Happy Fourth Of July

 Americans around the world - enjoy today. Have that hot dog or hamburger. Enjoy a drink by the pool or ocean. 

What's your favorite barbecue food? Is it a plump and juicy hot dog? A side of potato salad? 

What's your favorite July 4th drink? Icy cold beer? Sweet and chill lemonade?

Whatever you have enjoy the holiday?

Summery Ades

 This is the time for a big glass of an icy drink. The summer lends its'elf to cool frosty lemonades and iced teas. They're just as easy to make as they are to drink.

Lemonade is a classic going back to ancient Egyptian times. There pharaohs drank it with dates mixed in for sweetness.As early as 1676 in Paris a company called Companie de Limonadiers sold the drink.In1833  the British combined lemonade and seltzer to more or less form the first lemon soda. here in the States it's a standard being made with freshly squeezed lemons, simple sugar and water. Everyone makes the mistake of adding just sugar. A simple syrup has to be cooked up first. This blends the best in any liquid , even cocktails and mocktails.It'sj ust cooking one cup of granulated sugar in a cup of water until you create a thin syrup. A good lemonade requires one cup of freshly squeezed lemonade, simple syrup and two to three cups of water to dilute it. Add plenty  of ice and stir. For a nice change try a strawberry lemonade.It just adding a half pound of hulled and pureed strawberries to the mix and stirring vigorously. Limeade is another fun drink with tropical vibes. Like lemonade it does require simple syrup and the juice of four to six Persian limes (what's sold in your grocery store). Squeeze and mix with the syrup and three cups of water. Mint can be added for flavor.

Iced tea is another homemade drink that 's been around since Marguerite Gardener, Lady Blessington, cohort of Lord Byron wrote about sipping it in Naples in 1823. It's a classic that 's grabbed the world by storm and is a summer must have. Like lemonade it's also easy to make. You need eight cups of water and six tea bags of black tea like Celestial Seasonings Earl Grey or English breakfast variety.  If you're not into black tea then try green or flavored tea. Celestial Seasonings has great fruit flavored herbal teas like tangerine orange that will make the drink punchy. It's just then brewing the bags in a saucepan for ten minutes. You should use eight cups of water.Any water filtered or tap can be used. As for sweeteners. granulated sugar works best but you can also add honey or agave syrup for a more organic and natural bent. Combine the tea with lemonade for the classic Arnold Palmer, always a fun accompaniment at a barbecue or summertime lunch. Fruit such as blueberries or strawberries can added for a tasty kick.Peach slices work too.

Nothing is more refreshing than a glass of lemonade,limeade or iced tea on a hot summer's day. Make any one to quench your thirst. It's a great way of cooling off.

Hot Out? Take Out!

 Most of the wrls is literally burning up right now. The temps are high. Spirits are low. Who want's to cook? No one.It's time to take out.

That's my philosophy. Normally I would make any kind of salad for a ninety plus degree day like today. ecept I wasn't even into chopping veggies. This is where my local Subway comes in.

It's just easier. They create a vegan garden style for me with sliced tomatoes , tangy vinegar soaked green peppers which take like relish and sliced olives. It was just a quick, no fuss dinner. Keep in mind that you don;t have to have a hot burger and fries. Any one of the fast food restaurants, from Wendy's to McDonald's have a variety of different cold, fresh  salads. Wendy's has brought out their famed strawberry salad again for cool summer eating. Have it with one of their lemonades. With McDonald's finish with a frosty Coke  slurpee. Go visit your local hot do vendor and get a garden dog  along with a  chilled birch or root beer.Don't  bother getting hot, Italian  Chinese or Indian take out. Save those for cooler fall days.

You could push yourself to make a salad. I just combined fresh Roma tomatoes with purple basil which has a sweeter taste than regular basil. I'ts just chopping both with garlic and adding olive oil, salt  and pepper.This will be a quick side with the sandwich but also the main dish for tomorrow's Sunday supper. I just have to add some sliced Italian bread drizzled with olive oil to round it out.

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It's hot. Don''t cook. Get a simple hero or a salad. Make a salad if you feel a bit ambitious. Just enjoy a cool meal on a sweltering day.

Cool Ades

 Nothing beats a cool glass of some kind of ade.These are refreshing on a hot day and perfect for any barbecue or lazy day at the beach. You can easily buy these but they're more fun to make at home.

