook this one for me on the ol' Weber? 

How to Microwave Corn on the Cob. This means fewer dishes. Yes, please!

Blueberry Zucchini Bread. I love a good quick bread. It makes waking up so much easier when you know you've got a loaf waiting for you. I think I have some baking in my future.

Watermelon Pizza

We had friends over for dinner last week. The moms and four girls went to the pool first. Between pool time and it being nearly 100 degrees out, my goal was to keep it easy and to turn up the heat as little possible in the kitchen. So, Jeff smoked a beautiful salmon. I threw together a salad and pulled out the pasta salad I'd made the night before. For dessert, I thought it would be fun for Lucy and Penny and their friends Hannah and Sophie to make the watermelon pizza I'd seen in my latest Good Housekeeping magazine.

Aren't they all adorbs?

From left to right: Penny, Hannah, Lucy and Sophie hard at work making watermelon pizzas.

The girls loved making their "pizzas," but didn't love eating them so much. The "sauce" — made of cream cheese, ricotta and honey — was weird and I tended to agree. But they liked the berries and the watermelon itself, of course. In the future, I'd turn this into a fruit salad, cutting the watermelon into bite-sized chunks and mixing in the berries and a little mint. I bet they'd gobble it up.

Still, it was fun to watch and a great way to get kids involved in the kitchen.

XOXO,
Amy

Watermelon Pizza
Adapted from Good Housekeeping

1 seedless watermelon, cut into four rounds
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
16 ounces ricotta cheese
2 tablespoons honey
Couple handfuls of coconut, toasted
Variety of berries of your choosing -- blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries
Kiwi, optional but could serve as your "pepperoni"
1 bunch of mint, roughly chopped

Mix cream cheese, ricotta and honey together. Spread this "sauce" on your watermelon rounds. Next, sprinkle toasted coconut and top with berries and fruit. Sprinkle chopped mint.

Cut each round into quarters. Enjoy!

Microwaved Corn on the Cob

With a brand new baby and all, I'm looking for any and every possible shortcut. Have you ever seen the episode of Seinfeld where Kramer installs a garbage disposal in his shower so he can multi-task? Yeah...I'm totally there.

So when I read an article by The Kitchn about microwaving corn on the cob, I was alllll over it. With late-summer corn filling the farmers market and grocery store, it's the perfect super-speedy side dish. 

Let's get cooking!

Erin

Microwaved Corn on the Cob

Serves: 2

Technique from The Kitchn*

2 ears corn on the cob, still in the husk

Butter, for serving

Salt, for serving

First...DO NOT SHUCK THE CORN. Put the entire corn on the cob in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes on high. Allow the corn to cool for a few minutes so you don't burn your fingers off. Shuck the cooked corn and marvel at how easily all that pesky silk comes off. Ask yourself why you haven't always cooked corn in the microwave. Serve with plenty of butter and salt.

*Check out The Kitchn's tutorial here. 

Summer Salad with Berry Vinaigrette

Here in the great Northwest, school doesn't start until September. It was the same when I was growing up in Buffalo. So I've been flabbergasted by all the back-to-school pictures plastered on my Facebook feed this week.

In my crazy brain it goes something like this, "These kids look so cute with their fresh haircuts and backpacks! Wait...backpacks. What? How are these children going back to school already?! It's mid-August! I'm not ready for school supplies! Or leaves falling! Or cold weather! It's practically Christmas. Oh, geez. And where's my snow brush. I should put that in the car..."

See the slippery slope to snow? Yeah. Not cool.

So I'm here to remind all of us that it's still summer. Hear that? IT'S STILL SUMMER! Eat the corn! And the ice cream cones! And the berries! Allllll the berries. We'll start with this glorious Summer Salad with Berry Vinaigrette. And we'd better make it quickly, before the snow gets here.

