Today is a very special birthday for a very special lady — our family friend, Patty.

I spent this weekend at one of my favorite places in the world, Mayfield Lake, in Southwest Washington, with Patty, her family, and my parents. I soaked up the sun breaks and relished the mid-70 degree weather. Oh, and I cooked. And ate. And we cooked and ate some more.

I love, love cooking in the kitchen at our family lake house. It has a nice, big kitchen and the view is incredible. Looking out the windows, it’s all green. Green tree tops, green water, and if you’re lucky, blue sky.

Not only is it a gorgeous place to cook, but it’s also a fabulous place for photography. The light is sweet, and my photos always turn out a million times better out there.

For me, this weekend was all about writing recipes, cooking and photographing what I made to share with you. Get ready for some great posts coming up.

Every time Patty comes out to the lake, my mom makes a special request. It’s not even a request as much of a demand. She always asks Patty to bring her pistachio torte. Read More »