Pesto

 It's pesto time!!

Our basil and parsley are

bursting in the garden!

Here's Tony's favorite recipe:

In a food processor blend:

8-10 cloves peeled garlic

2 cups fresh Basil leaves (packed)

1 cup fresh Parsley leaves (packed)

1 cup grated Romano cheese

2/3 cup walnuts

1/2 cup olive oil (plus more)

Once it's pureed in the processor I add enough olive oil so that it's creamy and smooth, but not too runny. It freezes better if it's

on the dry side.

Then I make a "log" of pesto on a long

sheet of wax paper,

and roll it up like a deli sandwich.

Finally I wrap the wax paper log in plastic wrap.

This keeps very well in my deep freeze.

When I need some pesto, I peel back the plastic wrap and cut through

the wax paper, then re-wrap easily.

Our favorite pesto dishes are pasta and pizza. I've also used pesto in meatballs and in sauce for fish.

Buon appetito!

I Beat the Heat with Roasted Veggies and Pizza on the Grill!

 It's been so hot that I haven't wanted to heat up the oven.

So I decided to make some roasted vegetables and a 

thin-crust pizza on my grill!

I used a big, heavy cast iron pan to layer some veggies.  I cut up green cabbage, snap peas, carrots, broccoli, and bell peppers.  We love cauliflower too, but didn't have any in the fridge.

I coated them with canola oil (you could use some olive oil) and then a nice sprinkling of coarse salt and pepper. Then on to the grill they went!

I pre-heated the grill to 400 degrees and stirred the veggies every 6-8 minutes.  They were done in about 20 minutes.

I made a quick pizza dough in my small food processor 

(1 1/2 cups flour, salt, yeast, water).  I let it rise once,

rolled it thin, added cheese and toppings.

I used the same heavy, cast iron pan.

After the veggies were done, I put it on the hot grill 

for about 13 minutes.

The crust browned beautifully on the hot pan.

This was a great dinner without heating up the kitchen!

Let me know what you're grilling!

Wonderful Glazed Lemon Scones

I tried a new recipe of scones from my friend Patty.
She baked some for us a while ago.

And my husband, who is not easily impressed 
with sweets, said
"I could eat these scones all day long!"

What more do you need to know?

Here's the recipe:

In a mixing bowl put:

2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
6 Tbsp soft butter
1/4 cup sugar
2 1/4 tsp baking powder

Cut the butter into the dry ingredients.

Add 1 cup dried fruit and nuts.

 (I use craisins and chopped apricots)

 Add the following wet ingredients:

3/4 cup heavy cream

2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 1/2 tsp lemon zest (or orange, lime)
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs

I didn't have a lemon so I used orange and lime juice and zest!

Gently stir to form a wet dough. Transfer onto a floured surface and

form an 8 inch circle, about

3/4 inch thick.

Brush the top with heavy cream.

 Cut into 8 wedges and place them on a baking sheet.

Bake for 20 minutes at 400 degrees until slightly golden. 

When cooled, drizzle this glaze on the scones and enjoy!

3/4 cup powdered sugar

 2 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp lemon zest

1 Tbsp milk

1 tsp melted butter

My Tucson Walk - March 2020

Just when the buzz about the virus was coming to a head, I was in Tucson, AZ, to see my new grandson, Luca Rogelio Versace.  March in Tucson is like Shangri La, a paradise of warm gentle breezes, sunshine, majestic mountains, beautiful succulents and perfect temperatures.  I enjoyed walking outside almost every day.  Here are some photos.

I saved the best for last:)

More Spring Blooms 2020

Spring blooms continue to surprise and elevate

our spirits.  Here's what's popping up in my yard: