Know whatcha mean. When I get like that, I usually do something so out of the ordinary, it shakes me up enough. Like I might have potato salad, ribs, spend an arm and a leg on some ok watermelon (it's being the spirit of things that matters here), the whole shebang for a 4th of July picnic! Flower and colors to carry out the theme too. Or if it was summer, I might do a thanksgiving theme, you get the picture. It could be as simple as breakfast for dinner, blueberry pancakes is my go-to on that one. Or just go out to eat with Lou et al!

Here are a few of my favourite cottage meals, all from this forum gathered over the years. I'll probably think of a million more , we love to eat well at the cottage! LOL I always pick my menu, then make a grocery list from that...no way I'm leaving the dock for the grocery store! LOL For sides we love grilled veggies, bell peppers, mushrooms, asparagus, zucchini, cherry tomatoes ...whatever you like. We also love new potatoes, cut in halves or quarters, splash of olive oil , salt pepper and some fresh rosemary placed in tin foil pouches (sealed well) and done on the grill. Pizza on the grill is also a huge favourite of ours. Just make a standard pizza dough. Form into discs, brush with olive oil and grill for a few minutes, oil side down. Just grill until the crust is golden. Brush top side with oil and flip. Have toppings all prepared and ready to go. Veggies should lightly sauted first as they have no time to cook on the pizza. Toppings we love, mush rooms, peppers, olives, fresh moz, goat cheese, prosciutto, ham, salami, pepperoni, tomatoes, tomato sauce...whatever you like. Oh and don't forget the salads...I have a zillion recipes for salads and salad dressings, again most from the here! if you are interested in some let me know.....and of course then there is breakfast! LOL Cherry Tomato, Onion, Basil Sauce (Mine) 2 Tbl olive oil ½ sweet vidalia onion sliced tin few drops best balsamic vinegar 2 garlic cloves minced 1 Lb cherry tomatoes halved several Basil leaves chopped salt and pepper Place oil in saute pan, add sliced onions and saute on medium eat until limp. Do not let brown or crisp. Add a few drops balsamic. Cook a few more minutes.Add garlic and continue to coo until onions are caramelized. Add cherry tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Cook over medium low eat until the tomatoes loose their shape and give up their juices. Add basil and simmer until basil is limp and sauce is fragrant. Chicken Piccata - Woodie 4 Chicken breast halves boned and skinned Salt and Pepper Flour (enough for coating) 3 Tbl butter juice of 1 lemon 1-1/2 cups chicken broth 1/2 Cup white wine Put a piece of waxed paper on the counter and place chicken on top. Use a meat pounder, the side of a saucer, the unsharpened side of a heavy knife or other object to pound the breast into a tin piece thats uniformly thick (about an inch). Salt and pepper the chicken generously, then coat with flour. Melt butter in a large skillet and brown chicken on both sides. Remove chicken from skillet. Add lemon juice, chicken broth and wine. Boil down until its about one-half cup. Place chicken back in skillet, cover and cool 3 minutes. Remove cover and serve. Chicken Tika Kabobs 2 Lb chicken breast cut in 1 " cubes 1 small onion diced 3/4 Cup Plain non fat yogurt 2 clove garlic minced 1 Tbsp ginger root grated 2 Tsp chili powder 2 Tsp coriander Ground 1 Tsp cumin Ground 1/2 Tsp salt 2 lemons quartered In food processor, process all ingredients except chicken and lemon to a chinky puree. Pour marinade over chicken and let sit , covered, for 8 hours. Thread chicken on skewers with a small pearl onion in between each slice. End with lemons. BBQ on well greased grill for 7 minutes turning often. Chicken- Beer Can Recipe ( Steve Raichlen's From is "How To Grill" 1 12 ounce can of beer 3 to 4 pound chicken 2 Tbl BBQ rub (recipe follows) BBQ Rub (Make this at home so you dont have to have all the ingredients with you at the cottage. Its great for lots of things on the grill) 