Good morning my summer dew! (That was super corny, right?). I was just trying to think about what the most refreshing thing I could conjure up at the moment would be, and there you have it: The cool dew on the grass in the early mornings. This morning, I enjoyed my outside patio as the dew dried on the grass and I drank my coffee with my little dogs in my lap. What a beautiful time of the day for reflecting, waking up and watching the sun rise. Until the sun came out and the multitude of Japanese beetles that have hatched in my yard did too. ugh. I got dive bombed and had to come in! but you aren't here for that, you are here for the FOOD!!!!! This week at Loaves and Dishes boy did we cook up some good ones! Perfect for summer! (In case I didn't mention it before, I now possess my mom's recipe box and there are delicious recipes in there from loved family members that include aunts, grandmothers and cousins). I'll be publishing a few of those and here are two. Firstly, my mom's blackberry wine cake. Woweee. So good, tastes just like my childhood. Easy too! Then, my aunt's one cup cobbler recipe. I made it for the article with a can of peaches, but you can literally use any canned fruit you like. Over on YouTube, Sarah has been working hard with BBQ chicken kabobs and How to Air Fry Chicken Strips. In fact, Sarah is the air fryer queen and if there is an air fryer recipe you need, just let me know and I bet she is more than willing to put it up on YouTube for you! _______________________ HOT COOKING TIP OF THE WEEK Since we are in the middle of hot hot summer, I want to share a "recipe" that I did for friends last week. Frankly, I was just kind of "dialing it in" and not worrying about it too much. I was SHOCKED when they loved the dinner so much. Who doesn't love it when their friends make them feel like a hero? I based my "recipe" off of a much loved and thought about "quinoa" bowl that my friend Maurice and I shared in El Paso this past spring. Here's the idea, and why it's a "tip of the week". I know that right now we can't ever depend on items being in the store when we visit. If you go for quinoa, you might find there is none. For this "bowl", you'll want to cook up a starchy base (or even something that passes for a starch in the keto world is just fine). Base: quinoa, rice, brown rice, white beans, cauliflower rice, roasted cauliflower, mashed potatoes, hashbrowns. etc (you get the idea, right?). Then you top it with a delicious variety of toppings and here the idea is having a protein, a few veggies, something a bit sweet, something acidic, something crunchy and then a good sauce. If you can add a few other flavor elements like smoky, for example, you get bonus point. I served mine buffet style but you could just fix up the bowls for people too... Here's what I offered and maybe this will give you some ideas.... Base: Carolina Yellow Gold Rice. Protein options: shrimp, black eyed peas and/or meatballs Other options: roasted cashews, chopped tomato, avocado, minced purple onion, roasted sweet potato, fried okra, Sauces: mango lime salsa, garlic butter sauce, wadmawlaw island barbecue sauce. Delicious! Be creative, have fun and good luck! hit me back with an email reply if you are needing some help with ideas! _____________________ THREE LITTLE THINGS If you have read this newsletter before, you know that I'm trying hard to be thankful for little things. It helps me to stay humble and grateful and thankful for the big things too. By listing a few of those here, I'm hoping it will remind you too and then we can all be thankful together.
_____________________ A FINAL WORD As I mentioned earlier, I realize that shortages are just getting more serious. If you haven't ever been much of a cook, you might start being one now. Because of this, going forward, I've added a section to each website article listing possible acceptable substitutions. Sometimes, we just don't have things at home and sometimes, there is none at the grocery store. I hope this helps us to weather the storm a bit better. I'm doing my best to help and if there is something more that I can do to help, please let me know. In that vein, if you live local to me here in Danbury, NC and are willing to accept food that might have a single serving missing (like a slice out of a cake, for example), I typically have a lot of food left over from making recipes for the website. I often give these away. (The blackberry wine cake and the peach cobbler went to good homes). Anyway, I keep a list and when I have things available, I facebook message or text message a note to let people know that it's available. It's first come, first served. You have to come get it and bring something to put it in (or I'll put it in a zip lock bag, wrap it in aluminum foil, etc.). If you are elderly and live nearby, I'll bring it to you though. (Just know that I do live in a home with 3 small dogs and this isn't a commercial kitchen - but I do keep my kitchen clean). Anyway, just click "reply" if you are nearby and want to be on my "food baby" list (like when you've eaten too much and your belly gets big with a food baby) and I'll let you know when things are available. Unsubscribe | Update your profile | PO Box 82 , Danbury, NC 27016  |
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