Grilled Fruit Salad #CookoutWeek

Nutritionists say you should "Eat a Rainbow" and I can't think of a better or more delicious way to do that than with this gorgeous Grilled Fruit Salad.

Welcome to the Final Day of Cookout Week...…..

Hawaiian Cole Slaw #CookoutWeek

Coleslaw chock full of pineapple, mandarins and macadamia nuts dressed with tangy, citrusy, creamy goodness.

I made this coleslaw last September for my granddaughter's Moana themed 3rd birthday party but have never shared it with you.  When I started choosing the recipes I wanted to make for Cookout Week this year, I came across this in my archives.Welcome to Day 5 of Cookout Week...…….

Getting Ready for Independence Day #RecipeRoundup and #Giveaway

Welcome to the July Recipe Round-Up! This months round-up brings you recipes for a backyard barbecue, with a sprinkling of patriotic inspired recipes perfect for celebrating the 4th of July! Our bloggers are sharing their favorite recipes with you, including breakfast, side dishes and snacks, main dishes and ((of course)) dessert. Come check out what we are bringing you this month! Plus we have another amazing GIVEAWAY that you don't want to miss!!

Grilled French Onion Butter Burgers #CookoutWeek

I am bringing all the great flavors that you love in French Onion Soup and putting them onto a plate.  These French Onion Burgers are the best burgers I have ever made...…

It is Day 4 of Cookout Week and I am so very proud to bring you this recipe...…..

Spaghetti Salad #CookoutWeek

This is a quick easy side dish for whatever you are grilling.  I love it because it is so easily adaptable to whatever ingredients you have on hand.

Welcome to Day 3 of Cookout Week...…..

Nectarine and Pork Kebabs #KitchenMatrixCookingProject #CookoutWeek

It doesn't get much easier or more delicious than nestling tender, juicy pork between nectarine and onion slices on a skewer and putting them on the grill for 15 minutes.

Join me, won't you, for Day 2 of Cookout Week...…..

Cheesey Corn Muffins #CookoutWeek #MuffinMonday

Delicious tender corn muffins with a surprise filling inside.  This muffin makes a great accompaniment to whatever you are serving up.  As a bonus, any that are leftover are great for breakfast in the morning.

Welcome to the 2018 Edition of #CookoutWeek

#CookoutWeek 2018 is here! During the next week, I am joining over 50 of my blogger friends to celebrate summer by posting delicious cookout-themed recipes. If you love grilling, frozen treats, picnics, berries, s'mores, campfire meals, and other summer goodies... you are in the right place!

Ruth Riechl's Roasted Rhubarb #CooktheBooks

Let me start off by saying that I LOVED the selection for this round of Cook the Books.  Our host this month, Claudia of Honey From Rock, chose Ruth Reichl's, Garlic and Sapphires.

This is a fun and entertaining story that I think you will love whether or not you are a foodie.

The Remodel is Complete and the Weekly Menu

Wooohooooo Guys.  It is done!  And it is gorgeous, if I do say so myself.

I need to stop right here and give a big shout out of gratitude to my husband who worked non stop for weeks to make this room everything I had hoped for and more.

Grilled Burgers with Radish Cream

Kita of Girl Carnivore and queen of  Burger Month has invited those of us that want to join her in a burger challenge each month.  She provides a list of ingredients and, if we choose to join in the fun, we create a burger using said ingredients.

This months ingredients were Radishes, Spinach, Lemon and Cream...…..

Turneric Shrimp with Mango Salsa #CrazyIngredientChallenge #FantasticalFoodFight

Succulent, tender shrimp lightly spiced with turmeric and cumin are quickly stir fried and served with a flavorful, bright mango salsa in a Crazy Ingredient Challenge collision with a Fantastical Food Fight...…..

Join me as we see what happens when two exciting cooking  challenges meet up on the same day.....

Corn and Avocado Salad #KitchenMatrixCookingProject

Tender fresh corn kernels tossed with avocado and fresh herbs in a light lime vinaigrette makes a perfect side dish for whatever is on the grill.

Bring this salad on your next picnic or get together with family and friends.  It is sure to be a big hit!

Happy Father's Day and The Weekly Menu

Happy Father's Day to all of you out there that take on the important role of "Dad" each and every day.  You are the unsung heroes.  You are the men that embrace your role and take serious your responsibility of supporting, directing and forming these precious lives for whom you are responsible.  Many of you are not even the "biological" father but take pride in being "Daddy". Some of you are uncles and grandpas who step in to fill the void of a father who cannot or will not be in their child's life.  Some of you are women, trying to "do it all" because you have no other choice.

My Pops with Me and my sister, Dawn.

Alsace Rocks the Summer Grilling Scene #Winophiles

Welcome to the June 2018 Edition of the French Winophiles.  This month we are visiting (virtually) the Alsace region and the wines that it has to offer.  Our tour guide for this trip is Jeff of Food Wine Click.  You will learn so much about this area if you take a look at his information post.

I am sharing four different food and wine pairings with you today.  I am excited to tell you what I learned about these wines through the pairings.  Plus, I am sharing a great recipe for Mussels that you can prepare right on your outdoor grill.

Smoked Salmon Chowder #SoupSaturdaySwappers

Tender, flaky, smoked salmon in a lightly creamed broth flavored with onions, garlic and celery with just enough potato to make it the first course or light lunch.

