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Posts Tagged ‘summer’

Happy First Day of Summer

Posted in Musings, tagged , , , , , on June 20, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Happy First Day of Summer!

Here’s to:

Popsicles – the kind with two sticks, preferably in rootbeer or banana flavor

Sunshine  – bright, robust and beautiful

Blue Skies – so vibrantly blue you can’t help but smile to look up into the azure depths

Roses – because their fragrant scents were made to fill the air of a summer night

Sprinklers – that are meant to be run through as much as water lawns

Sparklers – because no matter how old you are, you should play with them at least once a summer

Ice Cream – because it’s ice cream and one of the wonderful confections ever created

Dreams – that seem more alive and vivid during the summer

Picnics – whether it is a full-fledged affair or a thrown together basket of bread and cheese, sit on the grass, lounge beneath a tree, absorb the essence of summer

Fresh Air – filled with the sweet taste of summer and meant to be inhaled deeply, slowly, intently

County Fairs – for the calorie-laden food we all look forward to tasting once a year, the greeting of old friends, the silly rides, the obnoxious smells, the complete summer-ness of it all

Backyard barbecues – because that which is cooked on a grill outside during the summer tastes better than anything else you can think of at that moment

Porch swings – patios, hammocks and any other outdoor furniture that allow you to slow down, sit back and soak in summer

Summer gatherings with friends – because they are informal and fun. Here’s a download of party ideas.

If you have ideas to add to the list, please post in the comments section!

She Who LOVES Summer!

 

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Fresh Summer Salad

Posted in Easy Recipes, Fast Recipes, tagged , , on August 28, 2009| 1 Comment »

freeimages.co.uk food imagesWhen the garden is filled with luscious, ripe red tomatoes and oodles of crunchy cucumbers, I love to pick a few of each and put them together in a refreshing summer salad.

I made this salad for guests recently and it was received enthusiastically. Then when a friend invited us for lunch a few days ago, she made the salad for us. I’m sure it tasted even better when someone else made it!

There is nothing quite like a vine-ripened tomato that has soaked up the best of summer’s rays, drank in the morning dew and the rain from scattered showers, and sits waiting at the peak of perfection to be enjoyed and savored.

You can make this salad for one or for a group, just the proportions the same.

Fresh Summer Salad

3 cups  cucumber, peeled and sliced

3 cups tomato, cut into bite-sized pieces

1cup crumbled feta cheese

1/2 cup Italian salad dressing

Mix together and serve immediately.

What is your favorite fruit or vegetable to enjoy from the garden? Please share your response here.

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Crock Pot Barbecue Pork to the Rescue

Posted in Easy Recipes, entertain, tagged , , on August 14, 2009| 1 Comment »

So what are the odds that the night before you have company coming for dinner that both the oven and the barbecue would go out of commission?

I had just taken a cake out of the oven when the stove started beeping annoyingly and the broiler went on and wouldn’t turn off. Hubby finally got it to be quiet and stop broiling. Evidently the temp sensor went haywire and of course they have to be ordered and no one in the area keeps them in stock.

Knowing I had seven hungry people I would need to feed the next evening and no oven, I started pulling out ideas for meals that could be grilled on the barbecue.  It was then that Hubby chimed in that the barbecue was not an option.

Pacing the floor the morning of our impending disaster, er dinner, I finally remembered I own a crockpot. Taking it out of the box and removing the packing materials, I quickly got it ready to roll. The result of our make-do dinner was spectacularly tasty.  Here is the recipe!

Barbecue Pork

3-5 pounds of pork tenderloin

2 cans of chicken broth

1 cup barbecue sauce

Dash of Salt and Pepper

Put all ingredients in crock pot and cook on low for eight hours. You can then shred the meat and serve on rolls or slice it. We sliced it and served with a side of additional barbecue sauce for those who like things a little spicier.

Since I’m new to crock-pot cooking, if you have any great recipes you’d like to share, I’d love for you to post them here or send them on!

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Entertaining with Children

Posted in entertain, Entertaining Ideas, tagged , , on August 11, 2009| Leave a Comment »

summerWhen you are entertaining families and youngsters will be included in the guest list, think about preparing some activities for them in advance. That way, when they arrive, there are  fun things to do to keep them occupied and entertained.

The activities do not need to involve a lot of time and expense. If there will be older children attending, make sure to get them involved as well. Involve your own children in the prep work. They can roll silverware in napkins, create place cards, decorate a welcome sign, put flowers into bowls or vases and serve as the welcome committee.

Here are a few ideas of things to keep kids entertained outside when the weather is nice:

• Place a big blanket out in the yard and put out a selection of toys. The littler ones especially enjoy it.

• Break the kids up into groups and send them on scavenger hunts. This can be done indoors or out. Create a specific list for each group with six to 10 items on each list. You could include things like a blue shoe, a spoon, a book, a flower blossom, etc. This works especially well with children of mixed ages.

• Turn them loose on the sidewalk with a bucket of sidewalk chalk and let them each create a masterpiece.

• Make a big batch of bubbles and let them blow until the air is filled with bubbles. Guaranteed to delight both young and old alike. (Mix 1 part Dawn regular dish soap, 10 parts water, and 1/4 part white Karo Syrup. )

• Give each child a sheet of plain white paper, have plenty of crayons or markers available and then let them each choose a slip of paper on which has been written an animal body part. Each child will then draw their body part – but of their favorite animal. When they are all done, have them try to assemble all the pictures into one animal. They might have something like a hippo-cat-phant-rocerus.

• Create a backyard obstacle course using stepping stones, a low bench, hoops, boxes and string.

Whatever you decide to do when entertaining youngsters, keep it fun and simple. Even some of the “big” kids will want to get involved!

If you have kid-friendly entertaining ideas to share, please post them here.

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