Mediterranean Chicken Salad

Mediterranean Chicken Salad

Jul 14, 2019 · 32 Comments

This Mediterranean Chicken Salad is so easy to put together and so delicious! A bright lemony and tarragon dressing pull together all your favorite mediterranean ingredients like tomatoes, artichoke hearts and Kalamata olives. This no mayo pasta salad is perfect for barbecues and potlucks!

Easy Weeknight Pasta Salad

Now that I am retired from teaching and from my photography business, you would think that I have all the time in the world. However, somehow my todo list seems to get longer every day. So, I love an easy dinner.

I've talked before about that I usually pick up a rotisserie chicken on grocery shopping day, so that I can have dinner almost already prepared. As a matter of fact, I put together a blog post on my favorite Easy Rotisserie Chicken Recipes. I'll definitely have to update it and add this easy mediterranean salad to the list.

This easy pasta salad is so quick to put together and will be in regular rotation around here from now on!

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Moody Luxie

Jul 12, 2019 · 19 Comments

Luxie and I are celebrating the fact that we finally got some rain with some cloudy weather moody shots. These were taken with some soft cloudy light coming in the dining room window. Luxie and I love Moody Photos.

I practically got tears in my eyes yesterday when it started raining. I absolutely hate running the sprinklers. It seems like every time I do, I have to reinvent the wheel. Move them a little this way, a little that way, adjust the knob. Then I set the timer on my watch for one hour and then go back out and do it all over again, until I've covered as much of the yard and flower beds as I can.

I usually start at 6am and finish around 11. It ruins my whole morning.

It doesn't help that the neighbors on each side of us have installed underground sprinklers that pop up and begin watering while I'm out there hot and sweaty dragging the hose that invariable either gets knotted up or caught on something.

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How to Make Homemade Orgeat Syrup

Jul 11, 2019 · 16 Comments

Homemade Orgeat Syrup is so easy to make and so delicious! You can really up your cocktail game with this and it's wonderful in Tiki Cocktails!

Why Make Homemade Orgeat Syrup?

You might be wondering, why should you make your own orgeat syrup, when it's so easy to just go buy a bottle?

In some cases, I make my own ingredients because the store bought ones are filled with scary ingredients - which is why I make my own Maraschino Cherries and Grenadine. But in the case of orgeat syrup, most of the ones from the store are okay, unless you go with the really cheap brands.

I make my own homemade orgeat syrup for several reasons: one - it's fun and easy, two - we can't find it any store close to us, and three - it is sooo good. It tastes so much better than the store bought.

It's so good, I'm busy right now dreaming up all the cocktails that I'm going to use it in!

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Growing Coleus

Jul 10, 2019 · 14 Comments

A guide to Growing Coleus! A simple annual that is grown mainly for it's gorgeous foliage and is so easy to grow and propagate.

Growing Coleus

I have a confession. I have never grown coleus until this year. You see, I was under the impression that it was much easier to have a garden filled with perennials. They came back every year, no replanting every spring.

Then last year I added a few annuals. This year a few more. Turns out annuals are workhorses of the garden. They bloom and flourish with all their might all summer long. My new favorite? Coleus! Growing Coleus is so easy and so rewarding!!

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Roasted Salmon with Citrus Vinaigrette

Jul 9, 2019 · 29 Comments

This easy sheet pan roasted salmon with green beans and citrus vinaigrette is so delicious! Salmon and green beans roast together and are tossed in the best ever citrus vinaigrette! The vinaigrette turns simple ingredients into something amazing, you'll want to use it on everything!

Citrus Olive Oil

I originally made this salmon recipe back in August of 2009. I specifically chose the recipe because I had returned from a shopping trip to Marshall's with a bottle of citrus olive oil.

The fancy food aisle at Marshall's is my happy place.

Since, then I've stopped buying store bought citrus oil and I make my own Lemon Infused Olive Oil. I mean it's so simple and tastes so much fresher, why buy it?

Really, I can't urge you enough to go make lemon olive oil now and use it for this recipe.

