July
The Full Four Seasons
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Recipes For The Month of July
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July 1
"Answer July-
Where is the Bee-
Where is the Blush-
Where is the Hay?
Ah, said July-
Where is the Seed-
where is the Bud-
Where is the My-
Answer Thee - Me-
Nay - said the May-
Show me the Snow-
Show me the Bells-
Show me the Jay!
Quibbled the Jay-
Where be the Maize-
Where be the Haze-
Where be the Bur?
Here - said the Year-"
~Emily Dickinson
Strawberry Blast
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1 cup fresh strawberries
2 bananas
1 (8 ounce) strawberry yogurt
1 cup chocolate milk
2 cups ice cubes
Put all ingredients in blender. Blend until smooth. Serve immediately.
*Smoothies are great at breakfast for as a quick-picker-upper at snack time. Keep in mind the two essential parts to every smoothie drink and you can start creating away. First, always start with milk, yogurt or ice cream. Second, add any combination of fresh, canned or frozen fruit. For richer and thicker smoothies, use ice cream or frozen yogurt. For more protein, add peanut butter or an instant breakfast mix. Or, use your imagination, create away and enjoy!
July 2
"O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
Above the fruited plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood
Fro sea to shining sea!"
~Katherine Lee Bates
"The afternoon poured down on us through the drying grape leaves. The orchard seemed full of sun, like a cup. and we could smell the ripe apples on the trees"
~Willa Cather
Apple Upside Down Pie
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1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon corn syrup
1 tablespoon butter, melted
2 (9-inch) pie crusts
1/2 cup pecan halves
2/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
4 cups sliced, peeled Granny Smith green apples
Combine the brown sugar, corn syrup, and melted butter; spread evenly over bottom of one of the pie crusts. Arrange pecans oven this mixture. In small bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg. Arrange half of the apple slices over pecans; sprinkle with half the sugar mixture. Repeat apple and sugar layer. Top with the second pie crust, seal and flute edges. Bake in 425 degree oven for 8 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees and bake another 25 to 30 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool for about 5 to 10 minute. Loosen edges of pie and carefully invert onto serving plate. Serve warm with ice cream.
*Baseball, hot dogs, apple pie and Chevrolet ( unless you live in a Ford family). What's more American? Imagination and Ingenuity! Try this "flip-side" version of the traditional apple pie for a little change of tradition. Keep up the good work!
July 3
"May your path be strewn with flowers,
Memories, friends and happy hours.
May blessings come from heaven above,
To fill your life with peace and love."
~Unknown
"If you think of your life as a sundae, a good relationship is nothing more than a cherry on top. The cherry makes it look like it should, but it's not the most important thing."
~Lynda Barry
Banana Split Dessert
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1 cup butter, melted, divided in half
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
2 eggs
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
4 medium bananas
9 ounces non-dairy whipped topping
1/2 cup pecans, chopped coarsely
4 ounces maraschino cherries
Combine 1/2 cup melted butter with graham crackers crumbs and pat into 9" x 13" pan. In a mixing bowl, beat eggs 4 minutes. Add remaining butter, powdered sugar and vanilla and beat 5 minute more. Spread over crumbs and chill. Spread pineapple and slice bananas over chilled batter; cover evenly with whipped topping and sprinkle with nuts and cherries. refrigerate 5 to 6 hours before serving.
*Your friends and family will enjoy this cake any old hot summer day. But it can be fancied up to bring out the patriotic spirit around the 4th of July. First, omit the pecans and replace with blueberries. Then, make a stars and strips flag pattern with the cherries (or strawberries) and blueberries. The smiles and oh's and ah's will rival those heard seeing the fireworks tomorrow! Serve after a meal of Hot Bean Pie and Mexican Chicken.
July 4
"We THEREFORE, the Representatives of the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do , in the Name and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be FREE AND INDEPENDENT STATES: that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to Ievy War, conclude Peace, contact Alliance, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor."
~Signers of the Declaration of Independence
Firecracker Salad
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1 cup peeled jicama, cut into thin strips
1/2 cup red pepper, cut into thin strips
1/2 cup yellow pepper, cut into thin strips
1/2 cup zucchini cut into thin strips
1/2 cup small yellow squash, cut into thin strips
1/2 cup carrots, peeled and cut into thin strips
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
2/3 cup cold water
1/3 cup rice vinegar
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoons soy sauce
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons grated red onion
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
6 cups torn assorted lettuce greens
Put all prepared vegetables in a medium bowl. Set aside, In a medium saucepan, mix cornstarch and cold water. Stir over medium heat until cornstarch is dissolved. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and stir constantly until mixture has thickened. Remove from heat. In blender, puree vinegar, peanut butter, sou sauce, garlic, onion, sugar and peppers. Whisk puree and poppy seeds into cooled cornstarch mixture. Pour dressing over vegetables and toss to coat. Serve over lettuce.
July 5
"Be a gardener
dig a ditch,
toil and sweat,
and turn the earth upside down
and seek the deepness
and water the plants in time.
