Bacon-Wrapped Water Chestnuts

Everyone loved these at my latest garden party complete with white mosaic tiki torches and custom painted purple chairs. There are only four ingredients and a few easy steps. I finished this before Koko Taylor had finished telling her man not to let her catch him with his drawers down. (photo by GoodNCrazy)

Bacon-Wrapped Water Chestnuts

1/4 cup soy sauce

2 Tbsp. sugar

8 ounces whole water chestnuts, drained

8 slices bacon, cut in half

Mix the soy sauce and the sugar.
Add the water chestnuts and marinate for 30 minutes.
Wrap each chestnut with ½ strip of bacon and secure with a toothpick.
Bake 20 minutes at 400 degrees.

Make it a meal: Serve ahead of grilled chicken thighs and brave potatoes (see recipe).

Wine: Shiraz

Pickled Carrot Salad

So easy! This recipe is so good, I actually eat my carrots. I feel so healty!

Pickled Carrot Salad

1 10 oz. bag julienned carrots

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup cider vinegar

1/3 cup water

1 tablespoon sugar

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground mustard

In a saucepan, cook carrots in a small amount of water for about 10 minutes.
Drain and transfer to a serving dish.
Combine remaining ingredients in the saucepan.
Heat for a few minutes until the sugar dissolves.
Pour over carrots; cover and refrigerate for overnight.

Make it a meal: Serve alongside Cod with Lemon and White Pepper (see recipe)

Wine: Sauvignon Blanc

Antipasto

This was such a hit at a family get-together, I will absolutely make this again for company. It requires little work and a patient deli counter service person. There's a little something for everyone in there.

Just be careful with how much dressing you put on and when you are serving. You don't want the lettuce to get soggy.

Antipasto

1 bag Romaine lettuce

a few sprinkles garlic powder

1/4 lb. of deli meat sliced thin--Choose 3: Capicola, salami, ham, roast beef, prosciutto (I used the first 3 for mine)

1/4 lb. Provolone cheese

1/2 can artichoke hearts, quartered

1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes

1/4 cup marinated mushrooms

1/4 cup pepperoncini

1/4 cup mozzarella balls

Light Caesar salad dressing to taste

Spread the lettuce around the edges of a pretty serving dish.
Sprinkle the lettuce with garlic powder.
Drizzle the lettuce with Light Caesar dressing.
Roll up the deli meats and stack in the middle.
Roll the Provolone and put in the lettuce like the spokes of a wheel.
Make piles of the artichoke hearts, tomatoes, mushrooms, pepperoncini, and mozzarella balls in sections atop the lettuce.
Refrigerate for a bit or serve right away.

Options: Add black and green olives.

Make it a meal: Serve aside pasta with marinara sauce and warm bread.

Wine: Cabernet Sauvignon or Chianti

Another Shrimp Spread

Here's another easy one. I threw this together a few minutes before a golf outing followed by an outdoor luxury BBQ with finger buffet. For those who have more time, you can cook and chop fresh shrimp. Me? I have a tee time. (photo by GenBug)

8 oz. cream cheese (I use light)

a few plops shrimp cocktail sauce

1/2 shallot, chopped (a bit of onion is fine, too)

chives from the herb garden

2 squeezes of lemon juice

1 (6 oz. can tiny shrimp)

Mix well.
Serve with crackers or crudités.

Make it a meal: Serve ahead of Salmon Wellington (see recipe) and grilled squash and zucchini.

Wine: Chardonnay

Republic Cafe on Elm

This place is fabulous. It is a European style cafe in our own Manchester, NH. I cannot wait to go back. The idea behind this fairly new eatery is food goes from farm to table. They keep a chalkboard list of the farms they buy their food from.

I went for lunch and tried to keep my meal light (and my weight down), but I ended up eating every bit of my panini. Half would have been fine for lunch, but it was so tasty, I devoured every crumb. I ordered the Grilled Zucchini that also had roasted red peppers and various other gorgeous flavors like feta cheese.

My husband ordered the Chicken Panini, an unusual choice for him since he is not crazy about goat cheese. I tried a bite of his. It was very good, but mine was better. Both came with a modest side salad instead of the usual fries and starches available everywhere else.

On top of everything else, the prices are reasonable. Our paninis were $6.50 and $7.50. The highest priced item on the menu is $22.

The owners, Claudia Rippee and Edward Aloise, are the former proprietors of the most missed Cafe Pavone in the Millyard. According to their website (http://republiccafe.com ) their menu "will convey our culinary philosophy which focuses on quality ingredients, is seasonally appropriate, and is respectful of its sources." Bravo. I will be back soon to sample the Mussels Provencel, the North African Spiced Vegetables, and the Monkfish (Monkfish in Manchester!!) Puttanesca.

Creamed Corn & Asparagus Soup

I accidentally opened a can of creamed corn that I keep around for making Shepard's Pie. I don't like creamed corn much as a side dish, so I made it into this easy, nice soup. It is uber creamy without the cream. I purred like a kitten when I ate it.

Creamed Corn & Asparagus Soup

1 can creamed corn

1 can cream of asparagus soup

1 cup of milk (or more for thinner soup)

pepper

Pour all the ingredients into a pot and heat.

Make it a meal: Serve with Crab Delights (See recipe)

Wine: Chardonnay

XO on Elm

XO on Elm

Upon arriving for a late night bite and glass of wine (late night for Manchester--8:30), we were asked outside the restaurant if we wanted a table by proprietor #1. We said we were waiting for friends and would like to wait at the bar. There were no seats, but we didn't mind standing. That's when proprietor #2 also asked if we wanted a table. We explained again. He assured us there would be a seat at the bar soon. Nice. He took our drink order. That's when proprietor #1 had followed us in and almost insisted we get a table for ourselves and our friends. Now I felt badgered. I explained to her AGAIN how we were expecting company and preferred to wait at the bar. I didn't know how many of my friends were showing up, but do I really need to get into this in order to enjoy a glass of wine?

Seats opened up shortly, and the bartender gave us menus. I thought this was a tapas bar, but there were only four items under the tapas label.

Soon after, our friends came in, and gathered around us at the bar. Now, close to 9 PM, the place was slowing down. More seats became available and diners were leaving. However, my friends couldn't get a drink. The bartender, when around, just flitted by and then disappeared. Proprietor #2 hugged my friend, but then was gone. Finally, 20 minutes later, the bartender took their drink order and our food order.

The food didn't take too long. My mussels steamed with beer and sautéed with Chorizo sausage for $9 were excellent. Unfortunately about a third of them did not open and my bread for mopping sauce was burned on one side. When I showed the bartender, she took the entire appetizer off the bill. I thought that was more than generous.

My friend's dates stuffed with Chorizo and cream cheese filling wrapped with crispy pancetta were outstanding. I could have eaten a plateful, but getting three of them for $7 is not enough value for me.

Another friend ordered the Middle Eastern Taster for $12. It came as cute little bowls of hummus, cucumber taziki, tabouli, and olive tapenade. It was all delicious, but the grilled Naan bread was also burned.

This is a beautiful restaurant, but I did not have a good experience. I will try it again, but not for a while.