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How to Make Lemon Infused Olive Oil

Jul 7, 2019 · 51 Comments

You are going to find so many uses for this lemon infused olive oil. It adds lovely lemon flavor to vinaigrettes, is great tossed on vegetables both before and after roasting and fabulous in marinades! The most useful olive oil in your kitchen!

Bottle filled with bright yellow liquid in front of a basket of lemons.

Infused Olive Oil

I have demonstrated my love for all things infused several times on this blog. I love to infuse alcohol - perhaps you saw my Raspberry Vodka and just last week I made Homemade Maraschino Cherries - which are basically infused cherries!

Infused vinegars are a big favorite of mine and yours, my Mango Vinegar and Blueberry Vinegar are two of the most popular posts on my blog!

But today, I'm here to talk about my other favorite liquid to infuse and that's olive oil. Infused olive oil is the gift that keeps on giving. I always have a jar of this Rosemary Oil in my fridge at all times (old post, have taken new photos, will be updating it this week!)

If you'd asked me last week what was my favorite infused oil, I would have said the rosemary, now I'm not so sure. This lovely lemon olive oil is so versatile and so good!

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Luxie Grass and Orchids

Jul 5, 2019 · 16 Comments

I'm back this week with some more new photos! Yay!

I've mentioned before how much Luxie Loves Her Cat Grass. I've watched Coco and Patchouli grazing on grass outside, heading straight for it as soon as they go out. Since Luxie is an inside only cat, we grow her grass for her and she loves it!

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How to Make Homemade Maraschino Cherries

Jul 4, 2019 · 64 Comments

These Homemade Maraschino Cherries are so delicious! They make the perfect cocktail garnish and are so easy! You'll be tempted to just eat them from the jar.

Why Make Homemade Maraschino Cherries?

I know what you're thinking, why should I make maraschino cherries when I can just go buy a jar at the store?

Well, for one thing, those bright red neon cherries are so bad for you! They are first processed in a brine solution to bleach out all the color. Then they are soaked in a syrupy solution (usually with high fructose corn syrup) and then a vat of color dye to turn them that unnatural red.

Isn't that crazy? Cherries are already so pretty, why would we strip off their color and add a fake color.

I stopped using the bright red cherry maraschinos ages ago (except sometimes for a photo.) I switched to the Luxardo brand, which were great, but a little pricey.

When I bought some tart cherry juice to make a Tart Cherry Negroni. I had lots left over and had the idea to make my own maraschino cherries. A very good idea.

Ingredients and Tools Needed to Make Maraschino Cherries

Apron - optional, but pitting cherries can get very messy! It helps if you have a cute vintage one like I do.

Cherry pitter - yes you can pit cherries without one, but it's so much easier with one! Mine doesn't have a guard like this OXO Cherry Pitter - I think I'm going to get it, it would probably help a lot with the splatter!

Cherries - I used Bing Cherries.

Sugar - optional, but I liked the sweetness it brings to the table.

Maraschino Liqueur - every liqueur cabinet should have a bottle of this, it's great in the Aviation Cocktail. You can also use brandy, whiskey, rum, really whatever liquor you would like!

Tart Cherry Juice - you'll use it in the Tart Cherry Negroni and I plan on coming up with a few more cocktails to use it in. It's also delicious and good for you!

How to Make The Best Cocktail Cherries!

Let's talk about how easy it is to make these cherries. The first thing you need to decide is if you want to keep the stem on. If you want the stem on, you need to pit them from the side, which can be a little tricky, but doable. I decided that I didn't care about keeping the stem on, so I pitted them the usual way, straight down from the top to bottom.

In a saucepan combine the maraschino cherry liqueur, sugar, and tart cherry juice. Bring it to a simmer over medium high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Turn it off and add the cherries, pressing down to submerge them. Let cool to room temperature and then transfer them to a jar with a lid and store in the refrigerator.

They will keep in the fridge for at least 2-3 months. Don't worry, they won't last that long, once you taste how delicious they are!

These cherries are so good, they are going to become your favorite cocktail garnish! I admit, I add them to almost every cocktail now. I need to store them in the back of the fridge, because every time I open the door, I want to snack on one or two!

On a side note, our kitty, Luxie, is actually named after the Luxardo Maraschino Cherry Liqueur!

