Danny, we would start with summer tomatoes,basil and thyme from the garden,lots of garlic, french bread[which we make ourselves]and concoct a bruchetta for a 1st course. Then we would grill baby lamb chops[about the same way you do steaks], steam fresh spinich, and do sweet potatoes or a summer squash combo sauteed in olive oil and garlic- we'd be too full to eat dessert. PS- this struck a cord for us. One of our real pleasures in life, and a "soulmate" connection for us has always been cooking together. While I chant the mantra "new normal". we are soo missing the old us. Amy

Yours sounds much better than mine Jam!!!

I'll be over Saturday at 6pm.

Danny Boy

Could I get a flight I wonder?
I could give the lamb a miss and have 2 cocktails, have a good weekend all, so glad we all are here sharing the joy of being alive!!!
Sunshine... love and hugs
Helen

To Rosie: Several years ago we had a veggie lasagna that was out of the world It was about 5 layers high, piled with spinach, onions, garlic[optional], mushrooms, yellow squash and zucchini. Between each layer was a mixture of parmesan, ricotta and mozzarella and then covered in a northern Italian tomato sauce and baked. It was a 10. Amy

I'll be there as well, Amy. It'll have to be NEXT saturday. I didn't realise that Americans were such wonderful gourmets these days. I learn so much here! Love from Helen

Helen, we are free next Saturday. As we Southerners are prone to say, "ya'll come on now"

P.S. Helen. I have always wanted to come to Australia,I read that it is a beautiful country. Where do you live? Amy

Why would garlic be "optional" ???!!!

I'm sure you will love Australia, Amy. We have wonderful food here also, from the many cultures which make up our diverse population - total only 20 million on our large land mass.

I live in a semi-rural area south of Sydney on the edge of a large national park. I couldn't manage the 2hr drive each way to Sydney for radiation treatment so I stayed with family there for a couple of months during treatment.

I hope the driving is manageable for you and your husband. Thinking of you, love from Helen

Hi Amy,
I'll bring the mint jelly. Sounds great. And for those of you who had radiation last fall or winter and think you can't eat, this is just the kind of meal you might be able to eat most of sans that marvelous homemade bread. Trick is, everything she is serving is full of moisture. You may have to cut back on some of the spices, but should be able to eat most of it. Zucchini is a great summer veggie as is corn on the cob and tomatoes. All contain lots of moisture which is what people need after radiation treatments. Something else I found I could eat the first summer was lobster claws, dripping in butter. For desert, the early part of the season is bluberries or strawberries in heavy cream. The latter part of the season, peaches in heavy cream. Now will summer ever get here?

Take care,
Eileen