Grilling

Grilled Lemon-Parsley Chicken Breasts
Cooks Illustrated 2007 pg. 11

Very simple recipe to make. 
Would make again.  Everyone was happy.

Grilled Rosemary Garlic Red Potatoes
Cooks Illustrated 2007 pg. 9

Rhubarb Crisp

Homemade Pizza Dough

Lemon Lime Basil Shortbread Cookies

Food Photos

Alexandria

We are in Alexandria this weekend to hang out with my younger brothers.  My parents rarely get the chance to go out of town and us siblings never get the chance to be without our parents.  Needless to say it is a win-win for all of us.  Jack and Julia are having a great time eating food they never get to eat, watch endless amounts of cable TV and play in the hot tub.  Julia this weekend learned to float with her life jacket on.  She was always a little nervous.  How fun to have both kids confident in the water. 

Baking Photos

Pretzel Crusted Chicken with a Mustard Dill Dipping Sauce

Pretzel Chicken with a Mustard Dill Sauce
Fine Cooking Magazine


Cantalope and Plums with fresh mint.
Cooks Magazine
Ok, not worth making again.

Basil Lemondade
Yummy

New Restaurant Tilia

Located in Linden Hills, Tilia is a great place for breakfast.  Jim and I went for a breakfast date on Saturday.  I had the poached eggs in a parmasean cream sauce with a side of smattered hashbrowns.  Jim had steamed eggs in a brown buter bagna cauda.  To drink I had a latte and Jim enjoyed the coffee.  We went right when it opened which fills up fast.  I would love to check it out for lunch and dinner. 

Father's Day

Today we started the day by the kids giving Jim their gifts of popcorn boxes, ice cream sundae cups and iron man underwear.  Jim decided he would rather go to Lake Harriet for a walk and lunch at the Pickle and Chips.  Then we came home for nap and Jim had some alone time.  Now we have been working on going to the pool for about an hour.  What a long and drawn out process of trying to get out the door. 

I made the Almost No Knead Bread which is edible even though I did NOT follow the directions at all. I will post photos later.   So we tried the bread right out of the oven.  Jim thought it was great. Next time I am going to knead in green olives and parmesean. 

The second half of Father's Day was spent at Edina Pool, D'Amico's and then home for home made Peanut Buster Parfaits.

June

Not work cooking:
Bonappetit
Grilled Flatbread

RealFood
Summer Potato Salad w/ Whole-Lemon Vinaigrette

Gardening

This years garden is as follows:
Tomatoes
Cucumbers
Peas
Green Beans
Watermelon
Broccolli
Lettuce

Herbs:
Rosemary
Tyme
Basil
Mint
Oregano
Parsley

Knitting

I started to knit 8 years ago.  It was always on my list of things I wanted to some day do and until I met my husband Jim, I hadn't picked it up.  When we were going to Puerto Vallarta (where we got engaged), Jim had said I should find a "hobby" for the plane ride.  Now 8 years later I have an addiction to yarn, yarn literature and any and everything to do with fibers. 

Recipes

So this week I have been busy making some new recipes.  I don't know what it is but summer always gets me in the mood to try new things.  Most of the recipes were winners and then there were a few I would never recommend.  This is my first attempt to start a blog.  I decided I would start blogging not only to let others know that it is ok to try new recipes but to also have a record for myself and family.  Let me know what you enjoy and hopefully we can all help each other find some balance in the kitchen.

Rhubarb Crisp
Betty Crocker Cookbook

Banana Bread
Secret

Almost NoKnead Bread
American Test Kitchen

Cannelini Bean-Kale Brushetta
American Test Kitchen

Watermelon Granita
Bonappetit

Roasted Pork Butt
American Test Kitchen
A pain to cook but Jim said it tasted great.

Roasted Cabbage
American Test Kitchen
super delicious!

Bread Crumb Spaghetti
Special recipe



Not Great:

Summer Potato Salad w/ whole-lemon vinaigrette
RealFood