I'm thawing some out right now for an easy supper...parchment on a baking sheet, first roast some sweet potato fries, lay on chicken pieces to heat, add some asparagus. No mess, no fuss meal. Out of the freezer last night and into fridge for slow safe thaw. I just put sauce right in with it to freeze. Will last a long time if you get all the air out of your zip-lock. The sauce actually helps with that. (i use the food saver shrinky-dink) ...when the sauce starts to move up to the machine, hit heat/seal real quick. Or freeze with the bag not yet sealed and shrink-seal the next day.

I did nothing to deserve this! Nothing! (Except working 50 hours work weeks, and taking only 1 personal day off in the last year...) But my aunt and uncle love me :) (I've been going out there on and off since I was 13.) I was on Diamond Point, Deanna. It's a little squib on the Miller Pennisula, near Sequim, WA; in between Port Angeles and Port Townsend. From my aunt and uncles' front room you look out on Protection Island and the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Seals, seal lions, even an elephant seal, not to mention the puffins, bald and golden eagles, cormorants and guillemots, not to mention the foxes, deer, and the latest river otter tribes. (Just for looking, not for eating.) My uncle and I drove up a logging road on a clear day to one of the "hills" that would qualify as Mt Everest around here. In one direction I could make out the buildings of Seattle, in the other, the buildings of Victoria. (We raised our beers to you, AnnT!) If I go out next year, I plan to go back to Victoria and Vancouver, and need to connect with all the Lotus Land webbers!

Extra Virgin Olive Oil (has to be a fruity one) and balsamic vinegar. Or nothing. I admit to being way to fond of arugula with way too much olive oil and Italian dense white bread on the side. Don't need vinegar for that (and my rosacea is the better for it). My husband has learned to like the oil and vinegar - years ago it was creamy salad dressing garnished with a tiny piece of lettuce. I used to call in chip dip on a plate.

There's a HUGE thread going at Cooking Forum. Check it out: Summer Torte Beautiful pictures of different tortes. Summer Torte by Marion Burros 1 stick butter, softened (I always use unsalted) 3/4 cup sugar 1 cup flour; sifted 1 tsp baking powder 2 eggs pinch of salt fruit of choice; sliced into wedges (I used about 7 plums. Peaches, nectarines,strawberries all work great and in combination) cinnamon sugar for top Preheat oven to 350. Cream butter and add sugar. Beat well. Add eggs and beat. Mix together flour, baking powder and salt. Add to batter. Mix. Spoon globs to greased 9 or 10 inch springform. Use a knife to spread batter to cover entire pan. Arrange fruit on top. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar (amount depends on the sweetness of the fruit). Bake for 45 min. This is joanm picture of hers