The Cicada's Where Singing In The Tree Tops

I love summer nights, tunes playing on the stereo and dinner on the porch.    Ina Garden says, "when your visitors enter the music should be playing," I agree!  Stone and I danced to the beat, while waiting for our guest Leann and Kevin to arrive.  

At the sound of the door bell, Lucy quickly ran towards the door, barking (her way of saying hello).  I sometimes think Lucy assumes the visitors are here to see her.   She even wore a dress this evening. Prancing on all four legs, she lead the way to the porch for drinks and appetizers.  

It was the perfect evening as the sun was setting and the cicada's where singing in the tree tops.  We gathered around the table as I quickly lit the candles and served the main course, Individual Beef Croustades with Boursin & Mushrooms, while Stone poured the wine, 19 Crimes.   

With stomachs filled, but not to full for dessert, I served slices of Fresh Blueberry Pie, topped with fresh Stabilized Whipped Cream.  With sated stomachs, coffee was served and the evening came to an end.  

 I rarely buy flowers, trying mostly to use what is in my yard at the time.   This Monad fistulosa (bee balm or wild bergamot) blooms late in the summer and attracts numerous butterflies and bee's.

 Orange Dream Cycle Martini

Serves:1

Ingredients:

1 ounce pinnacle whipped vodka

3 ounces orange'n cream soda (or any flavor soda)

Directions:

Rim glass with sugar and add an orange slice.

Mix above and pour into glass.

Optional: top with whipping cream.

I've made this Roasted Shrimp Cocktail many times.  It's a Barefoot Contessa recipe.  Roasting the shrimp is by far the best way to prepare it for this recipe.  

 The fondest memories are made while gathered around the dinner table.

 A simple red, white and green, Italian salad, the Caprese Salad, the colors was made to resemble the Italian flag. I drizzle some Balsamic Reduction on the saucer prior to assembling.

19 Crimes

Proclamation:

EACH DECLARED BY HIS MAJESTY to be punishable on Conviction by Transportation.

NINETEEN CRIMES turned criminals into colonists.  Upon conviction, British rogues, guilty of at least one of the 19 crimes, were sentenced to live in Australia, rather than death.  This punishment by "transportation" began in 1788, and many of the lawless died at sea.  For the rough-hewn prisoners who made it to shore, a new world awaited.

As pioneers in a frontier penal colony, they forged a new country and new lives, brick by brick.

This wine celebrates the rules they broke and the culture they built.

Crime #13-Assaulting, cutting, or burning clothes.

It's Only A Game Until You Loose

Mexican Chicken and Rice Salad

Serves: 6

Salad Ingredients:

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

2 Chicken Breast, cut into small pieces

1 1/2 cups cooked rice

1 cup cherry tomatoes, each cut in half

1 cup frozen corn
1 green bell pepper, cut into small pieces

1 cup black beans, that have been drained

6 green onions, chopped

1 cup queso euro, shredded or any kind of cheese you prefer.

1/2 cup cilantro, chopped (I used half a bunch)

1 package (about 3 Tablespoons) taco seasoning

avocado (optional)

Dressing Ingredients:

Juice from 1 lemon (about 1/4 c.)

Juice from 1 lime (about 1/4 c.)

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

salt and pepper to taste

Salad Directions:

1.  Place chicken and taco seasoning in a plastic bag and shake until completely covered. 

2.  Heat olive oil in a non-stick skillet over medium high heat.   

3.  Add chicken to skillet and cook for about 10 minutes until cooked through and starts to slightly brown.  Remove chicken from skillet.

4.  To the same skillet, add the corn and cook over high heat just until it starts to char a little bit, no more that 2 minutes.

5.  Add all of salad ingredients to a large bowl, season with salt and pepper.  Mix up the dressing by shaking all but the salt and pepper together and pour over salad and mix well.  

6.  Store in refrigerator until ready to eat.  Good for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.  Recipe adapted from: http://www.jocooks.com/salads/mexican-chicken-and-rice-salad/

If you use avocado I would put it on each persons salad when you are ready to eat since they tend to turn brown.

This is really good served with Hint Of Lime Tostitos

Dinner And Mahjong At The Pool

 If you've had a good time playing the game, you're even a winner if you loose.  ~ Malcolm Forbes

Hmmm, that means we all where winners!

Helen-Mary-Lori-Me

Fresh Blueberry Pie

Makes one 9-inch pie

Pie Ingredients:

4 cups (2 pints) fresh blueberry 

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup tapioca flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons grated lemon rind (about 1 lemon)

1/4 teaspoons ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3 Tablespoons butter 

milk or cream

sanding sugar

1 double crust pie pastry

Pie Instructions:

1. Wash blueberries; drain well; place in a large bowl.  Sprinkle with sugar, flour, salt, lemon rind, cloves, cinnamon; toss to mix.  Preheat oven to 425'.

2.  Roll out half the pastry to a 13" round; fit into a 9" pie plate.  Spoon blueberry mixture into bottom crust; top with butter.  Roll remaining pastry to a 12-inch round; cut slits in top for steam to escape.  Cover pie; trim overhang to 1-inch.  Pinch edges together; flute to make a stand-up edge.  Brush crust with milk or cream; sprinkle with sanding sugar.

3. Bake in a preheated hot oven (425') for 15 minutes on the lowest rack on top of a baking stone if you have one; lower heat to moderate (350') move pie to the 4th rack; If edges for browning to much place a foil collar on it.  Continue baking 35 minutes or until pastry is golden and juices bubble.  Cool at least 1 hour on wire rack.

I assemble these pies ahead and freeze.  To bake I place the frozen pie on a baking rack on the lowest oven rack in a preheated 425' oven for 15 minutes.  Then I move the pie along with the baking rack up to the 4 th rack, lower the temp to 350' and bake for 1hr. & 30 minutes.