Corn and Tomato Salad with Fresh Herbs (NYTimes) by Barbara

The simplicity of this dish should not discount its specialness.

What caught my eye about this recipe is the way the corn on the cob was cooked:  in the microwave!  This was a first for me.  And it worked exceptionally well. 

Zap each ear of corn for 3 minutes, carefully remove the husk, and the corn will be cooked crisp, tender.

All ingredients need to be ripe to perfection for this dish to really shine.  We used sweet corn from a farmstand and very ripe cherry tomatoes.  

I also used the leftover salad to make a Friday nite pasta dish by combining it with sauteed shallots and garlic and a can of Italian tuna fish brought together with some heavy cream over fettucine.  

---Barbara

Poor Man's Lobster Roll by Barbara

Salad version with a split roll served on the side

This experiment turned out very well.  I ran across a YouTube video of Jacques Pepin making two versions of lobster rolls with Julia Child in her Cambridge kitchen.  Jacques didn't really explain how to prepare the lobster in butter, so I poached my shrimp on very low heat in unsalted butter.  It takes a long time to do this, about 1/2 hour, but the results are worth it.  The shrimp was very tender, and retained its full flavor.  Of course, the butter makes it a very rich dish!  But also worth it.  I would be proud to serve this dish anyone who loves lobster rolls and see what they think.

---Barbara

Banana Bread Muffins by Barbara

A true banana bread muffin

UPDATED 2024

No need for buttermilk or milk for this recipe, which makes this recipe handy.  Very moist, very dense like a true banana bread. I am very pleased with how these turned out.

      ---Barbara

Curried Turkey Salad with Cashews by Barbara

Enough for a crowd: A crunchy, salty, sweet, spicy, creamy summer salad

Reworked this favorite old recipe so that it is lighter and brighter.  We like to pack it for picnics with extra celery sticks on the side.  Or serve it over fresh greens for dinner.  Very filling yet refreshing on a hot summer day.

     ---Barbara