...because sometimes I pretend I'm a foodie

Eating dinner out gets the most food attention on this blog, but we can't forget everyone's truly favorite meal: Breakfast. I've talked about how brunch in Grand Cayman has a huge following. But the downside to the Saturday/Sunday brunch scene is the price tag. Although unlimited prosecco or champagne is generally included, if you're not up for that kind of brunch, the hefty average price of $40 seems a bit steep for pancakes and eggs. (Granted, as you've seen from the photos, they serve a lot more than pancakes and eggs. But still.)

So the other weekend, we decided to check out the breakfast menu at Eats Cafe.

After living in New Jersey for seven years - possibly the diner capital of the world - I can appreciate a good breakfast menu. Eats has a diner feel to it, even playing oldish music while you order your eggs over easy. Which is just what we did. Fluffy pancakes, crispy bacon, eggs to order - and no hefty bill at the end. We left stuffed and quite pleased.

Yes, those are blueberries in my pancakes! I must have really been missing the Jersey traditions that day.

If you're interested in checking out Eats' classic breakfast menu, they're conveniently situated within walking distance of Sunshine Suites, the Westin, and the Ritz. (And probably a lot of other places, considering the size of this island.)

And now, to prove that I also can cook my own food, here are a few things I've been busy with to stay cool during the Cayman summer months. If possible, I avoid turning on the oven this time of year in favor of stove top cooking or backyard grilling.

For a main course: Strawberry, Grape, and Walnut Spinach Salad with Grilled Chicken and Pear-Infused Balsamic Poppy Seed Dressing.  (I love how capitalizing that whole thing made me feel like I have a real recipe. I don't! And who would give a salad such a long, pompous name!)

The purpose of this salad was to use the pear-infused balsamic vinegar I have left over from our last set of guests. With a sweet dressing in mind, I decided to use strawberries as a seasonal ingredient to brighten up a normal spinach salad. Grapes and walnuts were just a natural addition of things I had on hand. The dressing consisted of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, poppy seeds, part of a chopped shallot, and sugar. I played with the ratios quite a bit, and I probably landed at around equal parts oil and vinegar. Everything else was to taste. Delicious!

For a summer beverage: Iced Coffee. Another guest left a pretty stellar bag of Starbucks Espresso Roast at my house, and I've been rationing it ever since. Last weekend, I spent most of the day blogging, researching, and reading at home, so I had the time to make a pot of coffee and let it chill in the fridge for a bit. There's nothing too secretive about how to make this drink: Chilled coffee, milk and sugar to taste, and a few ice cubes (but not enough to water it down.) It's just nice to have a drink that is both refreshing and invigorating. No wonder I had such a productive Saturday!

And for dessert: Banana Cream Pie. This is probably a misnomer and should be called Banana Pudding Pie, but I've been calling it the former for years. Again, I don't have a set recipe for this, mainly because I searched high and low on the internet to find the one that I used to make with my mom as a kid and could not find the exact one! Apparently, it was the recipe on the back of a box of Nilla wafers, but they've since changed that recipe, and the new one (which requires baking) just wouldn't do it for me. I just knew there was no way I was turning on my oven for this!

My version is as simple as lining a pie dish with vanilla wafers (NS was good enough to find me true Nillas), and then filling it with layers of vanilla instant pudding, ripe banana slices, and more wafers. I'll admit, I also added an 8 oz tub of Cool Whip (most of it as an addition to the pudding mix, and some of it as thin layers in the pie). Letting the dessert sit in the fridge overnight helps to soften the wafers as they form a delicious crust. This chilled dessert is just the sort of thing that reminds me of summer. I was glad to have an excuse to make it for a group dinner the other night (stay tuned for further photos) - summertime isn't complete without it.

So leave that oven off, and find ways to fill your tummy with cool, refreshing foods and snacks. On that note, I might just go make myself a smoothie to keep me company by the pool. What are your tips and recipes to beat the heat? Please share!