Simple is Sometimes Best

It's summer and still a little on the hot side, so who really wants to kill themselves cooking. I am so lazy that when I cooked my pasta, the last few minutes I tossed the green beans in with it. They stayed on the top and I just rinsed when when they were done. All fresh foods from the farmers market...fresh green beans, fresh tomato's, fresh basil and fresh chicken cutlets right off the vine! Har har har....I keed I keed. But what could be more simple than dredging a chicken breast pounded out through seasoned flour and cooking it in a little olive oil. Salt and pepper on the platter, grate a little fresh Parmesan cheese over your pasta and there you have it, simple and delicious!

Susan Branch and Her Stove

Author and artist Susan Branch not only has the most charming little books with lovely recipes, apparently her homes ooz charm as well. I only have one of her books, the Autumn book, I found it at Half Price Books. Is that not the greatest store on earth ( next to IKEA that is) . It's pumpkins, comfort food, and fantastic little watercolors. I thought I would check out her website and I urge you to do the same, her photos are full of all things home.

My grandmother had a stove very similar to Susan's, if the world were right there would be new stoves that look just like these gems.

Did I mention she also lives in my dream house? If "The Secert" reallllly works, Susan is mailing me the keys to this house as we speak! ;)

-Shelly

Who Likes to Rock the Party....

I like to rock the party....well, maybe not the party, but I like to rock new recipes. I like to rock new recipes from Gourmet Magazine...sometimes I DO ROCK the recipes....like some awesome Shrimp Ettouffee I found in an old issue....but this recipe didn't really rock..it was barely soft rock...ok, I would have rather eaten a rock.

I give you Thai Fried Rice with Pepper Shrimp.

What could be wrong, in the words of Joey Tribiani... Rice...good...peas...good....eggs...good...chorizo...good...green onions...good...but somehow when you mixed it all up.....
does that look like I sneezed in the rice? Anyway, when I mixed it up, it was TRES BLAND. Not even the peppered shrimp could save it.

Sometimes I don't understand Asian food...the ingredients are there, but it does not work out like I think it will. Now baking...I can rock that party!

-Shelly

Watermelon Pickles Continued....

I have seen many recipes for watermelon pickles and to be frank...they look like something that has been rotting in the trash can. I noticed that none of these recipes include ALUM. You could leave out the alum but this would result in a soggy slime covered pickled. Ok maybe there is no slime as I've never eaten one, but it looks like slime. Anywho...here are some pictures of our pickle extravaganza! I will get the recipe up later today.

Toodles
Shelly