I Need A Mommy Drink

After a long and exhausting day of back to school shopping (and the sticker shock from the purchased school supplies), I really needed a "mommy drink" or two or even three!  I was craving  a Midori concoction but was out.  Thank goodness I remembered I still had some fresh white honeydew from the farmers market that I could use.  Let me just say that this white honeydew is the sweetest thing that has passed through these lips all summer - yum!  However, as wonderful as this melon is, I do NEED a light libation to get me through dinner prep. 

 

After blending honeydew, cantaloupe, a splash of orange juice, ice & a squeeze of lime, I needed to decide what type of liquor to add to take this summer cooler over the top. So many choices that I couldn't decide so I added several.  After about an ounce each of vodka, tequila, gin & a splash of white zinfandel, I believe I had my drink!  The melon cooler reminded me of a Long Iced Tea because I couldn't taste any of the alcohol!  So good yet has the potential to be dangerous if I drink too many! 

 Perfect way to unwind while I grilled burgers loaded with fresh veggies (yes, there is a burger under it all) for dinner.  What a great summer meal!

Fermented Legumes Anyone?

I love to eat healthy foods as much as possible and don't know why I have never tried tempeh - (pronounced "tem-pay") in the past. The other day while grocery shopping it happened to catch my eye and there were only three boxes of it so I decided to snatch them up. If I didn't like it I could always find some concoction to use it in or feed it to the dogs.So what exactly is tempeh? Originating in what is now modern day Indonesia, tempeh consists of fermented soybeans and a tempeh starter (Rizopus mold). Sound yummy? The brand I purchased, Lightlife Tempehtations, is ginger and teriyaki marinated cubes that take only a few minutes to prepare. The organic cubes have soybeans, brown rice, water & lactic acid derived from plants in addition to the marinade.

I used a tablespoon or so of olive oil and threw in some green onion and water chestnuts then sauteed until golden brown. The aroma had my taste buds excited and I couldn't wait to try it. It was pretty tasty, although a little too sweet for my taste (hence adding wasabi paste), however I was fairly satisfied. Next box I will keep the green onion and water chestnuts and add fresh garlic, mushrooms, soba noodles and some sort of hot pepper to balance the sweetness. I am positive that with the changes this dish will become a favorite!

This is an excellent vegetarian option or perfect for one of those nights you don't want to serve meat, yet want the texture.

New Blog Layout

No, you're eyes are not playing tricks on you. I am working on a new layout and design for my blog so each time you visit in the next week or so you may see a different layout each time. Please be patient as I work on figuring out what is most pleasing to the eye.
I have also been looking at new cameras since mine is one of the first models that came out when digital cameras were new (wow-it's really old) and the megapixels are low also. I can't wait to be able to post beautiful pictures that are in the same league as my fellow bloggers! Feel free to offer suggestions on the best cameras.

Summer Bounty

All weekend I have prepared meals from the wonderful bounty purchased at the farmers market. Dinner tonight was simple, light & just right for the heat we've had all weekend in Tennessee.

Eggplant, lime green bell peppers, white bell peppers, sweet red peppers, and sweet onion grilled to perfection then tossed with a splash of olive oil. Throw in grilled Italian roped sausage and toasted hoagie roles with an ice cold cervaza and life couldn't be any better tonight.