Key Lime Pie

Summer is winding down. The days aren't quite so hot and there's a cool breeze playing with my long white drapes. The sycamores are dropping crunchy brown leaves, littering my lawn with their offerings. It's the last week of August and moms are frantically trying to prepare for those first days of school. And I even made an apple crumble the other day. 

Blueberry Muffins or A Morning on a Lake in Maine

It was early morning when my sister and I pulled on our jeans and flannel shirts and snuck out the back door, taking care not to wake the sleepers on the porch. The day before had been chilly and windy, making the lake choppy and unfit for boating. But this morning my eyes had flown open with the realization that I could not hear the breaking of waves on the rocky shoreline. The lake was still. 

How To: Lemonade

Is there anything as refreshing as lemonade on a hot summer day? 

Bruschetta

We attempted a very small garden this year. Just a cherry tomato, a few pepper plants and some herbs. However, looking at my small plot of earth you don't even notice the little pepper plants and ground-hugging herbs. The tomato has completely taken over. It's almost comical. These minuscule tomatoes growing on this gargantuan plant. It has scrambled over the edges of the cage, reaching long with its branches. It has spilled over onto the sidewalk and is creeping up my back steps. The other plants are hidden in a kind of tomato bower, probably feeling smothered and wondering if the sun will ever shine again. 

Chicken and Basil Cream

Every home has a gathering place. For some it's the den or family room, all gathered around, watching sports or playing games. For some it's a spot on the porch or patio, sipping lemonade while kids splash in the pool or roasting marshmallows around an open fire. For our family, in the home I grew up in, it's the kitchen.