Seasonal Saturday & Fresh, Clean, and Pure Friday ~ ~ Being Renamed to "Fresh Food Friday"!

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A few changes will be taking place here for the Friday portion of this weekend get-together/link-up.  First, I'm changing the name to Fresh Food Friday; secondly the focus will be on food and gardening posts only.  And lastly, I'm currently working on a new button/badge for the Friday portion only as well, and hopefully this will be accomplished within the next few weeks.

Seasonal Saturday will remain the same, and continue from Friday's link-up, again with the focus only on recipe and gardening posts.  So far, everyone likes this idea/direction with many kind comments!  Thank you for your wonderful support!


Here are the featured blogs from last week that I hope you enjoy!  It's always so hard to choose which posts to feature, but choose them I must do.  There are always so many wonderful posts shared.  Thank you to everyone!  To be considered for a featured post, the button and/or link needs to be included in your post, OK?

Rosina of Rosy ~ Posy tempts us with her Fresh Veggie Fritters.  What a delicious treat!  Welcome, Rosina!

Rhubarb is still fresh in our gardens and strawberries make a perfect pair in these Strawberry Rhubarb Muffins shared by Melissa@Market from zomppa.  They look so delicious with the butter melting on top, don't they?

Michelle at Ms. Enplace prepared this wonderful summer-fresh-flavor-filled Summer Tomato Fusilli pasta salad.   Basil is ready to pick and many gardeners are already harvesting tomatoes around here, so yes, it's time for salads like this!  Gorgeous colors!

After spending a few weeks in Hawaii, I thought that this sweet, cool and tropical recipe for Pineapple and Coconut Gelato from Patti at Comfy Cuisine was just perfect!

And last, but not least is a post by Leo and Jane from Cottage at the Crossroads about their simply unbelievable garden; you really have to see this garden.  I've got so much more work to do to have a garden like theirs!

Recipe and gardening posts only . . . thank you!

To be considered for one of the weekly featured posts, a link and/or button to this get-together needs to appear on your shared post.  

Please use the URL address of your post and not your blog.

Please try to visit one or two of the bloggers who'd like to meet you and have you meet and hopefully, follow them.

Please spread the word about this link-up party as well.  Thanks for your kindness!

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Grilled Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms ~ Grilling & Cooking Light!!

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Thank goodness for delicious light and meatless recipes.  And with the temperature hitting a record 98 degrees today, thank heaven for the ability to get out of a hot kitchen and out onto the deck to use the grill (even though it was cooler in the house with the A/C on!).  After the beef gluttony of Memorial Day's steak, I needed to return to the Cooking Light repertoire of yummy foods in the worst way.  This absolutely, wonderful, endorsed by my meat and potatoes husband, was just perfect for the June "Get Out of the Kitchen" theme chosen by Sandi of The Whistlestop Cafe for The Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club, hosted by Valli of More Than Burnt Toast.

I didn't even have to ask Bill (Mr. Meat and Potatoes, now aka "Mr. M & P") how the mushrooms tasted.  Taking his first bite before my asking how they tasted, he said " These are really good!"  That's saying a lot for a man who dislikes mushrooms.  It was truly a moment of glee for me!  I was ecstatic and couldn't wait to dig in.  WOW!  Yummy!  Perfect and oh so easy and fast.  I made these right after I got home from work today.  Seriously a 20-minute or less recipe....move over Rachel Ray!  This is a true keeper for a side or a meal.  I hope you try it and check out the other bloggers and their recipes for The Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club gang!


Grilled Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms
(slightly adapted from Cooking Light, 2001)
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2/3 cup chopped plum tomato
1/4 cup (1 ounce) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1 teaspoon olive oil, divided
1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary (I doubled this to 1 tsp.)
1/8 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 garlic clove, crushed (I doubled this to 2 large garlic cloves as usual)
4 (5-inch) portobello mushroom caps
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
Cooking spray
2 teaspoons minced fresh Italian parsley


Prepare grill.
Combine the tomato, cheese, 1/2 teaspoon oil, rosemary, pepper, and garlic in a small bowl.
Remove brown gills from the undersides of mushroom caps using a spoon, and discard gills.
Remove stems; discard.
Combine 1/2 teaspoon oil, juice, and soy sauce in a small bowl; brush over both sides of mushroom caps.
Place the mushroom caps, stem sides down, on grill rack coated with cooking spray, and grill for 5 minutes on each side or until soft.
Grill the mushrooms stem sides down first, so that when they're turned they'll be in the right position to be filled.
Spoon 1/4 cup tomato mixture into each mushroom cap.
Cover and grill 3 minutes or until cheese is melted.
Sprinkle with parsley.

Note: Since the garlic isn't really cooked, the mushrooms have a strong garlic flavor.
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Lauren's Deviled Eggs!

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We love deviled eggs!  When my kids were growing up, they would devour them.  My daughter loved them so much, that we named this recipe after her, "Lauren's Deviled Eggs".  I think I found the recipe in one of the old basic, every-kitchen-had-to-have cookbooks, such as "Better Homes and Gardens" or "The Joy of Cooking", the two classics that I always went to when learning to cook in the late 70's.  I don't dare claim this recipe as my own . . . but it's the family favorite, so thank you to whomever this recipe originated from. Even today, if anyone in the family looks in the frig and sees these creamy yellow mounds of savory delight, they beam from ear to ear.  Seriously, the simple things just make us so happy around here!

So Lauren in Tennessee, this post is for you dolly!

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Lauren's Deviled Eggs
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12 jumbo eggs
1/2 cup mayonnaise or Miracle Whip (our choice for the tang it offers)
3 tsp. mustard
1-1/2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
4 Tbsp. melted butter (this is truly the secret ingredient)
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
paprika for garnish
herbs to garnish

Bring a pot of water to a boil (I place the eggs in the water while it is still cold; I find that if I put cold eggs in boiling water, they are more likely to crack once they go in the hot water).
Boil the eggs for 10 - 15 minutes, or until how done you like your eggs.
Place the cooked eggs in a bowl with ice water to begin cooling them down.
Under cold running water, crack each egg all the way around and gently lift the shells and membrane off . . . get under the membrane for the easiest removal of the shell.  This works like a dream each and every time!
Slice each egg in half.
Gently scoop out the yolk and place in a medium bowl.
Place the white portion of the eggs on a plate or egg platter.
Mash the yolks with a fork.
Add the mayo, mustard, vinegar, and melted butter, salt and pepper.
Whip with a fork until smooth.
Taste and make any adjustments that you prefer.
Spoon heaping amounts of this egg mixture into the cooked whites.
Sprinkle with paprika.
Garnish with fresh-cut herbs.

Cover and chill in the refrigerator (I try to always make these in the morning so that they are cold for lunch and/or later on in the day).

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