Coffee chipotle meat rub? Just say WOW! and get it over with — you know you want to.

Seriously, what is not to like about summer…well besides the 107 degree heat? Cooking out is the best! I must admit that Marc likes the gas grill and I miss the taste of good old fashioned charcoal in my burgers but still, there is just something about eating a hamburger that has been cooked out of doors that is amazing.

My dad used to brush hamburgers with a little honey. I can’t seem to replicate that flavor and he never told me how he did it, what he mixed, how much…sigh. It is a flavor that is lost to me forever, everywhere but my mind.

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So, today is none other than National Cheesecake Day! In celebration I wanted to post yet another cheesecake.

I love doing cheesecakes. Even though people think they are really hard, and impressive–they are a cinch. Just a few tricks and tips will guarantee your success. Once you have the basic formula down you can change flavors and crust and topping to your heart’s content.

This brownie cheesecake was actually an accident. I was trying out a new chocolate cake recipe for Matt’s birthday party (7/24)  and the texture of the cake was not what I wanted..too dense to be cake, too dry to be brownie. What to do?

When I took it from the pans it crumbled. I grumbled. And then…

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This is an interesting kit. I have mixed feelings about it and it is late, so bear with me as I more or less ramble on.

The girls were excited to see the kit. We have dvds of Ace of Cakes and love to watch them. Shiloh, my 13 year old has worked with fondant in the past so was looking forward to working  with it again. Remember this image?

So, Shiloh read the directions carefully and began to take the stuff out of the kit. (more…)

Honeydew is one of my favorite flavors of summer. Salsa is, well it is practically a food group here in Texas. Over the past few years salsa has come into its own, and is being made from nearly everything you can imagine. I was intrigued with the idea of honeydew salsa. I saw the original on Epicurious and knew I was going to make it. Soon.

The salsa is so unique, I think. It is sweet, spicy, warm with cilantro, and cool with the honeydew. Perfect for the Dog Days of August!

The colors were refreshing, too. Green, light green, purple…

This is a cinch to put together, guaranteed to impress everyone and is perfect for dipping homemade tortilla chips into OR Serving over fish, chicken, or shellfish. I think if you were going to do pork you would probably want to replace the honeydew with canteloupe, which is my next experiment.

This is seriously good. Try it. Erin (my oldest daughter) and I had to make it twice. We test tasted the first batch until it was almost gone.

Honeydew Salsa

• 2 cups  diced peeled honeydew
• 3/4 cup  chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/8 cup chopped mint leaves
• 1/2 cup finely diced red onion
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• Grated zest from one lime
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 serrano (hot) or jalapeno (medium) chopped

Combine all ingredients and allow the flavors to blend for 30 minutes.

Makes about 3 cups… depending on how many times you taste it to adjust the seasonings.

images:marye audet

But too good not to share it.

Backtrack with me, k?

On Monday last week I got a letter from the VA hospital letting me know that I had a sonogram on my thyroid scheduled on August 6 at 1 o clock. I asked her why, when I thought they had decided to remove it. She was a little snotty, but patiently explained to me that the doctors had ordered it, they knew what they were doing..etc. Did I know more than the doctors, hmmmmm?

Tuesday Marc tried to find out what was going on by talking to a doctor while he was up there. The doctor told him that they had not decided what to do, the surgeon was in Africa, AND since my blood work was all normal there was no reason to take the thyroid out, despite the fact that I am horribly, horribly symptomatic. Marc tried to argue but…to no avail. Did HE know more than the doctors…hmmmm? (more…)