Hi Ina! XO, Christine

My sister Maggie is in the Hamptons doing an internship for the website guestofaguest.com, a guide to what's happening in the area and local news regarding all that is fabulous about the Hamptons.  She is covering a charity event on Saturday hosted by the Barefoot Contessa herself!  I can't wait to hear all about it!

tomato and goat cheese tart and roasted vegetables

What a delicious summer dinner this was!  The roasted vegetables were perfect; sweet, smokey, with a hint of garlic.  The tart is definitely something I'll make again!  It looks so special, but was so easy to make.  You use a puff pastry and fill the middle with some sauteed onions and herbs topped with tomato and goat cheese.  My friend Molly loved it as well!

  

Flag Cake! (and two more...)

flag cake

This was so exciting to make!  Finally!  I've been waiting for a patriotic holiday for almost a year for a chance to make this, and it was as fun as I had imagined it would be.  I finally bought a piping bag and little star tip and practiced my skills on the countertop before doing it on the cake.  Such a blast that piping bag!  I used an entire stick less of butter than the recipe called for, and I could still taste plenty of that butter goodness.  I brought it to a friend's barbecue and it became the centerpiece of the table!  Good times.

  

mussels in white wine

Alright, so I've definitely made this many times before, but I've always used a recipe from the Williams-Sonoma Bride & Groom Cookbook. So I had to give Ina's a try! Delicious! Of course. 

bibb salad with basil green goddess dressing

What? Yes, that's actually the title - 7 words. But boy is it tasty!! The dressing has mayo, basil, scallions, lemon juice and, shhhhh, anchovy paste. 

Memorial Day Weekend!

You know you're going to grill something this weekend.  Here're some items that will have you getting your Memorial Day Barbecue on - rain or shine!

tomato fennel salad

Mac did not like this.  I liked it, but certain things were off.  Mainly, the tomatoes were mealy, yuck.  The fennel was thinly sliced and gave a fun crunch to the salad.  The dressing was the best part, with orange juice, zest, and apple cider vinegar. 

greek panzanella salad 

This is so delicious! Staple summer salad. Choose a yummy french bread to cut up in cubes, toast it, and mix with all the veggies and dressing. So easy. This recipe is from the Parties! book.  

grilled salmon sandwiches

Here's another awesome one! I love salmon, and making it into a sandwich is so fun!  The dressing has lots of great players like white wine vinegar, capers, dill, scallions, and basil.

More to come!  Enjoy the weekend!