Summer Cooking:: part 2

Another summer salad, compliments of a perfect issue of Bon Appetit last summer. This one is called Farmer's Market Salad with Spiced Goat Cheese Rounds. I made it the first time last summer when my mom, sister and I took our kids to my parents' cabin for "Grandma Camp." Just moms and kids and lots of fun. After the kiddies went to bed, we heated things up in the kitchen. Well, my salad wasn't exactly heating up the kitchen, as the cooked ingredients can be prepared ahead of time and tossed at the last minute. A perfect salad to use the fresh ingredients coming in from the market or your garden. Don't have a few of these things? Just improvise. I added a little bit of crumbled bacon instead of olives and tomato wedges instead of cherry tomatoes. The greens were from our garden. Of course, we found a few blades of grass, but that adds to the experience, right?

We fed the kids first, then set up our little dinner-for-two in the yard while the kids rode their bikes up and down the driveway and sidewalk. Louise mostly tried to eat dirt, but rode her bike a little. Check out the HUGE blackberry bush behind me. It has been the most prolific plant in our yard, all thanks to a little bird or squirrel who planted the original seed. Thank you, who ever you were! Carl and Gus thank you for their purple fingers and happy bellies every night.

Mmm... yummy new-to-me goat cheese. Ever tried Ile-de-France goat? Tangy and soft, just the slightest bit dry to please your palate. It held up quite well with my recipe when I sliced it and rolled it in spices. I love that it comes in a large portion, not just the stingy small rolls I most often find at the grocery store. When I buy goat cheese, I want it to be around for a little while so I can use it in a few recipes, or sneak into it when no one is looking. Although I tend to look for local cheeses, I would definitely recommend Ile de France for cooking. Notice the thyme flowers? I dig the way they look on a plate, so I added them to our salads for a garnish.