Simple Salad and Sunset

This past weekend was the Servant's Heart banquet at our church, an outreach to cancer patients and their caregivers in our area. Our appetizer for the event was caprise salad, a refreshing blend of fresh mozzarella, tomatoes and basil. But I overordered on the mozzarella.

So right about now, I'm thinking about a delightful margherita pizza, with a tangy sauce, slices of fresh mozzarella and tomato and a sprinkling of basil on flatbread. That'll make a wonderful dinner.

But my favorite use of fresh mozzarella is caprese salad. Traditionally, it's a slice of fresh mozzarella cheese topped with a tomato slice and a basil leaf, drizzled with a little olive oil and sprinkled with some coarse ground black pepper. But I prefer mine a little different.

First, we need some yummy tomatoes. Like these campari tomatoes. Very tasty. You can also use cherry tomatoes or whatever variety you prefer.

Cut into bite-size pieces and tossed them together with some cubed fresh mozzarella. 

 

Then add some chopped basil, a bit of olive oil, a pinch of sea salt, and some fresh ground pepper. Maybe even a splash of balsamic vinegar. Toss it all up and voila!

A light and refreshing lunch that's not only easy, but oh so delicious.

So our weather has been quite squirrely lately. Temps will approach 80 one day and then be stuck in the 40s the next. I saw my first wildflower over the weekend and a tree trying to bud. We've finally had some rain, but not the soakers we need to fill the lakes, ponds and tanks before summer hits. I'm praying for a wet spring. However, the rain has provided us with some beautiful sunsets.

 I do love it when God does some sky-painting.

So what's the weather doing where you are? And what's your favorite thing to do with fresh mozzarella?

Three time Carol Award finalist Mindy Obenhaus is passionate about touching readers with Biblical truths in an entertaining, and sometimes adventurous, manner. She lives on a ranch in Texas with her husband, one sassy pup, countless cattle, deer and the occasional coyote, mountain lion or snake. When she's not writing, she enjoys spending time with her grandchildren, cooking and watching copious amounts of the Hallmark Channel. Learn more a mindyobenhaus.com.

Caprese Salad and Seasonal Joys

It all started with successful tomato plants and has blossomed from there! Our delicious salad-size tomatoes (bigger than cherry tomatoes, smaller than sandwich size) are drawing in customers with their farm-fresh sweet flavor and gorgeous appearance... but it took a bit of good old-fashioned hard work to get them there, let me tell you!

Fresh tomatoes open a season of BLTs, caprese salads, sliced tomatoes with salt and pepper and we never, ever, ever forget green tomatoes for our friends who like to make Fried Green Tomatoes! That's a favorite side dish this time of year, and they are so simple, really. We use seasoned flour, flour seasoned with salt and large-grind black pepper. We slice the tomato, dip both sides in the flour, and fry in hot olive oil in one of my griddles or frying pans. A Southern treat that we like real well up here in the north!

But this week I made caprese salad. You see it EVERYWHERE and I had no idea what it was, because that's how I am. Simple. I just called it tomato-and-mozzarella. Silly me! Anyway, this simple side dish is sure to please a lot of your friends and family.

It's as simple as layering cheese... a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of basil.... tomatoes.... oil and basil.... repeat.

Chill and serve!

Here it is with Eggplant Parm that my buddy Lisa sent over to us on a night when there was no time to cook....

And we've updated our picking machines! Check these two beauties out!

Beth and Jon, the 2019 farm team with shirts full of squash.

Yep.

We're fancy, all right! :)

Pumpkins are ripening, we're hoping for a big kick-off weekend which means I'll be baking this afternoon and all day tomorrow... so for now, I'm wishing you the best that early September has to offer and may it include safety from the storm lashing our coast, an outpouring of help for the storm-ravaged Bahamas, and joy in the harvest around you.

USA Today bestselling author Ruth Logan Herne loves to write beautiful stories with unforgettable characters that make you smile... cry... and think a little. With over 50 published works so far, and more to come, she spends her summers juggling writing and farm work while winter brings the expected peace, quiet and weight gain of not having as much to do... :) Visit her website at ruthloganherne.com, follow her on Twitter (which is a very odd place, isn't it?) and friend her on facebook. She loves to get to know people although she tends to talk a lot.

Caprese Salad to Beat the Summer Heat

Mindy here and we are definitely in the dog days of summer.

104 in the shade. :0

Then again, this is Texas, the Lone Star State. Home of longhorns, wind farms, oil wells... And heat and humidity. Not that any of that can diminish our Texas pride. So I can’t help but give you a glimpse of our new front doors that arrived last week.

Still, when it’s this hot, the last thing I want to do is cook. So we settled for caprese salad instead. I mean when something this good is so easy, not to mention cold, why not?

First, we need some yummy tomatoes. Like this Campari variety.

Very tasty.

 

Chop three or four of those babies and toss them together with some cubed fresh mozzarella.

Fresh mozzarella is the kind that comes in a ball, not a brick. Very soft with a mild flavor.

 

Then we add some chopped basil, a bit of olive oil, a pinch of sea salt, and some fresh ground pepper.

Toss it all up and voila!

Heaven in a bowl.

You know, even though I complain about the heat,

there's still plenty to enjoy here at the ranch. Like some creative photography on the pier.

Not to mention another gorgeous sunset.