One of the easiest is lemonade. This anceint drink  ist still popular as it was in ancient India, China and Myanmar.The best homemade one requires  simple syrup which can be used in other drinks and even cocktails and mocktails.It's boiling one cup of sugar in one cup of water. Combine this with one cup of  fresh or concentrated lemon juice. Two to three cups of warer along with ice cubes are added. A popular variation is adding mango to it. Use two large mango chop into big chunks and add with water to a blender. This will make a kind fo mango puree that will be diluted when it's added to the lemonade. Others go wild for  large frosty glass of raspberry lemonade. It'st the same basic recipe but with the addition of a strained raspberry puree added. One of my favorites and I've been drinking this a lot is an Arnold Palmer. This is a hybrid half and half of lemonade and iced tea. I usually make it  on a tall glass with any fruit tea and a splash of lemon juice. I add a small packet of Stevia In The Raw to sweeten it,  and a  good splash (about half a cup) of cold water to dilute it's strength. The last step is  adding four or five ice cubes for a cold sip.

Another ade you can easily make is limeade. This can be made with granulated sugar as well as a simple syrup.It's using the juice of two or three limes along with the zest for more flavor. Some home chefs will recommend using simple syrup which gives the entire drink a lovely sweet flavor. Add the juice and two to three cups of water along with ice. You could add a sprig of mint to it to make it a mocktail mojito. Watermelon is  popular right now but instead of cubing or slcing it , turn it into a refreshing ade. This is taking four cups of cubed watermelon  and pureeing it.I;'s then strained and blended with simple syrup, three cups of cold water and a half cup of lemon juice (this can be freshly squeezed or bottled) Mix well and then add ice. You could add the raspeberry puree to it and copy Dunkin Donuts new drink it's raspberry watermelon cooler. Raspberry juice and orage juice also makes a yummy blended ade.

A cooling ade is what you need during this hot weather. Create a homemade one , sit back and enjoy.It's refreshing and soothing

The Best Summer Cookbook Ever

This is the season of easy and tasty cooking. Even though the temps can be tropical at times, it's still fun to get into the kitchen and create something tasty. Now there's a great new cookbook that celebrates the best of grilling and farming. It''s definitely going to be the go to for any hot weather recipe.

The Complete Summer Cookbook: Beat The Heat With 500 Recipes That Make The Most Of Summer's Bounty (America's Test Kitchen 2020) is by the cooks and chefs at America's Test Kitchen, that great PBS TV show. As with any of the America's Test Kitchen cookbook it has great advice, suggestions and tips scattered throughout. It starts with how to cook, drink and eat when the weather gets steamy along with a complete pictorial of summertime cooking equipment.  Everything from strawberry hullers to grill gloves. A plus, and hallmark of the show is the different menus you can choose from. Overworked home chefs can try the No Cook Light Dinner which has absolutely no cooking in it whatsoever to Kebabs On The Grill for those who love a dinner out in the backyard. Again, as with their other books the editors don't have definitive chapters. There are Small Bites for those who want nibbles and Keep Cool with Countertop Cooking where the food is cooked in either a slow cooker or electric pressure cooker.Of course there are also desserts, namely Summer Fruit Desserts that feature the season's best bounty and Icebox and Frozen Treats which even features a sundae bar with homemade toppings. Anyone want a frosty drink will enjoy the chapter on drinks. An unusual one is all about canning and preserving along with one on Farmer's Markets and the bounty it offers.All the recipes are broken down into calories  and carbs along with sodium and cholesterol amounts.

