On the calendar, summer is moving into fall. On the thermometer, not so much. Theoretically, we are all ready for soups and stews and pumpkin everything. But really? It’s still over 90 degrees outside here. So a hearty cold meal is still very much welcome, but one with some substance and depth. I turn here to my new favorite easy entertaining option – the platter salad. With … [Read more...] about Lyonnaise Style Platter Salad
green beans
Greek Style Green Bean Salad
Every year, I look forward with great anticipation to the Memphis Greek Festival. I go as soon as it opens and stock up on frozen spanikopita, delight at the flaming cheese saganaki and pig out on the cookies and pastries made by the ladies of the church. And it always gets me thinking about Greek recipes. I’ve only been to Greece once, many years ago, with friends on a budget … [Read more...] about Greek Style Green Bean Salad
Roasted Green Beans and Peppers with Garlic
Every summer, I wait until the green beans at the farmers market look really plump and delicious, then I buy a big batch to take home, blanch and freeze. These are my Thanksgiving beans, for a traditional casserole or a simple steamed platter. I impress myself with my forward thinking ways. But sometimes I go overboard at the farmers market when everything is so fresh and ripe, … [Read more...] about Roasted Green Beans and Peppers with Garlic
Wash Day Green Beans
Wash day beans are an old tradition, one that has taken on many forms in many places. The story goes that laundry day was once a week, usually a Monday, back when doing the wash meant heating up vats of water on an old wood stove to dump in the wash tub, then scrubbing the clothes by hand on that old washboard. The practical housewife was not likely to plan an elaborate meal … [Read more...] about Wash Day Green Beans
Summer Bounty and a Recipe for Dilly Beans
Summer food for me is all about bounty. There is so much fresh, healthy food available, I worry about how I can enjoy as much as possible more than the idea that I might not have access to it at all. I cook fresh meals for myself, and spend a lot of time putting things up for winter, like these simple Dilly Beans. Not because I have to, but because I want to. Sometimes I … [Read more...] about Summer Bounty and a Recipe for Dilly Beans