Yep, when I've got things like this to help me beat the heat, I'd say life at the ranch suits me just fine.

Speaking of ranches, have I mentioned my latest release? This is the first book in my Rocky Mountain Heroes series and, as of today, it’s available on Kindle and other e-book versions, as well as paperback.

Isn't that a great cover?

Now it's your turn.

What's your favorite hot-weather dish?

Mindy Obenhaus lives on a ranch in Texas with her husband and the last of her five children. She's passionate about touching readers with Biblical truths in an entertaining, and sometimes adventurous, manner. When she’s not writing, she enjoys cooking and spending time with her grandchildren. Learn more at www.MindyObenhaus.com 

Revisiting a Favorite Warm Weather Dish

Spring is still springing here in Texas, as evidenced by the flooding rains we've had in recent weeks. After a five year drought, I am happy to say that many of our lakes now full and the grass is greener than its been in years. And I haven't had to turn on the sprinkler once.


Best of all, I once again have fresh basil growing on my patio. You know what that means. Soon, I'll be able to enjoy one of my favorite dishes whenever I want.


Typically, a caprese salad is a slice of fresh mozzarella cheese topped with a tomato slice and a basil leaf, drizzled with a little olive oil and sprinkled with some coarse ground black pepper. However, there are times when I want to make a meal of this amazing combination.


First, we need some yummy tomatoes. Like these campari tomatoes. Very tasty.

 

Chop three or four of those babies and tossed them together with some cubed fresh mozzarella. Fresh mozzarella is the kind that comes in a ball, not a brick. Very soft with a mild flavor.

 

Then we'll add some chopped basil, a bit of olive oil, a pinch of sea salt, and some fresh ground pepper. Toss it all up and voila!

A light and refreshing lunch that's not only easy, but oh so delicious.

 

I may have to fix this sooner than later, because my mouth is watering just thinking about it.

What's your favorite warm weather dish?

Friend-ly Reunions

This has been the summer of “friend-ly reunions” for me.  I’ve had the joy of visiting with people who make a big difference in my life’s journey.  Some for the first time in person and some for the first time in a while.  

Having a sister is like having a best friend you can never get rid of. You know whatever you do, they'll still be there.  -Amy Li
 

This picture evokes too many captions to mention. It was tough for me going from an only to the oldest!  

They called us the Easter Eggs because we had different hair color even before hair dye came into the picture.

My sister Ann is visiting this weekend.  We are having a blast but missing our little sister Mary.  Sniff. If I don't comment quickly enough, it is because we are out having too much fun antiquing.

Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: "What! You too? I thought I was the only one.  ― C.S. Lewis

Piper and I met at last year's Moonlight and Magnolias but cemented our bond over Royal Baby news.

Mary and I have been writing buddies for a while now but roomed together at RWA. And we didn't kill each other! 

Speaking of sisters, I just got back from RWA in Atlanta where I was united with writing pals, Piper Huguley and Mary Curry.  I keep saying they are sisters of the heart but they also are encouragers of the first order.  

At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us.  - Albert Schweitzer

My friend Renee and her husband Tommy. Why yes, they ARE dressed like Rhett and Scarlett!

Another great thing about going to Atlanta was seeing my friend from divinity school days, Renee, and her husband. They recently moved back to the East Coast from California. Encouragement is also a theme of our relationship through all our various adventures in ministry.

“It was only high school after all, definitely one of the most bizarre periods in a person’s life. How anyone can come through that time well adjusted on any level is an absolute miracle.”  ― E.A. Bucchianeri, Brushstrokes of a Gadfly

     Back in the day, we rocked Gunne Sax. I am in the middle seated. Donna is at the end kneeling.

Earlier this summer, my friend Donna traveled all the way to Outer Banks from California to be with her  East Coast family. Then she drove eight hours round trip to see the infamous screened porch project and me. Now that is a good friend.  I think we started talking the moment she arrived and kept at it until she departed.  We talked surviving high school, our faith journey and more.  Just picked up where we left off.

Like fine cheeses, we have aged pretty well. Donna better than me!

I fixed something quick and easy for our visit, not wanting to waste time cooking when I could spend the time visiting.  It is tomato season here and I decided a caprese salad would be the ticket.  My variation involved miniaturizing the ingredients. Everyone knows anything is cuter when it is tiny. I added fresh bread and brownies from the local bakery and voila. Lunch!

This was the perfect lunch for sustaining hours of talking!

Marinated Caprese Salad

1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes

1 container mini mozzarella balls

1 package romaine lettuce, torn up

1 bunch asparagus

1/3 cup olive oil

2 T balsamic vinegar

1 T Italian spices or dry Italian dressing blend

Shaved parmesan cheese

Mix the oil, vinegar and spices. Pour in a bowl. Add tomatoes and mozzarella balls. Stir, cover and refrigerate at least one hour.  

Toss asparagus in a tablespoon of olive oil and a dash of salt. Roast for 20 minutes at 350.

Arrange romaine lettuce on a plate. Place still warm asparagus spears across lettuce. Top with tomatoes and mozzarella.  Shave parmesan over salad.  Serves 3-4.

I've learned over time it is better to have an easy meal when you know you're going to be yacking. Small bites, carbs to keep you going, and plenty of water to drink so your mouth doesn't get dry.

So, what about you? Have you had friendly or family reunions this summer? Is there one reunion you wish you could set up?