On the road

On the road to Myrtle Beach. First stop Fredeicksburg, but instead of the Fairfield Inn where we usually stay we're going to the Residence Inn for a change of scenery. We're using a free night from the Marriott credit card.
We've been on the road for an hour. It's very gray and we have driven through 2 fog patches.
Our first stop was @ 11:00. Can't believe I lasted so long after 2 cups of coffee - large ones!!

We had lunch as we drove and stopped again @ 1:20 for gas. Walking through the store. I realized I forgot to pack the homemade banana bread and oatmeal cookies.

Now at 2:30 we're getting some sun through the gray clouds.

We arrived at 4:20, and it was 70 degrees and sunny. After checking in to our one bedroom suite we walked across the street to the Spotsylvania Towne Center Mall.

We had dinner at the Cancun Margarita Bar & Grill. I restrained and didn't get a margarita but I had a taste of Larry's and it was perfect. We started with chips and salsa and then ordered our dinners. We each got a burrito and boxed more than half of each!

Carrot-Ginger Soup

Just saw this on GMA. We're leaving for two weeks tomorrow, if I get my things packed this morning maybe I can make this for dinner tonight. It looks really easy and healthy!

Carrot-Ginger Soup

Ingredients
4 sliced shallots
2 lbs slices carrots
2 oz. knob ginger, grated
¼ cup basmati rice
5 cups chicken broth
Pick of chopped parsley
Salt

Directions
Sauté the shallots in butter; season with salt and pepper.

Add carrots, ginger (grated), rice, and chicken broth.
Simmer until the rice is tender.

Add chopped parsley; puree.

This recipe was styled by chef Karen Pickus for Good Morning America.
Recipe courtesy Fabio Viviani.

Creepy Jell-o worms

Alongside the sauerkraut and smoked salmon pizza and the five-spice roast beef tenderloin was this recipe for Jello worms.

I found the recipe and the pictures at this website http://www.instructables.com/id/Bowl-of-Worms-Anyone/

Ingredients

2 packs (3 oz) Raspberry jello

1 pkg unflavored gelatin (for extra firmness)

3/4 cup whipping cream

3 cups boiling water

15 drops green food coloring

100 flexible straws (or enough to fill your container)

Tall container (1 quart or 1 liter carton of milk)

Directions

1) Combine gelatin in bowl and add boiling water.

2) Let it cool to lukewarm and then add the whipping cream and 15 drops green food coloring.

3) Gather your straws (don't forget to flex them out) and put them in the container. It's important that the straws have a tight fit so the jello stays in the straws. For this reason, a 1 liter carton may be better; you will probably get longer worms since there is a tighter fit. If you have a bigger container, a rubber band around the straws is helpful. Or you could just add more straws to fill the container.

4) Add the gelatin mixture to the straw-filled container and let it set until firm.

5) There are multiple ways you can remove the worms from the straws. You can roll a rolling pin over the straws and squeeze them out or you can hold the straws over warm water. The worms will slip right out.

Ribollita Soup

I turned on Dr. Oz today and Valerie Bertinelli was making this soup. It looks like one to try.
http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/valerie-bertinelli-ribollita-soup

Valerie Bertinelli’s Ribollita Soup

Ingredients
Serves 6

1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 rib celery, preferably with leaves, chopped
Pinch of kosher salt
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus additional for drizzling
1 28-oz can of whole tomatoes, cut up
3 cups reduced-sodium vegetable broth
¼ tsp dried thyme or 1 sprig fresh
Freshly ground black pepper
1 bunch Tuscan kale, center stems removed and discarded, leaves coarsely chopped
1 10-oz can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
2 large slices peasant bread, cut into chunks
Freshly shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Directions
Saute the onion, carrot, celery and a pinch of salt in the in a large dutch oven or soup pot, over low heat, covered, stirring occasionally, until soft – about 7 minutes.

Add tomatoes (with juice), broth and thyme and bring to a boil.

Reduce to a simmer and cook, partially covered, until the vegetables begin to become tender – about 15 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper.

Add the kale and simmer, covered, until kale is soft – about 15 minutes.

Add the beans and bread and simmer on low until the bread starts to soften – about 5 minutes.

Serve bowls of soup with drizzles of oil and cheese.

