Meals for Fourth of July, Memorial Day, and Labor Day
Balsamic Pesto Tomato Sauce
The taste of marinara sauce made with fresh tomatoes is divine. Finding the time to peel and seed the required tomatoes can be enough to make you buy a jar! I decided to try a new approach which eliminated these tedious steps. The first time I made this, I turned around and bought more tomatoes…
Summer Salad with Honey Lime Chicken and Creamy Poppy Seed Dressing
A hearty salad with lots of flavor and texture is my idea of a fabulous dinner. What’s more, this type of dinner can be healthy and light yet altogether satisfying. Preparing your own dressing in advance plays a big role in making this meal delicious. The addition of Greek yogurt is a natural way to…
Hot Fudge Peanut Butter Ice Cream Pie
The winning combination of peanut butter and chocolate make this ice cream pie an instant crowdpleaser. Salted cashews, a drizzle of honey and make-ahead convenience add to the allure! When I come across a recipe that is tattered and food-splattered, I know it must be good! This ice cream pie recipe is one of…
Grilled Steak Salad
Leftover steak makes quick work of these satisfying dinner salads, which are easy to customize with a variety of refrigerator and pantry staples. One of my go-to “fast food” meals is this grilled steak salad. Typically, I use leftover flank or flatiron steak, purchased from a grass-fed beef stand at our local farmers market. Recently,…
Gorgonzola Tomato Salad
Prepare this flavorful dressing ahead and you will have a delicious salad ready in a flash. Perfect as a dip or as a salsa over grilled steak or chicken, I also like using this dressing on Grilled Romaine and Prosciutto Salads. The use of Greek yogurt allows for a thick, delicious option to your favorite…
Almond Crust (Gluten-Free Pie Crust)
Graham cracker crusts can be a crunchy, delicious part of an ice cream or pudding pie. But if you are gluten-intolerant, a graham crust can make those desserts off limits. For my father’s recent birthday, I created a version he could enjoy using almond meal. I think my kids loved the nutty, crunchy crust even…
Apricot Ginger Shrimp Kabobs
Tender shrimp with Asian-inspired flavor is easy to prepare, quick to cook, and makes a popular appetizer or entree. At a cookout years ago, my friend Judy dished up grilled shrimp that was absolutely delicious: light tasting and tender with just a hint of sweetness. I jotted down the recipe, which was mayonnaise-based…
Whole Grain White Chocolate Zucchini Bread
We grow zucchini in our garden and, inevitably, we end up with more than we can use. One day, there may be two zucchini which are a bit too small to pick. The next thing you know, there are five the size of rolling pins! I often use the extra large zucchini for baking. While…
Honey Ginger Tomato Salad
Don’t you love it when a friend shares a favorite recipe, or when you come across an idea for a flavor combination that you had never before thought of? Well, Beth, a friend of The Fountain Avenue Kitchen, did both! The pairing of honey and ginger with the sweet tomato grapes is truly delicious, and…
Garden Pesto Grilled Pizza (with a family favorite recipe for grilled pizza dough)
A layer of pesto under some fresh mozzarrella makes a simple pizza taste extra special. I love to use my Asiago Pesto Spread and add whatever I happen to have on hand. In this case, it was a few dabs of leftover Summer Tomato and Leek Sauce and Parmesan Zucchini Bites. You may…
Summer Tomato and Leek Sauce
A simple, summer sauce is the perfect way to enjoy a bounty of vine-ripened tomatoes and works beautifully as a light pasta or pizza sauce or as a flavorful topping for chicken or fish. My original plan for this sauce was to use red onion, until I saw some baby leeks at market. Leeks provide…
Balsamic Dijon Grilled Vegetables
In my book, grilled veggies are fabulous for so many reasons. First and foremost, they taste great. But also, they are easy to prepare and need nothing more than a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper. However, they can be fancied up with any number of marinades and herbs. Vegetables can be grilled in…
