4th of July Roll Out Part One

 

Mini Lemon Mousse Tarts

Cook’s notes: Add these tiny tarts to your 4th of July buffet table. They're easy to make thanks to purchased phyllo shells. The recipe makes 30 and could alternate blueberries with raspberries for garnish.
Ingredients:

• 1-1/4 cups heavy cream, liquid
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 2 oz. softened light or regular cream cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 4 tablespoons prepared jarred Lemon Curd (found in the jelly aisle)
• 2 tablespoons lemon zest
• Garnish, raspberries or blueberries
• 1/3 cup each toasted coconut and almonds
• 2 boxes Mini Phyllo Pastry Shells

Directions:

• In a small bowl, beat softened cream cheese, vanilla, powdered sugar, lemon zest, and lemon curd.
• Whip cream and fold into cream cheese mixture until well blended.
• Refrigerate until serving.
• Mix coconut and almonds together.
• Fill mini pastry shells with lemon mousse filling, sprinkle with coconut/almond mixture, and top with a raspberry. Serve immediately.

Fresh Berry Feta Spinach Salad with Creamy Poppy Seed Dressing

https://carlsbadcravings.com/berry-feta-spinach-salad-with-creamy-strawberry-poppy-seed-dressing/

30 Refreshing 4th of July Drinks That Are Perfect for the Summer Heat
These patriotic cocktails and mocktails are perfect to celebrate America’s birthday!

 Watermelon Wine Cooler

https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/food-recipes/g4316/fourth-of-july-drinks/?slide=1

4th of July Charcuterie Board

Loaded with lots of possibilities to include:
Ingredients 

• Strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries.
• Favorite crackers, flatbread crackers with rosemary.
• Boursin cheese.
• Jarlsberg cheese dip + Jarlsberg cheese.
• Brie cheese.
• Cured meats.
• Blue corn chips
• Picco de gallo.

Cherry Pie

https://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2015/06/road-trip-to-eau-claire-michigan-for.html 

Taco Nachos

https://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2018/07/4th-of-july-party-foods.html

Rolled Pretzels with Sprinkles

White Chocolate Covered Pretzels 

Use high-quality white chocolate melting wafers and follow the manufacturer's directions.

Part Two BBQ Ideas and Sides

Caprese Salad

I go to nature to be soothed and healed and to have my senses put in tune once more.  John Burroughs

Paddling the backwaters

Caprese Salad

Cook's notes:

Easy fresh seasonal summer salad, the perfect side for your next grilled meal. If making ahead of time, prep all of the ingredients and dressing up to 24 hours in advance, then mix salad with enough dressing to moisten the salad and chill for one hour. 

Some suggested add-ins include: diced cucumbers and pepperoni slices.

Salad Ingredients

• 1-pint cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
• 2 cups dried pasta such as orecchiette, fusilli, or medium shells, cooked al dente and drained
• 1/3 cup diced red onion
• 1 cup of mozzarella balls (found in the deli section) 
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil

Dressing Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup good quality dark balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano or thyme and 1/4 teaspoon parsley
• 1-1/2 teaspoons of Dijon mustard 
• 1-1/2 teaspoons of honey
• 1 garlic clove

Directions:

• Halve tomatoes and mozzarella balls and place in a large bowl. Add cooked pasta, red onions, and freshly chopped basil.
• In a blender mix dressing ingredients.
• Pour enough dressing over salad ingredients to moisten. Save reserved dressing if needed for next-day serving. Chill 1-2 hours before serving. 
  
  Caprese Salad-individual serving plated with add-ins diced cucumbers and red onions. 

Today's Fun Discovery-Unique Bench in Pequot Lakes, MN

Weekend Sundae Funday Treat

Make Your Sunday Shine with an Ice Cream Treat

Ice-cream Sandwiches

Cook's Notes

This idea requires some preplanning but the possibilities are limitless with the kinds of ice cream, cookies, and sprinkles used. A refreshing dessert that's sure to please all palates. Bonus-only 3 ingredients are needed and can be made ahead!

Lime Coconut Ice-Cream Sandwich
Ingredients:

• Cookies homemade or store-bought (I used Tate Lime Coconut Cookies)
• Vanilla Ice Cream, 1 quart
• Sprinkles

Directions:

• Soften ice cream and spread out in a 8 x 8 glass pan. 
• Cover with foil and return to freezer to harden.

.

• Use a glass jelly jar cover or a biscuit cutter to create a round ice cream circle. The circle should be a little smaller than the cookie used. I found packaged cookies by Tate the perfect choice. They are crisp, hold their shape well, and are just the right size.

• Place cookie on a plate, top with an ice cream circle, and top with another cookie. Add sprinkles to the side because

• Wrap each sandwich in wax paper and rewrap with foil and return to the freezer to harden before serving.

Heath Bar Caramel Sundae

Cook's Notes: Only 4 ingredients are needed with limitless possibilities depending on ice cream choice, topping, and type of candy bar. 

Ingredients:

• Waffle bowl
• Vanilla Ice cream
• Caramel topping
• Heath Candy Bar, crushed

Directions: 

• Scoop ice cream into a waffle bowl.  
• Sprinkle with broken pieces of the candy bar and drizzle with a prepared caramel sauce.

Other similar treats 

https://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2020/05/memorial-day-treats-part-one.html

Roxie makes her summer return on CTY RD 5 in Hackensack as a traffic engineer.

Grilled Chicken Pasta Salad

Swarms of dragonflies rush here, there, and everywhere these past June days.

One even stopped for a photo op.  

Grilled Chicken Pasta Salad-perfect for those June evenings when too warm to cook. It's a twist on the classic Caesar Salad and a tasty summer side for your next BBQ or potluck. The salad is best enjoyed the day it's made. 

The salad ingredients can easily be increased depending on how many servings you need. The Buttermilk Caesar Dressing in this recipe is enough for 4 salads. Another option is to buy your favorite caesar dressing. 

Ingredients:

• 2 chicken breasts, grilled and sliced thinly
• Cooked and drained rotini/fusilli pasta

• Shredded romaine lettuce
• Cherry tomatoes sliced and drained
• Chopped red onion
• Diced cucumbers
• Grated Parmesan cheese about 2/3 cup  
• Optional drained capers
• Freshly cracked black pepper
• Croutons

Directions:

• Grill chicken and cook pasta.
• In a large bowl mix shredded romaine, tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, Parmesan cheese, capers if using, cooked pasta, and chicken slices. 
• Mix well and sprinkle with cracked pepper. Chill for an hour before serving. 

Homemade Buttermilk Caesar Dressing

Cook's Notes: The recipe makes 3/4 cup enough for one salad to serve 4.

• 1/3 cup buttermilk
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons light mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire 
• Optional 3 anchovy fillets, rinsed and minced
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

• In a blender mix the first 7 ingredients. 
• Slowly add olive oil and Parmesan cheese in and mix well. 
• Salt and pepper to taste. 

Lemon Strawberry Shortcake Cake

 “Summer has a flavor like no other. Always fresh and simmered in sunshine” 

Oprah Winfrey

A fancy umbrella to keep the sun off of you while strolling among a field of poppies.

Lemon Strawberry Shortcake Cake
A simple delicious cake that bursts with fresh strawberries and a splash of lemon. While this isn’t a shortcake in the traditional sense, it's reminiscent of a strawberry shortcake with its flavors
The recipe serves 8 and was adapted from bakeorbreak.com
Cook's Notes: The cake is best served within 24 hours of baking. Keep it lightly covered with a sheet of wax paper as the bottom of the cake is moist with the addition of strawberries. A whipped cream topping dotted with more fresh strawberries takes the dessert to a whole new level.
Cooking Tip:
Use a light-colored pan. Dark pans have a tendency to get hotter in the oven, over-baking the exterior of your cake before the inside is done.

