I feel blessed to live on Long Island, especially during the summertime, when it flaunts its lush green landscapes and beautiful waterways. Home to many family owned farmsteads, the north and south shores are certainly the place to be this time of year. So, take full advantage by supporting your local farms and farmer’s markets; they are the ones that provide us with fresh, local grown vegetables, fruits, flowers, herbs, honey, homemade jellies, breads, pies and more. 
    However, it’s those robust and juicy ripened tomatoes that I really love most! Tomatoes sliced with fresh mozzarella and basil, tomatoes with fresh string beans and potato salad, tomato sauce, tomato sandwiches—truly the essence of summer to me! 
    There’s something so special about eating and shopping outdoors. The feeling of local camaraderie, combined with the exchanging of recipes and forming of friendships, is what makes shopping at farmer’s markets a unique and warm experience. My advice is to head out early in the day – while the selection is still at it’s best – since vendors usually have a limited supply to sell. During your outing, plan your meals around the local varieties that are in season (try to keep it light and healthy during the summer). Also, plan on bringing cash, as this is usually the preferred method of payment. 
    For those who enjoy home cooked meals, now is the time to experiment with fresh ingredients and to taste all the delicious flavors created in your dishes. Here is a quick and simple recipe that I prepare as a side and sometimes even a meal. Full of pure, simple flavors: a delicious tomato and fresh mozzarella salad with basil– no cooking required. Add a grilled baguette that’s been brushed with olive oil for dipping, a glass of wine and of course, eat outside! Yum! Enjoy and see you at the market Saturday morning.

Tomatoes & Fresh Mozzarella Salad (Insalata Caprese)

Ingredients
6 ripened tomatoes
¾ cup fresh basil chopped or whole leaf
½ cup good olive oil 
½ t sea salt
Fresh ground pepper
1 t fresh or dried chopped oregano or marjoram
8 oz fresh mozzarella

Slice the tomatoes vertically rather than horizontally, as this helps them stay firmer in your salad. Slice the fresh mozzarella and layer alternating slices of tomato and cheese, adding basil leaves between each layer. Season and drizzle with oil. Let sit for 15-20 minutes to draw out the juices of the tomato and marinate the flavors. Enjoy!!! xoxo Denise

Sun… Summer… Succulent Shrimp Salad… all create a lovely summer scene. It just wouldn’t be summer without a shrimp roll! As our warm weather has finally arrived, my thoughts and cravings usually navigate me to take a leisurely ride out east for those tasty shrimp or lobster rolls. A light shrimp salad roll, served outdoors with a glass of chilled chardonnay or pinot grigio, makes for a great lunch or refreshing dinner. I usually keep a big bag of frozen large shrimp in my freezer for the convenience of meal planning throughout the summer— this allows for a quick and satisfying New England experience upon my every craving. 

These summer shrimp rolls are an essential summer treat that can be thrown together fast or found abundantly at your local seafood market. You can buy the shrimp fresh and boil them in hot water, seasoned with Old Bay Seasoning, until they turn pink (usually 3-4 minutes). If you really want to make it easy, buy the shrimp already cooked, peeled and deveined. Shrimp salad itself is always great served over greens or stuffed into tomatoes, but it shines brightest on a toasted New England style, split-top potato roll, with shredded lettuce. A little pricey, a bit messy but in one bite you’ll agree… so worth it!

Ingredients : 

• 30 large shrimp
• ¾ cup or more of mayonnaise
• 1 cup of freshly chopped celery
• 2T chopped fresh dill
• 2T chopped fresh chives
• 2T chopped fresh parsley
• A pinch or two of Old Bay Seasoning
• 1 teaspoon of a grainy mustard
• Fresh ground salt and pepper to taste
• Shredded lettuce
• 6 split-top rolls 

Roughly chop up shrimp in large chunks and gently fold together with mayo, celery, herbs and seasonings. Toast or grill the rolls (can butter them if desired). Place shredded lettuce in each roll and stuff with the delicious sea fragrant shrimp salad. Enjoy!!! xoxo Denise

Tiffany Cohen has been cooking since she was 12 years old, and has a blog called Whatcha Cooking Good 
Looking, which showcases her love for food and creating great memories with family and friends. Contact her at 
whatchacookinggoodlooking@gmail.com.

    It’s the most wonderful time of the year… grilling season! Is there anything better than sitting outside with an ice-cold cocktail in your hand, the smell of something amazing cooking on the grill, and the sounds of the kids splashing in the pool?  To me, that’s the ultimate summertime joy. 
    Now, I know you need to change up the burger/hot dog game, so I’m bringing out some of my favorite grilling and cocktail recipes!

