I recently read that Zucchini Bread was the most frequently made and the most ‘gifted’ away bread of any other variety….it is also the one most likely to be thrown out by the recipient of said ‘gift’. This is likely due to the fact that zucchini all by itself is seriously lacking in the flavor department. Zucchini can also contain a whole lot of moisture, and if we don’t address that issue our bread ends up looking, and tasting like a flavorless hunk of sea sponge. I know this from first hand experience while creating this recipe, which was not a good one. The only person who would eat that first attempt was my mother, who said “Hey, you can’t be Martha Stewart every day – get over yourself”. That comment was enough to get me back to the drawing board, and the result is this Zucchini Lemon Bread is bursting with fresh, citrusy flavor. We squeeze the living daylights out of the grated zucchini, which goes a long way to eliminate that spongy element of my prior attempts, and then top the whole thing off with a generous crackling crust of lemon sugar. It’s fun to make, it’s easy, and I guarantee nobody will be secretly tossing this out if you can make yourself give it away.
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I love cake. I love cherries. And now, in the height of cherry season, I can often be found lurking around the refrigerator and pulling out several handfuls of those dark red gems to stuff in my mouth when nobody is looking. The dilemma became this – is there a way to enjoy both cake and cherries without losing any of that fresh cherry goodness? I think this may just do it. The cake base resembles a pound cake (we need something heavy duty to hold up all those cherries), and for some added personality there is shredded coconut, vanilla, and almond extract. This I could eat all on its’ own and be quite happy. However, we can’t forget the cherries! The little extra work of pitting and slicing beautiful dark red cherries in half is well worth the effort. No sugar added to this layer – those berries are sweet enough all on their own. To top it off, the crumb layer has a generous amount of ground almonds that will keep you coming back for one more bite….at least I do. 
I’ll let you in on a little secret…of all the tons of appetizers I have made in my day; this is hands down the favorite of everybody. A lot of other smoked salmon recipes call for both a brine and a rub before smoking, but that just seemed like way too much work, so I just decided to combine the brine and the rub ingredients into one easy step. And here you have it. Don’t have a Smoker? No problem. You can easily turn your charcoal or gas grill into a smoker that will work beautifully, and I’ve included some ‘how-to’ links so you can check it out. You might want to make twice as much as you think you’ll need. If your guests are anything like mine, this will be gone within minutes of setting it out – my guests have no shame.
They say what grows together goes together, and those words couldn’t be truer than when combining these seasonal flavor powerhouses: fresh asparagus, juicy sugar snap peas, and sweet, ripe strawberries. The asparagus stalks are peeled into ribbons, and the tips are sautéed until just crisp/tender – the best of both worlds. I’ve also thrown in some roasted pumpkin seeds for crunch, and slightly sweet Double Strawberry Vinaigrette for dressing. Oh – and then there’s the blue cheese…. Good stuff, Maynard. …
I must say that there are some things I can eat until I cannot move. This is one of them. Sweet, tart Hood Strawberries, filled with a Greek Yogurt Cheese & Strawberry Jam. Three ingredients and a little piece of heaven. How about we make some? 
As I sit writing this, I cannot believe that I haven’t shared this recipe with you before. It’s my absolute favorite marinade for grilling chicken, and I usually triple the recipe and freeze for whenever the mood strikes. When my niece Ari was little, this was just about the only chicken she would eat (except for chicken strips from what she called ‘Burr-Burr Ville). We made it for her every year during our annual sister’s beach getaway, and it still brings smiles to everyone who tries it. She named it ‘