Continue this labor
and make sweet foods to run
and noble and abundant fruits
to spring.
Take this food and drink
and carry it to God
as your true worship."
~Julian of Norwich
"Small cheer and great welcome makes a merry feast."
~William Shakespeare
Country Style Tomatoes
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12 to 15 medium tomatoes, quartered into 8 wedges each
2 medium onions, diced
4 large cucumbers, sliced
2 stalks celery, diced
3 green peppers, diced
2 cups white vinegar
1 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Wash and cup up vegetables as directed. Mix vinegar, oil, sugar, water, garlic salt and pepper; pour over vegetables. Stir to blend. Refrigerate overnight.
*Serve with Soudoug Spinach Bread for a light lunch. For a merrier feast, add a flame broiled steak marinated in Corn Marinade. To finish the meal. serve with Watermelon Ice Cream.
July 6
"Herbs are the friend of the physician and the pride of cooks."
~Charlemagne
"Let them give thanks to the Lord
for his unfailing love
and his wonderful deeds for men,
for he satisfies the thirsty
and fulls the hungry with good things."
~Psalm 107:8 (NIV)
Spiral Pasta Salad
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3/4 cup salad dressing
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon finely chopped dill
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 cup sliced green olives
1 zucchini, thinly sliced
1 carrot, thinly sliced
1 red onion, finely chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
4 ounces mozzarella or provolone cheese, cut into cubes
In a large bowl, mix salad dressing, sour cream, milk, dill, mustard and pepper. Add macaroni, green olives, zucchini, carrot, onion, red pepper and cheese cubes. Toss until macaroni and vegetables evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate 3 to 4 hours. Toss again before serving. If seems too dry, sprinkle with milk and toss again.
*Serve alongside a sandwich, such as the interesting Wonder Sandwhich, or Garden Style Sloppy Joes'. For a light lunch, top with some grilled chicken, torn chunks of ham or chilled Marinated Salmon Steaks. Another suggestion might be to serve with Herbed Cheese Balls and crackers.
July 7
"To be of the Earth is to know
the restlessness of being a seed
the darkness of being planted
the struggle toward the light
the pain of growth into the light
the joy of bursting and bearing fruit
the love of being food for someone
the decay of the seasons
the mystery of death
and the miracle of birth."
~John Soos
"Summer afternoon - summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language."
~Henry James
Watermelon Ice Cream
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1 quart lime sherbet
1 pint pineapple sherbet
1/2 gallon strawberry ice cream
1 small package chocolate chips
Line the inside of large bowl with softened lime sherbet until smooth. Cover with a lid or plastic wrap and freeze for 30 minutes or more. Repeat with a thin layer of pineapple sherbet and freeze again. Mix chocolate chips into softened strawberry ice cream and fill shell until full and even across the top. Refreeze. Just prior to serving, place bottom half of the bowl into a sin of warm water for 30 seconds. Tip onto large serving platter. Slice as you would a fresh watermelon!
*Aahhhh! Is there anything better than fresh watermelon to soothe the heat on a summer afternoon? How about had -crafted watermelon ice cream! It must be on of the more beautiful things in life.
"O taste and see that the Lord is good."
~Psalm 34:8 (KJV)
July 8
"There's a gopher in the garden,and he's eating all the onions,
and he's eating all the broccoli and all the beets and beans,
and he's eating all the carrots, all the corn and cauliflower,
all the parsley, peas and pumpkins, all the radishes and greens."
At breakfast, lunch or dinnertime the gopher is no loafer
and he quickly will devour everything before his eyes.
He does not even hesitate to eat a cabbage twice his weight,
or a watermelon six or seven times his size."
~Jack Prelutsky
"When your garden is finished I hope it will be more beautiful than you anticipated, require less care than you expected, and have cost only a little more than you had planned"
~Thomas D. Church
Sesame Vegetables
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1 yellow squash or zucchini, cut into 1/4 inch slices
2 large onions, cup into wedges
1 red pepper, sliced
4 cups fresh broccoli florets
8 ounces sliced fresh mushrooms
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Prepare all vegetables as directed and put into large bowl. Whisk together oil and soy sauce in small bowl. Pour over vegetables and stir or shake to mix. Sprinkle sesame seeds over vegetables. Place in foil grilled bag and place over hot coals or gas grill for 8 to 10 minutes, or until vegetables or tender. Shake several times to mix up the vegetables. Vegetables can be baked in casserole dish in 400 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes. Serve immediately.
*If you are lucky enough to have yellow squash or zucchini growing fresh in your garden and have new little squashes or zucchini babies, these are the most tender and juicy. Replace 3 to 4 of these with the larger ones you would usually buy at the grocery store. It is good for the production of the plant to pick some fruit off early. Also, don't worry if you see flowers that have fallen off the plant. They are the make flowers, and their dripping off is just part of the normal plant cycle. Not the damage done by scurrying gopher feet scared off by your presence!
July 9
"Wait for the opportune moment, Oh my heart.
Everything happens in its own time.
The gardener may flood the orchard with water,
But the trees don't bear fruit out of season."