Pineapple-Hoisin BBQ Ribs
Ingredients :

Infusing the Ribs :
•    2 racks of St. Louis style pork ribs or baby back ribs
•    1/4 cup soy sauce
•    3 garlic cloves, smashed
•    1 tablespoon dried thyme
•    2 teaspoons granulated garlic
•    1 teaspoon pepper

The BBQ Sauce :
•    1/2 cup pineapple jelly 
•    1/2 cup hoisin sauce
•    1/4 cup soy sauce
•    1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
•    2 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
•    2 tablespoons sesame oil
•    Garnish with pineapple pieces, parsley, and/or sesame seeds

Instructions

Use the biggest pot you have.  Remove the ribs from packaging and cut them in half.  Place in the pot and fill with water until the ribs are covered. 
Add the soy sauce, garlic, and seasonings.  Give it a stir and allow the ribs to come to a boil over high heat.  Lower to medium-low and cook for 2 hours (starting from when you put the ribs on the stove, NOT from when they started boiling).  Stir occasionally and push the ribs down if they float to the top.
Using tongs, remove the ribs from the pot carefully and pat them down with paper towel.  Assemble the sauce with the remaining ingredients, except the garnishes.  Mix well to ensure that all ingredients are incorporated into each other.
Coat the ribs with the sauce using a basting brush and leave about half for grilling.  Let sit for at least a half hour. 
Grill the ribs on a hot BBQ for about 15 minutes. All you’re really doing is allowing the amazing glaze to caramelize and the ribs to get grill marks. Baste the ribs as they’re cooking with the glaze. You should end up with no leftover glaze after barbecuing.
Remove the ribs from the grill and place on a cutting board.  Cut the ribs leaving meat on each side of the bone.  Garnish with pineapple, parsley and/or sesame seeds.  Enjoy!

The Lushy Lemonade
Ingredients
•    2–3 oz. Firefly Sweet Tea Vodka
•    3–4 oz. Simply Lemonade
•    Ice
•    Lemon slices for garnish

Instructions
Combine the Sweet Tea Vodka, lemonade (according to taste), and ice into desired glass. Pour all contents from glass into a shaker and shake vigorously. Pour the contents back into the glass. Top with lemon slice.  Enjoy!

Denise Gianatasio is a Northport Village resident, freelance writer and licensed agent at Signature Premier Properties in Northport. Please feel free to contact her for any advice you may need at dishinwithdenise@yahoo.com.

Let us all celebrate St. Patrick’s Day wearing the traditional color green. Have yourself a blessed day with a great sumptuous corned beef and green cabbage meal, then top it off with these delectable green biscotti cookies! (Yes… 
I am Italian but love the twist.)                 Believe it or not, the color originally associated with St. Patrick’s Day was blue, but over the centuries, green dominated. It is said, Saint Patrick used the shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity to the pagan Irish. On March 17th, we observe St. Patrick’s Day as a celebration of Irish and Irish American cultures.              My father, was born in Sicily, Italy and came to America as a young man. A butcher by trade, he was delighted to learn and share in this fun cultural celebration. Each year he’d bring us home the most beautiful cut of corned beef, and for that lucky day, we were Irish! In honor of my Dad…“PAT” (Pasquale), you will just love the taste of pairing the green pistachio nuts and the white chocolate with my delicious biscotti recipe.                             Serve with shots of espresso and Bailey’s. “Top’ of the morning to you… and the rest of the day!” “Baci” (kisses) and a Happy St. Patrick’s Day/Birthday to my (a wee bit Irish) green eggs and ham… Our SAM!  Lucky Boy, My Sweet Grandson. xoxo, Denise

Ingredients
& Prep

½ cups shelled whole
    pistachios
1 stick unsalted butter
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 t vanilla extract
3 ½ cups all purpose flour
1 t baking powder
½ t salt
6-8 ounces white melting
    chocolate
Green food coloring

    Place one oven rack into the center of your oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees.
    Prepare baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly greasing, set aside. Lay the pistachios in single layer on cookie sheet, bake approx… 10 minutes then cool. In a bowl, beat butter until light and fluffy using electric mixer. Gradually add eggs, sugar, and vanilla until creamed. Add all dry ingredients to a separate large bowl and blend well. Add wet mixture to dry and mix well. Add in pistachios and mix well. Put the dough onto a lightly floured surface and cut in half. Roll each half into a log (1 inch high-12 inch long). Place logs onto pan leaving 3 inches apart. Bake for 35 minutes or until bottoms are lightly brown. Remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes. Move logs to cutting board and slice each on a diagonal into 1 inch thick slices. Place biscotti’s on their sides onto pan and bake 10 more minutes, turning over again at halftime (5 min). Remove from oven and cool. Melt white chocolate in microwave or double boiler, adding food color until desired shade. Dip biscotti into melted chocolate and place on wax paper. Add additional pistachio pieces or green sugar sprinkles. Store in air tight container to maintain freshness.  GO GREEN!