Here we are mid year. I’m sure everyone is saying the same thing.. how that happen? Was it only yesterday we were choosing the month to host here at Gutsy Cooks? 2013 seems to be sneaking up on us.

This month belongs to Marie from Weekend Viands. Like Raymond, I meet (or virtually meet her) during my Heavenly Cake Bakers phase as we made our way through Rose’s Heavenly Cakes book. She basically was the brain behind the whole operations and we bonded over our love/hate affair with the piping bag.

She called July as her month and like her Gutsy Cooks peer before her, she is bringing her “A” game to the table. In her own words:

Attached are my recipes for July’s Gutsy Cooks. All are from Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking, by Marcella Hazan. This is a book I’ve wanted to get into to for a couple of years, but most seemed a little too elaborate for my normal weekday cooking. I tried to pick relatively simple recipes, but they are a little fussier than the usual casual Italian recipe. (She reminds me a little of Rose in her attention to detail and her insistence on method). … The bread recipe (bonus, in case anyone wants to make their own bread for panzanella salad) goes with the salad recipe. I typed these all directly from the book, headnotes and all, so you can get a feel for her prose.

I’m excited with these options this month, they are shouting at my Italian roots, plus, her line up is pretty awesome and challenging.

Week of July 8 - Panzanella Salad - I have tried many, in the States, in various South American countries and in my beloved Italy. I have never tried to make it at home since I always been afraid to muck it up. Marie has given me a challenge, specially if you follow her suggestion and make the country bread - Mantovana Bread recipe. I think she paid attention and tossed it in there just for those of you that wanted to overcome your fear of using yeast.

Week of July 14 - Risotto with Spring Vegetables, Tomato, and Basil - One word - YUM! I made risotto before, and trust me is less complicated than our heads make it be and oh, so rewarding.

Week of July 21 - Roast Chicken with Lemons - I bet all of us have roasted a chicken and stuffed it with lemons in our cooking lifespan. But I also bet you, this one will be “the one” that we will keep coming back to over and over again.

Week of July 28 - Scallop Sauce with Olive Oil, Garlic and Hot Pepper - I’m so happy that Marie gave us a “seafood” option. Italy is not only pasta and meat dishes. Having lived in a small town on the Adriatic Sea and Sicily, I know what the italians are capable of doing with anything coming from the sea and its glorious!

So there you have it folks, a pretty good line up this July. I do hope all of you step up and give us some amazing dishes and of course enjoy them with your families during this summer month. As always remember to post your recipe links in the comment section of this post or use our Gutsy Cook Pinterest Board.