Happy Friday, Happy 3-day Weekend......

(and Happy Birthday Ashley!)

STEP AWAY FROM THE GRILL!!!!!!!!!

White Peach Sangria

• bottle dry white wine
• 3/4 cup peach flavored vodka
• 6 tablespoons frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1 pound white peaches, pitted and sliced
• 3/4 cup seedless red grapes, halved
• 3/4 cup seedless green grapes, halved

DIRECTIONS
In a large pitcher, combine dry white wine, peach vodka, lemonade concentrate and sugar. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Add sliced peaches, red and green grapes. Refrigerate sangria until well chilled, at least 2 hours, or overnight to blend flavors. Serve over ice, and use a slotted spoon to include sliced peaches and grapes with each serving.

Bruschetta With Goat Cheese

• 1 cup chopped seeded plum tomato
• handful of fresh basil--julienned
  
• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup (2 ounces) goat cheese with fine herbs, divided
• 8 (1/2-inch-thick) slices diagonally cut French bread baguette, toasted

DIRECTIONS

Combine first 6 ingredients in a medium bowl, tossing gently. Let stand 15 minutes. Spread 1 1/2 teaspoons goat cheese on each bread slice. Using a slotted spoon, arrange 1 tablespoon tomato mixture over cheese. Serve immediately.

Zucchini Fritata

• 2 small cloves garlic
• Olive oil, for sauteing
• 1 medium zucchini
• 1/2 bunch basil
• 8 eggs
• 2 tablespoons milk
• Salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan

Directions

Preheat the broiler.

Start by crushing some garlic and heating it in some olive oil in a medium nonstick saute pan on the stove. While that is heating up, very thinly slice the zucchini. When the oil and garlic are heated, tear some basil into the pan and add all the sliced zucchini. Cook until the zucchini is tender, but not cooked through, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Blend eggs in a blender or wisk vigorously with a little bit of milk and some salt and pepper.

Pour the egg mixture into saute pan and let it sit for 1 minute. When there isn't much loose egg left in the pan, grate some Parmesan on top and place pan in the broiler for 1 minute.

Take pan out of broiler, let it cool and set in pan for 5 minutes. When cool invert a plate on top of pan and turn over. Slice and serve. This is great served room temperature!

Very Easy Lemon Cookies

• 1 (18.25 ounce) package lemon cake mix
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon lemon extract or fresh lemon juice and grated zest
• (I prefer the lemon juice& zest)
  
• 1/3 cup confectioners' sugar for decoration

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
Pour cake mix into a large bowl. Stir in eggs, oil, and lemon extract or juice & zest until well blended. Drop teaspoonfuls of dough into a bowl of confectioners' sugar. Roll them around until they're lightly covered. Once sugared, put them on an ungreased cookie sheet.Bake for 6 to 9 minutes in the preheated oven. The bottoms will be light brown, and the insides chewy.

An inspired menu to help savor the last "lazy" days of summer!
Go shopping this evening. Buy an extra bottle of wine for tonight!
Make everything tomorrow morning.
Relax!
Tuesday is far away!

Bon Apetit!!!!