Ingredients: 

• 1-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg
• 2/3 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup sliced fresh strawberries

For the Topping

• 1 cup sliced fresh strawberries
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
• Optional 1 teaspoon Amaretto (liqueur)

Cake Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9-inch round baking pan.
• In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
• Mix together the egg, buttermilk, butter, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla. Slowly add to the flour mixture, mixing just until moistened. Gently fold in the strawberries.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake 19-20 minutes, or until a pick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
• Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Then, remove the cake from the pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
  

Topping Directions:

• Place the cream and confectioners' sugar in a large bowl. Beat until soft peaks form.
• Spread the whipped cream on top of the cake, adding drained strawberries, and keep the cake refrigerated until serving. Another option would be to add a dollop of the topping to each serving.

The cake pairs well with a recent stir fry chicken dinner posted.

https://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2022/06/honey-sesame-chicken-and-broccoli.html

 

Honey-Sesame Chicken and Broccoli

BEAT THE HEAT 

A Stir Fry Dinner made stove-top-no oven heat needed.

 Honey Sesame Chicken with Broccoli

Cook's Notes: This recipe can be stir-fried in a skillet or in a wok. I used stir fry noodles at the end of the cooking time but rice is another option.  If want more "heat" amp up the Sriracha

The recipe serves 4 and was adapted from Cuisine at Home Spring 2022

Ingredients:

• 3/4 lb. chicken breasts, cut into 2-inch chunks
• 2 cups broccoli florets
• 1/3 cup diced green onions
• 3/4 cup each diced mini red and yellow peppers, and mushrooms (white button) 
• Optional 3/4 cup diced carrots
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
• Stir fry noodles (cook according to package directions) 1/4 of a 12 oz package  

Sauce Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup orange juice
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1-1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
•  1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon ketchup
• 1-1/2 teaspoons Sriracha sauce 
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil, divided
• 1-1/2 teaspoons cornstarch 

Directions:

• In a skillet or wok heat the pan with 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil 
• Mix the rest of the sauce ingredients and set them aside.
• In a skillet or wok heat the pan with 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil 
• Saute chicken, garlic, mushrooms, and peppers on medium-low heat until the chicken is cooked.  
• Add sauce and cook the chicken mixture until coated and syrupy. Add broccoli and sesame seeds. Cook 4 minutes longer. If adding in cooked stir fry noodles add in at this step and cook 2 minutes longer. Otherwise serve the chicken mixture over rice. 
  

with these treats- a link below to recipe photos

https://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2019/07/i-scream-you-scream-we-all-scream-for.html

Book Review Hardland

 
Award-winning author Ashley Sweeney's newest book “Hardland” is a stunner. The reader is swept right into the story of Ruby Fortune, once billed as Girl Wonder on the Wild West Circuit. The story is written in a bold and straightforward narrative. Ruby Fortune's saga begins in her hometown of Jericho, a fictional mining town in Arizona Territory north of Tucson in 1899. The time period is well researched with authentic details. Crisp, descriptive sentences filled with rich sensory details of the Arizona Sonoran Desert and its harsh landscape are a takeaway for the reader. Sweeney carefully inserted backstories whenever needed for readers to understand motives and past experiences. The well-crafted story moves at a good pace keeping me engaged and wanting more. I was able to finish the book in one day. It's the kind of historical fiction I enjoy, one that's firmly grounded in the past but still feels like it resonates today with its powerful messages.

As a mother with four children, Ruby has been in an abusive relationship with Willie Fortune for years. She is pushed to the brink by his physical and verbal abuse. If navigating the hardships of frontier life weren't enough, Ruby struggles against thinly disguised misogyny, societal norms, and economic challenges. And she is a force to be reckoned with. Upon witnessing Willie's abuse of the children, Ruby takes it upon herself to confront him possibly endangering her life. She begins to see clearly one bullet as a way out. She knows what she needs to do for survival carving out a life for herself and her sons. She begins by opening up a roadside inn to make ends meet. I enjoyed the development of the character Wink who added a new dimension to the storyline. He was a free-spirited poet whose recitation of Shakespearean quotes showed the timeless appeal of these literary gems in daily life. Wink acts as a catalyst in the storyline by reaching out to Sam, who was traumatized by witnessing his father's death.

