Summery Strawberry Salad

I actually broke out a long sleeve shirt yesterday.  It felt so thick and confining as they usually do after months of thinner short sleeves.  Mornings have been very chilly, the days and evenings cooling steadily, and so I keep cooing 'its still summer, its till sumer' in hopes of serenading the season back for another go round (maybe not in the nineties, but eighties are welcome).  

Here is a summery salad I made for a deck lunch.  It has that warm weather appeal with the bright fresh colors that sprout from the season.

Fresh sliced strawberries on a bed of fresh baby spinach and romaine.  Dotted with chopped walnuts and layered in grilled chicken.  Fresh basil leaves coarsely chopped add a huge flavor dimension.

Dressed with only a shake of salt and pepper, misted with olive oil and splashed with fresh lemon juice.  The flavors of the ingredients stand on their own and need no further enhancement.

Summer deliciousness especially under a beaming sun on a lounge chair.

I could eat this aaaall daaay looong.

Pizza Pizza

The recipe for this pizza is perfect for making with kids.  They like to peruse my books and find something that is not too complicated and which they can literally dig their hands into.  Because its just not fun to cook if you can get all sloppy and sloshy with the food.

Choose something yummy and hands-on.

Measure and dump.

Mix and blend (with fingers of course).

Swipe the baking sheet so not a morsel sticks.

Roll out the dough.

Slather on sauce.

Sprinkle with your choice of toppings.

We chose to do a traditional pepperoni with ham and a Hawaiin style pizza with pineapple and ham.

Bake until golden.

Serve it up to a very big grin laden kid whose eyes are like the rings of pineapple in anticipation.

Then to everyone else.

Recipe adapted from

Gran's Kitchen

2 C flour

1 C whole wheat flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 Tbsp butter

1 C milk

Combine all ingredients except butter which is used to coat pan.  Place on baking sheet and roll out to 1/2 inch thick.  Add toppings and bake at 400 degrees for approx 20 minutes.

Tip:  My baking sheet was too deep so I had to roll dough out with a thick glass for first pizza.  I do NOT recommend this as the glass could break under the pressure.  I did the pressing and let the kids "spread" the dough after it was all set so they did not have to apply any pressure.  The dough is thick and takes some pushing to spread. Use a shallow pan or pizza stone.

Marbled Chocolate and Banana Zucchini Bread

I had a few things that needed to be used pronto before turning bad, so I decided to put them all in one place.  A banana zucchini sour cream bread.  I used 3 cups shredded zucchini, two very ripe bananas and doubled a basic zucchini bread recipe omitting 3/4 of the oil in exchange for a little light sour cream.    I increased the baking powder by 1/4 tsp.  I always dump in tons of cinnamon, and then when I had equally separated the batter, I added 1/3 cup cocoa powder to one batch because that makes everything better.

Plop a few spoons of opposite batter on top of each one and swirl with a knife or other utensil to marble it.

Bake at 350 for about 45 - 50 min.

 Cool then remove.

 Slice and serve warm or cool.

This is a very dense ingredient combination and makes a very moist, thick bread.  I had fun photographing it because it was so easy to prop and pose.  This bread has body.

And if you are a dunker....

It was great to the last crumb.

I'm Eyeing

These are a few things I came across searching for my reading/writing room decor from Joss and Main, an online discount retailer.  I had seen similar things in Home Goods last June and they were snatched up before I could flip the price tag over.

I am an eye-shopper hobbyist,  meaning I enjoy browsing and filing them in my already over extenuated decor repertoire categorized under "maybe someday."  I like to build upon my finds, designing in my head my 'would be' rooms.  La la la....

Reclaimed Wood Trunk

Cozy Blush Chair

Curly Detail End Table

 This is also available in a pretty bright pink (in a kid's room would be great).

Dining Table

Silver Serving Tray

Vintage Books

Would be a nice addition to my tattered collection and would sit very prettily on the above white table or desk below.

Writing Table/Desk

Summertime means Classic Strawberry Shortcake

Lots and lots of this classic summertime goodness.

Bake

I use Bisquick and alter the recipe a bit.

 Slice and whip.

 Assemble.

 Gaze upon.

Dive in.

I am always so sad at this point.  I try not to think of it as the end....

but, time for more!