Old Fashioned Homemade Lemonade

Another one of my first cookbooks when I was growing up was the the Anne of Green Gables Cookbook. I'm not afraid to admit it - I love those books AND the movies! I have to watch every time Anne comes on public television. This Old Fashioned Homemade Lemonade was a summer favorite year after year.

Old Fashioned Lemonade
from the Anne of Green Gables Cookbook

1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups water
grated peel over one lemon
1 1/2 cups lemon juice
Ice cubes
Cold water
Fresh mint leaves

Measure the sugar, the water, and the lemon zest into a large saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil for five minutes, stirring constantly. Let the mixture cool to room temperature.

Add the lemon juice to the cooled mixture. Pour this syrup into a jar and cover tightly with a lid. This syrup can be kept in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 weeks.

When you're ready to enjoy some lemonade, put ice in each serving glass and pour 1/4 cup of the lemon syrup over the ice. Add 3/4 cup of cold water over the top, and stir. Add some fresh mint leaves to each glass. Yield approximately 12-14 glasses. Enjoy!

My Mint Mojitos

When I was a little girl, I used to love to mix up "potions" - usually the remnants of nearly empty shampoo and lotion bottles, mixed with a few squirts of hand soap and perhaps some bubble bath. I'd put my potion in a bottle and mix it up, and then attempt to sell it to my Mom, her friends, whoever was around. Yep, I was the little entrepreneur.

Well, Mom should have known back then that her little potion-mixer (apothecary, perhaps?) would be a bartender one day. During my brief career as a mixologist, my absolute favorite drinks to make were the ones that had many ingredients: Bloody Marys, Long Island Ice Teas, etc. Even better than that? A drink that requires a muddler. I love to muddle. What can I say? Dirty martinis, mint juleps, mojitos . . . Muddling just plain rocks.

So here is a great muddled-up cocktail to refresh you on a hot summer afternoon: My Mint Mojitos. See if you can muddle your way through this one! (I couldn't resist . . .)

My Mint Mojitos

The leaves from one good sprig of mint (8-10 large leaves)
1 tablespoon sugar
Ice
2-3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 shot (1 oz.) of light rum
about 1/3 cup of club soda
1 sprig of mint for garnish

Prepare your serving glass with ice, and set aside.

In a shaker (or a glass, if you don't have a shaker), place the mint leaves and the sugar. Using a muddler (or any blunt-ended kitchen tool), mash up the mint leaves into the sugar until they release their oils and become very fragrant.

Next, add some ice, the lime juice, and the rum. Shake (if you're using a shaker) or stir (if you're using a glass). Pour the mixture over the ice in your prepared serving glass, straining the leaves out if desired. (Personally, I don't desire.) Top with club soda and garnish with a mint sprig. Enjoy!

Lime and Cilantro Grilled Shrimp

Here's a quick weeknight meal for the summertime! the flavors meld beautifully, and the grill keeps all the heat outside, where it belongs!

Lime and Cilantro Grilled Shrimp

4 limes, juiced
1 teaspoon lime zest
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro, plus extra for garnish
Salt and pepper to taste
1 lb. shrimp, peeled and de-veined

In a small saucepan, combine the lime juice, zest, olive oil, garlic powder, cilantro, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Cool completely.

Marinate the shrimp in the lime mixture for at least 30 minutes. Then grill over medium-high heat for 2 minutes on each side, or until they are cooked through.

Serve immediately, garnished with fresh cilantro. . . Okay, so I forgot the garnish for the pictures - whatever! They're still pretty!

Chicken and Rice Salad

During the summer here in Georgia, there are days that are so swelteringly hot that you are loathe to turn on any heat-generating appliance in the house. Today was one of those days.

So what do you do for dinner on a day like this? Make a nice, hearty, cold salad like this one!!

Chicken and Rice Salad
my mom's friend Sue

2 6-ounce boxes long grain wild rice (recommended: Uncle Ben's)
3 ½ cups cooked chicken, torn into bite-sized bits
4.5 ounces ripe black olives drained and chopped
½ cup chopped green onion w/ tops
½ cup pecans chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
salt and pepper
1 ½ cup mayo (add gradually)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Cook rice according to the directions, but omitting any seasoning packet that might come with the box. Toss all ingredients together except for the mayo and parsley, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the mayo gradually, using only as much as needed to suit your tastes. Chill until ready to serve. Garnish with parsley. Serve with iceburg lettuce cups to make tasty wraps!

