Leftover Burger Tacos

You open your basket and find.......

Leftovers from the Teens 16th Birthday Party.........

Sourdough Cornbread Muffins #MuffinMonday

These cornbread muffins are lighter and fluffier than regular corn muffins with the wonderful tang of sourdough.

It's how I'm celebrating Muffin Monday this month.......

Macaroni Tuna Salad #OurFamilyTable

Perfect as a light meal or a side dish this Macaroni Tuna Salad is perfect for summertime and easily made from items you probably have on hand.

The From Our Dinner Table Group is cooking with Pantry Staples today.......

Happy Sweet 16 and the Weekly Menu

This girl is 16 years old today and has been part of our family for the last 2 years.  It seems like we just got her. She is a lovely young lady who has made great strides and of whom we are very proud.

She is hanging out with her friends tonight to celebrate her day and tomorrow we are having a gathering of family and friends to continue the celebration.

Cooper's Hawk: A Great Concept and a Super Super Tuscan #ItalianFWT

This Super Tuscan from Cooper's Hawk Winery is one of my favorite of their selection.  A blend of Sangiovese, Merlot, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon, this wine is earthy and full bodied.

I was excited when Super Tuscan was our Italian Food Wine and Travel blogging group theme this month so that I could share it with you......

Sausage Gravy and a Book Review #LitHappens

This sausage gravy is quick and easy to make and turns and ordinary breakfast into something very special.

I was inspired to make this dish after reading American Harvest: God, Country and Farming in the Heartland........

Blue Hawaii Cocktail #FoodnFlix

Sweet, tart, fruity and blue....this cocktail is the original Blue Hawaii first made in 1957 at the Kaiser Hawaiian Village in Honolulu.

There have been many replications of this original cocktail with the name changing to the Blue Hawaiian and the addition of Creme de Coconut.  This original cocktail is more like a Rum Punch than a Pina Colada.

Caramelized Onion Chip Dip #OurFamilyTable

You know that store bought onion dip that you purchase in the dairy case?  You will never buy that again after you taste this homemade version.

We are all about Onions today at the From Our Dinner Table Group.........

Blueberry Lemon and Lavender Frangiapanne #CakeSliceBakers

Beautiful almond cake layered with lemon curd and studded with blueberries.  A veritable feast for the taste buds.

This is my offering with The Cake Slice Bakers......

Asian Vegetable Noodle Soup and the Weekly Menu #SoupSaturdaySwappers

This delicious Asian soup starts with fresh vegetables and ends with noodles.  The broth is enhanced with ginger, garlic, soy sauce and crushed red pepper.

The Soup Saturday Swappers are going Asian this month.......

Seafood Biryani #FishFridayFoodies

This amazing seafood dish is like a stew combined wth risotto.  It is easy to make, impressive to serve and totally scrumptious.

We are serving up Biryani today with the folks at Fish Friday Foodies.........

Mini Meatloaf Bundts with Strawberry Rhubarb BBQ Sauce #BundtBakers

These adorable little meatloaves were made in cupcake size bundt pans making 2 or 3 the perfect serving size.

The Bundt Bakers are serving up Meatloaf recipes today......

Strawberry Rhubarb BBQ Sauce #BerryWeek

This wonderful barbecue sauce starts by roasting strawberries, rhubarb and garlic before combining it with other ingredients to make a sauce that is perfect for anything you wish to slather it upon.

This is my final Berry Week recipe........

Blackberry Glazed Chicken #BerryWeek

These delicious chicken breasts are grilled to perfection and then brushed with a Blackberry Glaze instead of BBQ sauce.  They are delightfully different and incredibly tasty.

This is my second contribution to Berry Week hosted by the ladies of Festive Foodies.......

Spinach and Berry Salad with Grilled Steak #BerryWeek

A fresh mixture of baby spinach and romaine hearts tossed in poppyseed dressing, covered with assorted fresh berries and cheese and then topped with a wonderful steak grilled to a perfect medium rare.  The perfect summer meal.

We are celebrating Berries all week long with the Festive Foodies.........

Sweet Potato Fries using the Breyville Smart Oven (Air Fryer) #MultiCookerMonday

Sweet Potatoes are so good and so good for you.  If you are hungry for them crispy and fried but don't want to negate the nurtition, just toss them in a little heart healthy olive oil, season them and bake them in an air fryer.  All the goodness of fries without the calories.

Welcome to Multi-Cooker Monday.......

Smoked 5 Cheese Mac and Cheese #OurFamilyDinner

This Macaroni and Cheese Casserole is a lovely combination of 5 different cheeses mixed together and smoked using cherry wood.

We are cooking up Mac and Cheese with our From the Dinner Table Group.......

Happenings on the Farm and our Weekly Menu

The State is mostly opened up now at limited capacity.  Hair salons and barbers open this week.  Gyms, Casinos and movie theaters are still closed but outdoor Drive in Theaters are open.  The Teen and 3 of her friends are driving over an hour away to go to the Drive In tonight.  None of them have ever been to a Drive In and that is the nearest one.

I'm not sure how our Governer came to be so well hated for trying to keep us safe.  I would much rather err on the side of caution where a strong possibility of death is concerned but evidently I am part of the silent majority because the loud minority have been screaming very loudly.

