Recipe Basics and plenty of Dill. . . . . . . .

Plentiful fresh dill at the ready outside the front door!

Quite a pungent herb so use sparingly - good in soups, yogurt dressings, salads, 

especially potato salads, Havarti cheese, and of course of salmon.

My few tomato plants have not produced much this this year, however I may

 get a few Roma later - already earmarked for a nice Caprese salad - and

my generous neighbor is sharing plenty of cherry tomatoes now they are 

ripening daily in the heat and sunshine.

A basic recipe in most kitchens (especially if you've fed children!) no matter where

you cook, is of course Macaroni and Cheese. I made this dish over the weekend.

My version actually uses penne rigate, a similar short hollow pasta, but somehow

 the cheese(s) sauce clings to it much better than smooth macaroni elbows.  

Note I say cheeses, because this recipe uses not only a tasty mature English

 Cheddar, but also nutty Swiss Gruyere, and classic Italian Parmigiana Reggiano.

It's a British recipe but with strong European overtones!

It's delicious - and known as 'fit for the Queen.'

No royalty sitting at our table, in fact nobody but us these days sadly.

Hoping your week ahead will have happy moments.

We're staying busy working in the back garden still!

Rustic fruit tarts . . . . . . . . .

Sometimes I ask myself what on earth I'm doing in the kitchen on these hot

 summer days, cooking and baking, heating up the house, then sitting down to

 supper. . . . . . . whoa. . . . . . . that's what it's all about, the suppers of course!

We eat breakfast late, actually that meal is more like brunch because we

 usually skip lunch when at home. This means eager anticipation of a tasty 

supper arriving on the table around 6 pm is enjoyable. 

Afternoons in the kitchen prepping - thankfully now so cool with the new
 air conditioning system - sometimes baking, is for me much

 better than trying to sit rocking on the front porch in steamy, humid,

100 degree weather, batting off mosquitoes and other biting insects.

Often a cup of tea around 3 pm keeps us going until time for an aperitif. . . . 

these days a well-chilled glass of rosé works best!

About the baking. . . . . . . . .this was done on Sunday morning when I had a

 punnet of plumcots and some extra blueberries requiring attention.  
I love my fruits cooked rather than raw - easier to swallow and digest.

As we were heading over to visit our daughter in the afternoon, I made two

 galettes, one for us to enjoy at suppertime, and one to share with her.

If you've never baked with plumcots you should try them - I've found them 

really delicious when unable to find apricots or plums.

These turned out great - galettes/crostatas are so quick and easy to make, and

delicious to eat. 

Bon appetit!

Summer's first pesto. . . . . . . . .

For a real taste of summer, out comes the food processor (I love my

 small version which is easier to lift) and fresh pesto is made often.

It's so easy, especially when you grow your own basil and 

have several pots sitting outside the kitchen door.

They seem to make pesto from just about anything these days!

Mine is traditional Italian pesto made with basil, garlic, walnuts or pine nuts,

grated Parmigiana Reggiano cheese, a good quality extra virgin olive oil,

black pepper, and perhaps a pinch of salt at the end after taste testing.

This was my first batch made last Sunday before leaving on the trip north. 

That evening we enjoyed a little on grilled bread along with penne Gorgonzola, 
the remainder is in the freezer for when we get home. By then I should have
 plenty more basil ready to cut so I'll be making more for summer meals.

Do you grow herbs?
How about making pesto? 
You can't wrong having some on hand for veggies, pasta,
 tomato sandwiches, or adding more oil and dipping grilled bread etc.