More is Better

This is an app my cousin Cathy first turned me onto - so good with all the fresh tomatoes this time of year. I bet you can't eat just one!! I used small heirlooms because that is what I had on hand. French bread sliced on diagonal Basil Pesto Fresh Mozzarella Fresh tomatoes I broiled me bread slices because the bread was so fresh with a little spray of EVOO to let it get golden brown . Then flip over and start to layer with pesto/ slice of moz and tomatoes Broil until melty and enjoy!!!

I have made this many times with different types of basil but as you can see from below I have had a great year with my basil plants. Found this recipe on a website called Simply Recipes. This was about 5 batches total as there were over 10 cups of leaves. I took a 2 T metal scoop and plopped them onto a cookie sheet cover with plastic wrap then froze them -rolled up the plastic wrap and into a plastic freezer bag where I will be able to use them all winter! As you can see bought 2 new basil plants to get me through the fall! 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed (can sub half the basil leaves with baby spinach) 1/2 cup freshly grated Romano or Parmesan-Reggiano cheese (about 2 ounces) 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil 1/3 cup pine nuts (can sub chopped walnuts) 3 garlic cloves, minced (about 3 teaspoons) 1/4 teaspoon salt, more to taste 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, more to taste ***I first had to remove the good leaves from the plants in a sink hal...

So we were recently traveling and the hotel we stayed in at Laguna Niguel had a breakfast cafe where Kevin ordered this and it was so delicious and I felt like healthy for you - I made him order it both mornings!! I decided it really was so simple to replicate at home so we did. I will confess to slightly over cooking the sweet potato. 1 large sweet potato peeled and sliced into 1/2" planks 2 ears of corn, husked 1 red bell pepper, sliced thin into 2" strips 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed Green onion sliced, garnish fresh parsley,garnish EVOO s/p as many eggs as you want to poach There will be enough hash for 4 servings Parboil the sweet potatoes -- then slice into 1/2" cubes. In a large fry pan with EVOO char corn - then slice corn off cob In same pan saute bell pepper, add sweet potato and saute until light brown add corn and black beans heat through. Salt and pepper to taste Plate hash then top with poached egg/ eggs. Garnish with fresh...

This recipe is from Delish and it was just that! I put an extra pinch of red pepper flakes in it as well. Be sure to serve it with crusty bread to soak up all that delicious sauce. 12 oz.  linguine 4 tbsp.  butter 4  cloves garlic, minced Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes 2 tbsp.  freshly chopped parsley 1 lb.  fresh littleneck clams 1/2 c.  dry white wine Juice of 1 lemon, plus more wedges for serving Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper  In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook pasta until al dente. Drain. Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, and parsley. Cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Add clams and wine. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and cook until clam shells open, 7 to 10 minutes. (Discard any unopened clams.) Add lemon juice and cooked linguine and toss until combined. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with lemon wedges....

We recently ate at Cafe 21 in San Diego's Gaslamp district --we had to have the Shrimp Cakes with poached eggs again as we remembered it fondly! I was pleased with my rendition but forgot to sprinkle the top of egg with chopped cilantro for garnish. SHRIMP POTATO CAKES small- medium red potato -cooked, cut into small cubes 8 shrimp cooked and cut into small pieces one green scallion -chopped instant buttermilk pancake mix ( 1/2 c mix - 1/3 c water) Fold potatoes and shrimp into pancake mix - pour onto med temp griddle - turn gently after 2 minutes then into 350 degree oven for 10 minutes. POACHED EGGS use your favorite recipe FOR THE CREMA 1/2 cup sour cream. 1/4 cup chopped fresh  cilantro . 2 tablespoons mayonnaise. 1 teaspoon lime zest, plus 1 Tbsp. fresh juice (from 1 lime) 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Plate as noted above in pic!

This is several recipes together - it made enough for 2 servings. I had mine with oyster crackers Kevin was more of a purist! Garnish with chopped parsley. 20 littleneck clams -cooked and cleaned - chopped half leave others whole 1/2 Bottle Clam juice (4 oz) 1/2 c heavy cream 2 t flour 1/2 onion, chopped EVOO 1 medium potatoes -cooked and chopped small dice small bay leaf 1/4 tsp dry chopped thyme tabasco sauce to taste Saute your onion in EVOO until soft --then add flour and stir and cook for a minute--add clam juice Cook until thickens about 1-2 minutes--add bay leaf and thyme Stir in cooked potatoes, half and half, sherry, clams and tabasco and simmer. Remove your bay leaf to serve.