~Kabir
"Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise - the fruit of lips that confess His name."
~Hebrews 13:15 (NIV)
Summer Fruit Salad
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3 green apples, cubed
2 cups cubed honeydew melon
2 cups halved green grapes
3 kiwis, peeled and quartered
1 cup vanilla yogurt
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons orange juice
1/2 teaspoon grated orange peel
Snipped fresh mint
In a large bowl, combine the apples, honeydew melon, grapes and kiwi. In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, honey, vanilla, orange juice and orange peel. Spoon over fruit and gently mix, until fruit is evenly coated. Serve immediately or refrigerate several hours. tossing again before serving. Garnish with fresh mint.
*Some folks like the idea of keeping a dish all one color, such as the green fruit in this Summer Fruit Salad, It can add a touch of color to a bland meal, or can offer a cool, calm dish to a meal that may already be busy. If green's not what you're looking for, try a different color. For a bolder red theme, combine red grapes, strawberries, watermelon and raspberries. It is exciting to thin of the options!
"God Almighty first planted a garden;
and indeed, it is the purest of human pleasures."
~Frances Bacon
July 10
"Her flowers were exclusive blue.
No other color scheme would do.
Better than God she could reject
Being a gardener more select.
Blue, blue it was against the green
With nothing not blue sown or seen.
Yet secretly she half-confessed
With blue she was not wholly blessed.
All blues, she found, do not agree.
Blue riots in variety.
Purist-Perfectionist at heart,
Her vision flew beyond her art-
Beyond her art, her touch, her power
To teach one blue to each blue flower."
~Robert Francis
Blueberry Scones
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2 teaspoons flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup blueberries
1 3/4 cups flour
1 tablespoons baking powder
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup butter
2 eggs, lightly beaten
3 - 4 tablespoons cream
2 tablespoons milk
Cinnamon sugar
Mix flour, cinnamon and blueberries together lightly; set aside. Sift flour, baking powder, sugar and salt together, and then cut in butter. Put beaten eggs into 1 cup measuring cup and add enough cream to make 2/3 cup liquid. Lightly stir egg mixture and berries into dry ingredients. Handling dough as little as possible, turn dough onto floured board and divide in two portions. Place on ungreased baking sheet; pat each dough portion into circle about 3/4 inch thick. Score into six wedges. Brush with milk and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. bake in 400 degree oven for 15 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool, cut into wedges and serve.
July 11
"This kiss of sun pardon,
One is nearer God's Heart in a garden
Than anywhere else on earth"
~Dorothy Gurney
"The fastest growing thing in your garden is a okra pod or zucchini you thought was not quite big enough to pick yesterday"
~Texas Bix Bender
Summer Zucchini Hotdish
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2 cups sliced summer squash
2 cups sliced zucchini squash
1 cup chopped yellow onion
1 cup sliced carrots
1/2 cup sour cream
1 can cream of mushroom soup
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1 teaspoon black pepper
Boil squashes, onion and carrots in small amount of water until tender and drain. While veggies are boiling, combine sour cream, soup, cheese and butter. Mix with vegetables. Place in buttered round casserole. Bake in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes,. or until browned and bubbly. During the last few minutes, sprinkle with bread crumb. serve immediately.
*Serve as a side dish with Chicken Veronique. To make into a one-dish main meal, ad the following: 1 can of drained tuna or chicken, 2 cups cooked egg noodles, 1/2 cup chopped mushrooms, another 1/2 cup sour cream and another 1/4 - 1/2 cup cheese. Mix and bake as above.
"I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting station through which God speaks to us every hour, if we will only tune in."
~George Washington Carver
July 12
"As the dew to the blossom,
the bud to the bee.
As the scent to the rose,
are those memories to me"
~Amelia C. Welby
"The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul;
The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple;
The statues of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart:
The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.
More to be desired are they than gold,
Yea, than much fine gold;
Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb."
~Psalm 19:7-8, 10(KJV)
Summertime Lemonade
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2 1/2 cups fresh lemon juice (about 10 lemons)
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup honey
9 cups cold water
Lemon and lime wedges
Combine lemon juice, sugar and honey, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Add water and fruit wedges. Add ice cubes if desired.
* If serving from a punch bowl, first freeze a gelatin bold filled with lemonade and fruit such as orange, lemon and pineapple wedges. This is not only most attractive, It also prevents dilution from excessive use of ice cubes, And now enjoy and treasure the sweetness of each moment for all that it is.
"Remember that old saying - if life hand you a lemon...well, squeeze it and start a lemonade stand."
~Robert E. Williams
July 13
"But I am like an olive tree
growing in God's Temple.
I trust God's love
forever and ever.
God, I will thank you forever
for what you have done.
With those who worship you,
I will trust you because you are good."
~Psalm 52:8-9 (NCV)
"Food is an important part of a balanced diet."
