This week I have another recipe using fresh basil from my endless garden supply. It is a stir fry recipe with top round steak–a leaner and healthier cut of beef. The recipe is from my brother-in-law who enjoys cooking; and according to the title it tastes outstanding.
Eat your vegetables. Never thought that this could include summer squash — squash was not a favorite vegetable when I was young. But over the years, I’ve discovered some tasty ways to prepare this vegetable. I have a plentiful supply of basil and summer squash growing in my garden and found two very similar recipes which include these two ingredients — one is sweet; the other sour.
Last summer in August we took a road trip and drove through rural Pennsylvania and upstate New York. My husband was a good sport as we stopped at produce stands along the way. By the time we got back to Louisiana, our car was full of fruits and vegetables and it smelled like an aromatic fruit concoction. The New York peaches were ripe; I got busy and made a luscious Peach Shortbread Tart.
It has been 10 years since Hurricane Katrina flooded 80 percent of New Orleans with mandatory evacuation of the entire city. So many memories. A visit to the city shows that it has rebounded — the culture, energy, music and restaurants have returned. If there is a single food that I identify with New Orleans, it might be barbecue shrimp. I especially like Chef Emeril Lagasse’s version.
When my kids were young, their orthodontist insisted on appointments during school hours. As we left his office and rounded the corner, we drove past a Smoothie King franchise store. “We’re hungry,” the kids would chime. I thought, least a smoothie is a healthy replacement for the school lunch. Don’t have a Smoothie King close to you? It is easy to make your own drinks.
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