A sampling of blog recipes and some sweet awards...

Pull up a chair and sip some wine/beer/margaritas/gin/coffee/tea. Grab some chocolate/cheese/pate/shrimp/cruditees. Take a deep breath and relax. I've been cooking. From your blogs. Above is some Shrimp Aragonate from Proud Italian Cook. Even the non-shrimp eater in my family lapped it up.

I've had a grand spring using your recipes! And to add to fuzzy warm feelings, two bloggers went and sent me an award! The best part of the award is - passing it on. So today's blog is about your wonderful recipes and my thanks to foodie-friends who visit offering to share their cup of sugar and pound of butter - with me!

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I may have to start cooking six times a day in order to try out all of the recipes that entice me. I thought I would have photos for all of your recipes. I intended to catalogue all of them and not forget one. I hoped I would have something lusciously witty to accompany all of your delightful posts. I fell short. I will try to keep better records. For someone who catalogues every play submission, you'd think I could set up a spread sheet for these recipes!

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After mowing the lawn, my children were were rewarded with Sophie's Strawberry Smoothie from Sophie's Foodiefiles. Now, it is expected! What nerve! I offer a healthy treat and they already take it for granted. I guarantee if you promise this smoothie to someone, they will be at your beck and call as long as strawberries are in season.

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To continue on the healthy trend, we have had Natasha's Guilt-free Chocolate Milkshakes from Five Star Foodie Culinary Adventures. It's nice to get that chocolate fix without the guilt!

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The summery turkey tacos from Food and Flavors of San Antonio are beginning to be a staple around here.

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The tortellini salad from My Tasty Treasures elevated my simple grilled herb chicken.

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The San Francisco Chicken from Bunny's Warm Oven is easy, pretty and pasted on my fridge door - with a promise to make a copy for my son - who is spending the month here before he moves out - collecting recipes.

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I already mentioned Katherine's incredible herb and cheese focaccia.

But it's worth mentioning (again) because I made it (again). And I will also be doing her Chicken Potalba so check out Smoky Mountain Cafe. You won't leave hungry.

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It's been a muffin month. I am enticed by all the fruit muffins floating about and the dessert muffin and the anytime-muffins and well, to speak the truth - I don't think I've ever met a muffin I didn't like. I know the muffin man and I am he. She. Non-gender specific. In the last days of college finals, I had these oatmeal muffins ready for my daughter to grab-and-go in the mornings. In addition to providing sweet comfort during stressful days (chemistry final, physics final), they even supplied some nutrients.

These chocolate chip oatmeal muffins are from Lynda's Recipe Box.

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Kowalski's Market which I frequent so much - I should rent a cot - has these pecan-studded chicken breasts. They have always looked so good. But when I bring them home, they are too dry. I should know better than to buy anything pre-seasoned, pre-marinated and pre-pecan studded. To the rescue was Reeni and her Cinammon Spice and Everything Nice blog.

Her Pecan-Bacon Chicken is moist and comes with a sweet/savory honey-mustard sauce.
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Italyville inspired this taste of spring Italian fennel salad. It's actually more than a taste of spring - it was a glorious bite of an Italian spring!

What's on the agenda for June?

Pound Cake from Elyse's Confectionery Creations

Ribs from Cooking in Cleveland

Watermelon and Mango Salsa from Diary of a Fanatic Foodie

and a few hor d'oeuvres from The Unconfidential Cook

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Meanwhile in the midst of tech/dress week for the ten-minute play festival and a host of other "life" happenings, Sophie at Sophia's Foodiefiles

and Catherine at The Unconfidential Cook

sent me this:

How sweet is that? Have you ever noticed that these acts of sweetness come at exactly the right time? That you may be overwhelmed by - anything - a spider? a weed? work? life? strife? And then - there's a comment, a cupcake, an e-mail, a call... or a Sisterhood Award ... to let you know you can wait for the sunshine. You can wait almost anything out.
`In gratitude, I would love to thank Sophie (whose recipes are so elegant and fresh) and let it sprout wings and fly to: Confectionery Creations for knocking on my door a few times and offering to bring her extraordinary treats; Five Star Foodie Culinary Creations for constant inspiration (even though I still cannot access your latest blog post and this is bordering on the criminal); Cinnamon Spice and Everything Nice for always making me want to cook everything you dish up; Smoky Mountain Cafe for introducing me to new dishes and getting me out of my rut; Bunny's Warm Oven for warmth, food and complete meals; Girlichef who keeps astounding me with her knowledge of all things food-related and done with grace and humor - and Cooking in Cleveland who dispenses the best advice when I hit a milestone and combines it with the freshest of ingredients.
And I thank Unconfidential Cook (who spins the most marvelous tales to accompany her scrumptious dinners) and send the Sisterhood Award to: Diary of a Food Fanatic who inspired me to make sweet blueberry pancakes awhile back (and I forgot to mention - I am sorry about my loss of brain cells, Heather), Food With a Little Thyme for making my cast addicted to the Outrageous Brownies she posted (and I can send you where the lengthy excerpt is to CANDLELIGHT if still interested;), My Tasty Treasures - who must have a hundred of these - but she makes us all smile and she does everything so well; Mille Fiori Favoriti for bringing my beloved New York City back to me and sharing it with the world; Moments of Mine for spreading joy with her love of nature and family, Italyville for bringing Italy to me since I cannot make it there and Burp and Slurp for sharing an amazing journey with true grace under pressure.
Thanks to you all - may you spread the joy.