~Fran Lebowitz
Avocado Tuna Salsa Salad
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2 ripe avocados, peeled and chopped
1 can albacore white tuna, drained
4 ripe tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup pitted green olives
4 - 5 scallions, chopped
1 small red onion, chopped
2 roasted red bell peppers*, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Combine prepared avocados and tuna and set aside. In a separate bowl combine the tomatoes, green olives, scallions, onion, red bell peppers and garlic. In a tight sealing jar, combine vinegar, olive oil, cilantro sesame seeds and pepper. Shake well, pour over tomato mixture and mix all together. Add to avocados and tuna and toss to combine. Refrigerate for 2 to 24 hours.
*To roast peppers, halve, core and seed them. Broil skin side up until the skins are black and charred. Transfer the charred peppers to a bowl and cover with a cloth napkin until they cool, at least 20 minutes. Peel off the charred sins, thinly slice and continue with recipe instructions. Serve prepared Avocado Tuna Salsa Salad with toasted pita shells or blue corn tortilla chips. Or, serve over a bed of mixed summer greens with your favorite salad dressing.
July 14
"Thy dawning is beautiful in the horizon of the sky.
O, living Aton, Beginning of life!
When thou risest in the eastern horizon
Thou fillest every land with thy beauty
Thou art beautiful, great, glittering, high above every land,
Thy rays, they encompass the lands, even all that thou hast made.
Though thou art far away, thy rays are upon earth;
Though thou art on high, thy footprints are the day."
~Amenhotep IV, Hymn to Aton, the Creator
"I should like to enjoy this summer flower by flower,
as if it were to be the last one for me."
~Andre' Gide
Peach and Pecan French Toast
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6 eggs
1/4 cup sugar
2 cups cream
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 pinches of nutmeg
1/4 cup butter, plus 1 teaspoon
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup water
3 ripe peaches, peeled, pitted and sliced
1/4 cup chopped pecans
8 slices day old bread
Whipped cream
In a bowl beat together the eggs and sugar. Stir in cream, cinnamon and nutmeg. Set aside. To make the peach and pecan topping, melt the 1/4 cup butter in saucepan and whip in the brown sugar. Stir in the water and another pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg. Simmer for several minutes, or until a light syrup forms. Add the peaches and pecans and simmer until the peaches are tinder. Meanwhile heat a large flat skillet and melt remaining teaspoon of butter. Soak the bread slices in the egg mixture and cook on hot skillet for several minutes or both sides, until golden browned. Top with the warm peach syrup and whipped cream. Serve immediately.
*Any leftover peach and pecan syrup is excellent served warm over vanilla ice cream. Try serving chilled on fresh muffins, such as Honey Muffins.
July 15
"The summer days are come again;
Once more the glad earth yields
Her golden wealth of rip'ning grain;
And breath of clover fields,
And deepening shade of summer woods,
And glow of summer air...."
~Samuel Longfellow
"For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants. They will spring up like grass in a meadow, like poplar trees by flowing streams."
~Isaiah 44:3-4 (NIV)
Wild Rice, Cauliflower and Carrots
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2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon butter, melted
2 cups vegetable broth
1 (6 ounce) box wild rice
1 cup cauliflower florets
2 carrots, peeled and shredded
3 small green onions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
2 - 3 tablespoons milk
In a large saucepan, saute' garlic and butter over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add broth, wild rice, cauliflower, carrots and green onion. Bring to boil' cover and reduce heat to low-medium. Simmer flowing cooking directions for the wild rice. When rice is tender and liquid absorbed, stir in milk and parsley and reheat. Serve immediately.
*This dish abounds in color and texture, several of the key elements in making a dish or meal successful. One of the things to also be careful of , however, is making a meal to "busy" by having too many colors. So, this dish is recommended to be served with something "bland", such as Walnut Chicken or Honeyed Pork Chops. Finish the meal with Caramelized Peaches or Strawberry Rice Custard.
July 16
"Bad will be the day for every man when he becomes absolutely content with the life he is living, when there is not forever beating at the door of his soul some great desire to do something larger."
~Phillip Brooks
"Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet"
~Lida Clarason
Mango Cinnamon Crisp
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4 cups mango chunks
Juice of 1 small lime
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
8 tablespoons butter, softened
Whipped cream or ice cream for garnish
Arrange mango chunks in single layer in a buttered 8" x 8" baking dish. Drizzle with lime juice. In mixing bowl combine oatmeal, flour, coconut, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg. Cut butter into pieces and work into dry mixture with fingertips until crumbly. Evenly sprinkle over mango. Bake in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes, until golden brown and bubbly. Serve hot or at room temperature wit whipped cream or ice cream.
*In a way, mangoes remind me of bananas. You can purchase them green and firm to the touch. Leave them out at room temperature, and they will ripen with a more yellowish red skin. The best quality fruit will be firm and blemish free. The should also have a light, fruity aroma when ripe. To prepare, first gently wash. Then from end to end score the skin into sections, similar tot the stitching in a football. Peel the skin back, cut into slices and gently remove the pit. It may take a little work, but you will be sweetly rewarded for your patience
July 17
"How cucumbers along the surface creep.
With crooked bodies, and with bellies deep."
~Virgil
"He who plants a garden plants happiness."