For your convenience, I've listed some cocktails that are normally garnished with a cherry!

Cocktails using a Cherry Garnish

Maple Manhattan

The Classic Manhattan

If you're looking for even more recipes to use your cherries in, be sure and follow my Drinks Recipe Board on Pinterest!

Maraschino cherries

4.88 from 48 votes

Homemade Maraschino Cherries

So easy to make and unbelievably delicious!

Prep Time20

Cook Time5

Cooling to room temperature.1

Total Time1 25

Course: Drinks

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 33kcal

Ingredients

1 cup cherry liqueur like Luxardo Maraschino liqueur
¾ pound cherries
3 tablespoons tart cherry juice
¼ cup sugar

Instructions

Wash and pit the cherries. Either pit vertically to remove the stem or pit horizontally to keep the stem intact.
In a saucepan over medium high heat, combine the cherry liqueur, sugar and tart cherry juice. Stirring to dissolve the sugar. When it just begins to simmer, remove from the heat.
Add the cherries and let cool to room temperature before storing the cherries and the juice in a lidded jar in the refrigerator.

Notes

Sugar is optional, but makes a sweeter cherry.

Tart cherry juice is optional, but it adds even more cherry flavor.

These should keep in the refrigerator for several months.

Nutrition

Calories: 33kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1mg | Potassium: 26mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 5IU | Vitamin C: 0.7mg | Calcium: 1mg | Iron: 0.1mg

Raspberry Green Tea Smoothie

Jul 2, 2019 · 12 Comments

This Raspberry Green Tea Smoothie is so refreshing and delicious!

So easy with antioxidant rice green tea and raspberries, creamy yogurt and hydrating coconut water! No one will guess that this dreamy smoothie is actually good for you!

Two glasses filled with raspberry smoothie and raspberries behind them.

Anyone else completely enjoying raspberry season?! It seems like this year is the best one in a long time. Usually I only pick up raspberries from the store for a couple of weeks and then they are gone. But this year, I have been picking them up every time they are on sale, which has been for weeks and weeks!

The first thing I made was a Vanilla Raspberry Martini, which was so good and so pretty! Then I made the gorgeous and so delicious Raspberry Infused Vodka! Finally, with the weather warming up, I wanted a frosty raspberry treat and made Raspberry Chocolate Chip Frozen Yogurt.

I couldn't believe my luck when I saw raspberries on sale again this week! I checked my blog and realized that I've never made a raspberry smoothie! What? How can that be?

Well, I've righted that wrong!

Click here to pin this now!

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Oven Fried Buttermilk Chicken

Jun 30, 2019 · 20 Comments

This Oven Fried Buttermilk Chicken is so crispy and juicy without the mess and calories of fried chicken! The spicy buttermilk adds so much flavor and the parmesan cheese bread crumbs toast up golden brown in the oven. We have this anytime we are craving fried chicken!

Oven Fried Chicken

I love fried chicken. I adore fried chicken. I covet fried chicken. I (insert every possible praise word here) fried chicken. What I hate is the mess. Have you seen what fried chicken does to your stove??!!

I know, so what's a little grease, when the output is glorious crunchy chicken. I don't care. I've blogged before on how much I love my stove. It's black and stainless, which is all cool looking until it gets a smidgen of grease on it. I mean every little drop shows on this stove. So, anyway, no fried chicken is being made on this stove, I don't care if I am in the south.

I've seen several recipes for baked chicken, and truth be told, I wasn't really expecting much from a baked instead of fried chicken recipe. But guess what? This baked chicken is so good!

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Gardening with Patchouli

Jun 28, 2019 · 19 Comments

Early Morning Gardening

I am back this week with some new photos! Yay!

We have been having gloriously cool mornings and I have been taking advantage of them to get out and work in the garden. I hate heat! Since I have lupus, I also don't go outside much once the sun gets high in the sky.

Patchouli has been coming out to help me. With her dark fur, she isn't too happy being out when it's hot and sunny either. She's a regular around here on helping me weed.

