and fun! Bring on the barbeques, pinics, and sit down soirees. A little red, white and blue can go a long way this holiday. Loving the below window-scape of blue bottles, red poppies and flag, crafty letters spelling out one’s pride, my fav red summertime beverage - watermelon lemonade with a few added patriotic accents, and a berry pie. Pick up a country theme replacing the table setting stripes for bandana squares and using the bandana food flags, which could also be made out of actual bandana fabric cut into small triangles. It’s time to celebrate…happy 4th everyone!

1. poppies in blue vases, Better Homes & Gardens, 2. USA letters, Better Homes & Gardens, 3. drink parasoles how-to, marthastewart.com, 4. flag cake stand, marthastewart.com,  5. celebratory setting, marthastewart.com, 6. food flags how-to, marthastewart.com, 7. pie photo by Susan Sugarman, artistrepinc.com

Watermelon Lemonade, recipe adapted from marthastewart.com

Ingredients:

• 2 lemons, quartered
• 1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1/2 medium seedless watermelon (about 9 pounds), rind removed, flesh cut into chunks
• 1 cup vodka (optional)

Directions:
Squeeze lemons into a large pitcher; add squeezed lemon quarters. Add sugar; mash with a wooden spoon until sugar is dissolved. In a blender, puree watermelon in batches until smooth; pour through a fine-mesh sieve into pitcher (you should have about 8 cups of juice). Stir to combine. (Refrigerate, covered, up to 3 days.) Add vodka, if using; serve over ice.

Like this… see more July 4th fun here

One of my favorite game day snacks is spinach and artichoke dip. It is delicious & dangerous and by dangerous I mean the guilt we can feel by taking in all those extra calories. Well no more! Bethanny Frankel has made a healthier version of this go-to game time dish with just a few simple and extremely still edible substitutions. I have tried it myself and my stomach wouldn’t lie to you folks, it is very yummy. So go on and cheer for your team, hoping your only guilty pleasure is a victory.

image spotted on bfeedme.com

Guilt-free Artichoke and Spinach Dip, recipe courtesy of Bethenny Frankel from her book The Skinny Girl Dish

Ingredients: serves 6 (see ingredient variations & more on hollywoodlife.com)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Combine all of the ingredients except 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan in a large bowl or food processor. Blend or pulse until mostly smooth, but leave some artichoke chunks for texture.

2. Pour the mixture into an ovenproof dish or casserole. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan. Bake for 20 minutes, or until heated through and just starting to bubble. Let the dip sit for at least 10 minutes. Serve warm with thin slices of baguette, raw vegetables, baked tortilla chips, or crackers. (I like crostinis or bagel chips also)

Why didn’t I think of this before?  I keep Ghiradelli unsweetened cocoa in my cupboard for baking. Why not make a delicious cup of hot cocoa from scratch?!  Craft Lovely gives us this simple recipe a few helpful tips, see full post here. YUM!

Hot Cocoa, recipe derived from Droste

Ingredients:
• 2 tsps cocoa powder
• 2 heaping tsps sugar
• 1 cup milk

Directions: Mix cocoa and sugar in a cup or mug. Add just enough milk to stir into a paste. Add hot milk and stir until mixed.  (*Heat milk in a small saucepan on low heat, stirring constantly so the bottom doesn’t burn).

Took a ride up to the mountains this weekend to visit family in Okemo Valley, VT. Chili, cheese, craft fairs, cider days, chocolate and cupcakes… could a girl ask for anything more! After stopping at the local Ludlow craft fair, we picked up some Crowley Cheese then headed to Belmont Cider Days where I saw the pressing of apples and discovered the deliciousness that is Belmont Chocolate. The espresso bark is to die for, I may just have to order more because it went within the first 24 hours in the house.  Our last stop of the day was A Dozen Eggs Bake Shoppe where we picked up the perfectly seasonal treat of pumpkin cupcakes with chocolate buttercream frosting, maple cupcakes with maple cream frosting,  pumpkin cheesecake, and pumpkin whoopie pies. Whoopie is right!