Sausage Stuffed Peppers

Here's another easy weeknight meal that I made up with some fresh and flavorful ingredients we had on hand. These peppers were bursting with flavor - but still quite lean because we used chicken sausage.

Sausage Stuffed Peppers

4 medium red or green bell peppers, cleaned and cored
2 italian sausages (we used sundried tomato chicken sausages)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup onion, diced
1 large clove of garlic, minced
1 medium tomato, diced
1/2 cup tomato sauce or marinara
2 cups cooked brown rice
1/4 cup freshly grated parmigiano reggiano
1 tablespoon freshly chopped basil
1 teaspoon freshly chopped oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
4 slices mozzarella cheese

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Grease a baking dish and set your cleaned and cored peppers inside of it. Use balls of tinfoil to prop them up if you have trouble making them sit correctly.

In a large pan over medium-high heat, brown the sausages. Remove them from the pan and slice 1/4" thick on the bias.

Add the olive oil to the pan, and add the onions, garlic, and tomato. Cook over medium-high heat for about 4-5 minutes, until the onions are tender and the tomato begins to break down. Add the sausage back to the pan, along with the sauce, the rice, the parmesan, and the herbs. Stir to combine and continue to cook until heated through. Adjust seasonings to taste with salt and pepper.

Fill the peppers with the sausage-and-rice mixture. Top with the mozzarella slices. Bake in your preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, until cheese is melted and peppers are slightly tender. Enjoy!

Rice with Mango Chutney

There are times, dear readers, when plain white rice is perfect. But there are other times when you need something a bit more . . . special! This rice is full of flavor. It is worthy of sitting next to your very best chicken or fish recipes, colorful and delicious.

And best of all? It's extremely easy to make.

Chutney Rice Recipe
from my mom's friend Sue

2 cups white rice
1 3/4 cups water
1 3/4 cups chicken broth (or white wine for a vegetarian version)
2 tablespoons butter
Salt to taste
1/3 cup mango chutney
2-3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

In a large pot, combine rice, water, broth and butter. Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer. Cover and allow to cook for 20-25 minutes, until the rice is cooked through. Add salt to taste. Finally, stir in the mango chutney and the chopped parsley. Serve hot.

Vidalia Victuals Finalist #7: Vidalia Onion and Mushroom Pie

Vidalia Onion and Mushroom Pie
submitted by Sue from The per Sue of Happiness

3 tablespoons butter
3 Vidalia onions, one diced and two quartered
1 lb. small mushrooms
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons sherry
1 cup heavy cream
2 egg yolks, beaten (whites reserved)
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1 sheet frozen puff pastry

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Grease a pie dish and set aside.

In a large skillet over low heat, melt the butter and cook all the onions, occasionally shaking the pan. Then add the mushrooms, turning them frequently. Stir in the parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook for about 2 more minutes. Finally, drain the onions and mushrooms or use a slotted spoon to transfer them to a deep pie dish.

Next, raise the heat to medium on the skillet and add the sherry. Mix contents well and then pour over onions and mushrooms.

In a small bowl, mix the cream, egg yolks, nutmeg, and paprika. Add salt to taste and pour the mixture into the pie dish over the veggies. Gently roll the puff pastry over the pie dish. Decorate the edges and pinch them to the pie dish. Use a knife to cut a slit in the center of the dough. Brush with reserved egg white.

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Green Goddess Salad Dressing

We have really been enjoying our CSA farm baskets these past few weeks. Through the early part of the season, we get tons and tons of fresh greens from the farm. We eat salads through the spring until we nearly turn into bunnies, so it's a great time for me to make all sorts of fun salad dressings for us to jazz up our daily dose of roughage. Here's a great one, my own variation of Green Goddess Dressing, based on the famous dressing first made in San Francisco, California at the Palace Hotel.

Green Goddess Salad Dressing

1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon chopped fresh mint
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons anchovy paste or 2 small anchovy filets
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
1/4 teaspoon dried minced onion
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

In a blender or small food processor, combine all ingredients until thoroughly blended. Chill until you are ready to serve with your favorite greens and veggies.

Pesto and Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken

Here is an amazingly flavorful chicken recipe from my friend Ashley. We loved the freshness of the basil with the sweet sundried tomato and the tang of the creamy goat cheese. This is the perfect upscale weeknight dinner!

