Did you all have a wonderful 4th of July? We found ourselves doing the family potluck thing, but with a little spin this year. Instead of just gathering for the grub, we met together early in the morning to redo the landscaping at the family patriarch's home.

Who knew that holiday family time could be more than just casual conversation and random food?

The month of June has finally arrived and with it my desire to pluck the first mouth-watering red tomato from my garden. For some parts of the US I'm sure that dream has become a reality. But sadly here in the Midwest I still have several loooong weeks to wait.

One thing that is ready for picking in my garden is basil. Of the many varieties available, I chose to plant a common variety, Italian Basil. It's a wonderful and hardy herb to grow, offers some medicinal benefits and does wonders at keeping the pests away from my still-seedling tomato plants. But it can't hold a candle to the amazing benefits (both medicinal and culinary) of it's cousin, Holy Basil. This herb is amazing... which might just be why it's our Herb of the Month for June!

My husband grew up on the West Coast and consequently is a lover of all things Mexican. Truth is, nothing I make qualifies as true Mexican food in his mind.
But that doesn't keep him from loving this recipe...

Whether you're an authentic Mexican food lover or one satisfied with a Midwestern substitute, this recipe offers terrific flavor while being quick and easy to prepare. It's a great dinner option when the day has got the best of you, the kids are experiencing meltdowns, your blood sugar is dropping and your husband just suggested take-out. Not that I've ever experienced this. Yah, right.