Musings: My Summer List

So the first half of my year has been dominated by things I must do, and I'd be kidding myself if I thought the second half of the year wasn't going to be the same. But there comes a time when all work and no play takes it's toll. So I came up with a list. But it's a different kind of list - different from my usual kinds. A list of things to look forward to, that don't necessarily all have to get done. Each item in itself would be a treat.

• Sit in front of the patio fire all night, chatting, sipping icy concoctions.
• Use fresh herbs from my newly planted herb garden in every dish I cook.
• I'm not going to follow a single recipe for an entire week - just play with food.
• Make homemade ice cream - perhaps fresh mint and chocolate chip.
• Prowl the flea markets for treasures.
• Early morning walks with our Jack Russell.
• Only buy fresh fruit and vegetables direct from growers or farmers market.
• Have casual catch ups with friends on the patio.
• Read books for fun.
• Have a weekend when nothing is planned and there is no projects to be done - maybe even two weekends?!
• If anything needs to be cooked, I'm going to cook it on the grill.
• Stop, look, watch and live in the moment.

So, what's on your summer list?

***The photo was taken at the JW Marriott Las Vegas Resort and Spa last weekend. We were fortunate to be invited to a beautiful wedding, actually it was the best wedding I've been to in a long time. It was really lovely to be able to share a special day with such special people.***

Entertaining: 4th July Party

Here's a simple, no fuss menu for your 4th July celebration. With make-ahead dishes packed with flavor, you'll be able to spend more time outside with your friends and family, not stuck in the kitchen missing out on the fun.

What to Drink

If you're looking for a quick, make-ahead cocktail to serve when guests arrive, try making refreshing White Sangrias. For wine, go with a light red such as a chianti and for a white you can't miss with an ice cold sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio. As for beer, go with your favorite but stick with lighter flavored beers versus dark heavy brews.

Tablescape Ideas

It's the 4th of July so stick with the classic red, white and blue theme. There are so many different decor products available inexpensively. If the patriotic track is not your thing, you can still use the color scheme but stick with solid colors rather than flag patterns. Take everything outside and make it simple. Use potted herbs for place markers, and then they can be given as a guest gift to take home. The green of the herbs also freshens up the red, white and blue.

Hurricane lamps filled with sand in the bottom and large pillar candles create a lovely summery atmosphere. Groups of glass jelly jars with votive candles also create a very magical light.

If you're having a large group of people around, make it picnic style - have blankets available for people to lay out on the grass, and have dinnerware and flatware grouped together in one location so guests can pick up a set and then head for the food.

For more ideas and tips about outside entertaining check out this posting.

Cooking: Compound Butter

Are you having friends over for dinner and want to do something simple but jazz it up a bit without too much effort? Or perhaps you're just tired of having the same old thing? A dab of Compound Butter might just be what you're looking for.

You may have heard of Compound Butter and not realized what it was. Basically it's a fancy name for flavored butter. Compound Butter can be flavored with a variety of things such as fresh herbs, spices, honey, and sauces such as sweet chili or soy - it really depends on what you like and what you're going to be using it for.

Here are some ways you can use Compound Butter:

• Add a dab of butter to aluminum wrapped parcels of vegetables, chicken or fish and then either cook the parcels on the grill (BBQ) or bake them in the oven.
• Add a dab to roasted or grilled meat such as beef, lamb, or chicken
• Add slices to sauces and gravies to add flavor and richness
• Top a baked potato with a dab
• Stuff thin slices between the skin and the flesh of chicken, or other poultry then cook as you normally would - it will add flavor and keep the meat moist.
• Bury a small dab of butter in the center of an uncooked hamburger patty and then cook.

Base Recipe
4 oz unsalted room temperature butter
1 teaspoon kosher salt

Kosher salt is a coarse grained sea salt with a milder taste than table salt. For more information on Salt, check our Guide to Salt posting.

Flavorings
Rosemary and Garlic - perfect for grilled beef, lamb or chicken
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
1-2 cloves finely chopped garlic
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Sweet Chili and Mint - perfect for grilled vegetables such as corn or for chicken
1 tablespoon sweet chili sauce
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint

Honey and Ginger - perfect on cooked carrots or chicken
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Put the butter, salt and flavorings in a small bowl.

Mix well with a fork until the flavorings are evenly mixed throughout the butter. Scrape the butter out of the bowl onto a piece of plastic wrap. Wrap the butter while shaping it into a fat sausage shape.

Freeze the butter for at least 1 hour or until you need it. Slice pieces off as you need them. The butter will stay fresh for up to a month in the freezer.

Quick Tips: Digital Fork Thermometers

It's surprising how sometimes an inexpensive gift can turn out to be one of the most useful and one of the most pleasing. This can be said about a Digital Fork Thermometer I gave my husband one Christmas. It wasn't the most expensive one on the market and it was almost one of those situations where I thought, "If it doesn't work, oh well", but it's probably the thing he uses most apart from the grill itself.

But why? It turns out that it has some great little features. The thermometer in the fork tines is nice but what is really convenient is the table on the back of the fork giving the different meat types and the temperatures they should be. This means you don't have to look them up in a book or have them printed out every time you're grilling - if you have the fork, you have the temperature table. The temperature screen has a built in light so you're able to read the temperature at dusk or after dark (which is very handy in our house because we always seem to be grilling late). And of course, it's a functional fork allowing you to move food around the grill without requiring a separate fork.

So if you're looking for an inexpensive gift for Dad this Father's Day, why not a Digital Fork Thermometer?

Oh, and that fork I gave him - it's still going strong after 5 years, just a few battery changes. And perfectly cooked meat every time.