Summer Tomato Salad

One of our favorite Summer sides is Tomato Salad. Fresh from the garden, this is a perfect quick and easy dish. A few fresh ingredients, it takes only 10 minutes to prepare.

Summer Tomato Salad*:

3 cups Cherry or Grape Tomatoes-halved

1 cup Fresh Basil-chopped

1/2 cup Red Onion-chopped or thinly sliced

Extra-Virgin Olive Oil-to taste

Garlic Powder-to taste

Sea Salt-to taste

Refrigerate until cold, stir and serve.

If you like *Fresh Mozzarella, it's a delicious addition. I didn't have any when I made this, but I made sure I bought some for the next time-tomorrow! We eat this all Summer long!

Hope you enjoy this quick, easy and healthy side dish! Have a great week!
-Lynn


I am linking to:
The Tablescaper-Seasonal Sunday's
Stone Gable-On The Menu Monday
delightfully dowling-Mangia Monday's
Miz Helen's Country Cottage-Full Plate Thursday

Pink Dilemma

Sometimes I just can't make a decision. The little things throw me for a loop. If we have a big issue to deal with-no problem! I know just what to do. But ask me to choose a paint color...hmmm, I analyze each paint chip,"What will this color say about me?, Is it too wild? Too boring? Will I love it next week? Will I hate it? Will it be just-ok?" Does anyone else have this problem? Help! Here's the dilemma, I need to reorganize and decorate my creative space. I want this room to be a place that makes me feel creative! And, I'd like it to be pretty. I kinda like PINK. Your probably thinking, "Ok, so paint it PINK!" The thing is, I've never been a Pink girl. I was the little girl riding her horse after dinner, then cleaning the stall,  playing baseball with the boys or building a fort in the woods. I never wore PINK. As you can see in my tiny profile photo, I'm wearing black and white-typical. So PINK is making me nervous! But as you can see, I do like PINK.

When making accessories, I choose a lot of PINK.

These storage boxes caught my eye.

So did this PINK and brown fabric-maybe a valance?

While I sit here deciding, my room is a mess!

OR, I could paint with a neutral color and decorate with a little PINK.

Then there's my other favorite color-TURQUOISE!

So what do you think? Maybe I should do a neutral so I can change the colors periodically. Hmmmm, now, what NEUTRAL should I choose? Last night I thought a light grey might be nice, white trim, but then again...

All opinions welcome!

Oh, my 16 year old daughter wants me to re-do her room now, before school starts. She's just like me...

I'm linking to:
French CountryCottage-Feathered Nest Friday
My Romantic Home-Show and Tell
At The Picket Fence for Inspiration Friday
 How Sweet The Sound for Pink Saturday.

Summer Garden

"More than anything,

I must have flowers, always, always."

-Claude Monet

"All through the long Winter, I dream of my garden. 

On the first day of Spring, I dig my fingers deep into the soft earth.

I can feel it's energy, and my spirits soar."

-Helen Hayes

"If we could see the miracle of a single flower,

clearly our whole life would change."

-Buddha

Linking to:
Momma Hen-Whatever Wednesday
A Southern Daydreamer-Outdoor Wednesday
Fishtail Cottage-Flora Thursday
No Minimalist Here-Open House Party

Pretty New Found Treasures

A few weeks ago I visited a local flea market. While browsing tables I found these cute spoons. I couldn't resist, they were only 25 cents apiece! Now that's a bargain, especially because when I got home I looked on-line and found that one was selling for $17.00!  I polished them and dressed them up. Pretty!

Thanks for stopping by and taking a look. Have a great day!
-Lynn

Today I'm linking to:

 Privet & Holly-Collections

 Coastal Charm for Nifty Thrifty Tuesday 

 My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia-Tuesday Treasures.

Quick and Easy Summer Meal

Fresh Basil

Garlic

BASIL PESTO-from everyday italian, Giada De Laurentiis

2 cups packed fresh basil

1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

1 garlic clove

1/2 tsp. salt + more to taste

1/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper + more to taste

2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

I add red pepper flakes to this recipe, we love spicy foods! Add to taste, if you like.

In a food processor, pulse basil, pine nuts, garlic, salt and pepper until finely chopped.

While processing, gradually add olive oil until smooth and thick consistency.

Transfer pesto to bowl and add cheese.

Cook desired pasta according to directions. When draining pasta, save a little water. Add pesto to pasta, add a bit of water, the fresh pesto is thick-use just enough water so pesto coats the pasta. Don't add too much, you don't want to create a soup.

For a quick meal, I add sauteed chicken breast to the pesto pasta.

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed

Saute in garlic and olive oil. Toss into pasta.

I love this cookbook. It's one of my absolute favorites. Every recipe I've tried is wonderful!

My son gave me this book for Christmas 2005

Today I'm linking to:

Stone Gable for On-The-Menu-Monday

The Sweet Details for Savory Sunday 

Debbiedoo's Newbie Party

Designs by Gollum for Foodie Friday

This Chick Cooks for These Chicks Cooked Party

Hope you enjoy this dish. It's quick, easy and delicious!

-Lynn

Pinks

WOW! A lot of us have been experiencing a heat wave! I'm sure many of your gardens are suffering as is mine. Since my pretty pink flowers are in sad shape, here are a few images of flowers during cooler weather! I love Summer, but we all need a break. Stay cool and enjoy!

Today I'm joining Beverly at How Sweet The Sound for Pink Saturday.

Have a wonderful weekend!

-Lynn

My Tiny Vegetable Garden

Take a peek at my tiny garden and it's progress so far!

Wee Basil Plants In Spring

 Ready For Picking

My Tiny Tomato Garden

Oooops! I Believe I've Over Planted In This Small Space!

Tiny Tomatoes

Cannot Wait For These To Ripen!

Cilantro For Fresh Salsa!

Parsley

It's Going To Be 99 Degrees Today! Just Watered The Garden-This Tiny Butterfly Is Looking For A Cool Drink.

Stay cool everyone and have a great weekend! Today I am linking to Fishtail Cottage for Flora Thursday.  Enjoy!

-Lynn

Margaritas, A Summer Favorite

Margaritas are my favorite Summer cocktail. I like to make mine from scratch because I can't take too much sugar. It's like this, If I ate a box of donuts I'd fall asleep as if I was given a sleeping pill! Now, I don't know about you, but I just discovered Agave Nectar used as a sweetener. Apparently, it's absorbed more slowly into your system, it's 60 calories per tablespoon and 16 carbs.

Refreshing on a hot day.

Necessary ingredients

Blue Agave-light, it comes darker, but has a molasses taste-so the bottle says.

Fresh squeezed lime and lemon juices

Tequila! Made from Blue Agave-I like Patron.

Ahhh...

So here's the recipe. I hope you like it!

I use a slice of lime to rim the tumbler, then dip into kosher salt.

Add the following to a chilled shaker:

1 oz. fresh squeezed lime juice
1 oz. fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/2 to 1 tablespoon agave sweetener (light) sweeten to your preference, a little at a time.
1 oz. water
2 oz. tequila (I use Patron, use your favorite)
Splash of cointreau or grand marnier
Ice-few cubes or crushed
Shake, pour, add a slice of lime and a few more cubes if you'd like.
Sometimes I add a splash of tangerine seltzer or whatever citrus you prefer, stir, enjoy!

If you happen to try this recipe, let me know what you think! Have a great week!
-Lynn

Today I am linking too Stone Gable for On-The-Menu-Monday and Designs by Gollum for Foodie Friday.

Some Of My Favorite Pinks

Grab a glass of pink lemonade and take a peek at some of my favorite pinks from my garden and a few gardens in the Hudson Valley.

 

Hope you enjoyed the garden tour. Have a great day!

Today I'm linking to Pink Saturday at How Sweet The Sound.