I love this book and plan on making many of the recipes. Their gazpacho recipe is intriguing because it has tomato juice and hot sauce added in. There's also a variation with avocado and crab. The summer vegetable gratin , a casserole loaded with all kinds of veggies, from zucchini to tomatoes and topped with herbed white bread and Parmesan cheese is perfect for those rainy days inside. There is even a recipe for the perfect tomato sandwich that everyone should try. Barbecue enthusiasts will love the recipes for barbecued baby back ribs and grilled Mojo marinated skirt steaks. For those who love using their smokers , there is the smoked London Broil which would go well with any of the salads or foolproof boiled corn. The pickle and canning recipes are definitely worth trying especially the chow chow and tomatoes.The drink recipes are must tries also. want the perfect ice tea. Then try theirs, made with room temperature instead of boiling hot water. America's Test Kitchen offers variations such as mint and fruit flavored ones. Of course there is old fashioned lemonade but there's also agua fresca made with watermelon and lime along with the centuries old switchel , drunk by Amish farmers. There's also the boozy aperol made with the fizzy Italian wine Prosecco olives and orange peels.There is baking from on the grill pizza to a tomato galette that just might replace it. Fruit galettes and cobblers are also part of the sweet treats. Yet it is the homemade vegan and dairy ice creams that really catch the eye.I also want to try their dark chocolate avocado pudding , a perfect end to an outdoor Sunday lunch.

The Complete Summer Cookbook :Beat The Heat With 500 Recipes That Make The Most of Summer's Harvest is the book to have this summer. There's a wide variety of different recipes perfect for the grill or the kitchen. Best of all they're a snap to make and bake, especially during these hot days.

Just One Little Bake Sale

What's been happening along our borders has been on everyone's minds lately. Many of us feel helpless, wondering what we can do. A check sent here to the ACLU  - American Civil Liberties Union  or to church groups helps a little. yet we need to make a bigger impact. We need to have a bake sale.

The idea may sound trivial or even a bit cutesy - twee - as the British call it but a large bake sale with several home bakers participating can raise a substantial amount.Since the schools are closed for the summer, the best place to hold one is in your house of worship. Many churches, temples and mosques would be willing to help in setting one up.Then comes the meting out of who is going to bake what.Have as many different kinds of sweet and savory treats you can think of for it.No sweat if you're not a great baker. . You can whip up a batch of Rice Krispie treats using only your microwave. For extra money bake whole cakes, from crumb to Bundt and sell them along with cake slices. Savory bites such as pretzels and cheese twists are also big sellers. Bread bakers can show off their skills by contributing artesenal bread to the sale.The loaves will definitely bring in sales and more money because no one can resist homemade bread.

A bake sale can be expanded to include  refreshing drinks too. Homemade lemonade and lime ade are always popular and thirst quenching on a hot day. Now there are cold brewed teas that can be easily be made and served alongside cookies and cake. The same goes for cold brewed coffee. Make sure you have plenty of cups along with sugar and creamers, both non-dairy and regular for those who want them.This is also a good time to create brochures and literature explaining what is going on at our borders. Look, there may be opposition from the less enlightened. Ignore them. Explain that it's just a bake sale and not some kind of political or anti-government rally. If you know any immigration lawyers invite them to explain along with clergy and clerics. to calm down any tense situations. What matters is that you're helping in some way for  families  to reunite.

It's just a bake sale = but it's a bake sale with weight. Those chocolate chips and slices of devil's food will help in alleviating a horrible situation. It's a start - one filled with sweetness and hope

Your Summer Shopping List

Summer is here and and with it an entirely different way to shop. A trip to the local grocery or farmer's mart should reflect not only the weather but the ease of cooking during heat waves. The best part is there's more fresh produce right now which lends to creative cooking and baking.

Produce is big and will be during these next three months. Take advantage of what your local groceries and farmer's markets have right now. This is the perfect time to buy corn and remember it's versatile. Yes, its good grilled and slathered in butter and herbs but it can also be used in homemade chowders  and salads. Try it in a fresh corn salad where the niblets can be mixed with fresh tomatoes and peppers. As for those last two, they're all over. Tomatoes should be high up there on your summer shopping list. (as tomato plants because nothing beats the taste of fresh picked tomatoes from your yard). They're versatile and can be used to make fresh sauce or salsa cruda, a raw sauce that cooks when cooked pasta is poured over it. Forget about canned or jarred sauces then. Use them when the weather gets cool again. Peppers are another must have. They are good cut into strips and grilled or stuffed with chopped mushrooms  and rice. Fruits are another must buy. Cherries, plums and peaches are in season and these make great snacks. They can also be pureed into mash for ices and popsicles too. Take advantage of  berry season too. Strawberries should also be on the top of the list because they can be used for breakfast, lunch and dinner..

