08/15/14
IMG_0666

Summer Lobster Rolls

New England Style Lobster Rolls  |  Drawn Butter & Lemon Aioli  |  Seasoned Sweet Cucumbers  |  Potato Chips

Summer Lobster Rolls THE DINNER CONCIERGE

“I’m from Manchester~by~the~Sea, Massachusetts, so it was lobster, lobster and more lobster!”  ~ Sprague Grayden, Actress

Several years ago, while not quite newlyweds {and shortly before the children began to arrive} Michael and I bought our first home in Ipswich, Massachusetts…a small, New England seaside town just a few short miles from Manchester~by~the~Sea and the fishing towns of Gloucester, Rockport and Newburyport.  To this day, neither Michael nor I can remember how we ended up in Ipswich but there we landed, in a 100+ year old, white, farmhouse~style “fixer~upper” perched above the Ipswich River a couple of miles from Crane Beach. Continue reading «Summer Lobster Rolls»

08/6/14

August 10th, 2014 ~ Weekly Dinner Menu

Weekly-DINNER-Menu-Sign1

SUNDAY

Grilled Porterhouse Steaks  |  Roasted Green Bean & Baby Potato Salad

MONDAY

Summer Skillet Corn & Tomatoes with Basil & Orecchiette Pasta

TUESDAY

Lobster Bisque  |  Spinach Salad with Crumbled Goat Cheese & a Warm Bacon Vinaigrette

WEDNESDAY

New England~Style Lobster Rolls  |  Corn~on~the~Cob  |  Coleslaw

THURSDAY

Oven “Fried” Chicken  |  A Salad of Peaches, Mozzarella & Basil

FRIDAY

Chicken & Wild Rice Salad

Continue reading «August 10th, 2014 ~ Weekly Dinner Menu»

08/5/14
IMG_0617

Summer Skillet Corn & Tomato Salad

Intro Collage

“No matter what the variety, it is still safe to say that the fresher the corn the better.  If you don’t have a corn patch of your own, buy locally grown corn straight from the farmer ~ at a produce stand on the side of the road or at a farmer’s market.  At the market, look closely at the ears.  The ones picked most recently will have fresh looking cuts at their stems and will still look ~ and feel ~ moist, plump, green, and vibrant.  The brown silk peeping out at the top will look a little sticky.  Kernels should look shiny and healthy.  Do not panic if you see the occasional worm.  Obviously you do not want worm infested corn, but it can be reassuring to know that the farmer has not gone overboard with the pesticides.”  ~ Alice Waters, Chez Panisse Vegetables

This warm skillet salad has become a staple in our summer dinner rotation.  It is extremely easy to prepare and comes together quickly.  As with most dishes which feature just a few ingredients, the quality of the components greatly effects the final outcome.  This salad is at its very best from mid to late summer when corn and tomatoes are at their peak.  Corn, tomatoes, a few scallions, a couple of slices of organic bacon, a drizzle of good quality balsamic vinegar and a hot skillet are all that is required to pull this salad off.  It is a wonderful accompaniment to grilled meats and fish and, when substituting butter or olive oil for the bacon, makes a wonderful meatless main when tossed with some orecchiette pasta.  Any leftovers can be gently reheated in a skillet along with an egg or two for a tasty breakfast the next morning.

Continue reading «Summer Skillet Corn & Tomato Salad»

08/3/14

August 3rd, 2014 ~ Weekly Dinner Menu

Weekly-DINNER-Menu-Sign1

 

SUNDAY

Grilled Top Sirloin Steaks  |  Summer Skillet Corn & Tomato Salad  |  Cold Cucumber Chips

MONDAY

Steak Tacos with Grilled Sweet Peppers & Onions

TUESDAY

Baked Eggs with Sausage, Tomatoes & Sweet Peppers

WEDNESDAY

Sweet Asian Chili Stir~Fry with Pork, Ginger & Sweet Peaches  |  Skillet Green Beans

 

Continue reading «August 3rd, 2014 ~ Weekly Dinner Menu»

07/10/14
IMG_0488

Strawberry Shortcake

Intro Collage

“I have learned to treat each basket of really good berries I encounter as a box of fleeting, precious jewels, a treat to be enjoyed with unalloyed pleasure; no cream, sugar, or splash of Beaujolais, just the warm berry in all its scarlet glory.  That perfect fruit is a rare find, but once you chance upon it life seems, for an instant, to stand still.  Eyes closed, you are briefly lost in buttercup meadows, with bees buzzing on the heavy afternoon air…’Fragaria’ is a difficult fruit to find at its best.  But when you do, and that berry is melting on your tongue, it is as if all your summers have come at once.”  ~ Nigel Slater, Ripe

