Green Beans with Feta and Olives

The green beans are here, the green beans are here, and this combination with feta and Kalamata olives is great served warm or at room temperature. Start by coarsely chopping a half a cup of pitted Kalamata olives while your steamer or water for blanching is heating up.

Next, snap the stems off of your beans and steam for five minutes or blanch for one and immediately drain and combine with the chopped olives, some crumbled feta, and a little bit of extra virgin olive oil and coarse salt. That’s it, when the local vegetables are this good less is best.

Red Wine Vinaigrette

Mason jars aren’t only for canning and Bloody Mary’s, they also make the perfect gadget for making and storing salad dressings. And this one like most vinaigrettes will keep for weeks in the fridge, even with a bit of red wine.

To your mason jar add a quarter cup of extra virgin olive oil, a couple tablespoons of both red wine vinegar and Dijon mustard, two teaspoons of red wine, a pinch of sugar, and salt and pepper to taste. Screw on the lid and shake vigorously for about ten seconds or until the dressing looks opaque. It will pretty much taste great on any salad including this endive, corn, cucumber, and scallion combination.

Macerated Strawberries

If you think strawberries are incredible as is you should try macerating them…wow! Sounds technical but it couldn’t be easier, although you do have to plan ahead as they should sit for at least an hour. 

In a large bowl quarter and toss a quart of strawberries with a teaspoon of sugar and a quarter cup of Limoncello, Rum, Vodka, or tequila. If kids are involved you may want to opt for a white Balsamic vinegar. That’s it...just them sit at room temperature until you’re ready to serve.

But don’t stop there, top them with a scoop of lemon sorbet and crumbled Lazzaroni Amaretti cookies. The combinations of sweet and sour, warm and cold, soft and crunchy will definitely make this one of your go to summer desserts.

Pimento Cheese Dip

July 4th brings out the best and worst in me food-wise, but no matter how you see it this classic dip from the South is undeniably satisfying….especially on a Ritz. In a large bowl stir together an 8 ounce bag each of shredded sharp white and sharp orange cheddar, half a cup of mayonnaise, 2 cups of finely chopped roasted peppers(jarred is fine), half a teaspoon of celery seeds, a splash of Tabasco sauce, and salt to taste. If there’s any left on July 5th it makes for an awesome grilled cheese and bacon sandwich. Happy 4th!