This is from Rhode Island on the New England Today Food site--we called them stuffies growing up. I didn't have green bell pepper but rather an orange one on hand.  Ingredients 1 cup chopped littleneck (quahog) clams and liquid 1/2 cup finely chopped onion 1/2 cup finely chopped celery 1/4 cup finely chopped green pepper 4 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons flour 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese 1/4 teaspoon salt Dash of black pepper Dash of Worcestershire sauce 12 Ritz crackers, crushed 1 tablespoon butter, melted Paprika Instructions Remove stomachs from clams and grind clams in a food mill or chop them by hand until you have 1 cup of clams and liquid. Cook onion, celery, and green pepper in 4 tablespoons butter until vegetables are tender, but not brown. Stir in flour, cheese, and seasonings. Add 1/4 cup of crushed crackers, and mix well. Stir in clams with their liquid, and cook and stir until mixture is thick and bubbly. Divide mixture among 15...

Saw this yummy cocktail on an Instagram post.  Like Mint Juleps? You’ll love the Whiskey Smash, a citrusy 19th-century cooler. Legendary bartender Dale DeGroff at the Rainbow Room in New York modified the classic recipe by adding muddled lemon wedges. DeGroff calls the citrus-and-mint combination the perfect cocktail for those who say they’ll never drink whiskey. 3 lemon wedges 4 mint leaves 3/4 oz simple syrup 2 oz bourbon Muddle the lemon in a shaker. Add the remaining ingredients and ice and shake. Double-strain into a rocks glass over one large ice cube. Slap a mint sprig between your hands and use as garnish. Serve with a straw.

From Delish - these were actually pretty easy to make and definitely a bit decadent for breakfast -- Next time I would not top with the frosting from the cinnamon roll packages. 2  tubes pre-made cinnamon roll dough 2  packages cream cheese 1  large egg 1/2 c.  sugar 1 tsp.  cinnamon Preheat oven to 350°. Unroll a tube of cinnamon roll dough and use a rolling pin to flatten it out to to roughly the size of a 9"-x-9" baking dish. Place a sheet of parchment paper on the bottom of the baking dish, then place the flattened dough on top. You may need to use your fingers to spread it out further. Combine cream cheese, egg, sugar, and cinnamon in a mixing bowl, whipping until light and fluffy, then spread mixture on top of cinnamon roll dough. Open the second tube of cinnamon roll dough. Cut each cinnamon roll in half width-wise, creating shorter, squatter rolls. Place on top of the cheesecake spread, so rolls are touching one another. Bake for 2...

This recipe is from Delish - I have had it in a pile of to do recipes for probably a year --they came out great and I will definitely make them again -I didn't use russets but rather some NJ white yams from Wegman's. They were fabulous! 4  large russet potatoes 1 tbsp.  vegetable oil 2 tbsp.  butter, cut into cubes 1  garlic clove, thinly sliced 3  sprigs rosemary kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper 1 c.  chicken broth 1 tsp.  Chopped rosemary, for serving Preheat oven to 450° F. Peel potatoes and slice them into 2 inch thick slices. Season generously with salt and pepper. In a large skillet over medium high heat, heat vegetable oil until hot. Add potatoes flat side down into oil and cook until golden, about 5 minutes. When golden, flip potatoes and add butter, garlic and rosemary. Let other side of potatoes get golden, 5 more minutes. Add chicken stock to the skillet and place in the oven. Bake until tender, 25-30 ...

This recipe from  The Spruce Eats  blog was my solution to a whole lot of fresh figs! I halved the recipe and I also cut up a few small pieces of fig to fold in with the pecans. So moist and delicious!!  3 eggs 2 1/2 cups sugar (may reduce to 2 cups) 2 cups ripe figs (mashed) 3/4 cup vegetable oil 3 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 cup buttermilk 1 cup chopped pecans Heat the oven to 350 F / 180 C / Gas 4. Grease and flour two 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pans (or three small loaf pans). In a mixing bowl with an electric mixer, beat the eggs. Add the sugar and beat well. With the mixer on low speed, add mashed figs and vegetable oil. Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Add the flour mixture to the first mixture alternating with the buttermilk. Beat until well blended. Fold in chopped pecans. Bake in the preheated oven...

This recipe was on the TODAY show and made by Joy Bauer - we totally loved it and just served it with the extra carmelized onions on top --I had mine open faced and Kevin did his with top and bottom of English muffin ( also they were whole wheat E Muffins). We did it with ground beef.   For the  caramelized  onions:   • 1  teaspoon unsalted butter or extra virgin olive oil   • 2  large yellow onion s , thinly sliced (about  4  cups)   • ½  teaspoon dried thyme   • ¼  teaspoon kosher salt   • ¼  teaspoon fresh ground black pepper   • 1½   cups reduced- sodium chicken broth, beef broth, or water For the burger s :   • 1 pound 93% lean ground turkey  (alternatively, you can use ground sirloin) • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce   • 1 teaspoon  onion powder   • ½ teaspoon garlic powder   • ¾ teaspoon kosher salt   • ½ teaspoon ground pepper, o...

