TWTW - it was the June-iest of weekends.

Friday night was scintillating as always. Reading, weights, hanging with dogs, grocery delivery, dinner a la MFD. This is 38.

Saturday Farmer's Market and errands. At market I got bone broth to add to the dogs' food (great for their joints), chicken breast, spring mix, spinach, peas, gouda, eggs, and a freaking amazing peach cardamom cake with almond streusel.

In the afternoon I deadheaded flowers and cleaned out my car. You know, the stuff you don't want to do but you have to do. I did find our marriage certificate paperwork in the car...we'll be married five years in September. Whoops.

Saturday afternoon we attended the annual bike race party at Heather & DJ's. Great food including DJ's awesome homemade barbecue sauce line and one of the best cupcakes I've ever eaten in my life. It was a wonderful day to be outside and catch up with some old friends of ours and my parents.

Sunday I did the usual: change sheets, wash sheets and towels, blog, read...I also enjoyed coffee in my new mug from Carol, sorted through my sunblock to see what I need to buy for vacation, did a little bit of work work, and hung out with los perros in blissful silence - no TV or radio.

Sunday afternoon we had a delicious dinner at Stephen & Aubrey's including strawberry pie, which I love. I also tried corn on the cob (cut off the cob of course) with Old Bay on the recommendation of Aub's mom. It was delicious. It was a lovely afternoon to sit outside and their backyard is awesome.

Weekly food prep: Breakfasts are egg muffins with spinach, ham, and cheese. Since I am a nice wife I made some for MFD also. Lunches are turkey over spring mix with veggies; snacks are strawberries, peppers and peas, and greek yogurt; dinners are a grilled chicken thighs and veggies and turkey breast with steamed veggies.

Food for parties: pasta salad with mozzarella, tomatoes, EVOO, and pesto for the barbecue Saturday, veggie pizzas for Stephen & Aubrey's on Sunday.

Tomorrow! It's my favorite day of the month - the Show Us Your Books Linkup with me & Jana. Can't wait to see what you've been reading.

How was your weekend?

Linking up with Biana at B Loved Boston for Weekending

Summer Salads: Macaroni Salad

This is a very basic salad with no hard and fast measurements, but the next in the summer salads series nonetheless. I'm sharing this because it's a good thing to make to cultivate your taste method of creating good food. Too many people are out there cooking and not tasting as they go. Adding a bunch of crap at the end isn't going to save something. Taste as you go so when you arrive at the end, the dish is to your liking.

Ingredients
1 box elbow macaroni
4 stalks celery, chopped small
1 bell pepper (I typically use orange, yellow, or red), chopped small
1 can crab or 1 cup fresh cooked and picked (optional)
1 can shrimp or 1 cup fresh shrimp, cooked and chopped (optional)
Yellow mustard
Spicy brown mustard
Hellman's Mayo
Sea salt, white pepper (black okay), onion powder, garlic powder, celery salt, garlic salt

Directions
Boil macaroni in salted water according to directions. Drain and store covered in fridge for at least two hours, but overnight is okay.

When you're ready to assemble the salad, put the macaroni in a large bowl with room to move and mix. Add your veggies, crab, and shrimp, then start by adding a cup of mayo and a tablespoon of each mustard. Then the spices - I'd start with about 1/2 tsp of each. Mix well, then taste it. What do you want to taste more of? I typically add more mayo - nothing worse than a dry salad, and let's be honest, macaroni salad is not the place to cut calories - and spices, but not all the spices. I do it by taste, and so should you.

It's a great easy salad to bring to a party or to make on Sunday for the week as a side.

What do you put in your macaroni salad?

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Haikuesday

Condiments: discuss.
Mayo means Hellman's only.
Mustard, up for grabs. 

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 See Asparagus & corn salad here, See Greek Orzo salad here