Author Archives: cathyboettner

I went to the grocery and was lucky enough to find a couple bouquets of white spider mums (which are a favorite of mine). I placed them in the blue vases from the table that I posted earlier this week. I added these cool swirly things that clematis flowers turn into along with some yellowContinue reading “Flowers for the Fourth”

Mike is normally all about the chocolate desserts, but when it gets to be blueberry season, he switches gears and is more into fruit pies. One of his very favorite recipes is Blueberry Cream Pie. This year I started with a homemade crust that I have published here before. Pastry: 2 3/8 cups all purposeContinue reading “Blueberry Cream Pie–Our traditional Independence Day dessert”

My mom had potato plants that came up from a handful of potatoes that didn’t get harvested last year and we dug them up this week. Mike and I had already planned on having a vegetarian curry this week, but it went in a different direction….. Ingredients: Head of cauliflower cut into bite sized piecesContinue reading “Vegetarian Red Thai Curry”

I got started early on my table for Independence day. I started with a blue and white checked cloth and layered a neat handmade square cloth in red, white, and blue. I used my black lanterns, blue vases (which will be filled with yellow, white, and red flowers), and white starfish. I pulled out someContinue reading “Fourth of July Table”

Well, summer is upon us and things are happening in the gardens…some is going well, some not so much. My fig trees are both leafed out now, but it is clear that one is WAY behind the other. On a happier note, the birds have been less interested in the strawberries lately and my husbandContinue reading “A Garden Update”

My maternal grandmother used to make bread and butter pickles and I remember how the house used to smell when she had just made them–like summer. I started making them several years ago and that smell brings back memories of my sweet grandmother. She always put celery and onions with the cucumber slices, so IContinue reading “Spicy Bread and Butter Pickles”

We have a gas grill and a big green egg that we store under the stairs from the deck. We were struggling with where to keep the ash removal tool and ash pan for the egg and the grill brush and the wood chips and charcoal for the egg. I also bought my husband aContinue reading “A tidy grill area”

My husband wanted Chicago style deep dish pizza for his Father’s Day lunch. I consulted several sources to come up with what we made for him. The good thing about this pizza is that you don’t need to do much ahead, but you do need to get your ingredients ready. The recipe I consulted fromContinue reading “Chicago Style Pizza on the Big Green Egg”

This recipe is an odd combination of ingredients, but it is one of our favorite make ahead chicken recipes. I love a good tangy sauce, and this is definitely one of those. 1/4 cup all purpose flour 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp pepper 8 skinless boneless chicken thighs 2 tbsp olive oil 1 cup dryContinue reading “Balsamic Garlic and Herb Chicken Thighs”

This is my grandmother’s recipe for three bean salad that I have adapted because I really don’t like cold kidney beans. Dressing: 1/2 cup sugar (I usually reduce to 1/4 or 1/3 cup) 1/2 cup vinegar 1/2 cup vegetable oil 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp dry mustard 1/2 tsp tarragon 1/2 tsp basil 2 tbspContinue reading “Summer Salads–Marinated Green Beans”