Sweet Love and Ginger

Summer

Gardens and Grilled Corn with Herb Butter

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Right now my garden is looking beautiful. All of my plants
are thriving, and I couldn’t be happier. I’m using any excuse to add a bit of that
freshness to our meals.

Herb butter can go on so many things, green beans,
asparagus, virtually any seafood (especially clams, just sayin’), steaks,
pasta. It’s so simple yet adds this huge boost of fanciness to any meal. I
usually make a whole bunch of it and stick it in the freezer to defrost, and
use as needed.

Sunday of this past weekend I made a fresh batch to smother
our grilled corm with. It’s not quite corn season here, but it was on sale at
the store, and I was too excited to pass it up. I also made turkey burgers on
whole wheat buns and a sprout salad.

I over planted pretty heavily in the garden. Last year I had
trouble getting anything to even come up so I wanted to be sure. This year I have
had to thin everything out, so some radish, arugula, and Swiss chard sprouts, along
with a few pea shoots made a nice little side salad. I used that Honey Mustard
Poppy Seed Vinaigrette that I have been obsessed with once again. I swear I will
eventually get sick of it, but we still have a long way to go before then, so
get used to seeing it around.

Grilling the corn is easy. I have done it about umpteen
million ways, but shucking it and popping it on the grill until it is warm, and
bright yellow, with just the slightest hint of char is my favorite. For one it’s
the easiest, and two that light hint of chard adds just a hint of Smokey flavor
that I love.

Herb Butter
1 stick of unsalted butter softened
1 tsp powdered garlic
½ tsp salt
2 tbsp minced fresh, parsley
1 tbsp minced fresh chives
2 large basil leaves, minced
Combine all ingredients in a re-sealable container. Stirring
until well mixed. Serve at room temperature, or freeze for later use. (Can
remain in the fridge for 7-10 days).

What is your favorite part about this time of year?

10 Reasons Why You Should Get Outside this Summer

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I am a firm believer in the healing powers of the outdoors. Even if you are just taking a couple steps out of your back door here are 10 reasons why you should get yourself outside every single day this summer.

 

  1. Vitamin D. You get it from the sun. Nuff said.
  2. Blooming flowers, unless you have allergies, in that case, refer to the one above again.
  3. Fresh air. The air in your home is the same stuff you have been breathing in all winter long. I’m sure that it can’t be good for you. I mean all those cold germs, and musty, moldy nonsense just think about it. Plus there is some kind of science that says being outside increases the oxygen in your blood or something.
  4. Getting outside is a good excuse to burn a few extra calories and talk a walk, or play some sports. I mean there is way more room for activities out there than inside.
  5. Beaches and lakes are warm. At least up here in the great northeast it’s not very long that you can actually jump into the water with out a fear of loosing your toes. Take advantage of that.

 

6. Frozen cocktails are better outside. That’s just science.

7. Computers and TV take a toll on your eyes. Why not sit outside soak up some vitamin D, have that cocktail as discussed in no. 6 and let those puppies relax a little? Fresh air and warm sun reduce stress. I mean this is kind of like an obvious one. Being inside is like being boxed in, free yourself!

9. Better sleep. All that sun and activity will help you fall right to sleep.

    10. Boosting your immune system. I mean aside from better sleep, vitamin D, and the germs you are killing with all that alcohol, there is also
something to be said about all the studies that say getting out of the city and into nature boosts your immunity.

 

Summer’s Over, Let’s Talk About it

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It’s September and by most standards summer is over.  As sad and upsetting as it is I’m ready for
fall, I’ve always been a cold weather kind of girl so it’s welcome. I thought it
might be a fun change of pace to do a little review of my favorite things about
this summer.

 
Camping! We did a lot of camping, my favorite trip had to be
the one we went on with our friends from northern VT.

Visiting wine country.

Favorite recipes included the Herby Burger, Backcountry CreamyOrzo, and Shrimp and Parsley Ravioli.

I was pretty much a lush.

Don’t forget the fair. I’m a dork for the demolition derby.

I loved teaching Brody to swim & love the water as much
as his parents. We also got to go river tubing for a day, found an old rope
swing Chuck played on as a kid, and spent quite a few days up at the lake. We
had lots of water time this year.

I made to the beach for the first time in years!

I started a small garden that blossomed with a pretty
amazing bounty of beans, tomatoes, radishes, carrots, parsnips, and kohlrabi.
I also had way more beans than I could handle. Next year we will pant the marigold a little earlier to keep the pests away.

It was a laid back and fun summer, full of food and friends.
What more could you ask for?

What were your favorite parts of summer this year?

Long Weekend in Hampton Beach

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This vacation was much needed.

The food, the beach, the rest, and the people, all very much
needed.

Simple Summer Date Night

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When I think of summer, I think simple, and that was the
theme for this date night.

I didn’t bother with a table cloth, or a flower arrangement.
We ate outside, because it was cooler than inside, and then I didn’t have to
clean the house. I put a fat candle on a plate in the middle of the table and
put a few daisies from the yard around its base. I put our regular dinner
plates down, mainly because I’m not fancy enough to have china, some homemade
cloth napkins, and a carafe of chilled white wine. Then I served dinner.

Summer is a time for little sleep, hard work (for those of
us in construction in the northeast), and lots of playing outside. I wanted
just one special night to share with Chuck, after weeks of dinners on the road,
quick grilled, or over the fire, and looking at my generally un-groomed
stressed out self I wanted to show him how appreciative I am that I don’t
always have to be perfectly manicured, cleaned, and coiffed for him to tell me I’m
beautiful. I did take the time to actually shave my legs, put on some make up
and (gasp) straighten my hair, for the evening, along with cook him a dinner
especially suited to his tastes.

I’m sorry I have no pictures of the night, it was a blog/work
free zone, but I thought that you might like to see what I served to my very
special man on our date night in.

 

Soup: Roasted Red Pepper Soup

Salad: Fresh Garden Greens with Creamy Pesto Dressing

Entre: Shrimp & Parsley Ravioli with Red Pepper Scampi Sauce

Desert: Strawberry & Ginger Sorbet: 2 Cups fresh
Strawberries, 1 tsp ground ginger, splash of lime juice, blended and frozen.  

Virtually everything but the ravioli was made ahead of time
so it was a pretty easy dinner to piece together, and with the sun setting
behind us, and little Brody happily chewing on a bone at our feet it was a
pretty perfect night.