Azoresgal~Life on an Island

A summer classic, even though it does not feel quite like summer yet :) Coleslaw 1/2 cup mayonnaise 1   tablespoon vinegar 2   teaspoons sugar 1/4   teaspoon salt 4   cups finely shredded green cabbage ( add in 1   cup finely shredded red cabbage, and only 3 of the green) 1 cup finely shredded carrot Stir together mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Combine green cabbage, red cabbage, and carrot in bowl; toss gently to coat. Cover and chill before serving. Xo, Diana

This is another great dip for  summer whenever it decides to show up entertaining. Very few ingredients are needed, things you could actually stock up on, and have in the pantry just in case, you have out of the blue visitors. Or again, who says you have to make this to share with friends ! Sun-dried Tomato Bean Dip 1 large can white beans 10 oil packed sundried tomatoes ( about half the jar) 3 tablespoons of the oil, from the jar of sun-dried tomatoes 2 cloves of garlic 6- 7 fresh basil leaves salt and pepper Place everything in the food processor, and pulse till smooth. Adjust seasoning, with salt and pepper, if needed. Thats it ! Serve with crackers, or bread, or pita etc * you can use oregano, instead of the basil * adjust the amount of tomatoes to your liking, I found 10 to be just right xo, Diana

I cannot honestly tell you who is more excited about this, me or the kids !!! Today was our first lazy Monday, of many to come. You know what we did ?? Absolutely nothing.....and we loved it. Did I mention that even Sunday school is finished for the year. People I am beside myself, I have my 3 kiddos all to myself, for the next 3 months...yes you read that correctly, school does not start up till the end of September. Although I will be cooking, I have to feed them , or else social services will take them away from me, I can´t promise I will post on here so frequently, you see with the kiddos home, they are first on the list now, but I will do my best to share some, summer recipes. I wish you all a wonderful , safe summer. xo, Diana

This salad is out of this world, such a wonderful combination of great flavors. There are alot of photos, but trust me, it really is easy to put together. I used cranberries, because I smuggled them in from Canada,   had some in my pantry. I think apples or pears would be great in this salad,or even grapes. When you cook your tortellini, it helps to place it in a bowl of ice, this helps stop the cooking, and it won't turn to mush. If you chose not to make the dressing, that would be fine too, and instead just use olive oil and vinegar to taste. I hope you go ahead and give it a try. Tortellini Arugula Salad Ingredients: 1 package cheese tortellini, cooked according to directions, and chilled 1 bag arugula or 2-3 large handfuls 1 cup dried cranberries 1 cup walnuts, toasted in a dry pan 1 cup crumbled  goat cheese, shaved Parmesan or feta cheese Toss all ingredients with Vinaigrette or your favorite salad dressing.  . Serve immediately.  Vinaigrette

YOU.NEED.TO.MAKE.THESE .NOW!!!!! I used this Brownie recipe ( I doubled it) and then topped them with this Chocolate Ganache recipe and then topped them with some chocolate malt balls. And , that´s it...so easy...but so over the top...and delicious xo, Diana

To celebrate Queen Elizabeth´s Diamond Jubilee ! this is the recipe I used :) xo, Diana

I was surprised to find some, American sweet potatoes, at the grocery store, in a blink of an eye, I had a couple in my shopping cart ! They are very different,from their Portuguese cousin. They have different, flavors, and texture, and not to mention , the coloring is very different too. I knew exactly what I wanted to make with them...a gratin ! This was soooo amazing. There are quite a few photos, but that should not scare you off, because it really is super quick to make. Give it a try, you will not regret it.  Sweet Potato Gratin 2 cups heavy cream 2 cloves of garlic, pressed 2 pounds peeled and trimmed sweet potatoes (2 very large potatoes) 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme ( I used dry) 1 1/2 teaspoons  salt 3/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper 2 cups shredded cheese 1. Preheat oven to200/ 400 degrees. In a small pot bring cream and garlic just to a simmer. Remove from heat and set aside. 2. thinly slice the sweet potatoes (no more tha