Let's get cooking!
Erin

Summer Salad with Berry Vinaigrette
Dressing adapted from Sally's Baking Addiction

For the Dressing*:
1 cup raspberries
1 cup sliced strawberries
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon poppy seeds
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

For the Salad:
8 ounces mixed greens
1/2 cup raspberries
1/2 cup sliced strawberries
1 cup blueberries
1/2 cup toasted pecans
3 ounces crumbled goat cheese

Using your food processor or blender, blend together all the dressing ingredients except for the poppy seeds. Once the dressing is smooth, stir in poppy seeds. Refrigerate until you're ready to serve.

Place greens in a large bowl and top with berries, pecans, and goat cheese. Drizzle with some of the dressing just before serving. You can serve extra dressing on the side.

*This recipe makes about 2 cups of dressing, which is probably more than you need for this amount of salad. But the dressing is so delicious you'll want to drizzle it on everything for the next few days! Just use what you need and keep the leftovers in the fridge.

Watermelon Raspberry Rum Punch

When you are a mom of school-age kids, the end of summer is bittersweet. The start of school means an end to constant sibling arguing (yay!) and a return to hectic days ruled by schedules, homework, sports practices and lunch making (boo.)

All of this is worth celebrating.

Enter the Watermelon Raspberry Rum Punch. This fruity and frothy cocktail goes down easy.

It's the perfect drink to sip by the pool with a few other mom friends as you savor those last few days of summer break — or to celebrate the first few days of school and (at least for me) a chance to reclaim the house.

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

Watermelon Raspberry Rum Punch 

6 cups seedless watermelon, cubed
1 pint ripe raspberries
Juice of 1 lemon (or about 2 tablespoons lemon juice)
1 cup light rum or lemon or citrus-flavored rum
1 to 2 tablespoons sugar or splenda (optional)

Place all ingredients in blender. Blend or pulse until smooth.

Pour through strainer. Serve over ice with a garnish of small watermelon slices or a few raspberries. Drink and enjoy with friends.

Blue Cheese Corn on the Cob

One summer, years ago, Jeff and I attended a party at a reporter friend's lake house. Our friend Dan could cook and grill as well as he could write. Now he owns his own barbecue catering company and he's written a cookbook or two. Dan, you are living the dream!

Anyhow, Dan made this blue cheese corn on the cob that I have literally (and I don't use that word lightly) been thinking about every summer since. He pulled back and tied the husk to form a handle and then he dipped each ear into a vat of melted butter and blue cheese and he grilled it until the kernels turned a nice caramel color. I believe he brushed more butter and cheese over the ears in the grilling process.

This past weekend, I came up with a less messy, indoor version of Dan's corn on the cob. It's also a little kinder on the arteries, but, man, was Dan's corn the best.

XOXO,
Amy

Blue Cheese Corn on the Cob

Corn on the cob, cleaned  and husked
Soft or melted butter
Salt
Pepper
Blue cheese crumbles, about 1 ounce per ear of corn

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Place ears of corn on cookie sheet.

Brush each ear with butter. (BTW, I just invested in a French-style butter crock that allows me to keep soft butter on the counter top instead of the fridge. Should have done this years ago. Love it.)

Salt and pepper each ear.

Bake for 20 minutes, turning halfway through.

After 20 minutes or when a few kernels have started to turn a nice caramel color, remove corn from oven and top with blue cheese. Return corn to oven and cook for 2-4 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Note that some of the yummy cheese will have slid off the ears and onto the cookie sheet. It would be a sin to let that stuff go to waste. Roll the ears of corn over that goodness or take a knife and spread it onto the corn.

Eat immediately.

Shrimp Salad

During our kitchen renovation, my family relied at times on prepared foods from the fresh bar at our grocery store. One of the items we tried: shrimp salad. I'd never made shrimp salad but recently got a hankering to do so. The steamy temps in Charlotte had me craving something light and I had lettuce to pick from my new tower garden.

Sometimes I like to sample two or three salads at a meal. With this shrimp salad, I'd be tempted to also try Cucumber Sesame Salad and Grilled Peach Salad with Goat Cheese.

