I Just Want to Celebrate, Another Day of Living

Shrimp and Sausage Tacos with Pineapple Salsa

I can't say enough about summer tacos.  To me they are the epitome of happiness.  Colorful, joyful pockets packed with vibrant flavor sensations.  There are not many roads where cheese and shrimp go together, but magically they do on a crisped tortilla.  When you add an invigorating pineapple jalapeno salsa and your homemade hot sauce, lettuce, onions...well I think we can all agree, your life just improved exponentially. 

The lunch meal was a grilled ham, cheese and tomato from Mike's Coffee Shop with fries.  Cheap, satisfying and the right amount of food for the price.

Runnin' with the Devil

Homespun Breakfast

It only takes eating out a couple times to crave your own food.  I mean, it's the devil you know at least. You control the salt and fat intake.  I actually enjoy making breakfast because it's so fast and you can be creative on the spot.  Also it's the best time to use up bits and pieces of whatever because anything tastes great with or in an egg.  Or just plain creamy scrambled is also wondrous. 

The cherry tomatoes this year were on fire with tangy sweetness.  Tossed around with lime, cilantro, avocado and salt, they become a cool, delicious relish to add into every bite.  

I'm Taking You Down On the Inside!

This is my Layered Taco Salad

Refried beans, saucy ground beef, ranched-up yogurt, lettuce, tomato, onions, cheddar cheese, cilantro and pickled jalapenos.  All in a pretty bowl, makes it nice to dive in and scoop up a heaping portion and eat with chips.  

Back to Mike's Coffee Shop for breakfast for P and burger for me.  Fries with breakfast is a New York thing that I don't mind.  

Can I say, highly enjoyable burger!!!!

One More Cup of Coffee 'fore I Go

Wendy's Mock Skinny Shake

Highly enjoyable 

Creamier than you'd imagine

A new bakery opened up that makes fresh baked pizza slices. They put them in these pretty cake boxes.  They did have a next level taste, the crust was delicate, crispy and the right amount of chew. Delicious samplings but for the money, I think we'll stick with Not Ray's on the regular but can't wait to try their baked goods and get these for special occasions.

Dead fake flowers planted in a yard

This building gives year-round creeps.  Piano Lessons for your child?  No thanks!

After years of not, we finally hauled our asses to one of the last coffee shops in the vicinity and it did not disappoint.  Mike's Coffee Shop is that old fashioned diner with prices to match.  Older male waiters and food that comes out almost faster than you can order it.  There must be 20 guys working in that tiny place, plus a female cashier.  Needless to say, the service is efficient, the coffee is hot, and the vibe is perfect.

Cause It's the Heat of the Moment

Another Hot Sauce Chicken 

This time, due to the high heat of summer, I braised my bird stove top and served it saucy style, over cheesy polenta.  I added a bag of those mini sweet peppers.  Unlike bell peppers, these delicate beauties add a nice smokiness to the sauce. 

Asparagus steamed with green and French Fried onions

Gigantic, a Big Big Love

Fried Pork Chop, Poached Eggs over Toast and Hash Browns

I'm a huge fan of a giant biggie girl breakfast as the main or only meal of the day.  It's easy to forget about thin pork chops as an option but I'm here to report they work quite nicely.  They cook up quickly and respond well to a simple s&p or a marinade.

The Time Has Come For Me to Break Out of this Shell

I hauled my husband inside the Deniz Turkish Restaurant across the street instead of getting take-out as usual and it was delightful! The male waiters were attentive, helpful and the furnishings were gorgeous.  It's not so hard to get dressed and sit in a real place.  In fact, the experience becomes richer and oftentimes the food is better.  The mental experiment they called the lockdown really did a long-lasting number on my social anxiety but I'm slowing pulling out of it.

I had the MENEMEN: Turkish style scrambled eggs, chopped onion, tomato and sliced green peppers. This was creamy and tangy both.  Love it!

P ordered the: GYRO & EGGS Any style two eggs and lamb gyro, served with spinach tarator and shepherd salad.

The lamb was succulent and I instantly wanted to change my order, although mine was delicious. 

Later at the homestead, made a fall-off-the-bone simple baked chicken, seasoned only with salt and black pepper. 

Baby Take Your Time, Do it Right

Baked Lettuce Cheese Burgers with roasted potatoes

If you do them right, which I didn't, you can get these tiny potatoes to be slightly crispy on the outside yet still soft in the center.  The key is to smash them before they're finished baking and crank the heat to 450 for the final ten minutes.  Then a healthy dusting of sea salt and black pepper.  I've done it before correctly so not sure why I make these types of mistakes after learning.  I blame everything on COVID but I think I might have some form of late blooming cooking dyslexia...among other things.   Because girl, how many times do I have to make lettuce burgers shaped in a way that's almost impossible to pick them up??

Precious Friend, With You I'll Always Have a Friend

A new addition to the Sheetpan Dinner Lineup

Baked Meatballs with spiced Chickpeas, peppers and tomatoes, mushrooms.  This is excellent over white rice or your choice of grain.  I cannot ever say enough about how sheet pan dinners and one pot meals have changed my life and saved me, culinarily speaking that is.  Cooking, post pandemic and post all the world craziness somehow evolved into a new process.  It's just as important, maybe more, but it has to be easier, less work, not so precious.  Creativity is that much more involved and certainly time is always of the essence. 

Sausage added to leftovers the next day over toasted quinoa

I'm Burnin' I'm Burnin' For You

Shish Kebabs in the broiler....
Because some people do not have the luxury of a grill or back yard and are forced to light their broiler in 1000 degree weather just to taste summer in the manner that it was intended. 

Sacrifices must be made for worthwhile causes.  You would think these would be a very easy summer dish but something about cutting the pieces and skewering them individually feels time consuming in the way that translates to work.  For that reason, I do these once a year at the most. 

Feed My Frankenstein

A big steak and asparagus and spinach with mushrooms

Clearly feeling the need for some protein and iron.  Honk if you're part wolf, part vampire.