Ruby's story is a testimonial to human endurance, resilience, and love. She embodies the tough spirit of millions of women who have found their voices giving them the courage to speak up about abusive relationships and making them stronger. It's interesting to note physical, sexual, verbal/emotional, and mental/psychological abuses are themes not usually dealt with in western literature during this time period. Sweeney brings these themes to the forefront with her “Hardland” storyline. She gives them a voice. It's a very discussable book and would be a perfect choice for a book club discussion.

ALL ABOUT THE AUTHOR 

Ashley E Sweeney is the award-winning author of "Eliza Waite" and "Answer Creek," both winning numerous awards including the Nancy Pearl Book Award and New Mexico-Arizona Book Award. Hardland is her third novel. A native New Yorker and graduate of Wheaton College in Norton, Massachusetts, she now spends winters in Tucson and summers in the Pacific Northwest. She is at work on her fourth novel, set on the American Plains during the Great Depression. Ashley is a member of Western Writers of America, Women Writing the West, Pacific Northwest Authors Association, Arizona Authors Association, Historical Novel Society, and Story Circle Network.

Check out Sweeney's website for more details on her books and upcoming events. 

https://ashleysweeneyauthor.com/

Happy Father's Day and Happy Juneteenth Day

 

Honey Lime Chicken Skewers

The guest of honor got to pick his meal. The following recipes are his choices for the day. Honey Lime Chicken Skewers are a new recipe, the other sides listed are ones previously posted on Ever Ready site.  

Cook's notes: Use bamboo skewers, and soak sticks in water for at least 30 minutes. Serve chicken skewers over oven-baked risotto.
Recipe adapted from onceuponachef.com

Optional add-ons: peppers, pineapple chunks, red onion chunks

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon lime zest, from one lime
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice, from 2 limes
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1/2 tablespoon Sriracha sauce
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1-1/2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 2-inch chunks
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, plus a few whole sprigs for garnish
• Limes, sliced into wedges, for garnishing platter (optional)

Directions:

• In a blender, combine the soy sauce, honey, oil, lime zest, lime juice, garlic, ginger, Sriracha, and salt. Blend until completely smooth. Pour 1/2 cup of the marinade into a small bowl; cover and refrigerate until ready to serve (this will be your sauce).
• Combine the chicken and remaining marinade in a large Ziplock bag and seal tightly. Place in a bowl (in case of leakage) and marinate in the refrigerator for 4 hours.
• Remove the chicken from the marinade and thread onto skewers, folding the pieces in half if they are long and thin.
• Be sure the grill is clean, then preheat to medium heat. To grease the grill, lightly dip a wad of paper towels in vegetable oil and, using tongs, carefully rub over the grates several times until glossy and coated. Grill the chicken kebabs, covered, until golden brown and cooked through, turning skewers occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes.

Oven-Baked Risotto with Asparagus

https://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2019/03/oven-baked-garlic-parmesan-risotto-with.html

Strawberry Broccoli Salad with Poppyseed Dressing  

https://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2022/04/strawberry-broccoli-salad-with-creamy.html

Chocolate Cake with Ganache 

https://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2020/07/one-bowl-chocolate-cake-with-ganache.html

June 19 is Juneteenth Day and another day to pause-remember and celebrate! It is also called Freedom or Emancipation Day. This holiday in the United States is set aside to honor African American heritage by commemorating the announcement of the abolition of slavery in the U.S. state of Texas in 1865. It is recognized as a state holiday in 37 states of the United States. The state of Texas is widely considered the first U.S. state to begin Juneteenth celebrations. Today many states observe this holiday with barbecues, picnics, parades, family gatherings, public speeches, prayer, music, and dance.

Juneteenth is a day that stands for the dignity and equality of all citizens, regardless of race, so that all may share in the blessings of freedom that America provides.
George W. Bush, 2005