Summer Recipes

It’s officially summer. Hurray!
And a perfect time to share some of my favorite summer recipes.

Black Bean and Couscous Salad
A fellow Eire-ite turned me on to this salad years ago and I can’t get enough of it once summer hits.  It’s healthy, refreshing, and a real crowd pleaser.

Chipotle Turkey Burgers
One day I happened to overhear Oprah (on television, not in real life!) bragging about these turkey burgers. They really are the very best. The chipotle heats them up and the chutney rounds them out with sweetness. My husband would eat these 3 days a week if I let him!

Strawberry Lemonade Bars
Anyone who knows me knows I don’t believe in cooked fruit. This recipe uses strawberry jam and I can live with that! I’m thinking about whipping up a batch for my daughter’s next lemonade stand. Show her how to enhance the customer experience and build loyalty!

Champagne Sangria
There are so many great summer coolers out there, it’s hard to pick just one. But champagne sangria is simple and bubbly and festive. Cheers!

My Favorite Season

It's been a hot Summer and Fall is finally here! For most of my life, Spring was my favorite season...new beginnings, new life...but as I got older Fall seemed to push Spring to the side as my second favorite. Cool nights all snuggled under the covers, trees starting to uncover their glorious colors, gathering of firewood for burning in our wood burning stove and fireplace and our annual apple picking outing. This year it was raining when we got to the orchard (Oriole Springs Orchard in Twin Lakes, Wisconsin) so as I was contemplating of braving the weather conditions, it started raining harder and my decision was made. I'll be buying the already picked apples from inside the cute little shop that sells all sorts of good stuff like homemade cider, homemade donuts, brats, cheese curds and let's not forget Landjägers (a traditional German beef stick), my husband's favorite. The rain didn't seem to stop others from coming because the orchard and shop were packed. 

My Fall will end with our last trips to our cabin on the lake in Central Illinois (specifically Pana, Illinois).  These last trips will consist of enjoying roaring campfires, gathering neighbors for an Oktoberfest as a farewell until next Spring and of course, watching all the trees along the lake start to change. And finally, we'll close up the cabin for the winter until we return when everything is thawing out and coming back to life again. Life is good!