1. Crowley Cheese, 2. Apple Cider, photo spotted on The Bridal Blog, 3. Espresso Bark, Belmont Chocolate, 4. Cupcakes & Whoopie Pie, A Dozen Eggs Bake Shoppe

HOT SPICED APPLE CIDER, recipe courtesy of cooks.com
Ingredients:

• 1/2 gallon apple cider
• 12 cloves
• 3 cinnamon sticks
• 1 c. orange juice
• 1/2 c. lemon juice

Directions: Heat apple cider. Add all ingredients. Allow the mixture to simmer for half hour or more. Serve this in mugs on a chilly night. Makes 12 servings.

This is the perfect time of year to bring a meal outdoors… whether it be a romantic outing for two, a family style shin dig, or a fun day at the park with friends.  Here are a few great ideas for making your picnic experience a pleasurable one. Get a handle on your wines using a square tablecloth that duel purposes as your sitting blanket.  Make up a batch of memorable totes that guests can use long after the celebration. Cook up a great pasta salad sure to be a crowd favorite, and invest in the best reusable flatware made of organic bamboo.  The ants should be the only ones left off the invitation!

1. Bottle Wrap, instructions included marthastewart.com, 2. DIY lunch favor bags, instructions included, stylemepretty.com, 3. orzo salad, photo courtesy of goodhousekeeping.com, 4. Bambu all purpose Veneerware, bambuhome.com

Greek Orzo and Grilled Shrimp Salad with Mustard-Dill Vinaigrette, from the kitchen of Bobby Flay, foodnetwork.com

Ingredients:

• 3/4 pound orzo, cooked al dente
• 1 large cucumber, seeded, quartered lengthwise, and sliced
• 3 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill, plus extra for garnish
• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1/2 cup olive oil, plus additional for brushing shrimp
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 3/4 pound feta cheese, crumbled
• 16 medium shrimp, peeled and de-veined

Directions:

Combine orzo, cucumber, green onions, and tomatoes in a large bowl. Place dill, vinegar, and mustard in a blender and blend until smooth. With the motor running, slowly add the olive oil and blend until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Pour the vinaigrette over the orzo mixture and stir well to combine. Gently fold in the feta cheese.

Heat grill to high. Brush shrimp with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill for approximately 2 minutes per side or until just cooked through. Divide orzo salad among 4 take-out containers or plates and top with 4 shrimp. Garnish with additional dill.

Second on my list of birthday favorites is a piece of cake… there must be a cake, cupcake, cookie, or some sort of treat with a candle in it on your birthday and your friends & family best be a singing.  In my case whispering in public places.  My all-time favorite flavor cake is the funfetti!  Every year, my Mom would bake a funfetti cake with pink frosting.  The below photo would be a grown up way to serve this cake and how wonderful a surprise when you cut the first piece to have a whole lot of fun waiting for you to bite into.

photo, MarthaStewart.com

Funfetti Cake: from the kitchen of Brynel Harris, courtesy of cooks.com

Ingredients:

• 2 cups flour
• 3 tsp baking soda
• 4 tsp vegetable oil
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cups milk
• 3/4 cups sugar
• 1/6 cups shredded coconut
• 5 tsp sour cream (this is for texture like in velvet cake)
• 1/2 cups of sprinkles of your choice
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

In a large mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients (except for coconut and sprinkles), While in another bowl mix all liquid ingredients. Puree all ingredients (excluding the coconut and sprinkles) for 15 minutes. Next, pour ingredients into greased cake pan, and place in oven at 350°F.

Bake for 30 minutes, and then take out when the surface of the cake is light brown. Let cool for 10 minutes, serve with sprinkles and coconut on top.

* In case you are dieting use lowfat milk and sour cream, and use conola oil instead of vegetable oil.

The perfect luncheon treat or unexpected dessert.  Strawberry soup served chilled is refreshing and leaves a sweet taste of summer in your mouth.

photo, ecurry.com

Mari’s Summer Strawberry Soup

In honor of the French national holiday, Bastille Day, celebrated on July 14th, my roommate decided we should host a bastille dinner this past weekend. The menu included brie, baguettes, a mixed green salad tossed with goat cheese, and avocado in a champagne vinegarette, steamed mussels, haricot vert beans with toasted almonds, roasted brussels sprouts and roasted potato with rosemary. Everything was so delicious, but my favorites of the evening were the mussels and champagne dressing.  I have included these recipes below…Bon appetit!

