Summer Dinner w/ Friends

I have a very good friend from Ireland whom I only see once a year during her short annual visit. So we try to make the most of it and do a sleepover (involving wine, laughter and long talks into the night). On Sunday, I met up with her and a mutual friend at the Folk Harbour Festival; and then we all came back to mine for a dinner. I'd prepared everything that morning with fresh corn, zucchini and beets that I'd bought at Saturday's farm market. It was light fare; but oh sooooo good!
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The menu consisted of warm dinner rolls, Beet/Apple salad, Marie's scrummy Corn & Bean salad and a bottle of Italian sparkling wine. We finished with a fresh fruit ambrosia..
Let me tell you! This Corn and Bean salad had a marvelous lime and yoghurt dressing, and it was to die for! Oh my gosh - I'm serious! I absolutely love, love, love that salad. The whole table raved about how good it was; and I can attest to the fact that it was even better on day two! It's a "must share"recipe; so head over to The English Kitchen for Marie's wonderful recipe.
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Thank you Marie! I'll make this salad often!

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The other wonderful salad was a simple beet and apple salad. Toss together cooked & cubed beets, a chopped apple (Granny Smith), half 'n' half mayo and sour cream with a touch of Dijon mustard and a light sprinkle of salt & pepper. Mine sat in the fridge from 9 am to 6 pm, so the flavors had mingled beautifully.
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The ambrosia consisted of fresh, chopped strawberries and peaches, blueberries, a hand full of mini marshmallows and a generous sprinkle of flake coconut. The dressing was a little orange juice, a little sour cream, about a tsp of Amarato and a smidgeon of finely shredded lime and lemon peel (just a wee smidgeon, ok!). During the marinating process, the marshmallows soften to a nice light fluff and the flavors of the fruit and Amarato mingle so beautifully. Another of my favorite things to make in the summer.
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When we finished our bottle of wine, we drank Rhubarb punch spritzers. If you've never tasted rhubarb, you're missing a real treat! I bought the frozen syrup a month or so ago from the Summer Fling at West Side church.

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(It also makes a lovely smoothie the next morning!)

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Now, I've just got time to have breakfast before I head out to work. I'm feeling mighty hungry after all this talk of good food!