1/4 Cup firmly paced brown sugar 1/4 Cup sweet paprika 3 Tbl black pepper 3 Tbl coarse salt 1 Tbl hickory smoked salt 2 Tsp garlic powder 2 Tsp onion powder 2 Tsp celery seed 1 Tsp cayenne pepper Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix using your ands. Store in an airtight container away from heat and light for up to 6 months For the Chicken Rinse the bird inside and out and pat dry. Sprinkle the chicken inside and out wit the rub making sure to rub it in. Use about 2 tsps of the rub for inside and another 2 for outside. Open the can of beer and poke a few extra holes in the top. Pour off half the beer (drink it!) place the remaining rub in the can with the remaining beer. Holding the chicken with the opening of the cavity at the bottom, lower it onto to the beer can so tat the beer can fits into the cavity. Pull the legs forward to form a sort of tripod so the bird can stand upright on the grill. The third leg of the tripod is the can. It will look like a little headless person perched on the can.......quite a sight! LOL Tuck the chickens wing tips behind is back. Cook the chicken using an indirect eat method. To do this get your BBQ good and hot and then turn off one burner, placing the bird on the unlit side. If using charcoal move the hot coals to one side. Cook for about 1 1/4 or 1 1/2 hours or until internal temp reaches 180. Turn the bird a quarter turn every so often to ensure even browning. When done remove from the eat using tongs. Let rest 15 minutes and then carefully remove the beer can. Be careful not to spill the hot beer. The beer can be used as a base for a sauce...don't discard it. This chicken tastes really, really good and is very moist. It's also a fun ting for a casual BBQ. Crab Cakes- Maryland - serve with a remoulade or tartar sauce. Makes a great appetizer if made small. 2 eggs 3/4 Cup mayonnaise ½ lemon juiced 1 Tsp Worcestershire 1 Tbl Dijon mustard 2 Tsp baking powder 1/2 Cup Japanese bread crumbs (can use regular) 1 Tsp Old Bay seasoning 1 Tbl Italian Parsley Chopped 2 Lb Jumbo lump crab meat Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine all ingredients excluding crab meat and mix thoroughly. Add crab meat and toss gently to prevent the lumps from breaking up. Portion to 4-ounce servings . Refrigerate for 1 hour.. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Note : I recoat in panko or breadcrumbs and then fry not bake. Lemon Linguine With Scamp (Gina) One of my all time favourite fast yet WOW meals. Vegetable oil 1 Tbl Kosher salt plus 1/2 teaspoons 3/4 Lb linguine (or spaghetti) 3 Tbl unsalted butter ( I use salted) 2 1/2 Tbl good olive oil 1 1/2 Tbl minced garlic (4 cloves) 1 Lb large shrimp (about 16 shrimp) peeled and deveined 1/4 Tsp freshly ground black pepper 1/3 Cup chopped fresh parsley leaves ½ lemon zest grated 1/4 Cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons) ¼ lemon thinly sliced in half-rounds 1/8 Tsp hot red pepper flakes (optional for us) Drizzle some oil in a large pot of boiling salted water, add 1 tablespoon of salt and the linguine, and cook for 7 to 10 minutes, or according to the directions on the package. Meanwhile, in another large (12-inc), heavy-bottomed pan, melt the butter and olive oil over medium-low eat. Add the garlic. Sauté for 1 minute. Be careful, the garlic burns easily! Add the shrimp, 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, and the pepper and sauté until the shrimp have just turned pin, about 5 minutes, stirring often. Remove from the eat, add the parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, lemon slices, and red pepper flakes. Toss to combine. When the pasta is done, drain the cooed linguine and then put it back in the pot. Immediately add the shrimp and sauce, toss well, and serve. Ribs - Roadhouse Grill (Sue) This is a longer cooking time than you mentioned but the ribs cook unattended in the oven so it really is a low effort recipe. 