can't get enough.

sometimes i wish i lived somewhere that i could 

grow peonies in my front yard.

they just make me so happy.

you know what else makes me happy?

artichokes.

this is the only time of year we get them, 

so we have spoiled ourselves a few times lately.

we steam them, then throw them on the grill 

for a few minutes 

and then eat them with garlic mayonnaise.

yum, yum.

oh, to live like it was summer always...

market casserole

the best dinner i have made in a long time.

it is oh, so tasty.

here is how you layer it up...

israeli cous cous in the bottom.

roasted eggplant and onions next.

chopped zucchini after that.  {sprinkle with tony's}

slices of mozzarella.

slices of tomatoes. {more tony's}

bread crumb, garlic, parmesan and olive oil topping.

and more tony's.

bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes, until the top is 

crispy, melty and delicious 

and the cous cous is cooked all the way.

really you can put any vegetables you like in it.

*you may need to put just a little water or broth in the cous cous if you don't have enough juices from the vegetables.

and then, just enjoy it!

making pie.

not sure why, but every weekend this summer

i just want to make a pie.

i love the process (and the result).

and i always have an enthusiastic helper or two.

most recently we made a strawberry rhubarb pie.

we used martha's rhubarb strawberry lattice pie recipe, 

but ours was half strawberries and half rhubarb

and we only used 3/4 cups of sugar.

it was plenty sweet and delicious.

so, turn on some patty griffin and make yourself a pie.

eating chili.

a neighbor gave me this recipe for supposedly

"the best chili you have ever tasted."

my family was not so convinced.

i guess they are just creatures of habit.

they like what they know.

if you give that recipe a try, 

let me know how it goes over in your house.

(i did switch out the meat for turkey and chicken)

otherwise, here is the best chili 

the burch kids ever tasted...

turkey chili with black eye peas

24 oz ground turkey

2 onions

2 green bell peppers

4 cloves garlic

2- 14 1/2 oz cans diced tomatoes

2- 15 oz cans black eye peas

2- 8 oz cans tomato sauce

1 tsp cumin

season with tony's (or seasoning of choice)

in a large saucepan, cook turkey, onion, pepper and garlic.

stir in tomatoes, drained peas, tomato sauce, cumin and tony's and bring to a boil.

reduce heat and cover for 20 minutes.

done.

super easy and always a crowd pleaser.

buttermilk.

i received this banana bread recipe from a friend and, i kid you not, it is the very best banana bread i have ever tasted.  i am quite convinced it is thanks to the buttermilk.  i strongly believe buttermilk makes all baked goods that much better.  we've also used this recipe to make banana muffins and sprinkled a little granola on top.  nothing makes my kids more excited (ok, a wee exaggeration) than a plate of banana muffins waiting for them when they get home from school.  make them today.  i promise, you won't be sorry.  well, unless you are on a diet. then you might be sorry...

2 eggs
1/3 cup buttermilk
2 mashed overripe bananas (i even use 3 or 4 sometimes)
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 3/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375 and grease your bread pan. Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, bananas, vanilla and buttermilk and mix well. In a separate bowl mix dry ingredients and then add to wet and mix until well incorporated. (I am very lazy and reluctant to dirty another bowl so I usually just dump everything into my stand mixer together.) Bake until the top doesn't jiggle when you give the pan a good shake. Sorry I don't have an exact time frame for you...I also think the addition of nuts or chocolate chips or even a cream cheese icing would be delicious if you want to get fancy!

cookies and coffee.

today feels like a good day for making 

iced coffee and rolling out some sugar cookies.

how sweet are these cloud cookies? 

find a recipe for the iced coffee here and sugar cookies here.

wear.make.do.

wear a lovely and cozy long skirt. like this one. or this one. or whichever one you have in your closet.
make this delicious eggs galette for brunch this weekend. served with some orange juice and sunshine. mmmm...

do make time to write a thank you note to someone (or something?) you love. even if just to say thank you for being you.

wear.make.do.

wear this adorable white dress by gillian tennant out on a hot brunch date.

please do print up this darling memory game with your kids.

and please make me this caramel cake and serve it to me in bed with coffee sunday morning.