I have hired my friend Tamie to redo all of our landscaping around the house.  It is back breaking work and Frank and I just cannot handle it on our own.  Tamie is one of the hardest working people I know and in one day made amazing progress.  Can't wait to share photos.  Tamie got laid off during the Pandemic so this is a win/win situation.  Except for Mama and Daddy Finch who are very nervous about having a human out there working near their babies.

Cranbrook Academy of Art - This is the space from Woodward Original on Vimeo.

Tomorrow Jessica's guy, Julien, is shooting a commercial using our home as a backdrop and featuring our Little Angel Face.  That is going to be exciting.  I have downloaded one of their commercials for you to see. Afterwards the Angel Face is going to hang out here for a couple of days.  I'm hoping the weather warms up so she can use the pool.

Other than that the week is more of the same.....social distancing while life slowly returns to normal.  Thus far the numbers have been good here in Michigan.  I pray daily that it remains the case but my son, Chuck, was quick to call me to let me know that this is not near over and that we need to remain very cautious.

I am still limiting trips to the grocers to once a week which makes meal planning all that more important.  Here is our menu. What's on your menu this week?

Saturday
Grilled Chicken Breasts with Blackberry Glaze
Pasta Salad
Tomato/Cucumber Salad

Sunday
BBQ Beef Roast
Potato Planks
Assorted Grilled Veggies

Meatless Monday
Spinach and Cheese Ravioli

Taco Tuesday
Chicken Fajitas on the Grill

Wednesday
Brats and Cabbage Salad (moved from last week)

Thursday
BBQ Pork Chops
Baked Beans
Sourdough Corn Muffins

Fish Friday
Out for dinner?

Exploring the Wines of New York's Finger Lakes Region #WinePW

I received samples for the purposes of tasting and pairing for this post.  I received no monetary compensation.  All opinions and writings are stricltly my own.

You are invited to join us as we explore the wine's of New York's Finger Lakes region.

Grilled Chicken Breasts with Balsamic Strawberry Basil Salsa #ImprovCookingChallenge

This is a great summer meal.  The delicious topping takes only minutes and can be quickly tossed together as the chicken cooks on the grill.

Our Improv Cooking Challenge this month is Strawberries and Basil....I think I knocked it out of the park!!

Arroz Atollado #EattheWorld

This amazing Colombian Pork and Sausage Risotto is an incredibly delicious one dish meal.

We are traveling to Colombia this month as we Eat the World........

Southwestern Chicken Skillet with Cornbread Topping #BreadBakers

This amazing one skillet dinner can be made with fresh or leftover chicken.  It is easily adaptable to include your favorite flavors and ingredients and is sure to become a family favorite.

It is what I am serving up this month as the Bread Bakers create recipes using Corn.......

Soft Baked Banana Oatmeal Bars #BakingBloggers

Delicious combination of oats, banana, maple syrup and peanut butter can be put together the night before and baked in the morning for a delicious breakfast topped with a little bit of milk or cream.

Our Baking Bloggers group has gone Bananas this month.................

Chicken in Lemon Cream #OurFamilyTable

Tender white meat chicken cutlets, dredged in seasoned flour, browned in butter and finished with a lemon cream sauce.

We are having Dairy for Dinner with our From the Dinner Table Group.......

Grilled Quesadilla and The Weekly Menu #sponsored

Our little local beach has opened up here and the Teen was excited to go with one of her friends.  I dropped them off and a short time later she called and said they had run into another friend and he was going to bring them home and so they could hang out by the pool.

She also mentioned that they were STARVING.......

A Sangiovese by any other Name is still a Dang Good Wine #ItalianFWT

Any trip to an Italian Restaurant has me ordering up a glass of Chianti to enjoy with my dinner.  I also buy Chianti to enjoy at home.  Chianti is made from Sangiovese grapes or a blend containing 80% Sangiovese Grapes.   Italy names it's wines after the area in which the wine is produced.  Hence, Chianti is made in Chianti located in Tuscany.

So Chianti is always Sangiovese but Sangiovese is not always Chianti........

Sourdough Waffles and Eggs #NationalEggDay

Delicious waffles made with sourdough batter and topped with two perfectly cooked eggs.  A perfect breakfast to give you energy all day long.

The Foodie Extravaganza gang is celebrating National Egg Day.......

Roasted Fingerling Potatoes with Herbs de Provence #HerbandSpiceDay

Fingerling Potatoes tossed with a mixture of olive oil and Herbs de Provence and roasted to a golden brown.  Crisp outside, creamy inside and perfectly flavored.

We had a spice swap to get ready for National Herb and Spice day celebrated June 10th......

Enjoying the Enlarged Deck with a Good Book and a Glass of Blue Mango Sun Tea from Adagio Teas #Sponsor

We spent a couple of weeks enlarging our deck before Memorial Day.  I was very happy when it was done and I could relax and enjoy it.

I had received some wonderful sponsor gifts from Adagio Teas including the pitcher that you see in this photo and some Blue Mango Iced Tea that is being released for sale today.  I placed a pouch into the pitcher, filled it with cold water and set it out in the sun for a few hours.