Tropical Mahi-Mahi Salad #FishFridayFoodies

This gorgeous salad full of the flavors of the Tropics and topped with perfectly grilled Mahi-Mahi is the perfect summertime meal enjoyed al fresco poolside.

Red White and Blue Tart #ImprovCookingChallenge

This quick, simple and delicious tart is perfect for your Independence Day celebration.

Welcome to Improv Cooking Challenge where our host Nichole of Cookaholic Wife, invites us to create a dish based on the theme or ingredient she chooses.  This month she asked us to create a Red White and Blue dish in honor of our Nation's birthday.

Leftover Steak and Pasta #FoodnFlix

Our FoodnFlix film this month was the original "The Incredibles", a fun animated Disney film about a "different" family that is doing their best to conform to societies norms.

Grilled Asparagus with Lemon Marinade #KitchenMatrixCookingProject

Tender spears of Asparagus, basted with butter and lemon and grilled to perfection makes the perfect summer side dish.

Taco Pockets #BakingBloggers

Traditional taco seasoned ground beef, mixed with salsa and topped with cheese is wrapped in a puff pastry pocket and baked to a golden, crispy brown.  This is the perfect Mexican Monday or Taco Tuesday treat...…

Rabarberpaj (Rhubarb Crumble) #EattheWorld

Tender, tart morsels of rhubarb, sweetened with sugar and seasoned with ginger is topped with a hazelnut crumble for a taste of Sweden as we #EattheWorld.

Rubarberpaj technically translates to rhubarb pie but is actually more of a crumble baked in a pie plate.

Grenadian Chocolate Iced Tea #NationalIcedTeaDay

Last month we went to Grenada for a Scuba Diving trip.  One of the activities offered at our resort was a chocolate and rum tasting.

We started out with the chocolate tasting.  One of the items they showed us piqued my interest right away.  As soon as the representative told us what this item was used for, I immediately remembered that I had signed up to celebrate National Iced Tea Day.

Taking a Second Voyage with Burgers on the Barbie

We eat a lot of burgers in the summer.  There is nothing that I love throwing on the grill, or Barbie, as it is called Down Under, more than a hamburger. It is the first thing we grill when the weather warms up, having waited all year long for the opportunity.  We probably enjoy burgers, of some sort, at least once a week during the grilling season.

Why am I talking about what a grill is called Down Under?  Well, you see, this month our Wine Pairing Weekend Group is heading to Australia, thanks to our host Gwendolyn of Wine Predator.  Gwendolyn chose OZ because they are hosting the National Wine Bloggers Conference this year.  She tells more about it in her Preview Post.

Since we are not all lucky enough to hop on a plane and head to the other side of the world, Gwendolyn thought we should at least get together, virtually, to visit and share some food and wine pairings.  She asked us to throw something on the Barbie to pair with one of the many Australian Wines that are exploding here on top of the world.

Progress Happening here on the Farm and the Weekly Menu

The Remodel:  The room is coming along nicely.  The floor is down and should be grouted today.  The tile should also be installed on the fireplace today.  Frank has started working on the wood for the trim around the windows, ceiling and floors.  It will be ready to install as soon as the grout is dry.

Grilled Ratatouille #FoodieExtravaganza

This month our Foodie Extravaganza group is celebrating National Fruits and Veggies month.  This party is being hosted by Ellen of Family Around the Table.

I decided to make one of my favorite vegetable dishes, Ratatouille. Ratatouille is normally stewed but for today's event I decided to grill it.

Shrimp Spring Rolls #KitchenMatrixCookingProject

Our friend, Karen of Karen's Kitchen Stories, is picking the themes for this month's Kitchen Matrix Cooking Project.

This week she chose the Spring Rolls recipe generator from the Cookbook written by Mark Bittman.

I normally am enamored with the fact that Bittmann shares ideas more than he shares recipes.  I always just use recipes as a guideline, so Bittman's cookbook is right up my alley.  

However, this week, I could have used some more help...…

Blessed are the Cheesemakers; A Book Review and Philly Cheese Steak Burgers

My friend Cam, of Culinary Adventures with Camilla, sent me two boxes filled with books.  I took one of them, Blessed are the Cheesemakers, on vacation with me last month.

I read this novel on the flight home, people were looking at me as if I were a weirdo.  I laughed out loud numerous times during this touching story about family (the good and the bad), love and learning to trust again.

The Lost Family; A Book Review and the Recipe it Inspired

I was provided an advanced release copy of The Lost Family by Jenna Blum.  This book will be available to the public on June 5th of this year.  This book was sent to me by my friends at the Book Club Cookbook free of charge in return for my honest review on this blog and a recipe created that was inspired while reading this book.  I received no monetary compensation.  All opinions are strictly my own.

Here I am Lord......

Sometimes, even when you are trying to ignore Him, the Lord keeps knocking.

Sometimes that knocking becomes more of a pounding on your door.

Such is the case with us that lead us to a life changing decision this past February when we applied to adopt 2 young ladies, ages 13 and 11, from the foster care system in our state.

I guess I really should start at the beginning...…..

The First Week of June and the Weekly Menu

I can't believe that it is already June.  The year is half over.  People say that the years fly by and the days crawl.  I don't know....all of my time seems to fly by in the blink of an eye.

The rebuilding of the back room is complete.  The outside is short a few strips of siding as they had to be special ordered and will be in next week.  Yesterday we primed the walls and ceiling and Frank got the ceiling painted while I was at a meeting.