Watermelon margaritas

cube 1/4 watermelon and blend it with 1/3 c fresh lime juice. add 1/3 c good tequila and 1/3 c cointreau. chill in freezer. serve over ice if you can't wait.

really good with the beef and tomato salad, to which i added some gorgonzola and arugula.

steak and tomato salad

"the best salad I ever had" is a strong statement, but uttered by david when he stood over the sink and ate it.

1 c. halved small cherry tomatoes (from the farmer's market!)
1 1/2 c. sliced grilled flank steak that has been rubbed with butter, then dry mustard, salt and peppered and cooked in a skillet
half cubed avocado
1/3 c thinly sliced green pepper
1/3 c thinly sliced vidalia onion
1/2 chopped fresh jalapeno
1/4 c chopped T cilantro or 1/2 T cilantro paste incorporated into dressing

toss with juice from 1/2 lime, 1-2 T. champagne vinegar, and olive oil to taste. salt and pepper to taste.

oat bluberry muffins

blueberries abound

i added some lime zest and lime juice to the batter, and almost doubled the blueberries.

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups quick cooking oats
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 egg
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup blueberries, rinsed and drained

Directions

Combine oats, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Mix in milk, egg, and oil; mix just until dry ingredients are moistened. Fold in blueberries. Fill greased muffin cups 2/3 full with batter.
Bake at 425 degrees F (220 degrees C) for 20 to 25 minutes.

tomato pie

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
3/4 teaspoon fine salt
1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons shredded manchego cheese
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
2 1/4 pounds mixed heirloom tomatoes
Kosher salt
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons breadcrumbs
3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
Freshly ground pepper

Directions

Make the crust: Pulse the flour, cornmeal and fine salt in a food processor to combine. Add the butter and 3 tablespoons manchego; pulse until the mixture looks like coarse meal with pea-size bits of butter. Drizzle in 4 tablespoons ice water and pulse until the dough comes together; add 1 more tablespoon ice water if necessary. Turn out onto a sheet of plastic wrap and pat into a disk. Wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 45 minutes.

Put the dough between 2 sheets of parchment paper and roll into a 13-inch round. Transfer the dough to a 9 1/2-inch deep-dish pie plate. Fold the overhang under itself and crimp the edges. Pierce the bottom of the crust all over with a fork. Refrigerate until firm, about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Line the crust with foil, then fill with dried beans. Bake until the edges are golden, about 20 minutes. Remove the foil and beans and continue baking until golden all over, 10 to 15 more minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool.

Make the filling: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until golden, about 15 minutes. Let cool. Meanwhile, thinly slice the tomatoes; toss with 1 teaspoon kosher salt in a colander. Let drain, gently tossing occasionally, about 30 minutes.

Increase the oven temperature to 375 degrees F. Combine the remaining 3/4 cup manchego, the mozzarella, mayonnaise, breadcrumbs, 2 tablespoons each chives and parsley, the thyme, 1/4 teaspoon each kosher salt and pepper, and the sauteed onion in a bowl. Spread in the crust. Arrange the tomatoes on top. Drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with pepper. Bake until the tomatoes are browned, about 50 minutes. Top with the remaining 1 tablespoon each chives and parsley.