This past week my husband and I and the girls were away at my husbands annual family reunion. Every year we all get together and go to the Adirondacks for one whole week. He has a rather large Italian family...and so I must say the food is to die for!! And there was a TON of it!!! Not kidding!!! I think on lasagna night the pans just kept multiplying..because there were 5 pans still left over after dinner..I felt like when Jesus fed the 5000. I don't think we stopped eating from the moment we all got there. The family rents a large cabin (It's more like a mansion cabin..that's what I call it!) for one half of the family and the other half stays with my hubby's aunt. Thankfully she lives in the Adirondacks in a gorgeous house right off the lake! We stayed there for the whole week fishing off the dock, swimming in the crystal clear lake, horseback riding, building campfire's, and feeling refreshed in the cool mountain air. I kid you not it was like 15 degrees cooler up there! The best part about it was hot fresh coffee everyday and a wonderful place to stay with showers! Not just one shower but 5 showers!! I thought I had died and gone to heaven!! Now this is my kind of camping! We stayed with my hubby's Aunt along with 3-4 other families, all cousins to my husband. I think at one time there were 8 children under the age of 5 staying at the house. Ahhh..what memories! I am so thankful that I have a wonderful family (on both sides) and that we have the opportunity to spend time together even if it's once a year for the ones who live far away, it really does make a huge difference in each other's lives. And I'm so thankful that my hubby's Aunt has such a giving heart to let us all stay at her house for a whole week. And also so very thankful that my 2 precious girls will have wonderful memories of spending their summer's camping with family.
This is where we stayed...just beautiful!
Little L and her daddy on the kayak..
Little L and daddy fishing....
Little L's cousin even taught her how to hold a fish...she's so brave!!!
Thankfully we arrived home safe and I was so happy that my garden had survived the heat wave while we were gone. This is what was waiting for me when I got home...
I was so grateful for the fresh vegetables because after a week away there was literally nothing in my refrigerator. So I decided to make a Caprese Pizza with my tomatoes from my garden. It was spectacular!
I can't get enough of those fresh tomatoes... and it was so easy to make...
Caprese Pizza:
*First cut your tomatoes and sprinkle both sides with a small
amount of salt and let them sit for about 10-15 minutes.
*Next prepare your crust. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. It's easier just to use a pre-made dough.
Spray your pizza pan with cooking spray and spread your dough on the pan.
* Use about 1 tablespoon of oil and mix it with about one clove or one tsp of minced garlic.
*Spread it over the pizza dough and sprinkle it with Parmesan cheese.
*Bake for 425 degrees for about 11 -13 minutes.
*Next mix about 1/4 cup of chopped fresh basil or more depending on how
much basil you like with one tablespoon olive oil and set aside.
*Slice fresh mozzarella (shredded mozzarella if you don't have any fresh on hand).
*Place a slice of tomato then a slice of fresh mozzarella overlapping around the
entire pizza and bake for about 5 more minutes until the cheese melts.
*After removing from the oven drizzle the olive oil/basil mixture over the top and
sprinkle with pepper and serve.
What a wonderful family trip. I spent my summers there, my mother's family is from upstate NY and they always had a "camp" to visit. Love that portion of the US, so gorgeous and unspoiled.
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