~Chinese Proverb
Teriyaki Chicken with Cucumbers
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4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon grated ginger root
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon sugar
4 cups cucumber, very thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, deseeded, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
Slivered almonds
Rinse chicken, trim any visible fat and place in a small container. In a small bowl, combine teriyaki sauce, sesame oil, ginger root, garlic and sugar. Pour over chicken and refrigerate 1 to 4 hours to marinate. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine cucumbers and bell pepper. Ina small bowl combine vinegar, salt, black pepper and crushed pepper. Pour over vegetables, toss to mix and chill until ready to cook chicken. Ina large skillet, cook drained chicken over medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink. Remove chicken from skillet; add vegetable oil and saute' vegetables for several minutes only, until just thoroughly heated. Meanwhile, cut chicken into slices. Serve immediately, arranging a bed with the cucumbers and peppers, topping with sliced chicken. Garnish with slivered almonds.
*Serve with Gingered Garden Pilaf or Parslied Rice. Finish with Pineapple bars or Coconut Bread.
July 18
"If you want to be happy for an hour, drink wine
If you want to be happy for a day, run away.
If you want to be happy for a year, get married.
If you want to be happy forever, be a gardener."
~Ancient Greek Saying
"The garden cost Amelia no end of work and worry;
she tended the delicate tomato vines as though they were new bon infants,
and suffered the momentary sinking of the heart when she detected
signs of weakness in any of the hardier vegetables.
She was grateful for the toil in which she could dwell in a sort of refuge from deeper thought."
~Martha Ostenso
Garlic Tomatoes
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1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon basil, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried crushed oregano
1/4 teaspoon pepper
5 large ripe tomatoes, cut into wedges
Combine the oil, lemon juice, garlic, sugar, basil, salt, oregano, and pepper. Cover and shake until well blended. Place tomatoes in large bowl. Pour oil mixture over tomatoes, Stir to coat. Cover and chill up to 1 to 4 hours before serving.
*Tomatoes were considered poisonous when first brought from the Americas to Europe some 500 years ago. They didn't gain their current level of popularity until with the last server hundred years. Everyone who gardens delicately nurtures. them; those with no plot happily grow them in pots. Serve alongside "Barley" Interesting Salad or A Good Ole' Reuben Sandwich. For other tomato recipes, see Fire and Ice Tomatoes or Tomato-Stuffed Chicken Rolls.
July 19
"It is not my business to think about myself,
My business is to think about God.
It is for God to think about me"
~Simone Weil
Eight Layer Tortilla Dip
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1 small can refried beans
1 cup chopped avocado
8 ounces sour cream
1 cup chopped tomato
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1/4 cup chopped green onion
1/8 cup chopped black olive
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 package corn chips
1 recipe Black Bean Salsa
On large platter or in 8" x 8" baking pan. layer the above in given order. Serve cold with chips and salsa as an appetizer or side dish.
Black Bean Salsa
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1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can corn, drained and rinsed
1 cup chopped red onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
5 - 6 garlic cloves, minced
2 cans Mexican stewed tomatoes
1 small can tomato sauce
Dash red pepper sauce, to taste
1 tablespoon oil
1 - 2 teaspoons black pepper
1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro
Mix all ingredients together. Best if refrigerated several hours or overnight.
July 20
"Forbidden fruit is responsible for many a bad jam."
~Unknown
"Flower in the crannied wall,
I pluck you out of the crannies,
I hold you here, root and all, in my hand,
Little flower - but if I could understand
What you are, root and all, and all in all,
I should know what God and man is."
~Lord Alfred Tennyson
Strawberry Jam
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2 1/2 cups fresh strawberries or 2 (10 ounce) packages frozen, thawed
3 1/2 cups sugar
3 ounces fruit pectin
Wash fresh berries and pat dry. Mash the berries with a fork and add sugar. Let stand for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. When sugar is dissolved, add pectin. Stir for 3 minutes. Pour at one into clean, hot jars, or other freezer containers. Cover and let stand until set or about 24 hours a t room temperature. Store jam in refrigerator up to 6 week or in freezer for 1 year.
This jam is much simpler than those that require hot steam baths and a good way to utilize small batches of fruit on the verge of spoiling. when shopping for strawberries, look for fruit with a little white flesh under the caps as possible, as the white flesh will flatten the flavor. Try to remove the caps by twisting, rather than cutting, as you'll save much more fruit. Strawberry Jam is excellent slathered over Cream Cheese Pumpkin Bread.
"When men are rightfully occupied, then their amusement grows our of their work as the color petals out of fruitful garden."
~John Ruskin
July 21
"Vinegar he poured on me all my life,
I am well marinated;
How can I be honey now?"
~Tillie Olsen
"Let us know peace.
For as long as the moon shall rise,
For as long as the rivers shall flow,
For as long as the sun shall shine.
For as long as the grass shall grow,
Let us know peace."