Pesto and Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken
adapted from a recipe by Ashley of HauteCakes

4 chicken breasts, pounded to about 1/4-inch thin
1/2 cup sundried tomato pesto (you can buy this at the grocery store or make your own)
1 large clove of garlic, minced
7-8 large fresh basil leaves
about 2 ounces of goat cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. In a blender or food processor, blend the pesto, basil leaves, garlic, and goat cheese, just until combined. Spread the mixture over each chicken breast, and roll it up, securing with toothpicks. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.

Bake, uncovered, for about 45-60 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Remove the toothpicks and serve hot with your favorite veggies.

Herb Roasted Chicken Breasts

A healthy dinner for a spring weeknight with fresh herbs from the garden. The marinade makes this chicken extra tender. The blend of fresh herbs makes it irresistible!

Paul Newman's dressing has been a favorite marinade in my family for a long time - it is great on chicken, pork, and especially london broil. The blend of herbs adds an earthy fragrance, and compliments the tender, juicy chicken perfectly.

Herb Roasted Chicken Breasts
2 fresh split chicken breasts (w/ bone and skin)
1 sprig rosemary, leaves removed
3 stems of thyme, leaves removed
1 handful flat italian parsley
4-5 sage leaves
1/4 cup balsamic vinaigrette (recommended: Newman's Own)
3 tablespoons olive oil

Clean the chicken breasts and place them in a large ziplock bag.

In a blender or small food processor, measure all the rest of the ingredients. Blend on high speed for about one minute, until herbs are chopped fine and liquid is emulsified. Pour the marinade into the bag with the chicken, schmooshing it around until the chicken is completely coated. (And yes, schmooshing is the technical term.) Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place the chicken and the marinade in a greased baking dish and cover with foil. Bake for about 1 hour, until a meat thermometer inserted into the meat registers 180 degrees. Serve immediately with your favorite veggies and sides.

Grilled Fish Tacos

Here's a tasty little number I came up with: grilled fish tacos. Hubby and I love mexican food, and eating lighter is on our agenda these days with a beach vacation coming up. So here is my lightened-up version of fish tacos. Instead of fried fish, it's grilled. Instead of creamy sauce, use some guacamole. And those fiber-packed tortillas really aren't that bad! Spicy, tangy, creamy, delicious.

Grilled Fish Tacos

4-6 soft taco tortillas (the high-fiber ones are actually good)
1/2 lb. tilapia filets
1 teaspoon cajun seasoning
1 teaspoon fajita seasoning
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt (if your seasoning blends contain no salt)
Salsa
Guacamole
Fat free sour cream
Shredded cheese (recommended: cheddar jack)
Cilantro

Heat your outdoor grill, george foreman, or stovetop grill pan to medium-high heat. Spray with cooking spray or olive oil.

Meanwhile, cut your tilapia filets into 2" by 1" chunks. In a small bowl, combine the cajun seasoning, fajita seasoning, pepper, and salt. Sprinkle half of the seasoning mixiture over the fish chunks.

When the grill is heated, use tongs to place the fish on the heat, seasoned-side-down. Apply the other half of the seasoning to the tops of the fish. Grill for 4-5 minutes on each side. You will know that the fish is ready to turn over when the fish releasesz easily from the grill, and you see nice golden brown grill marks on it.

Serve the fish with the tortillas and your favorite toppings. Makes about 2 servings.

Garden Pesto Tortellini

This meal was the unplanned love-child of a rushed trip to the grocery store and a night of cleaning out the fridge. When I asked the hubs what we should call it, he said something like "Good Garden Pasta Surprise." I said, "Um, no."

Garden Pesto Tortellini
1 package of refrigerated cheese-filled tortellini
12-15 spears of asparagus, washed and cut into 1" pieces
2 big handfuls of fresh spinach, roughly chopped
1/3 cup sundried tomatoes, sliced and reconstituted in water (soak for 10 min.)
1 cup fresh basil pesto (buy pre-made or click here for recipe to make your own)
1 1/2 to 2 cups cooked chicken, torn into bite-sized pieces (optional ~ for vegetarians)

In a large pot of boiling water, cook tortellini according to package instructions. When they have about 3 minutes left to boil, throw the asparagus, spinach, and tomatoes into the water with the tortellini. Drain and return to pot. Add the pesto and the chicken, tossing to coat.

Serve immediately with toasty garlic bread. Or chill thoroughly and serve as a fresh tortellini salad!

