Sugar & Spice by Celeste

***Succulent shrimp...citrusy lemon...flavorful feta cheese...fresh cucumber...parsley straight from the garden....These are just a few of the ingredients that are combined to form this scrumptious dish! This dinner is sure to please your family.  It's packed with serious flavor...each bite just pops in your mouth.  It comes together beautifully, with an array of different colors going on.  I guess you could say it's a delight to both the tongue and eyes!  Haha. I really love the addition of orzo in this...I think it's the perfect pasta to pair with the other ingredients.  If you don't have orzo onhand, I could definitely see other kinds like penne or rotini working just fine, too. Bon Appetit!*** Roasted Shrimp & Orzo Source:  Ina Garten - Barefoot Contessa at Home Ingredients: Kosher salt Good olive oil 3/4 pound orzo pasta (rice-shaped pasta) 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (3 lemons) Freshly ground black pepper 2 pounds (16 to 18 count) s

***Ina Garten never lets me down...Her recipes never disappoint and consistently deliver in the flavor department.  Case in point - Her "Country Hashed Browns."  One thing that I adore about the weekend is making a yummy homemade breakfast.  After watching Ina prepare this dish recently on her TV show, I knew that it was going to make an appearance in my kitchen soon. I decided to surprise Brad with a delicious brunch this morning...And we were both thrilled with how it turned out.  I served these hashed browns with fresh scrambled eggs, juicy peaches from Chilton county, and plump blueberries from the farmer's market.  It was the perfect blend of fresh fruitiness and hearty yumminess!  We didn't want the meal to end! After a brunch like that, you know the day ahead will be fabulous! Bon Appetit!*** Country Hashed Browns Source:  Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa Ingredients: 5 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 1/2 pounds boiling potatoes, peeled and 1/2-inch di

***First of all, I hope that you all had a fantastic 4th of July celebration yesterday...Hopefully it was filled with great food, time spent with family and friends, and a beautiful fireworks show to top it off. This past Saturday, Brad and I scored some amazing fresh blueberries at the Pepper Place Saturday Market.  I splurged on a huge pail of them...I'll be busy baking up blueberry goodness for a while! One of the first things that I wanted to make was a blueberry pie, and I came across this scrumptious-looking recipe in Williams-Sonoma's Essentials of Baking cookbook.   I have a hard time passing by any dessert with a crumbly, cinnamony topping. This pie was w.o.n.d.e.r.f.u.l....The filling wasn't overly sweet, but the crumbly topping added just the right amount of sweetness.  The cinnamon and brown sugar really send the flavors over-the-top.  And the fresh blueberries...well, they are clearly the star, here!  Use the freshest blueberries that you can get your ha

***Brad and I had such a great day today.  We started it off by visiting our local farmer's market - Pepper Place Saturday Market .  It was SUCH a fun experience...The produce popped with color and all looked absolutely delicious.  There were so many fantastic options...so much variety and so much to choose from!  Plus, I think it's extremely important to support our local farmers.  It's just impossible to beat produce that is THAT fresh and grown locally.  Here are a few photos from the day...I had a blast taking pics!: The very first thing that I bought were some gorgeous red Slocomb tomatoes.  For those of you not familiar with a little place called Slocomb, AL...Well, they grow the very finest tomatoes you'll ever put in your mouth.  There's even a Slocomb Tomato Festival to celebrate the harvest! The second thing that I purchased was some yummy yellow squash...Brad's favorite!  This Cheesy Squash & Tomato Casserole was the first result of today&

***Chicken Piccata has always been one of my favorite classic chicken dishes.  When prepared perfectly, it becomes a symphony of lemony goodness!  Ina Garten is without a doubt one of my favorite Food Network personalities, and she does it again with this dish.  Plus, most of us can get bored with cooking chicken all the time...I know I do!  So, this dinner is a great way to spice things up a bit. One of the things that I love most about this recipe is how the chicken is prepared.  First, it's seared to a golden brown on both sides in a skillet, and then it finishes cooking in the oven.  This ensures that the outside of the chicken is crunchy, while the inside is juicy...Perfect! The one thing that I changed in Ina's recipe is the addition of a tablespoon or two of capers.  Chicken Piccata just isn't Chicken Piccata without capers, if you ask me!  Be sure to taste the sauce before serving...It's really easy to let the flavors get out of control with this dish...Le