The truth is that we could probably BBQ 9 months out of the year here in San Diego, but still, something about hot nights seems to inspiring firing up the grill the most.

Usually when I think of barbecued food I think of the standard: hamburgers and hot dogs. So this year Daniel and I thought it would be fun to think outside the bun (hehehe…you like that?) and open this awesome book (that sadly enough was given to us probably 5 years ago and has remained untouched until now) to see what other fun dishes we could do via the grill.

I would say it has been a lot of fun and a huge success!  I have loved keeping my kitchen cool and my taste buds happy.  We have tried all sorts of veggies (a perfect time to try grilled veggies as all the best ones are in season…just add olive oil and salt and… viola!), meats& marinades (through a lot of trial and error, I have found the secret to a good meat on the grill is the marinade), and even a bit of dessert (not a big fan of this one) …but of all the attempts, this recipe below (as well as this one) made it into my “favorites”.

Today’s Feature: Grilled Coconut Cilantro Shrimp

(on a bed of rice and with a side of grilled vegetables)

I would be willing to bet that you could never guess how many bagels got eaten in my house between February and May this year.  I am so glad that I can hold down something other than carbs now, you have no idea.  Bring on the vegetables! (And, I might add, to my complete delight it is in perfect timing with the veggies popping up in our garden!) So June and July has brought back the world of food into my life and I am thrilled!

With Dayla I craved fruit, while with this baby it is all about the veggies.  So needless to say, this veggie sandwich was simply di-vine.  Easy too.  If you are veggie lover, just grill up any old thing, slap it on a roll (I personally recommend the “Herbed Focaccia” rolls from Fresh and Easy….hearty enough to hold the sandwich together while still soft and delicious)  and top it off with a bit of cheese.  I am telling you, you can’t go wrong.

Today’s Feature: Grilled Vegetable Sandwich with Sun dried Tomato Aioli and Goat Cheese

I warned you. I noted here that there was probably going to be a lot of salads in my (and your) future this summer, as I have just really been in the mood for yummy salads!  Maybe the baby likes lettuce? I am pretty proud of my salad creations: the BBQ Chicken Salad knock-off, the Green Salad with a Fancy Name (that got re-named “The Great Green Sweet Crunchy Salad” here), but I think so far this one is my favorite. It was a really last minute salad, a throw everything that I have in the fridge into a salad before it goes bad kind of salad, but it was DELICIOUS.

This is the salad that will open my restaurant.

Today’s Feature: Summer Berry Extravaganza Salad
Of course every menu has a description to go with their great salad.

My salad description would read:

A refreshing salad with a bit of crunch: green leaf lettuce, raspberries, strawberries, celery, avocado, and creamy goat cheese.  Topped with your choice of raspberry vinaigrette or ranch dressing.

Cook or baker? I feel like I have had that discussion with a many women over the years; bakers seem to prefer the science and “exactness” of baking and cooks seem to love the creativity and flexibility of cooking. I would consider myself more of a baker, but I am trying to get into the cooks’ club by cooking more and more. However, if I had to pick one I would still go with my roots: baker.

Like many things in life, when I find something I love to do, I am drawn to people who love the same things. My friend Julie is a baker, and OH.MY.IS.SHE.A.BAKER. She makes my baking look rudimentary and the best part is she always says things like “it was so easy…just do…” and proceeds to list a bunch of things that sound terribly difficult to me. But hey, I love having someone to look up to and being around baking that inspires me.

So today’s Food Friday is not featuring my skills at all, but is introducing you to the mad skillzzzz of Julie. I am not sure if she is taking friend applications but after you see this, I am sure you will want me to ask her.

Today’s Feature:

Left: White Chocolate and Raspberry Trifle
Right: Chocolate Mousse in Handmade Chocolate Muffin Cups Topped with Homemade Whipped Cream

Small. Dainty. Beautiful. Mostly made with cream cheese. Delicious.

There are so many reasons that I love appetizers, I can’t even begin to list them all. I think if it was healthier I might make more dinners at our house “appetizer dinner”; just like people who do breakfast for dinner, why not appetizer dinner? YES. I recently had the opportunity to make some new appetizers and I have to say… I was really REALLY excited about both of them. OH YUM.

Today’s Feature:

Left: Crab, Chili, & Mint Crostini (light and refreshing in taste, not too creamy, not too spicy)

Right: Quiche in Prosciutto Cups (all the yummy of a quiche in a delightful and slightly salty prosciutto cup)