Should you buy a lot of microwave foods during the summer? Maybe  just popcorn and that's about it. instead of processed meals salads should be in the top five on your shopping list . A head of lettuce can be turned into a variety of delicious salads., from Nicoise to a chef's.  Have extras such as croutons and almonds slices to make it fun and crunchy. Olive oil is another must. It'll be used a lot  in salads but also for grilling and for marinades. Get the bigger bottle and you won't have any worries about it running out. Garlic cloves go faster in the summer than in the winter. Always have a nice fat one because you'll use the cloves for rubbing meats , as well as for dressing and marinating. This also applies to lemons that are are also well used during the season, although you can also buy a bottle of lemon juice. These also can be used for homemade lemonade and barbecue cocktails. Many home chefs buy cold cuts because it's easy to serve them for a meal or pack them on a picnic. Go for fresh sliced ones at your deli counter or good Italian cold cuts from Citta brand. They have the best tasting salame and  prosciutto , perfect for sandwiches and even bruschetta.

Summer shopping should easy and reflect the season's bounty. Take advantage of the produce and use it in every meal  Buy foods that are simple to use and simple to eat too. It'll make for a quick trip to the supermarket.

SoCal'sBest Eating The Lemonade Cookbook

Los Angeleno's have it pretty good.There's that sunny weather , the nearby beaches and those movie and TV star sightings.There's also Lemonade, a mini chain offering delicious food and sweets for everyone to enjoy. Now chef Alan Jackson along with Joanne Cianciulli have written a cookbook featuring the restaurant's tasty and refreshing dishes.

The Lemonade Cookbook , published by St. Marten's Press, has the mini chain's recipes. There are all sorts , from salads to sweets. Some have a SoCal twist, featuring a plethora of veggies in hot and cold dishes. I love their salad section. There are a few interesting combinations.such as a  hot salad consisting of olive oil braised lima beans with garlic chips and lemon that would be the perfect holiday meal side/ Other veggies are also mixed into a variety of different blends. Chef Jackson also brings us homey recipes such as buttermilk baked  chicken and pulled pork with barbecue sauce. Exotic dishes like harissa and tangine are also included as are Lemonade's famed pot roast sandwiches.

Lemonade is known for its' sweet endings as well. The dessert section is great, with all sorts of tasty sweets, again perfect for holiday baking. Bakers will love the on trend pistachio macaron recipe as well the chocolate cake. Fancier ones such as chocolate pot de creme  and raspberry Linzer tortes  are also in the book. Of course the restaurant's signature drink, lemonade has several interesting and refreshing recipes.Mr Jackson bases them on agua  frescas, the stimulating fruit  ades that Mexican street vendors sell on Los Angeles streets. Lemonade itself, represents the sunny easiness of Southern California life  and it is a big part of a lunch or dinner at Lemonade.

If you want  So Cal recipes  or  are a big Lemonade fan then The Lemonade Cookbook is for you.It's a great blend of refreshing drinks and salads along with homey dishes. It's the perfect go to book for both everyday and holiday meals.

Charley's Cheesesteaks

Mall food is just that  - mall food. It's usually a slice of pizza or a burger which are not that filling. Enter Charley's Cheese steaks - a tasty and filling alternative to all that food cour drek. Having a satisfying hot sandwich is the perfect antidote to those post shopping hunger pangs.

Thanks to a misguided turn into Philadelphia Pennsylvania, the founder and creator , Charley (no last name supplied) tried the city's most famous food the cheese steak and fell instantly in love. he took it back to his native Columbus Ohio and started a sub shack on OSU's campus.It was a success and franchising soon followed.Now Charley's cheesecake is all over the world.offering all sorts of variations on the great sandwich, including chicken and breakfast versions with bacon and eggs..Charley's is also known for its' homemade lemonade and ice teas too .

I tried it for the first time last night and enjoyed the veggie lover's one.This is sans cheese steak but loaded with three kinds of cheese ranging from Swiss to provolone. Every sandwich, with meat or not has  quick grilled onions.It was savory and filling with added peppers and mushrooms. Two people can share a sandwich , thanks to its' generous size.I would love to try the original which has steak , onions and provolone cheese..There is also one with bacon added along with bleu cheese. I had their cup of fries. These were tasty and super crunchy.

Head to Charley's Cheese steaks for a tasty alternative to mall food. There's nothing as satisfying as a sub chick full of steak  , onion and cheese. It's a great pick me up after a day of heavy duty shopping.