Block Party #13 . . . Wave the Heatwave Bye-Bye

Lucky Number 13! No cooking allowed!

Good Ol' Stephanie over at "Dispensing Happiness" suggested this theme to accommodate and grant us some mercy from the recent heat spell across the nation. You won't get any rants from me about "global warming". Our "Once-upon-a-time Next President-to-be" Al Gore has done an excellent job of edifying and enlightening us to this "FOR REAL" phenomenon. If you haven't seen the Film and Documentary "An Inconvenient Truth", run, don't walk, to go see it. Don't have a ticket? Send me an email, I'll send you the ticket.

Steph wants our appetizers and cocktails to be made without the use of the stove, or oven - with some loose acceptions.

She wants fresh, simple, un-cooked ingredients to be used.

So off to the deli and farmers market I go. A tisket, a tasket, I'm gonna fill my basket...

How about some smoked turkey and chipotle aioli wraps? Way too easy with a capital - thumbs up. No brainer on this one. Take one flat, flavored, flour torilla. Spread the chipotle aioli on the flat tortilla. Lay a couple of slices of smoked turkey flat on tortilla. Lay a slice of cheese ( your choice or preference). Spread more chipotle aioli on cheese. Place a flew leaves of oak leaf lettuce or spring mix on cheese. Take one end of tortilla and begin to roll like a big cigar. Slice on the bias and plate.

"Turkey Wraps . . .all in a row"


And for a cocktail. . . Since we are awaiting, with bated breath, the ripening, red, sweet and juicy tomatoes from the garden, I thought I'd honor this affair with a "Beany Mary"! These are good! I use the "Pickled Dilly Beans" I "put up" from last season.

"Beany Mary Cocktail"

Ingredients:

1 1/2 ounces (1 jigger) vodka
1/2 cup V8 Spicy Tomato Juice
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon pickle juice (from jar of pickled beans)
Worcestershire sauce to taste
Tabasco to taste
1 pickled bean, for garnish
1 lemon wedge for garnish


Method:

Combine the vodka, the tomato juice, the lemon juice, the pickle juice, the Worcestershire sauce, the Tabasco, 1 cup ice cubes, and salt and pepper to taste, shake the mixture well, and strain it into a tall glass filled with ice cubes. Garnish the Beany Mary with the pickled bean and the lemon wedge.




Another fun party . . .I look forward to seeing what other's are bringing...