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Tart Cherry Negroni

Jun 27, 2019 · 14 Comments

This Tart Cherry Negroni Cocktail will become your new favorite way to have a Negroni! The tart cherry pairs so beautifully with the Negroni ingredients! Gin, Campari, Vermouth and Tart Cherry Juice are all you need to make this oh so sippable Negroni variation!

Negroni Variations

You know what they say, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it!" Well that definitely does not apply to cocktail recipes!

There is absolutely nothing wrong and everything right with the classic Negroni. Just 3 ingredients that combine to give you a little bit of heaven in a glass.

But something so simple means that it's so easy to play.

I've played in the past with Negroni variations. I have the Cranberry Negroni (delish by the way) - the perfect holiday cocktail. The Negroni Sbagliato (also delish) with it's sparkling wine makes it so fun for a festive occasion. In the middle of the summer there is nothing I like more than a Frozen Negroni (do I need to say it?)

So, you would think that 3 variations would be enough. Nope. When cherries showed up at my store this week, which just so happens to be Negroni Week, I figured it was fate telling me something.

Telling me to make a Tart Cherry Negroni!

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Juicy Pork Chops with Black Olive Tapenade

Jun 25, 2019 · 36 Comments

These Juicy Grilled Pork Chops stay juicy, tender and so flavorful after a quick 30 minute brine! Perfectly seasoned and quickly grilled they are served with a black olive tapenade. This will become your easy go to summer grilling recipe!

Revisiting Tyler Florence Again

On Monday, I shared with you my favorite Roasted Summer Vegetables. I explained that I am going back through 2009 when I shared a lot of Tyler Florence recipes because some bloggers were highlighting his recipes.

Well, I am back again today with another Tyler Florence Recipe, this time it is for these Juicy Grilled Pork Chops. The full title of the recipe is Juicy Grilled Pork Chops with Black Olive Tapenade and Roasted Vine Tomatoes.

Those roasted summer vegetables that I mentioned above were on the same page as this pork chop recipe and was shown served with the pork chops. Being a follower of rules, that is what I did, and it was amazing.

We had leftovers yesterday and they were even better.

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Roasted Summer Vegetables - The Best Summer Side Dish!

Jun 23, 2019 · 10 Comments

Zucchini, yellow squash and tomatoes are so delicious in this simple roasted summer vegetables. Meltingly tender and sweet vegetables, it will become your favorite summer side dish recipe!

Tyler Florence Recipes

Back in 2009 a bunch food bloggers used to do this challenge where we cooked from one chef for 3 or 4 months. I rarely got my act together enough to participate, but I did a bunch of recipes when the chosen chef was Tyler Florence! I believe there was also something called Tyler Florence Friday and I participated in that at the same time.

So, I have a lot of very old Tyler Florence Recipes on my blog. Most of the photos are gone and none of them have recipe cards.

Wouldn't it be fun to go back and remake some of them? I particularly have my eye on remaking Olives with Rosemary and Orange, White Bean and Roasted Shrimp Salad, and Ultimate Barbecued Chicken.

Today's recipe actually came from the Juicy Pork Chops with Olive Tapenade post. The roasted summer squash served as a base for the pork chops. The recipe was so good, though, that I thought it needed it's own post. I've remade the pork chops and will be updating that recipe on Wednesday with new photos and a recipe card.

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Coco and the Rocking Chair

Jun 21, 2019 · 27 Comments

Coco Kitty and the Rocking Chair

We are back this week with more kitty photos from the never ending folder of kitty cat photos to edit. Not really, though. The Cats folder in Lightroom is now at 964 photos! I thought I would never get it down to below 1000! So this is great progress.

I imagine a day when all of the photos in the folder are current. A girl can dream.

Like Coco on her rocking chair. It looks like she is dreaming very pleasant thoughts, doesn't it?

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How to Make Lavender Simple Syrup

Jun 20, 2019 · 10 Comments

With only 3 ingredients and a delicious floral flavor this lavender simple syrup is a must make simple syrup! A pale lavender color and and a gorgeous floral flavor, you'll find so many uses for this lavender syrup. It's perfect in cocktails, mocktails, tea and even coffee.

Simple Syrups

The easiest way to up your cocktail game is with simple syrups. A simple syrup in it's simplest form is just equal parts water and a sweetener - usually sugar.

