Sunday, May 24, 2009

OUTDOOR CELEBRATIONS

Outdoor Celebrations

Summer is here and with the warmer weather comes outdoor entertaining. Here are some great recipes to make your parties fun and delicious. Great do ahead recipes for a colorful and flavorful way to entertain !


Blue cheese Coleslaw

2 cups coleslaw mix } combine in a bowl & toss with dressing
1 cup shredded carrots }
1 cup shredded purple cabbage }

1 cup Hellman mayo } whisk together & gently toss with cabbage
2 Tbsp grain mustard } mixture and crumbled blue cheese
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar }
1 tsp celery seeds }
Salt & pepper }
1 cup crumbled blue cheese


Greek Pasta Salad

1 LB of pasta cooked , drained & cool
1 cup grape tomatoes
3 cucumbers , peel , seed & dice
1 red onion diced
1/2 cup feta crumbles
1/2 cup imported black olives

Dressing

6 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 Tbs. lemon juice
1 tsp dried oregano
Salt & pepper

~combine ingredients for dressing and toss with pasta & veggies

Friday, May 15, 2009

T~Ball




My life is a little different now that I have 5 grandsons ...my house is full of baskets and boxes of toys.. Tractor Trailers.. Dump Trucks... Firetrucks .. Monster Trucks .. Race Cars .. small cars .big cars .. you name it- any type of transportation there is ~ I have .My past interest in sports has been only that .. an interest in passing .. but now we watch Hockey ,Baseball, Basketball, Nascar~ ( always loved that ) I now know the names & scores of all of these teams ..

Hundreds of wiffle balls litter my back yard .. I have about 8 plastic bats along with a orange cone that we use as a batting T... so we can practice when the weather is nice .. with the arrival of spring comes softball or T-Ball season .. so we are off to watch these little guys play T- ball .. it is so much fun .. some of these kids are no higher than my hip and the bat is bigger than them ! they hit the ball and run to 3rd instead of 1st .. they are in the field playing with the dirt instead of watching the ball .. but not Christopher ... he is Ryan Howard at bat .. pointing to the sky where he wants to hit the ball .. nodding his head at us when we wave and shout .. he is serious .. and he is all business on the field .. 5 years old and he plays like a professional on the Phillies Team !
The Defenders !!! we shout and wave .. scream encouragement and buy $1 hot dogs for dinner !
Sports are a wonderful way for kids & parents to enjoy themselves .. .. there are about 5 playing fields where we go and everyone of them is full with kids .. playing ball , laughing and having fun .. along with their parents and grandparents .. it is a fun place to be ! For the whole family !!

MOTHERS DAY LUNCH













Every year we celebrate Mother's Day in my garden ! with mouthwatering food .. great music and the company of someone special .. we get together to enjoy this special occasion. This has been an on~ going tradition for the past 10 years ..Family , neighbors ,friends & clients gather together to celebrate that someone special in their lives .. After almost two weeks of rain the sun was shining and the breeze was blowing .. it was a fabulous sunny day .. tables set with wild flowers filled the yard ..The promise of a delicious lunch shared with friends , laughter and happiness for a beautiful day .. it was a day to celebrate.. a day to relax and enjoy.. a day to be in the company of loving and caring women ! I hope you enjoyed your Mother's day too !

SHOPPING WITH SUSAN





This is a trip we take every Spring .. when the weather is warming and our thoughts turn to cooking and family celebrations .." Shopping with Susan" .. that's me ! is a fun day !

We start off here at my house around 9 in the morning .. we climb into a roomy van .. with my husband Clint as our driver and we're off !! We make several stops and they are all place where I buy my ingredients for catering and for my cooking classes as well as food for my family .. you get to shop where I shop .. small family owned businesses where everyone is friendly and the food is phenomenal .. service is above and beyond and freshness is a requirement .

These wonderful shop owners are waiting for us.. Prosciutto .. cheeses , olives breads .. in our first stop with just filled cannolis ready for us to taste .. on to the pasta store .. we get a tour of how fresh pasta is made ... filling ravioli right before our eyes and we buy them right off the press ! Then onto the butcher .. a small store run by a father and son .. they do so much business that it is double park heaven .. a South Philly thing ! .. meats cut and trimmed right before your eyes .. ground meat to die for and steaks to make your mouth water ! Laughing and joking along with compliments to all the beautiful women put us all in a good mood as we head to our last stop .. a small little Italian import grocery store .. tucked away on a corner .. you would not even know it was there .. we are welcomed with a platter of cut imported Italian cheese and home made supersaudes& salami, fragrant olive oils and crusty Italian bread for dipping .. luscious olives and imported cakes and cookies from Italy .. Italian music plays in the background as we sample all the Goodies and load up the van with our purchases ..

We are off to Lunch .. a typical red gravy restaurant ..complete with Frank Sinatra pictures . The food is fresh and good and we relax with a glass of wine and enjoy a wonderful lunch .. reliving our day ..planing our dinners and laughing and sharing stories ..

It is a wonderful day filled with fun, food and lots of laughter .. join me in one of my day trips .. it will be an experience yo won't easily forget !