From our favorite cocktail book The Bourbon Bartender - we are getting down to the last few to try!! We really enjoyed this one on a hot summer night at the lake. 2 oz Bourbon 3/4 ounce Ginger beer 3/4 ounce lime juice Club soda (didn't have on hand so used a little more ginger beer) Candied Ginger for Garnish ( or lime) Whip shake all the ingredients except club soda. Pour into a copper mug filled with ice. Top with club soda, garnish with candied ginger or a lime wedge and serve with a straw.

From my brother Bobby sent this recipe to me it is a Tricia Yearwood recipe. I made it a day ahead for the lake so flavors would be enhanced. Everyone loved it -raved over it --had seconds and Kevin has eaten leftovers (with seconds!!!!)  for several days after claiming its better and better each day!! 4 large sweet potatoes  1/2 cup mayonnaise  1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt  1/2 cup diced scallions (about 6)  1 red pepper, finely diced  2 tablespoons minced fresh chives 2 teaspoons orange zest  2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar  1/2 teaspoon hot sauce, such as Tabasco  Salt and pepper Peel and cube the sweet potatoes and put them in a large pot. Cover with water, bring to a boil and boil until tender, about 5 minutes.  Drain  and set aside to cool. While the potatoes are cooling, in a medium bowl, mix the mayonnaise, yogurt, scallions, red pepper, chives, orange zest, apple cider vinegar and hot...

From Martha Stewart --great on biscuits and scones! 2 sticks unsalted butter softened Zest from 3 Meyers lemons plus 1 T zest 1 Tsp fresh Meyer lemon juice 1 T sugar 1/4 t salt Mix together and refrigerate up to one week.

I have made this recipe for decades not sure where I got it from but it is a great way to use those over-ripe black bananas. I usually toss my bananas into the freezer and as soon as I have 3 - I make the bread or muffins !  3/4 Cup  Sugar  3 LARGE   BANANAS  OLD -- SOFT MASHED  3/4  Cup  Vegetable Oil  2 Eggs,Whole,Raw  2 Cups  Flour,All-Purpose  1 Teaspoon  Baking Soda  2 Teaspoons  Vanilla Extract  1/2 Teaspoon  Baking Powder,Double-Acting  1/2 Teaspoon  Salt  1/2 Cup  Chocolate Chips ( or more!!) HEAT OVEN TO 325 MIX  BANANA  SUGAR OIL AND EGGS IN LARGE BOWL WITH WOODEN SPOON STIR IN REMAINING DRY INGREDIENTS AND VANILLA STIR IN CHOC CHIPS PUT IN GREASED  MUFFIN  TINS OR USE LINERS BAKE 15-20  MIN TIL TESTS DONE

From The Bourbon Bartender book --this Iconic LA restaurant chain opened in 1926 and this was one of its cocktails. But the story goes that it really originated at the Vendome Club in Hollywood.  Wherever it originated its refreshing and balanced -enjoy! 2 oz Jefferson bourbon -- we used Bulleitt 3/4 oz honey syrup ( equal portions of honey and hot water mixed) 1 oz grapefruit juice 1/4 oz lemon juice Shake all ingredients with ice and double strain into a chilled coupe.

This recipe was on Instagram by Lidey Heuck who happens to work with Ina Garten. With summer season and all these delicious ingredients in full swing we loved it - even Kevin said I'm not a peach fan but this is delicious! The presentation was gorgeous! Ingredients 3 pounds assorted ripe tomatoes, cored and cut into ¼-inch thick slices 3 ripe peaches, pitted and cut into thin slices Kernels cut from 3 large ears of corn ½ cup julienned fresh basil, plus whole basil leaves for serving 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 3 tablespoons white wine or Champagne vinegar 1 teaspoon kosher salt ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 2 (8-ounce) balls fresh burrata cheese Flaky sea salt, for serving Directions Combine the tomatoes, peaches, corn, and basil in a large bowl. In a glass measuring cup, whisk together the vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Pour enough dressing over the salad to moisten and toss gently. Spread the tomatoes, peaches, and corn i...

From Food Network Food Nation with Bobby Flay this was a simple and easy recipe that allowed the fresh flavors to show - the lemon and capers added to this delicious recipe. 4 skinless flounder-fillets Salt and pepper, to taste Flour, for dredging fish 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 3 tablespoons butter, divided 1 lemon, juiced 1 small bottle capers Wash fillets in cold water and pat dry. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Dredge fillets in flour. Place oil and 2 tablespoons butter in flat, heavy-bottomed skillet and heat on medium-high until butter melts. Keeping heat at medium-high, cook fish on 1 side about 3 minutes (more or less, depending on size of fillets), until deep brown and crispy. Turn fish and cook on second side, about 3 minutes. Turn fish only once. Remove fish to serving platter. Turn off heat. Into hot skillet, whisk in remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Add lemon juice. Pour in capers, liquid and all. Whisk. Pour thin sauce over fish fillets. serve at o...