Family DIERY

Summer officially arrived yesterday complete with 95F temperatures and the first heat warning of the season. I am far from a fan of excessive heat,  but our crop share started last week so I am happy and culinarily inspired. I love to cook and even though I live in suburbia now (sigh~)  I work hard to be a locavore. As a child we grew everything we ate, so it seems sort of amusing to me that there is a fancy work  for what it was we did simply out of necessity/poverty. 

Last night we had an outstanding dinner. It was simple and delicious. Coupled with a glass of red wine, my husband and I, along with our children, enjoyed dinner on the back deck. To me, that is summer! That is also family!

The simplicity and deliciousness of last nights meal had my brain twirling with the anticipation of all the luscious tastes of summer - fresh herbs and new potatoes with their soft, tender skins; fresh corn grilled with a squeeze of lime juice and a sprinkle of curry - a much welcomed deviation from the traditional butter and salt in our multi-ethnic home. Fresh berries. Abba pizza with asparagus from our front yard and tomatoes from the back. Tender kohlrabi sauteed in olive oil and salt. Yum!

Even though I should have my menu for the week completed on Sunday, I spent last night poring over recipes for Shabbat that would pay homage to the change of season and the new vegetable availing themselves to us. Immediately I found my tattered copy of Barbara Kingsolver's Animal, Vegetable, Miracle and got inspiration from her writing and family recipes. I tried to figure out how to incorporate Asian Vegetable Rolls, homemade mozzarella, zucchini orzo, and whether our family would prefer the Spring or Summer version of the potato salad. Making the final cut were the Spring potato salad and the zucchini orzo. We are still looking for guests, so stop by if you want a taste.

With those decisions made I realized Friday is also my little boy's 4-month birthday. Silly I know, especially since he doesn't even have teeth, but the rest of us like good food and any reason to celebrate. Then I realized Father's Day is coming up. Our family does not really 'do' Mother's Day or Father's Day, but it made me think about making something special for my husband. He has once weakness - that being cookies. I made these for him a few months ago and I believe he called them decadent. They take a little time, but it all seems worth it for the one you love.

So here you have my stream of consciousness. My thoughts and my writing wind all over the place - from it being summer to eating local to family recipes and I am here with a seemingly "Winter" recipe - Melting Lace Cookies and all the ingredients are purchased from the store - oh well. They are delicious. And they are a family favorite, made for me as a child by my cousin Joanie. So while my husbands not looking I hope to make a small batch of these for him. I will be sure that dinner includes fresh, seasonal produce from our crop share.

Yummy Melting Lace Cookies

1/2 Cup butter or margarine

1 Cup quick cooking oats (not instant)

1/2 Cup light brown sugar

1/3 Cup flour

2 Tablespoons milk

1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)

4 ounces semisweet chocolate chips - melted

- Preheat oven to 350 degrees

- In medium sauce pan melt butter/margarine

- Remove from heat and stir in remaining ingredients (except chocolate)

- Drop batter by level teaspoons, 2 inches apart, onto greased cookie sheets.

- Bake 7 to 9 minutes or until lightly browned.

- Remove from oven and let stand for one minute, then quickly remove to flat surface to cool.

- Melt chocolate (use microwave or over a pot of boiling water like a "double boiler")

- With a small knife or spatula spread the back of one cookie with chocolate and sandwich it with another cookie.

- Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. (They may also be frozen.)

Serve to the ones you love~