Frothy Goodness paired with a Breezy Day

Sometimes you just have to write about things you enjoy, things you love. Today's entry is one of those times. Coffee is a connector, a mediator, a meeting maker. It's become a daily indulgence for lots of us and life long passion for many. I'm sitting outside on this beautiful, 'after the storm' summer day, at a place that I would love to call my own, Ellwood's Coffee. How many of you have thought about how great it would be to own and operate a coffee/wine bar/social gathering spot/community based business? I have. Many, many times...starting in college when I lived in a sleepy little Virginia town that tried to balance community and an ever-growing college population. Ellwood's has done it right, from the organic coffee right down to the energy efficient bathrooms.

And let me tell you, this latte I'm working on (my second) couldn't be better. Thank you, Ellwood's...Bellissimo!

Summer Veggies, compliments of f-ANNE-tastic!

We spent the weekend at my parent's house with my sister, brother, my brother's lady and, of course, my parents.  It's hard not to feel happy and content there, especially when they special order great summer weather complete with sunshine galore and one 'love to watch it roll in' summer thunderstorm.   It's even harder not to feel full when we are home, the Blue Ridge has a plentiful supply of homegrown veggies and herbs and yumminess.  We popped over to the Farmer's Market Saturday morning and ended up with zucchini, squash, green onions, eggplant, peppers and potatoes.  My sister brought her recipe for a vegetable marinade and we finished them off on the grill for a little extra flavor.  You have to check these out!

Marinade:

Olive oil

Balsamic Vinegar

White wine

Garlic

Fresh herbs- we used basil, thyme, green onion tops - some for the marinade and some to top the veggies when cooked.

S & P

Equal parts olive oil and vinegar with a splash of white wine.  Dice up the herbs and as much minced garlic as you like, salt and pepper to taste.

Slice up the vegetables but keep all the cuts fairly large so they can get plenty of surface area on the grill.  The potatoes should be boiled first to soften (don't cook all the way through).  The veggies should marinade for at least an hour but the longer the better.  When you put them on the grill, reserve the marinade at the bottom of the bowl to pour over the finished product.  Top with the remaining herbs and you are set!  The veggies and a few slices of specialty bread were plenty for the ladies but don't feel bad for the guys, we grilled some chicken that had soaked in an equally delicious marinade for the afternoon.

Marinade for grilled chicken breast with skin, bone-in:

Olive oil

Red wine vinegar

2 tbsp dijon mustard

2 crushed garlic cloves

1 tbsp dried thyme

2 bay leaves

Marinade for 2 hours in the fridge.  The chicken comes off the grill moist and flavorful (okay, okay, I had a bite).

Did I mention that I love summer?