Dreamer’s 7-Up Pound Cake is a very traditional Southern cake recipe. It is tender, moist and very sweet. More than a cake, it’s a Deep South cultural tradition. The cake is often served for Sunday dinner or other celebrations such as the Fourth of July when family and friends come to visit at a large afternoon meal.
Several weeks ago, we visited New Orleans and ate at a tiny but exquisite restaurant in the mid-city section of New Orleans. All the food arrived at the table in a beautiful presentation. We tried the nightly special: grilled baby summer squash served with hummus, feta cheese and pumpkin seeds. It was a wonderful combination of flavors and textures. I decided to make my own version of our supper entree.
Lasagna is one of our family favorites. Making lasagna from scratch just got much easier using some of the shredded cheeses and prepared pasta sauces now available in grocery stores. Today I added the zucchini and eggplant from my Community Supported Agricultural (CSA) basket to the lasagna. Not to brag, but this casserole turned out really well! It is a great way to use fresh vegetables which ripen in the summer and increase vegetables in meals.
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When purchasing a gift for someone, a good rule-of-thumb is to get something you like yourself. You never know when the gift might be returned to you. And the cookbook, “The Pasta Bible,” was one of these returned gifts. I skimmed through the cookbook and it fell to a recipe for pesto. Perfect! I had both basil and new red potatoes in my Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) basket. 
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Blueberries are easy to grow in Louisiana; find a sunny, well drained spot and the bushes thrive. Blueberries are ripening now and I have a precious two cups to cook with and eat. I love the aromatic punch that blueberries add to muffins, pancakes and sauces. Blueberries are packed with antioxidants – anthocyanins – and have numerous health benefits. This week I cooked a Balsamic Blueberry Sauce to serve with Braised Brisket on Memorial Day.
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