Tyler Florence Steamed Mussels with Leeks, Garlic, Thyme, White Wine, and Butter

Ingredients, serves 6:

• 3.5 pounds mussels
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 2 leeks, white parts only, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 bunch fresh thyme
• 1 1/2 cup white wine
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions:

Rinse the mussels under cold running water while scrubbing with a vegetable brush. Remove the stringy mussel beards with your thumb and index finger as you wash them. Discard any mussels with broken shells.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the leeks, garlic, and thyme and cook until the vegetables cook down to a pulp, about 5 minutes. Add the mussels and give everything a good toss. Add the white wine. Cover and steam over medium-high heat for 10 minutes, until the mussels open. Stir occasionally so that all the mussels are in contact with the heat. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and a drizzle of olive oil to the sauce remaining in the pot and swirl to incorporate. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve immediately.

Original recipe, foodnetwork.com

Champagne Vinegarette, adapted from a Barefoot Contessa recipe

Ingredients, serves 6:

• 2 tablespoons good white wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons good Champagne vinegar
• Pinch sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon mustard
• 1 extra-large egg yolk
• 1 cup good olive oil
• mixed salad greens 

Directions:

For the dressing, place the vinegars, sugar, salt, pepper, mustard and egg yolk in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and blend for 1 minute. With the motor running, slowly pour the olive oil through the feed tube until the vinaigrette is thickened. Season, to taste.

Toss the salad greens with enough dressing to moisten.

Original recipe, foodnetwork.com

With a few key ingredients you can be saying BAM at the grill in no time!  A mini grill ideal for an apartment patio or small deck, Bamboo and stainless steel BBQ serving set; tray doubles as cutting board, a glass drink dispenser perfect for lemonade or sangria and party perfect serving accessories, no barbeque would be complete with a bucket of beers. Lastly, one would need the perfect recipe, are you man enough?!?

1. Mini Grill, $98, Anthropologie.com, 2. Partyware Serving Pieces, $8.50-$59, PotteryBarn.com, 3. Glass Drink Dispenser, $59-$79, PotteryBarn.com, 4. Serving Set and Tools, on sale $40, CrateandBarrel.com

From the grill of Ron & Julie Towson…

Dry Rub Pork Chops:

Serves 4
4 boneless pork chops
olive oil - 1/4 cup
1/8 tsp. of :  salt, pepper, paprika, dried thyme or rosemary(whatever you prefer) mixed together.

1.  Heat grill to high
2.  Brush each side of the pork chops with the olive oil
3.  Rub each side of the pork chops with the dry rub
4.  Grill for 5 - 6 minutes per side or until slightly charred and just cooked through
5.  Remove to plate and tent with foil, let rest for 5 minutes

Grilled Veggies:

1 eggplant sliced lengthwise  into 1/4 inch thick slices
1 zucchini cut lengthwise
1 yellow squash cut lengthwise
1 large red bell pepper cut into thick strips
1 large green bell pepper cut into thick strips
Extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper

Mix all the cut vegetables in a big bowl with enough olive oil just to coat
Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste

1.  Heat grill to high
2.  Use grill screen to prevent veggies from slipping through grates
3.  Grill both sides of the veggies for 3 minutes on until slightly charred and tender
4.  Remove to bowl and serve

I honestly hate buying things off a wedding registry even though it is the one time people can tell you what they want! I just feel it is so impersonal and especially don’t like when all the good items are all already taken.  So when forced to buy a muffin pan or set of coasters why not add a special touch to the couple’s present. The below recipe card sets are a great gesture that could include your 4th generation family blueberry muffin recipe or your famous Cosmo Concoction.  There is a lot of insight you can share… I have even gone so far as to give special instructions on the perfect gallery height measure when gifting a laser level.  Go on, make those easily clicked items the ones they will be sure not to forget.

1. DIY:  CollageObjects printable Retro recipe Cards, 2. BUY: 1canoe2’s, recipe cards and dividers spotted on Poppytalk, 3. DIY: Wildolive’s printable graphic recipe cards, 4. BUY: Terri Taylor Design Bite Me recipe card set