Andy's Diner

Redemption...

Not my redemption... The Food Network's. I don't know how you've been feeling about it, but we've been sick to death of all the stewpid new shows on the Food Network. Everything's a reality show, everything's a contest... like WHO is watching that dreck? So, we're very relieved to now have their sister network "Cooking Channel" - where there are a host of new faces that belong to people who actually COOK. And, they've got Jamie Oliver in the rotation... 

LOVE Ching-He Huang, 

LOVE Luke Nguyen's Vietnam... and many, many more. Luke actually inspired tonight's dinner - Chicken lemongrass with chilis and garlic. GOOD stuff! Give the new channel a try - if you're like us, you may very rarely go back to The Food Network again.

Where Have We Been???

We've been having camera issues at the Diner - our Nikon D80 has an auto-focus issue, which after Googling proves to be endemic, so posting fell off precipitously. That... and we were traveling. Back home to Cape Cod... Get ready for a lengthy post with plenty of photos.

Now it wouldn't have been a trip to the Cape without a LOT of the local goodies... but the standouts were the great homemade dishes...

I've got to start by giving credit where credit is due: to the amazing Gardener and Baker who is responsible for the breakfast treats and all of the bounty to choose from out in the garden. My kids are right: Grandma is amazing!

Homemade blueberry muffins were my breakfast addiction... and the garden was overflowing:

Eggplants we roasted on the grill and added to a pasta salad.

Every herb imaginable, including copious amounts of sage that found their way into...

Mushroom ravioli with sage and bacon in a white wine, butter reduction. And so much more...

This salad was amazing, with herbs and wild arugula, hissop, cukes and tomatoes - all from the garden.

Amazing Caprese salads with ripe and oh-so-tasty golden tomatoes and basil from the garden. I literally just went out every day and picked what I wanted to cook with. Good for the soul! 

Strawberries and rhubarb compote (my favorite all-time fruit combo) with homemade biscotti for dessert. Just a small sampling of a number of photos from a very refreshing trip.