Seven-Layer Mexican Lasagna

Happy Cinco de Mayo!!

Yep, when you like food (and cocktails),
then you pretty much make every holiday YOUR holiday.

Well, this was all that was left of dinner by the time I got the camera out.
I guess that means it was good!

Here's the casserole I served to my friends at our casual little get together tonight. I sort of made it up on the fly based on many recipes I had seen floating around.

Seven Layer Mexican Lasagna
8 large flour tortillas
1.25ish lb. ground beef or ground turkey
1 teaspoon cumin
1 cup enchilada sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large sweet onion, diced
1/2 of a green bell pepper, diced
1/2 of a red bell pepper, diced
1/2 of a yellow bell pepper, diced
1/3 cup red onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fajita seasoning
1 package of frozen corn kernels
2 cups shredded cheese (sharp cheddar, monterey jack, whatever you like)
About 12-15 tortilla chips, crushed

Preheat your oven to 350 and grease a 9x13 inch baking dish. Line the bottom with 4 of the tortillas, cutting the edges if necessary.

Next, brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat, seasoning it with the cumin. Add the enchilada sauce and heat through. Set aside.

In another large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onion, peppers, red onion, and garlic. Sprinkle with the fajita seasoning. Cook, stirring until fragrant and softened, about 4 minutes. Add the frozen corn and heat through. Remove from heat.

Next spoon the meat mixture over the tortillas in the baking dish. Sprinkle with half the cheese. Then place the remaining 4 tortillas on top of the cheese. Spoon the corn and veggie mixture over the tortillas. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top of the veggies. Finally, top with the crushed tortilla chips.

Bake for 30 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Garnish with cilantro and serve with guacamole and sour cream toppings.

No leftovers - sadness!

Happy Derby Day! Have a Mint Julep!

Celebrate Derby Day (or any day!) with this refreshing, traditional cocktail. If you can't be at Churchill Downs today, then at least this cocktail will make you feel like you are. Be sure to make it with true bourbon, which is only produced in Kentucky. I have recommended two great choices below. Enjoy!

Mint Juleps

1 cup water
1 cup sugar
about 10-15 fresh mint sprigs
Crushed ice
Bourbon (recommended: Makers Mark or Woodford Reserve)

In a small sauce pan, boil together water and sugar for 2-3 minutes to make a "simple syrup." Pour into a container and add the mint leaves from 10 of your mint sprigs. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. Then use a strainer or a slotted spoon to fish your used mint leaves out of the mint syrup.

To make a mint julep, put your crushed iced in a small glass. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons of the mint syrup and then pour 2 ounces of bourbon over the top. Stir gently, and garnish with your extra mint leaves. Serve immediately.

You can store your mint syrup in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 months. One recipe yeilds about 20ish mint juleps.

Fresh Basil Pesto Pasta with Grilled Chicken

Just the smell of fresh basil makes me weak in the knees. Luckily, ti's not a treat reserved only for summertime in our house. For my birthday a couple years ago, my sweet hubby got my an AeroGarden. This thing is amazing - we grow enough basil to have pesto about every other week! I'm planning on doing a more detailed post about this nifty gadget, but for now, here is my pesto recipe.

Classic pesto is simply a blend of basil leaves, cheese, nuts, garlic, and olive oil. It goes well with creamy cheeses on toasted crostini or crackers. It also goes extremely well with fish and chicken dishes (think grilled chicken or smoked salmon).

Our favorite, though, is to toss some farfalle (bow-tie) noodles with the pesto, topped with chunks of smokey grilled chicken.

Fresh Basil Pesto
recipe from our dear family friends Judy and Joe

1 cup fresh basil leaves, packed
1/4 cup parmigiano reggiano cheese, grated
3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts or walnuts
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4-1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Measure all your ingredients except for the olive oil into your food processor. I like to use my mini-processor for making pesto:

Pulse several times to chop the leaves and nuts into the other ingredients. Then slowly stream the olive oil in while you process the pesto on medium speed. Add just enough olive oil to reach your desired consistency (tip: make your pesto thicker for a spread, thinner for a sauce). Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Yield about 1 cup of pesto. Serve as desired (with cheese and crackers, tossed with pasta, as a glaze for roasted veggies, etc.).

Refrigerate and use yourfresh pesto withon 2-3 days OR freeze individual portions in an ice cube tray to use at your leisure!