2 large racks pork baby back ribs Salt black pepper, coarse Ground For the Sauce Make this sauce at home so you dont have to take all the ingredients. It is wonderful on all things grilled 2 Tbl vegetable oil 1/4 Cup fresh onion minced 1 1/2 Cup Water 1/2 Cup Tomato paste 1/2 Cup Brown sugar 2 Tbl honey 1 Tbl Worcestershire sauce 1 3/4 Tsp salt 1 Tsp liquid smoke flavouring 1 Tsp Jim Beam whiskey - optional 1/4 Tsp black pepper, fresh Ground 1/8 Tsp garlic powder 1/8 Tsp paprika To make the ribs, cut each large rack of ribs in half so that you have 4 half-racks. Sprinkle a light coating of salt and a more generous portion of coarse pepper over the top and bottom of each rack. Wrap the ribs in aluminum foil and bake in a preheated 300 degree oven for 2 1/2 hours. As the ribs cook, make the sauce by eating the oil in a medium saucepan over medium/high heat. Sauté the onions for 5 minutes or until they start to brown. Add the remaining ingredients and bring mixture to a boil then reduce eat and simmer for 1 1/4 ours, uncovered, or until sauce thickens. R Remove from eat and set aside until the ribs are ready. Preheat your barbecue grill. When ribs are finished in the oven, the meat should have pull back about 1/2-inch from the cut-ends of the bones. Remove the ribs from the oven, let them sit for 10 minutes or so, then remove the racks from the foil and put them on the grill. Grill the ribs for 3 to 4 minutes per side. They should be slightly charred in a few spots when they're finished. Brush barbecue sauce on the ribs wile they're grilling, just before you serve them. Don't add the sauce too early or it will burn. Shrimp Étouffée Cindy Mac 1/4 Cup butter 1 medium onion chopped 2 celery ribs chopped 1 medium-size green bell pepper chopped 4 garlic cloves minced 1 large shallot chopped 1/4 Cup all-purpose flour 1 Tsp salt ½ to 1 teaspoon red pepper (cayenne) 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can chicken broth 1/4 Cup fresh parsley Chopped 1/4 Cup fresh chives Chopped 2 Lb Cooked Shrimp Hot rice, cooked MELT butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and next 4 ingredients; sauté 5 minutes or until tender. Add flour, salt, and red pepper; coo, stirring constantly, until caramel colored (about 10 minutes). Add next 3 ingredients; coo, stirring constantly, 5 minutes or until thick and bubbly. Stir in shrimp coo just until thoroughly heated. Serve with rice. Tomato Tart Sol NOTE: I use a frozen store bought crust. Sol of course makes her own!! Delicious for lunch, dinner or as an appetizer. 12-15 plum tomatoes cored and cut into ¼"-tic rounds 2 Tbl Dijon mustard * 1 Cup coarsely grated Gruyere cheese 1 Tsp Herbs de Provence (Ive used oregano) 2 large eggs ¼ Cup light cream 1 Tsp salt few turns of freshly ground black pepper Preheat oven to 375F. Put the tomato slices in a colander and place in the sink. Let them sit for 15 minutes to drain off any excess liquid. Spread the mustard evenly over the tart sell. Sprinkle the cheese over the mustard and sprinkle the herbs de Provence over the gruyere cheese. Working from the outside in, lay the drained tomato slices in overlapping, concentric circles, covering the crust completely. Whisk the eggs in a bowl, whisk in the cream, salt and pepper. Pour this custard evenly over the tomatoes until it comes to about ¼ inc from the top edge of the crust. Bake for 1 our, to 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until the custard is set. Once Upon a Tart Chicken Souvlaki - Ann T Chicken breasts Fresh minced garlic dried oregano lemons olive oil Salt Pepper Cut chicken breasts into 1 inch cubes Place on wooden Skewers that have been soaked in water (prevents~sticks from burning.. or on metal skewers.~ Rub with fresh minced garlic and dried oregano~ Squeeze fresh lemons over chicken and some olive oil~ Salt and pepper Marinate for up to 1 hour. If marinating longer do not add lemon juice until the last hour. Lemon juice "cooks" the flesh and changes the texture. Place on hot grill and turn often until done. Serve with Greek salad and rice. NOTE: This recipe works well with Pork (I use Pork Tenderloin) and with Lamb .