XOXO,
Amy

Shrimp Salad
Adapted from Food.com

1 pound cooked shrimp, peeled and deveined (40-50 count recommended)
1/3 to 1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
1 1/2 carrots, diced small
1/4 cup onion, finely diced
2 teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Lettuce or sandwich rolls for serving

Cut shrimp in half (if desired--depends on personal preference). Combine shrimp with rest of ingredients. Note on the mayo: 1/3 cup will probably be enough. Start with that and you can always add more.

Chill for one hour. Serve on top of lettuce or inside sandwich rolls.

Cucumber Couscous

Today I've got another summer side dish for you: Cucumber Couscous. And in case "because I said so" isn't a good enough excuse to make it, here are three reasons why you should add this one to your menu post haste.

Number one. It's easy. When your sidewalk chalk project takes longer than expected, you need to get dinner on the table fast. Couscous cooks in 5 minutes, so there you go. More summer fun? Don't mind if I do.

Number two. Cucumber Couscous is light and refreshing. I don't know if it's the water content in cucumbers or what, but they taste so stinking good when it's hot out. The crisp crunch of the cucumbers plus the fresh flavor of parsley knocks my socks off. It's the perfect pairing for grilled lamb kabobs or steak.

Number three. This dish can be served at room temperature. So it's perfect for when company is coming over or you're heading to the park for a barbecue. You don't want to be slaving over the stove at the last minute. It's summer. We should all be sipping pina coladas around the pool with our pals as much as humanly possible.

Now let's get cooking!
Erin

Cucumber Couscous
Inspired by Budget Bytes
Serves: 6

2 1/4 cups chicken or vegetable broth or water
1 1/2 cups couscous
3-4 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 large English (seedless) cucumber, quartered and sliced
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Salt and pepper

In a large saucepan bring broth to a boil. Stir in couscous. Cover and turn off the heat. Allow couscous to sit, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff couscous with a fork.

Stir in lemon juice, olive oil, cucumber, and parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve at room temperature.

Deviled Egg Sampler

I recently overbought on the egg front. What to do? Make deviled eggs, of course. Plenty of other good reasons to whip up deviled eggs, too. I love using my pretty deviled egg plate. Plus, my older daughter Lucy recently discovered a love of deviled eggs; she ate like six at a wedding reception.

What's better than deviled eggs? A deviled egg sampler, of course. In mine: traditional, poppy seed and curried.

Mmm. Mmm. Mmm.

At top: curried. On right: traditional. On left: poppy seed.

My favorite in this sampler: the curried. Anyone who knows me and my love of Indian food would  not be shocked. Lucy plopped two of the traditional style in her mouth in about five seconds. Penny went for poppy seed. The hubby tried them all and remains a traditionalist at heart.

I bet you will come up with varieties we haven't even thought of.

XOXO,
Amy

Deviled Egg Sampler
8 eggs, hard boiled (See directions below)
Salt
1 teaspoon ground mustard, divided in half
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon poppy seeds
3 tablespoons mayonnaise, divided in thirds

First, prepare the hard boiled eggs with this fool-proof method.

Take eggs out of fridge, so they start to come closer to room temperature. Add salt to a pot of water and boil. When water is boiling rapidly, use a slotted spoon to place each egg in the pot. Reduce to a moderate boil and cook eggs for 10 minutes. This timing is what ensures that the eggs are not overcooked; the yellow part of the eggs stays yellow and doesn't turn that gross green color around the edges.

Just before the egg time is up, fill a bowl with ice and cold water. When time is up, use a slotted spoon to gently remove each egg from the hot water and place in the bowl of ice and cold water. This last step ensures that  the eggs will stay nicely intact when you peel them.

Peel eggs immediately or drain water and place in fridge until you are ready to make your deviled eggs. I get better results if I peel immediately. I always make eight eggs to yield 12 deviled egg halves. By making eight eggs, I have enough eggs yolks to fill 12 halves and if I wreck two of the egg whites it's no big deal.

After you peel the eggs, slice in half and scoop out the insides. Divide the yolks evenly into three bowls. Add a bit of salt (to taste) to each bowl.

