GRANPA LOVES SUMMER BARBECUE COOKING

Summer barbecuing is so tasty. Last night steak barbecued with some corn on the cob cooked with the  husk. Accompanying the steak and corn a Greek salad using some romaine lettuce from the garden. Tonight chicken legs on the barbecue with grilled eggplant using the new grill accessory bought by Barb. Used the remainder of some meat sauce, making a few rigatoni along with fried zucchini pieces and peppers- picked fresh from the garden for our meal. Of course we eat outside as much as possible. Barb works inside all day so wants as much of the outdoor life as possible. I like to annoy Barb as soon as we eat asking what should we have for dinner tomorrow. She always reminds of the story of her first trip to Italy in 1991. My cousin Maria Pia was a great cook and would spend hours cooking the evening meal. At one of Barb's first meals, everyone was eating the delicious food, not commenting on it but talking about what would be for dinner the next day. Well it's an Italian thing, what can I say?

FROM A FRESH APPETIZER TO A HEARTY SOUP

I eat lots of vegetable. For any gathering or a family barbecue at the cottage a fresh vegetable appetizer platter is always a hit with some spinach dip. We all eat a variety of vegetables.

From broccoli

to cauliflower

to carrots

to a variety of peppers- red, green, yellow, orange- vegetables are best eaten fresh.

What to do with the leftovers? The next day make them into a dish. Soup/zuppa well is my second best way to eat them. With a little olive oil in the bottom of the pot simmer some chopped onions and a couple of buds of diced garlics. When simmered add the chopped vegetables left over form the veggie platter. I added some frozen peas, a zucchini, a little swiss chard piece, and some celery too. All chopped into small pieces. Of course salt and pepper to taste.
Ecco la!

Una zuppa di verdure! A hearty vegetable soup! Barb always tells me she loves the smell of soup simmering in the house. I just love eating it!