To change up a simple syrup, you can add herbs, peppers, fruit, the possibilities are endless.

When my herb garden is flourishing, I make a thyme simple syrup and rosemary simple syrup. These add a savory herb component to cocktails, really adding to the complexity.

When I want a pretty pink cocktail, like for Mother's Day or Easter, I make a quick batch of hibiscus simple syrup. It tastes both florally and lemony and turns every cocktail into a lovely shade of pink.

In the winter, when I want to add warmth and heat to a cocktail, I make gGinger simple syrup. It's also good in the summer as an extra kick in a gin and tonic, but I especially love it in the winter.

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Balsamic Basil Dressing

Jun 18, 2019 · 39 Comments

This easy homemade sweet basil vinaigrette tastes just like summer! Fresh basil, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, lime juice, and salt and pepper are all you need to make this easy vinaigrette.

Plate of tomatoes and cheese drizzled with sweet basil vinaigrette with jar of dressing behind it.

Well, if your climate is anything like mine, you’ve already made your first basil harvest of the season. I learned a couple of years ago that you are supposed to harvest your basil about once a month. By harvest, I mean go out and cut it down until it’s only about 4 inches tall, leaving a few bottom leaves.

Your basil will respond and be a foot tall by the next month, ready to harvest! I usually get four good harvests from my basil: June, July, August, and the final one in September.

Also, don't forget how easy it is to Root Basil Cuttings. So, you can start the year out with two basil plants and finish the year with twelve!

What to do with all that basil? One of my favorite things is to make Homemade Basil Pesto. I store it in the freezer in jars, just the right size to dress a pound of pasta. Then in the middle of winter, I can have the fresh basil flavor of summer.

My other favorite thing is to use basil in salad dressings, like this Sweet Basil Vinaigrette!

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Blueberry Compote with Honeyed Yogurt - A Delicious 20 Minute Dessert!

Jun 17, 2019 · 24 Comments

This Blueberry Compote with Honeyed Yogurt makes a healthy dessert, snack or even breakfast! This fresh fruit compote is made with fresh blueberries and served over an easy to make honeyed yogurt - so delicious!

Two Bowls of blueberry compote on top of yogurt.

Healthy Dessert, Breakfast or Snack

Anyone else feel that a meal is just not complete without a little dessert at the end? Both my husband and I are big dessert fans. It doesn't have to be over the top, just a little something. I like the idea of dessert, what I don't like is the empty calories that it usually brings to the table.

So, I have set about finding healthy desserts. I've found the easiest way to create a healthy dessert is with some fruit and some yogurt. I found a recipe for a cherry compote with yogurt and decided to modify it to make this Blueberry Compote with Honeyed Yogurt. Don't get me wrong, I never say no to cherries, but I had blueberries and I didn't have cherries.

The beauty of this recipe is that it can be a healthy dessert, healthy breakfast or a healthy snack. Win. Win. Win.

Click here to pin this now!

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Blueberry Frozen Yogurt - So Rich and Creamy!

Jun 16, 2019 · 18 Comments

This Blueberry Frozen Yogurt is rich and creamy and bursting with blueberry flavors! It's healthy and so easy to make! Make it with fresh blueberries in the summer and with frozen all year round! Spoon it into popsicle molds for healthy frozen treats!

Blueberry Recipes

I originally shared this blueberry frozen yogurt recipe back in July of 2008! Since that time, we make it every summer and usually several times through the year using frozen blueberries. I can't believe that I haven't updated this post in all these years.

We have 3 blueberry bushes in our backyard, some years they do great and some years I think the birds and the squirrels get to most of them.

This year looks to be a bumper crop, so we will have plenty of this blueberry frozen yogurt, plus some of other favorite blueberry recipes - Blueberry Elderflower Martini, Kale Blueberry Salad, and Blueberry Almond Smoothies!

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All Kitty Cats

Jun 14, 2019 · 20 Comments

Patchouli Outside

I'm back this week with some photos from the massive collection of to-be-edited cat photos. Like everything else in my life, I am feeling the need to get organized and pare down.