For traditional deviled eggs, add half a teaspoon of ground mustard and one tablespoon of mayonnaise to one bowl with egg yolk and salt. Combine/mash with a fork. Fill four eggs and top with paprika.

For poppy seed deviled eggs, prepare the a bowl as you did for traditional eggs and add half a teaspoon of poppy seeds. Combine ingredients. Fill four eggs.

For curried deviled eggs, add half a teaspoon of curry powder and a tablespoon of mayonnaise to  the third bowl with egg yolks and salt. Combine ingredients. Fill  four eggs and top with garam masala.

Eat immediately.

PS: A word on the mayonnaise. If you are using store-bought and you live in the South, you use Duke's. All other brands are lame.

Mediterranean Lamb Chops

Well hello from the west coast! As I mentioned, my boys and I packed up our junk and moved across the country to Seattle. We've been here about two weeks, and things are starting to feel like home. I mean, we still have box tunnels set up for Danny in the living room and all, but my kitchen is ready for action.

Recently we were sick of unpacking, so we decided to invite the husband's cousin and his wife over for dinner. (They promised they didn't mind climbing over the box tunnel.) When we were discussing the menu, we wanted something easy and delicious. Mediterranean Lamb Chops were just the ticket.

Mouth-watering, tender lamb loin chops are marinated with Middle Eastern-inspired flavors and charred on a hot grill. The marinade includes za'atar, a spice my mother-in-law introduced me to. It's a blend of oregano, thyme, basil, sesame seeds, sumac, and other spices. We are big fans. If you don't find it at your local supermarket, you can order za'atar from Amazon or through Penzey's Spices. It has a unique flavor, and it's worth seeking out.

Next time you fire up the grill, change it up from your usual steak and give these Mediterranean Lamb Chops a try.

Let's get cooking!
Erin

Mediterranean Lamb Chops
Serves: 4

1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons za'atar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 pounds lamb loin chops (about 8 bone-in chops)
Chopped parsley for garnish (optional)

In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, za'atar, salt, and pepper. Place lamb chops in a baking dish or a gallon-sized ziploc baggie and pour marinade over the top, turning to coat. Marinate lamb at least 2 hours or up to overnight.

When you're ready to cook, allow lamb chops to come to room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat your grill to medium high and oil the grates. (If you have a charcoal grill, build a fire that's hot on one side and cooler on the other.)

Grill the lamb chops for about 4 minutes on each side, until they're nicely charred. Then turn the heat down to low (or move the chops to the cooler side of your charcoal grill), and continue grilling for an additional 5 minutes or until lamb reaches desired doneness in the center. Remove the lamb chops to a plate and cover with foil. Allow them to rest for 5-10 minutes so the juices can redistribute. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve.

Chili Lime Corn Salad

We have been eating pretty simply this summer -- when we've been eating at home, that is. You see, we are remodeling our kitchen. It is exciting. It is stressful. In our upstairs main kitchen, we have use of our new dual-fuel range, but no sink. Luckily, we have a partial kitchen downstairs with a sink. At least I'm getting a workout while I cook.

So, anyhow, the other night while the hubby grilled sausages, the kids and I whipped up this corn salad that I just made up in my head as we went along. (For their part, the kids gathered the ingredients, spread  the corn and peppers on the cookie sheet and, otherwise, just kept me company.)

The kids were so-so on the dish, but hubby and I enjoyed it. I will make it again and will plan ahead to have fresh cilantro on hand. Cilantro would be a nice finishing touch -- taste wise and visually.

XOXO,
Amy

Chili Lime Corn Salad

16 ounces of corn (fresh or frozen)
1 red pepper, diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt, pepper
1/4 medium to large red onion, diced finely
1 lime
1 teaspoon chili powder
Fresh cilantro, to taste (optional)

Spread corn and diced red pepper on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle the olive oil over the corn and peppers. Give the pan a light coat of salt and ground pepper. Roast at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes, or until some kernels change to a nice caramel brown.

Combine into one bowl the corn, peppers and onion. Stir in the juice of one lime and one teaspoon of chili powder. Top with fresh cilantro if desired.