~Native American Prayer
Summer Grilled Vegetables
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8 - 10 new red potatoes, quartered
1/4 cup honey
2 - 3 tablespoons dry white wine or 1 - 2 tablespoon white vinegar
1 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, finely cut
Salt and pepper to taste
1 onion, cut into wedges
1 zucchini, cut into 1-inch thick pieces
1 yellow squash, cut into 1-inch thick pieces
1 eggplant, cut into 1" x 1" thick chunks
2 - 3 peppers, color of choice, cut into 6 - 8 wedges
Microwave potatoes for 3 to 4 minutes on high heat, or biol in water in saucepan until tender when pricked with a fork. Combine honey, wine, oil, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper; mix well. Place quartered potatoes, onion, zucchini, squash, eggplant and peppers on tin foiled covered hot barbecue grill. Marinate with prepared sauce. Grill 15 to 20 minutes, turning and brushing with marinade every couple minutes. Serve immediately.
Challenge yourself to be creative with this recipe. If your family doesn't like eggplant or zucchini, do not try to force them to eat it. Instead, if they prefer carrots, well, by all means. add some julienne carrots. Or chopped fresh broccoli. Or steamed sweet potatoes wedges. Or......
July 22
"What I like about Christmas is the special feeling that it gives to us, whether excitement or anticipation, warmth, or closeness to family. It somehow feels like a renewal of hope, which is exactly what our Savior give to us."
~Janice Watts
Homemade Fudge
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3 (6 ounce) packages milk chocolate chips
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
Melt chocolate chips in small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir in condensed milk, salt, nuts and vanilla. Stir until smooth. Poor into an 8" x 8" pan that has been covered with wax paper. Refrigerate for several hours. Lift out of pan by with wax paper and cut into 1" x 1" inch squares. Store fudge in an air tight container.
Caramel Popcorn
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2 cups brown sugar
1 cup butter
1/2 cup white syrup
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
6 quarts popped popcorn
In a small saucepan, combine brown sugar, butter, white sugar and salt. Heat over high heat until mixture starts to boil, and boil fr 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add baking soda. Pour immediately over popcorn and stir quickly to coat all popcorn. Spread on 2 greased cookie sheets and bake in 200 degree oven for 1 1/2 hours. Stir every 15 minutes. Let cool and store in airtight containers.
*Did you notice the year is almost half over, and Christmas is only six months away? If Christmas is one of your favorite times, why not celebrate with "Christmas in July!" Have a little party ad serve a couple treats. Read the story of Jesus' birth, sing a few carols. Have a "White Elephant Gift Exchange," where you exchange gag gifts. Just to remind us of our greatest gift, Jesus Christ, and rekindle the anticipation of his coming.
July 23
"All people are made alike.
They are made of bone, flesh and dinners.
Only the dinners are different."
~Gertrude Louise Cheney
"May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine upon us."
~Psalms 67:1 (NIV)
Medley of Stuffed Peppers
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1 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 cup uncooked long-grain rice
6 green onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, plus several stems fro garnish
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups vegetable broth
4 medium peppers, a variety of colors, red, cut lengthwise in half, seeded
1 can crushed tomatoes in puree
1/4 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 can beans of choice; garbanzo or kidney, drained
Parmesan cheese
1 cup cherry tomatoes
In large sauce pan, heat oil until hot; add rice, onion and parsley. Cook and stir fro 3 to 5 minutes or until rice begins to brown. Stir in cinnamon, pepper and broth. Bring to boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 18 to 20 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. Meanwhile, cook the pepper halves in boiling water for 5 to 7 minutes, or until peppers are crisp, yet tender. Drain on paper towels. Combine tomatoes, honey and crushed red pepper in 9" x 13" baking pan; mix well. Remove 1/4 cup sauce and set aside. Arrange pepper halves on sauce in pan. When pepper halves. Cover pan with foil and bake in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Using tongs remove peppers from pan and arrange on glass serving platter. Drizzle with sauce from pan. Sprinkle lightly with Parmesan cheese and garnish with parsley and cherry tomatoes. Serve immediately.
*Serve with Country Dill Bread or Potato Onion Muffins and finish the meal with Old Fashioned Pumpkin Bread or Special Grandpa K Bars.
July 24
"If I can stop one Heart from breaking,
I shall not live in vain.
If I can ease one Life the Aching,
Or cool one Pain,
Or help one fainting Robin
Unto his Nest again,
I shall not live in Vain."
~Emily Dickinson
"She nibbled at her thought like a rabbit with a piece of lettuce"
~Rae Foley
Sandy's Summer Salad
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1/2 head cauliflower
1 head lettuce
10 slices bacon, browned and cut up
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vinegar
4 plus teaspoons milk
Croutons
Cut up cauliflower into small pieces. Add torn lettuce, bacon bits and cheese. Combine mayonnaise, sugar and vinegar to make dressing. Add milk as needed until dressing is to desired creaminess. mix dressing with salad ingredients and croutons. If preparation is long before serving, keep salad, dressing and croutons in separate containers, mixing shortly before serving. If desired, garnish with small amount of bacon and cheese.