Continue reading «Strawberry Shortcake»

07/9/14
IMG_0475

Spicy Carrot Pasta Sauce

Intro Collage

“Not for me the pile of buttered carrots on the plate.  Too sweet, too orange {too bloody cheerful more like it}.  But the carrot’s place is assured in my kitchen as the bringer of earthy sweetness, a backbone vegetable on which to build layers of flavor.” ~ Nigel Slater, Tender

Continue reading «Spicy Carrot Pasta Sauce»

06/29/14

June 29th, 2014 ~ Weekly Dinner Menu

Weekly-DINNER-Menu-Sign1

SUNDAY

Grilled Korean~Style Steak  |  Spicy Cilantro Sauce  |  Sweet White Corn

MONDAY

California Steak Salad

TUESDAY

Roasted Potato & Corn Chowder  |  Tomato~Oregano Pizza

WEDNESDAY

{Best} Burgers on the Grill  |  Cucumber Spears with Lime Salt

THURSDAY

Crustless Quiche with Corn, Tomatoes, Bacon & Basil  |  Silky Zucchini Soup

FRIDAY

~  Fourth of July  Barbecue  ~

Honey Butter Grilled Chicken Thighs  |  Baby Back Ribs with Blackberry BBQ Sauce  |  Sweet Peach Salsa  | Potato Salad  |   Basil~Mint Lemonade  |  

Hidden Ice Cream Strawberry Shortcake

Continue reading «June 29th, 2014 ~ Weekly Dinner Menu»

06/27/14
IMG_0270

Zucchini Bread

Zucchini Bread with & without Chocolate Chips

Intro Collage

The summer solstice arrived last week, the Bay waters in the cove below my deck are once again dotted with the tiny sailboats bobbing with new students in the summer sailing school, warm afternoons continue to give way to cool evenings cloaked in fog, Sunday concerts in the park have begun…summer is underway.  But, despite these outward signs of a more relaxed season, our life remains intense.  The sense of relief that generally accompanies the end of the school year, as well as the downshift in the daily routine, escaped us this year.  It seemed as though as soon as Pomp & Circumstance finished playing at Maddie’s high school graduation we were knee deep into planning and preparing for her relocation to the East Coast next month.  Our days have become packed with physical exams, dentist appointments, filling out insurance forms for not only her but also for her horse, King…her companion on the next great adventure.  Normally, the reality of packing up your first~born and shipping her across country can be overwhelming in and of itself but add packing up a horse and getting him shipped roughly 3,000 miles to their new home and you have a whole new dimension in the overwhelming department. Continue reading «Zucchini Bread»

06/22/14

June 22, 2014 ~ Weekly Dinner Menu

Weekly-DINNER-Menu-Sign1

SUNDAY

Grilled Sambal Chicken Skewers  |  Strawberry, Almond & Pea Salad  |  Sweet White Corn~On~The~Cob

MONDAY

Fresh Pappardelle Pasta with Peas & Parmesan Cream  |  Fresh Strawberries & Whipped Cream

TUESDAY

Chicken Salad {with Grapes & Celery} Sandwiches  |  Truffled Popcorn

WEDNESDAY

Fresh Whole Wheat Tagliatelle Pasta with Carrot Sauce  |  Green Beans with Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette

THURSDAY

Slow~Cooker Pulled Pork Tacos with Sweet Peach Salsa  |  Roasted Carrots with Cumin & Lime

FRIDAY

Pulled Pork Sliders with Bourbon BBQ Sauce  |  Coleslaw with Creamy Yogurt Dressing  |  Pickles

Continue reading «June 22, 2014 ~ Weekly Dinner Menu»

06/15/14

June 15th, 2014 ~ Weekly Dinner Menu

Weekly-DINNER-Menu-Sign1

SUNDAY

Happy Father’s Day!

Grilled NY Strip Steaks finished with a Chive Butter  |  Bread & Basil Salad  |  Tahitian Vanilla Gelato topped with Balsamic Roasted Strawberries

MONDAY

Grilled Steak Tacos with Green, Red & Yellow Peppers and Onions  |  Super Sweet White Corn~On~The~Cob

TUESDAY

Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes & Basil

WEDNESDAY

Grilled Chicken Breasts with Prosciutto Slices & Sage Pesto  |  Fresh Cantaloupe Slices

THURSDAY

Grilled Chicken Salad with Arugula, Pickled Cherries, Ricotta Salata & Sage Pesto Dressing

FRIDAY

Fresh Ahi Tuna Salad Sandwiches for a Beach Picnic

Continue reading «June 15th, 2014 ~ Weekly Dinner Menu»