I don't know if I told you all, but I am retiring my Pamela Greer Photography business. For several reasons actually. One, my eye is still bothering me and I am having trouble seeing the back of the camera and two, I am opening up an Ebay shop!

My Ebay name is vs_vintage for Victor Street Vintage - the first house my husband I bought was on Victor Street in St. Louis. There is nothing out there yet, I hope to start listing some items next week.

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Blackberry Whiskey Sour - The Best Fruity Whiskey Sour!

Jun 13, 2019 · 16 Comments

Blackberries add a fruity twist to this bourbon whiskey sour! Sweet blackberries and earthy bourbon make a delicious fruity cocktail. A little lemon juice and orange liqueur add just the right citrus flavors.

Bourbon Whiskey Sour

You might be asking yourself, "Is this a bourbon sour, a whiskey sour, or a bourbon whiskey sour." The answer is, "Yes."

My husband and I did the Kentucky Bourbon Trail a few weeks ago and I learned so much about bourbon! If I could sum it all up in one sentence, that I heard repeatedly, it would be, "All bourbon is whiskey, but not all whiskey is bourbon."

It really is sort of that simple. Bourbon is a whiskey, but in order to be called bourbon, it has to meet the rules of bourbon.

The rules of bourbon state how much corn must be used, the barrels that it's aged in, specific proof requirements during the different stages of making the bourbon, and nothing can be added to bourbon, except water. That's why you won't find cinnamon bourbon, but you can find cinnamon whiskey.

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Grilled Salmon with Tomato Caper Vinaigrette

Jun 12, 2019 · 15 Comments

Perfectly grilled salmon is topped with a tangy tomato caper vinaigrette in this easy weeknight grilling recipe!

The salmon is rich and moist and pairs perfectly with the sweet tomatoes and the tart capers. This will become your favorite grilled salmon recipe!

Platter of grilled salmon topped with a tomato vinaigrette.

It's summertime and the grilling is easy! Especially when you have a gas grill. A gas grill makes it so easy to grill fast recipes like this grilled salmon.

This easy grilled recipe is perfect for weeknight grilling. It's so fast that you make the vinaigrette first and let the flavors blend, while you quickly grill the salmon.

Light and healthy and a real show stopper. It looks like something you would get in a restaurant, only you need to know how easy it is!

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Vietnamese Chicken Salad with Fresh Mint

Jun 11, 2019 · 13 Comments

This Vietnamese Chicken Salad is bursting with all the Vietnamese and Thai flavors that you love! Crisp cabbage and lettuce are tossed in a sweet and tangy dressing, with shredded cooked chicken and topped with crunchy toasted peanuts. Use rotisserie chicken and you can have this on the table in under 30 minutes!

Big bowl of shredded cabbage, chicken and carrots topped with roasted peanuts.

Vietnamese and Thai Recipes

If I had to pick my favorite cuisine it would have to be Thai or Vietnamese and not just because I adopted my three daughters from Vietnam. I love the combination of fish sauce, sugar, limes, chili peppers, mint and cilantro that occur either all together or in some form in most of the recipes.

Those flavors are just the epitome of fresh to me. During the summer when my mint plants are flourishing, I try to work in Vietnamese or Thai recipes at least once a week.

If you love the flavors of Vietnam as much as I do, be sure and try my Vietnamese Zoodle Salad and the rich and creamy Vietnamese Coffee Ice Cream.

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Perfectly Grilled Steak with Potatoes and Chimichurri Sauce

Jun 10, 2019 · 13 Comments

Take a perfectly grilled flank steak served with buttery new potatoes and topped with a tangy chimichurri sauce and you have an amazing steak dinner! Juicy steak, fluffy potatoes and a vibrant chimichurri sauce will make you the king or queen of the cookout!

Grilled Steak

I spent the majority of my childhood living with my grandmother. She did not grill. We didn't even own a grill. One day I went to a friend's house and her dad grilled steak.

I was probably about 10 or 11 years old and I can still remember how that steak tasted. How amazing it was. It was my first taste of a perfectly grilled steak.

Since then, I've had many amazing foods, foods I never even dreamed of, however, to this day if anyone asks what my last meal would be, it would include a grilled steak.

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