*This salad has been known to be a hit at potlucks and salad luncheons, not just in the summer, but any time of the year. So be sure to bring recipe cards so you can share with your fans! Serve with grilled chicken breasts that have first been marinated in Raspberry-Strawberry Basting Sauce and Oven Baked French Fries
"A bird does not sing because he has an answer. He sings because he has a song"
~Joan Walsh Anglund
July 25
"God showed me in my palm
A little thing round as a ball
About the size of a hazelnut,
I looked at it with the eye of understanding
And asked myself: "What is this thing?"
And I was answered: "It is everything that is created."
I wondered how it could have survived since it seemed sot little
It could suddenly disintegrate into nothing.
The answer came: "It endured and ever will endure, because God loved it."
And so everything has being because of God's love."
~Julian of Norwich
"You'll know a real gardener at this season of the year by the fact that he keeps his hose busy and his hoe busy."
~Richardson Wright
Cantaloupe Fruit Baskets
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2 cantaloupes, quartered and seeded
1 cup sliced, fresh strawberries
1 cup fresh blueberries
1 cup fresh raspberries
1 cup seedless grapes, halved
1 cup cottage cheese
1/4 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
1 teaspoon hazelnut flavoring
Mint leaves
Prepare cantaloupes and place on platter. In a bowl, combine strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and grapes,. Spoon about 1/2 cup into each cantaloupe. Place cottage cheese, orange juice, honey, orange peel and hazelnut flavoring into blender, cove and blend until smooth. Spoon the dressing over fruit and garnish with mint leaves. Serve immediately.
July 26
"And the daughter of Zion is left as a cottage in a vineyard,
as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers, as a besieged city."
~Isaiah 1:8 (KJV)
Cucumber Salad Sandwich
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1 medium cucumber
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup salad dressing
1 tablespoon minced onion
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon finely chopped parsley
1 (6 ounce) can albacore tuna, drained
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup chopped cashews
2 tablespoons vinegar
1/2 cup salad dressing
2 tablespoons minced onion
2 tablespoons minced tarragon
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 loaf Wanda's Oatmeal Bread
Partially peel and remove seeds from cucumber before chopping. Drain well by squeezing between two layers of clean thin cloth. Set aside. In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, salad dressing, onion, salt, pepper and parsley. Add cucumbers and celery and gently combine; set aside. Into a medium bowl, combine tuna, raisins and cashews. In a small bowl, combine salad dressing, vinegar, onion, tarragon and pepper. Mix well; pour over tuna mixture and combine; set aside. Taking bread loaf, slice twice horizontally through entire loaf, to make three even layers. Place bottom layer of bread on large serving platter and cover with cucumber salad. Over this place the middle slice of bread and top with tuna salad. Cover with top layer of bread. Wrap with plastic and refrigerate several hours. When ready to serve, carefully slice into wedges and leaf into a fan.
*Sometimes, the thought of another plain tuna sandwich just doesn't do anything for our palate. Instead, the crunchy and creamy, the tangy and mild, the dry and juicy - what an array of fresh combinations this Cucumber Salad Sandwich offers. This can be a great way to recharge your boring brown bag lunch. Or enjoy a late July picnic this weekend.
July 27
"Bunches of grapes," says Timothy
"Pomegranates pink," says Elaine;
A junket of cream and cranberry tart
For me," says Jane.
"Love-in-a-mist," says Timothy;
"Primrose pale," says Elaine;
"A nosegay of pinks and mignonette
For me," says Jane.
"Chariots of gold," says Timothy;
"Silvery wings," says Elaine;
A bumpity ride in a wagon of hay
For me," says Jane."
~Walter De La Mare
"The sun, with all those planets revolving around it, and dependent on it, can still ripen a bunch of grapes as if it has nothing else in the universe to do."
~Galileo
Sugared Grape Garnish
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2 cups granulated sugar
2 egg whites
1 bunch seedless grapes, washed, dried and cut into clusters
Be sure grapes are cry before sugaring! Place sugar in medium bowl, In another medium bowl, beat egg whites until just frothy. Dip grape clusters into whites. Shake off excess and toss the clusters in sugar, coating completely. Transfer to a rack or tray for drying. If not using for some time, or if serving outside, carefully freeze grapes for several hours.
*These can garnish most anything; try around trays of cakes and muffins such as Carrot Cake or Zucchini Chocolate Chip Cake. Use different varieties of grapes for slightly different color accents. Try throwing frozen single sugared grapes into fresh fruit salads. They can also make fun summer snacks for children. And they love helping in the preparation too!
July 28
"The first gathering of salads, radishes and herbs made me feel like a mother about a baby - how could anything so beautiful be mine?"
~Alice B. Toklas
"A bowl of fresh, tender leaves from any of half a hundred kinds of garden lettuces, unadorned except for the simplest possible mixture of oil, vinegar and seasonings, is a joy to the palate."