Mmmm. I love cardamom. I'll have to remember that citrus salad this Winter when I'm pining for fruit but getting a bit tired of apples and citrus. I love caprese salad as well...what's not to love as long as the tomatoes are good! I make a variation on that, using my yogurt cheese instead of mozzarella, and drizzling a bit of the herb-laced olive oil from the yogurt cheese jar on the tomatoes. I'm including the recipe for yogurt in case anyone wants to make their own and doesn't have the recipe, though I know many people in this forum already do. I don't make it scientifically, that's not my style, but I know others do and I'm sure a more detailed, definite recipe could be easily searched up. Yogurt Heat 1 quart of milk to the boiling point for just 1 minute. Cool to 115 degrees (lukewarm to the touch). Pour into a heavy ceramic bowl. Mix in 2 T of fresh, plain yogurt (must have active cultures). Cover tightly with plastic wrap and set in a warm place. An oven with a pilot light is good, I use a goose-neck desk lamp bent low over the bowl. I know some people who use a heating pad set on low under the bowl. According to the recipe, 110 is the ideal temperature, but remember that people have been making yogurt for thousands of years without benefit of thermometers. The yogurt should be ready in about 8 hours. Tilt the bowl to see if it holds together. If it's still pretty runny, leave it for another couple of hours and see if it gets better. The time can vary. Line a colander with a thin cloth, such as a dish towel or muslin. Pour the yogurt into the colander and allow it to drain for at least an hour. Refrigerate. Note: It does not help speed or improve the process to add extra yogurt starterin fact, it can make for a lower quality product. You can make yogurt with 2 % milk if you like, but it takes longer and you need to strain it more. Yogurt Cheese in Olive Oil Pour home made yogurt into a sieve lined with a thin cloth, such as a dish towel or muslin. Fold the ends of the cloth over the top of the yogurt, top with a plate big enough to mostly cover the yogurt but small enough that it wont get hung up on the sides of the strainer as the yogurt gets pressed down. Weigh the plate down with a large jar or lidded tupperware bowl full of water and set the sieve over a bowl to drain. Be sure and empty the bowl from time to time so that the yogurt isnt sitting in its own whey. I generally do this overnight, but times can vary depending on the weight etc. You want a product about the texture of cream cheese. Form the yogurt cheese into balls about 1 " in size, rolling them in your hands. (It helps to lightly oil your hands) Pack the balls into sterilized jars with an herb mix sprinkled over each layer. Fill the jar with extra virgin olive oil. Store for at least 2 days to moogle the flavors, and up to about 3 weeks in the fridge. For the herb mix, I usually use dried red chilli pepper flakes, fresh rosemary & oregano (minced), fresh garlic sliced paper thin and salt. Then I add other things to suit my fancy. Herbs, minced onions, spices etc. Get playful. I dont know how to measure amounts, but remember that only a bit of the flavored oil will make it onto the cracker or bread with the cheese, so you almost cant put too much "stuff" in the oil. The "cheese" balls should be served with their spiced oil.

Ooooh, all of these sound really good...and substantial! I remembered another one that I love. It was first posted by Annove, and it's terrific! Chicken Salad Ina Garten (posted 8/09 by Annova) 2 split (1 whole) chicken breasts, bone in, skin on (1-1/2 lbs) Good olive oil Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 1/2 cup pecan halves 1/2 cup walnut halves 1/2 cup good mayonnaise 1/2 cup sour cream 1 Tbsp chopped fresh tarragon leaves, divided 1 cup green grapes, cut in 1/2 Lettuce leaves, for serving Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place chicken breasts, skin side up, on a baking sheet and rub them with olive oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roast for 35-40 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Set aside until cool. When the chicken is cool, remove meat from the bones and discard the skin and bones. Cut the chicken into a 3/4" dice. Meanwhile, place the pecans and walnuts on a separate sheet pan and toast in the oven for 7 to 8 minutes until golden. Set aside to cool. For the dressing, mix together the mayonnaise, sour cream, 2 teaspoons* salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper. Fold in half the chopped tarragon leaves. Place the diced chicken in a bowl, add the pecans, walnuts and grapes. Pour the dressing over the chicken and toss well. Sprinkle the remaining chopped taragon leaves on top and serve on a bed of lettuce leaves. Annova's note: *Be careful with the salt. Some people think this is way too much. I added whatever I thought I needed as I went along. Here is another that I found today in a LHJ magazine while waiting in the doctor's office. Sounds really good, and I bet some shredded roast chicken would be good in it, too. Going in my "to try" file. Wild Rice Salad Ina Garten-from Ladies Home Journal Nov 2010 Ingredients 1 cup long-grain wild rice 2 1/2 tsp kosher salt 2 navel oranges 2 tbsp olive oil 2 tbsp fresh orange juice 2 tbsp raspberry vinegar 1/2 cup green grapes, cut in half 1/2 cup pecans, toasted 1/4 cup dried cranberries 1 scallion, white and green parts chopped 1/2 tsp ground black pepper Directions 1. In a medium saucepan over high heat combine rice, 4 cups water, and 2 tsp salt and bring to a boil. Simmer, uncovered, until rice is tender, 50 to 60 minutes. Drain and return rice to the pan. Cover and allow to rest for 10 minutes. 2. While rice is still warm, place it in a mixing bowl. Peel oranges with a sharp knife, removing all the white pith. Cut between the membranes and add the orange sections to the bowl with the rice. Add the olive oil, orange juice, raspberry vinegar, grapes, pecans, cranberries, scallions, 1/2 tsp salt, and pepper. Allow to sit for 30 minutes for the flavors to blend. Serve at room temperature. Serves 4 to 6. Linda