Where has the summer gone? It seems like my son just got out of school for the summer, I blinked, and it’s already back to school time. We’ve had a great summer, but it’s definitely flown by!

Here is a little fun reading to get you ready for the cooler mornings and back to school blues (hah!).

What to Do With an Extra Large Zucchini
Cherie talks about working with a zucchini the size of Chicago.

Eileen – The Artful Crafter
Are you looking for ribbon weaving or Homecoming Mum Chain directions? Look no further.

Beading Arts
After receiving a wonderful package of crystals from Auntie’s Beads, Cyndi set out to make a bracelet that would show them off!

Creative Dreamer
I made a mini journal, come see!

Flip Flop Craft, Cake and Cupcake Ideas
For your end of summer celebration party

Summer is officially here! Woot! 4th of July celebrations are coming up fast! It’s my favorite time of year for inviting over friends and neighbors for some grilling bbq fun.

Here’s a finger-lickin’ barbecue recipe for your next cookout. You don’t have to be a pitmaster to make this easy recipe for Chili-Glazed Beef Ribs courtesy of Tabasco.

The ribs get their kick from the combination of tangy chili sauce, sweet molasses and original Tabasco pepper sauce. Yum! Just the photo is enough to make my mouth water!

CHILI-GLAZED BEEF RIBS

4 pounds beef back ribs*
4 teaspoons original Tabasco® brand pepper sauce, divided
1/2 cup chili sauce
1/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 325° F.

Brush ribs with 2 teaspoons Tabasco sauce. Place in large roasting pan. Cover tightly with foil; bake 1 1/2 hours.

Meanwhile, in small saucepan, combine chili sauce, molasses, vinegar, brown sugar, remaining 2 teaspoons Tabasco sauce and salt. Heat to a boil, over high heat; reduce heat to low; simmer, uncovered about 5 minutes to blend flavors.

Preheat grill to medium-low, over indirect heat. Brush ribs on both sides with sauce. Place ribs on grill; meat-side down. Cover and continue cooking 15 minutes. Turn ribs over; brush with more sauce. Cook 15 minutes longer, or until ribs are tender. Serve ribs with grilled bell peppers, if desired.

Serves 6.

*If you prefer, substitute one 4-pound slab pork spare ribs in place of beef ribs. Prepare as above.

I’ll be back with the recipe for my brother in law’s famous (at least in our family), and delicous bbq ribs!

I have a yummy summer grilling recipe today that would be the perfect addition to the menu for your Father’s Day cookout. This delicious recipe is courtesy of Tabasco.

This is truly a no-fuss recipe combining classic barbecue flavors with a touch of heat with the Tabasco sauce. The results are a tasty tribute to dad. I don’t know about your house, but at our house we always have at least one bottle of Tabasco hanging out in the fridge for just such an occasion.

Spicy Barbecued Pork Loin

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium onion, finely diced
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon original Tabasco® brand pepper sauce
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1 (2-pound) boneless pork loin, about 6-inches long

Preheat oven 350° F.

Heat oil in small 2-quart saucepan over medium heat; add onion; cook about 5 minutes or until softened. Add ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, Tabasco sauce and ½ teaspoon salt. Set aside ½ cup sauce.

Rub outside of pork roast with ½ teaspoon salt. Place in roasting pan; top with sauce mixture to cover completely. Cover pan tightly with foil and cook 1 hour.
Meanwhile, preheat grill to medium. Place pork on grill; cook, covered 30 minutes, turning frequently, and brushing with reserved sauce until meat thermometer reaches 160° F.

Serves 8.

Serving Suggestion: Sautéed green beans and sliced red onion; toss with cooked, crumbled bacon.

Leftover Suggestion: Slice leftover pork; place on rye bread; top with deli sliced ham, sliced Swiss cheese, pickle slices, mustard and rye bread slice. Press in a pannini machine until sandwich is golden and cheese is melted.

I love making salsa fresh from the garden during the summer. The flavors of the fresh tomatoes, onions, spices, and peppers are fabulous!

My brother in law makes the best salsa ever, so I talked him into sharing his super secret fresh from the garden salsa recipe. This is not an exact recipe, just chop, mix and taste, then adjust it to fit your own taste buds. I’m a big salsa fan, and I love garlic, so I tend to use quite a bit of both. If you’re not a fan, cut them back a little, or even leave the cilantro out entirely.

Fresh From The Garden Salsa

3-4 medium tomatoes

1 bell pepper

1 banana pepper

2 hot peppers (Jalapeno, Pueblo, Habanera, your choice and heat)

1-2 Tablespoons of apple cider vinegar

3-4 cloves of garlic

cilantro (optional)

1 small onion

Give everything a coarse chop, then feed it all together into a food processor. Refrigerate the salsa when you’re done to let all the flavors blend together. This salsa is actually even better after a couple hours when the flavors are all melded together.

Serve with corn chips.

I’m warning you ahead of time, this salsa is very addicting! Once you start eating it, you might have a hard time stopping! Definitely worth the effort of chopping and mixing up a batch, especially with fresh from the garden ingredients.

We have a wonderful patch of woods behind our house, so we headed back mushroom hunting the other night, and found a nice bunch of sponge and spike morel mushrooms. So of course I had to fry them up for supper.

I love morel mushrooms, and you can only get them fresh for about a week or two a year here in Ohio.

I cleaned the mushrooms by soaking them in water for about an hour, then I cleaned each individual mushroom by slicing them open, and rinsing them under warm running water. Just to make sure there were no bugs hiding in the stems!

Then I roll them in a little flour and fried them in a skillet with olive oil. Hey, I definitely don’t claim these are healthy for you! But they sure are yummy.

I wouldn’t recommend eating wild mushrooms unless you know what you’re looking for. My dad taught me how to hunt them about the same time I started to walk. Well, maybe it was a few years later, but I’ve been hunting them every year since I can remember. It’s something I look forward to every spring.

I’m behind on my weekend foodie links! I haven’t posted them in several weeks, it’s time to get caught up, so here are some great food links for your weekend enjoyment:

Breakfast On The Go~ Banana Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Muffins
These tasty muffins are easy to make, then pop in the freezer for a quick breakfast or snack.

Low country shrimp and black-eyed peas
Cyndi’s been obsessing over low country recipes lately, and this is one of her current favorites!

Nighttime Noshing: Getting on a New Track
Has Jean lost those six pounds that crept up on her last year yet? No, but she has a new weapon in her “battle of the bulge”. LOL

Tracking Your Food Intake
Have you ever tried tracking or journaling your food intake?

How to Make Candied Blossoms
Gather up those spring blossoms to decorate your next cake. Eileen at The Artful Crafter tells you how to select, clean and Sugar Edible Blossoms.

The 10 Healthiest Foods you’ve Never Tried
Here’s another interesting food list Jean came across recently. It’s The 10 Healthiest Foods You’ve Never Tried. Catchy. Clever. And too true – for most Americans.

Lily Wedding Inspirations and Ideas
Lilies are beautiful flowers, pull in some of their beauty for a summer party or wedding.

Have a great weekend!