~M. F. K. Fisher
Early Harvest Salad
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4 ears corn on the cob, cleaned
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 small cucumber, peeled and cubed
1 small red pepper, cored, seeded and thinly sliced
1 cup thinly sliced peeled jicama
1/3 cup baby radishes,cleaned and minced
1/3 cup minced red onion
1/3 cup minced fresh cilantro
1 1/2 pounds variety lettuces, to make 5 - 6 cups when torn
3 medium tomatoes, sliced
Large lettuce leaves
Chopped cilantro
In a large saucepan, bring to boil enough water to cover corn; cook corn until just slightly cooked, about 4 minutes. Cool. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix vinegar, oil, mustard, honey, chili powder, cumin and pepper. Cut corn kernels from cobs. Add corn to dressing, along with cucumbers, bell pepper, jicama, radishes, red onion and cilantro. Stir, cover and chill for 30 minutes to 4 hours. Line a serving platter with large lettuce leaves; arrange tomato slices around edge, then spoon corn mixture into middle of tomatoes. Sprinkle with cilantro serve.
*Some days a simple salad is just not enough -- thus the combinations of tastes, textures, colors and nutrition of this Early Harvest Salad are sure to totally thrill the palate!
July 29
"As long as the earth endures,
seedtime and harvest,
cold and heat,
summer and winter,
day and night
will never cease."
~Genesis 8:22 (NIV)
"This I learned from the shadow of a tree,
That to and fro did sway against a wall,
Our shadow selves, our influence, may fall
Where we ourselves can never be."
~Anna Hamilton
Pasta Vinaigrette
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1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon dry mustard
8 ounces linguine
1/2 cup green pimento-stuffed olives, sliced
1/2 cup ripe black olives, sliced
4 medium tomatoes, peeled and chopped
2 ounces feta cheese, diced
2 tablespoons snipped fresh parsley
Combine olive oil, vinegar, garlic, sugar and mustard in tight-sealed container. Shake well. Chill; shake again before using. Cook noodles until tender, rise and drain well. Toss dressing, olives, tomatoes and feta cheese until all coated. Chill. Sprinkle with parsley before serving.
*Be sure to never refrigerate tomatoes, potatoes, yams, pumpkins and squashes before using. They will hold their flavors best if kept at room temperature. If you should happen to need to pick your tomatoes agree, spread out on newspapers in a cool dark room to ripen. Your can also place several into a brown paper bag and tightly roll up and they should ripen within several days. Serve with Blueberry Wild Rice Muffins, and Fresh Strawberry Pie.
July 30
"My soul can find no staircase to Heaven unless it be through Earth's loveliness."
~Michelangelo
"One small serving of a ravishing soup is infuriating. It is like seeing the Pearly Gates swing shut in one's face after one brief glimpse of heaven."
~Margorie Kinan Rawlings
Creamy Tomato Soup
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2 1/2 cups peeled, seeded and chopped ripe tomatoes
2 cups heavy cream
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon celery salt
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
Sour cream
Finely chopped basil
Herbed Croutons
Place prepared tomatoes into a blender and puree. Add the cream, clove, celery salt, curry powder, lemon juice, salt and pepper and mix until smooth. Place into a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over moderate heat. Immediately spoon the soup into bowls and top with sour cream, basil and Herbed Croutons.
*Do you have an excess of tomatoes, but not enough time to can them or use them in cooking? And heaven forbid you'd want to give them all away! Take your surplus of tomatoes, wash, dry and core them. Then toss them whole into sealing plastic bags and freeze them. When ready to use them, dip the frozen tomato in warm water for a few minutes and peel slips right off. Thaw the pulp at room temperature. and then cut, ext. Frozen tomatoes are best if used in stew, soups or sauces, such as Homemade Spaghetti Sauce.
"I do not own an inch of land, but all I see is mine."
~Lucy Lancom
July 31
"I am thinking of the onion again,
...not self righteous
Like the proletarian potato, nor a
Siren like the apple. No
Show off like the banana. But a modest,
Self-effacing
Vegetable, questioning, introspective, peeling
Itself away,
Or merely radiation halos like lake ripples."
~Erica Jong
"Tomatoes and squash never fail to reach maturity. You can spray them with acid, beat them with sticks and burn them; they love it."
~S. J. Perelman
Fresh Garden Relish
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4 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
1/4 cup sniped chives
2 cups minced red onion
1 jalapeno pepper, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
In a plastic container with tight fitting lid, combine tomatoes, green and yellow peppers, chives, onion, jalapeno pepper, salt and pepper. Toss to mix. Seal and refrigerate overnight. Toss again before serving. Offer with fresh sandwiches, such as Honey Rye Stacked Sandwich or with Garden Omelet.
*Tomatoes, onion and squashes may be hearty plants that can tolerate severe treatments, but they will thrive if given some attentive care. Mulching is one measure that can benefit all plants in your garden Be sure not to mulch too early, however, as this can stunt early growth. Wait until the first fruit sets and then cover ground with several inches of mulch, such as grass clippings, tree leaves, wood chips, etc. Mulching will help keep the soil cool and moist longer, saving on your water bill. It will also help control the weeds, thus saving you time and energy.
Recipes For The Month Of
January , February , March , April , May , June , July , August , September , October , November , December
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