Snowflakes & Coffeecakes - Snowflakes & Coffeecakes Cooking School

STRAWBERRY BALSAMIC GLAZED SALMON SALAD WITH STRAWBERRY POPPY SEED DRESSING

6/27/2016

Strawberry Balsamic Glazed Salmon Salad with Strawberry Poppy Seed Dressing

Lucky me! Last night we had the most wonderful Strawberry Balsamic Glazed Salmon...and there were several beautiful glazed fillets leftover - which I promptly commandeered, wrapped up tight, and hid behind all kinds of things in the refrigerator, hoping that no one would find it before today!

I've made fresh Strawberry Poppy Seed Dressing to serve with chicken salad before, but the fresh lettuce in the garden and the sweet and savory strawberry glazed salmon was just SCREAMING for this!

Can you think of a more beautiful or delicious lunch?

STRAWBERRY POPPY SEED DRESSING

6/27/2016

Fresh Strawberry Poppy Seed Dressing

I'm fixing a special treat for later in the day....and this wonderful Strawberry Poppy Seed Dressing will play a delicious and important role!

Fresh sweet and ripe strawberries are perfect paired with poppy seed dressing. This summer-fresh dressing is perfect with fresh fruit, fruit salads, or drizzled on chicken salads or salmon salads.

You can also blend this sweet Strawberry Poppy Seed Dressing in with whipped cream cheese for a wonderful strawberry-cream cheese spread to smear on bagels!

FRESH PEACH PIE

6/26/2016

Fresh Peach Pie

I should have picked up more...one crate of fresh peaches, especially the first one of the season, is NEVER enough! I had to hide half the crate in a safe, unidentified hiding spot in order to have enough to make this pie today! Over the years my family has grudgingly gotten used to finding food marked "DO NOT TOUCH!", knowing that it is usually a critical ingredient for something delicious that they will be encouraged to eat and make comment on for my website.

And my grandson has started standing up in his chair and taking "pictures" of his meals before he eats them...gotta love it! Cracks me up every time!

But Aaaaahhhhhhh...fresh, warm, sweet and summery peach pie. Is there anything like it?

STRAWBERRY BALSAMIC GLAZED SALMON

6/26/2016

Strawberry Balsamic Glazed Salmon

Oh boys and girls, here is a new taste sensation for you!

We've been going a little overboard with salmon lately - the wild salmon from the Copper River in Alaska are finally being flown in daily, and we are taking full advantage of the opportunity!

We have so many favorites - Salmon with Champagne & Raspberry Crème Sauce has been our absolute favorite for years, but we also love Teriyaki Glazed Salmon, Salmon with Raspberry Balsamic Glaze, Ginger Glazed Salmon, and the crunchy nuttiness of Honey Maple Glazed Salmon. It was only a matter of time before I made Strawberry Balsamic Glazed Salmon this year, and it was so worth the wait! The fresh strawberry and balsamic glaze is a nice reduction sauce, perfect in every way! And with fresh Ohio strawberries perfectly ripe and sweet right now, it is a marriage made in heaven!

RASPBERRY PEACH CHAMPAGNE JAM

6/25/2016

Are you a morning person or do you like to sleep in?

I've always been an early bird! I love the quietness of morning, and in the lazy, hazy and crazy days of summer, a peaceful breakfast early in the morning is the best, and even more so on a weekend! The little ones are always up early, but weekends are the days when we really get one-on-one time and lots of important conversations can take place - along with making plans for our day.

It is so nice to be able to enjoy a slow cup of coffee on the deck - or wait, should we make that a Peach Mimosa? The peaches are absolute perfection right now - sweet, juicy and perfectly ripe. But almost better than a fresh Peach Mimosa is this Raspberry Peach Champagne Jam - absolute perfection on a buttery croissant or warm toast.

STARRY STARRY NIGHTS

6/24/2016

Let's get this weekend started!

There is a beautiful summertime sunrise tonight, and the living is easy!

It's gonna be sunny and hot all weekend - time to relax and get the weekend off to a great start with my honey!

TERIYAKI GLAZED SALMON

6/23/2016

Teriyaki Glazed Salmon

I know that I always sound like a crazy person at this time of the year, but when the fresh wild sockeye salmon and king salmon from the Copper River in Alaska are finally available, it is the best time for us salmon-lovers! This is the best-tasting and most beautiful salmon in the world, and only flown in for such a few short weeks that it is really a treat!

One of my favorite ways to make this is grilled with a light Teriyaki Glaze. So blasted amazing! Easy to make and delicious! I don't think I've ever had a better piece of salmon, even from my favorite seafood restaurant - McCormick & Schmick's.

Tender, moist, and perfectly flaky - and the teriyaki and honey glaze will have have you from the first taste!

BEST STEAK MARINADE IN EXISTENCE

6/19/2016

Marinated Steaks - "the BEST ever"

After five daughters, my husband was more than a little excited about the impending birth of our only son (to put it lightly). And when we started timing contractions on Father's Day, I thought for sure this would be the best Father's Day gift to him ever. But our little guy had his own ideas, and despite all the walking, talking and three-minute timing, he delayed his birthday until the next day!

