I have waxed poetic about my love for fresh blackberries before, with my Tennessee Blackberry Jam Cake, and at this time of year, when the big juicy berries are all over the farmers markets, I can hardly resist. I find that I buy way more than I can consume on their own, sprinkled with a little sugar. Luckily, they are amazing in baked goods like these tender muffins. A … [Read more...] about Blackberry Orange Muffins
Summer Squash Casserole
I honed my squash cooking techniques years ago when I first started planning events for a living. I had two wonderful clients planning a big, beautiful outdoor wedding for their daughter on their sprawling, picturesque property. The father of the bride had an elaborate garden, raised, tiered beds all surrounded by a critter-proof cage. Every time I came out to meet with my … [Read more...] about Summer Squash Casserole
S’More Cookies
The iconic S’more. That memory-provoking piece of gooey, melty childhood - summer camp, the Fourth of July, beach bonfires. I am not the first to re-imagine the s’more in a slightly less drippy, sticky and potentially hazardous form, but perhaps I am the laziest. The portable, storable S’more cookies need only six ingredients, one bowl to mix and a few minutes to bake. But … [Read more...] about S’More Cookies
Fire and Ice Tomatoes
I love community cookbooks. The great and broad recipe collections gathered together by Junior Leagues, Junior Auxiliaries, symphony groups, historic homes, garden clubs. I have a large and ever-growing collection of these treasures. Some of them are quite professional nowadays, with editors and trained photographers. But I particularly love the old-school cookbooks, from … [Read more...] about Fire and Ice Tomatoes
Peaches Poached with Basil
Peaches are to me the great herald that summer has well and truly begun. Just when you start to feel the weather change from warm to downright hot and the air from breezy to thick with humidity, peaches make their appearance at markets and roadside stands. At summer camp, you could always get your hands on a peach, and biting into that juicy, fuzzy flesh, the juice dripping … [Read more...] about Peaches Poached with Basil