Every year, we celebrate Father's Day BIG! And for my guy, that means a big, juicy steak on the grill, hot fresh potatoes, a fruit pie, and a icy cold beer! Whether we are camping or at home on the deck, this is one of his favorite meals.

And for a perfect steak, you need a perfect marinade. I don't use the term lightly, so when I tell you that this is the BEST steak marinade in existence, it has been tested exhaustively before being given the exclusive title and official seal of approval!

ROASTED POTATOES, ONIONS & ASPARAGUS

6/19/2016

Roasted Potatoes, Onions & Asparagus

Another wonderful trip to the Farmer's Market, another fabulous treat! Brand new baby red potatoes, sweet Vidalia onion, and a fresh bunch of asparagus - so tender and good!

These are so easy to make and grill - and BEYOND delicious! We make these frequently during the summer, but they are at their absolute BEST early in the season when everything is so just-picked fresh!

CAMPFIRE CAKE

6/18/2016

Campfire Cake

Have you ever seen something that just stopped you dead in your tracks? That's how it was for me with this Campfire Birthday Cake!

My son just LOVES campfires - everything about them! He loves chopping the wood, stacking the logs, placing the kindling just so - and always, always, lighting that first match and hoping that it starts smoking and flaming up right away. For three seasons of the year, he would love it if we had a bonfire every single weekend.

So when his birthday rolled around this year, I knew that this would be the most perfect birthday cake for him EVER!

FRESH STRAWBERRY PIE

6/13/2016

Fresh Strawberry Pie

IT'S THAT WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR! The locally grown strawberries are FINALLY available at the farmer's markets, and they are absolutely wonderful this year!

I have a deal with the kids - if they pick the berries, I will always make them a couple of Fresh Strawberry Pies - one is never enough! Sounds like a fair trade, don't you think? And the really little ones seem to put as many berries in their mouths as seem to make it into their containers!

We picked these strawberries up first thing in the morning, and the pies were made and chilling in the refrigerator by noon. Now, if I can only get them to let them chill for four hours so that we can enjoy these with dinner...

GRILLED ITALIAN HERB CHICKEN

6/12/2016

Grilled Italian Herb Chicken

So when I told an Italian-speaking friend of mine that we were going to eat "alfresco" tonight, she burst into laughter! Now, I had in mind that we were going to be enjoying a wonderful meal outdoors, with a glass of wine and lots of fresh air and sunshine. Little did I know that what I was literally saying was that we were going to be "spending time in jail"....who knew? So much for my Italian - guess I'll need to stick to French and German!

But no matter where or how you choose to dine, you will LOVE this fabulously juicy, tender and flavorful Grilled Italian Herb Chicken - just loaded with fresh herbs and flavorful spices!

So tonight we will be enjoying this fabulous grilled chicken in the open air...with a bottle or two of a chilled Italian wine and some fabulous Fresh Herb, Garlic & Parmesan Potatoes, and a fabulous Fresh Strawberry Pie.

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE PIZZA

6/12/2016

Chocolate Chip Cookie Pizza

Some days are just so busy - do you ever have one of those days when you just wish for a simpler time? Childhood memories are sort of like that - everything seemed more relaxed and spontaneous, but when I look at my own kids, it is probably just an illusion!

One thing that I know will slow them down is a batch of good old-fashioned chocolate chip cookies, and when I don't have the time to make the cookie dough the day before, this is a fabulous family recipe that we have enjoyed forever!

There's just something about warm chocolate chip cookies, and they are even better when they are GIANT SIZED and the perfect shape for dunking in a tall glass of cold milk! And with all the chatter this week about not eating raw cookie dough - this gets the cookie dough in the oven all at one time and less tempting to sneak a quick bite of! And I do have a houseful of cookie-dough snatchers to watch out for!

FRESH HERB, GARLIC & PARMESAN POTATOES

6/11/2016

Fresh Herb, Garlic & Parmesan Potatoes

I took my little ones to the Farmer's Market early Saturday morning, and we had so much fun! New baby red potatoes and fresh sweet corn, asparagus and rhubarb. They were all calling my name!

The herbs are also growing like crazy in our garden, and just waiting for the right recipe!

These Fresh Herb, Garlic & Parmesan Potatoes are a combination of all of the best - tender red potatoes, fresh garlic, parsley, chives, thyme and some fresh dill. Generously sprinkled with parmesan cheese before serving, you have wonderful options - you can serve hot or warm, or as a fresh and light potato salad.

BOSTON CREAM BANANA PANCAKES

6/11/2016

Boston Cream Banana Pancakes

Yes, your eyes are not deceiving you! This is a stack of wonderful Boston Cream Banana Pancakes - almost too good to be real! I really over-estimated when I picked up bananas last week, so when I saw the ripened stash early this morning, inspiration struck!

I had made up a fresh creamy Boston Cream last night, and the natives were restless for a hearty and delicious breakfast. Although I'm not sure that these can only be classified by breakfast - they would be perfect for brunch, a dessert, or just for snacking!

And as much as Skipper and the kiddos LOVE buttermilk pancakes, they absolutely DEVOURED these as fast as I could flip them off the griddle!

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Bon Appétit,
Mama V

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