Nutrition information per serving: 232 calories, 10 g protein, 25 g carbohydrates, 11 g total fat, 2.5 g saturated fat, 5 g fiber, 520 mg sodium 













Recipe reprinted from One Dish at a Time: Delicious Recipes and Stories from My Italian-American Childhood and Beyond by Valerie Bertinelli

Roasted Beets

Last night we played dominoes with Audrey and Steve - should I mention that I won?  Sure, why not.  I usually never win.  In fact it was so long since we all played we had t read the rules and agree on which rules to follow since everyone plays there own version.

Before we played we had a wonderful dinner and Audrey made a new recipe of roasted beets.  They were so good that I'm going to buy some beets today and make it for us.  It comes from a Williams Sonoma cookbook, but I will always credit Audrey, especially for her addition of the sauteed onions.

Roasted Red and Yellow Beets with Balsamic Glaze

Most beet varieties are available in markets in late spring. Although the most common type sold is deep garnet-red, you'll also find golden beets and even ones with concentric red and white stripes reminiscent of a candy cane. To insure freshness and tenderness, choose small or medium beets with their greens still attached. Remove the greens as soon as you get home, as they will leach moisture from the roots if stored intact over long periods. Garnish the dish with fresh parsley sprigs, if you like.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lb. red beets, with greens attached
• 1 1/2 lb. yellow beets, with greens attached
• 2 Tbs. olive oil
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup aged balsamic vinegar
• 3 Tbs. firmly packed brown sugar
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• Sauteed onions

Directions:

Preheat an oven to 400°F.

Trim off the beet greens and reserve for another use. Wash the beets well but do not peel, and place in a shallow baking dish. In a small bowl, stir together the olive oil and water. Pour the mixture over the beets and toss to coat them completely.

Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake until the beets are tender when pierced with a skewer, 45 to 55 minutes. Remove from the oven, uncover and let cool for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, stir together the balsamic vinegar and brown sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Continue to boil until reduced by one-third, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat.




Peel the beets by slipping off the skins, then cut them crosswise into thin slices. Place in a warmed serving bowl and drizzle with the balsamic glaze. Season with salt and pepper, add the sauteed onions, toss to coat and serve immediately.

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Seasonal Celebration Series, Spring, by Joanne Weir (Time-Life Books, 1997). 

 

October 10 - 15 (a little late)

Lots of Visiting Before Leaving for Myrtle Beach

It was two weeks from the time I got back from visiting everyone until we left for Myrtle Beach but I never got a chance to post my pictures so while I'm watching The View and just relaxing I can catch up with that. (today is 11/2)

I drove to Old Greenwich and met Nadine at the LaQuinta where we were staying.  We went to Greta's and exchanged gifts that we brought and went out for dinner with Greta at Baang.
The next day Nadine and I took the train into the city then walked down 7th Ave on our way to Aunt Harrie's.  It was a brisk day and with the high buildings we didn't get too much of the sun on us.

 We were happy to get here and stop for a cup of coffee and way too much of sweet stuff!

 The symbol of the Fashion District

 The fashion walk of fame.

 Our photo op with Aunt Harrie

We spent about 5 hours visiting, probably the longest we ever have since we didn't have any other plans for the day and we never ran out of anything to talk about.  We took a break and walked over to the White Horse Tavern for lunch.  They're famous for their hamburgers and Dylan Thomas.

When we got back to CT, after a brief rest we met up with Greta's book club at The Beach House where we discussed Gone Girl amidst other topics and glasses of wine, etc and some snacks.  It turns out that 2 of the gals used to live in Aunt Harrie's neighborhood and one in the same building.  Fun, fun day and night!

On Friday Nadine and I were very lazy, watching TV and chatting until it was time for her to leave to visit Em and me to start my grandkid activities.
My first stop was to watch Tucker play in his school soccer game.  It was a practice and these were all kindergardeners from his school.  Tucker scored so many goals for his team that the coach switched him and another boy to the other team so they could have a chance too.
Then it was off to the Y where Hunter had swim team practice and everyone else just went swimming, including Mom but not me.

 Tucker got to take Poquito home for the weekend because he was good in Spanish that week.

 Greta and Charles went to the movies that night and I stayed home with the boys and watched a DVD - I fell asleep but they insisted I read a story after it was over.
The next day it was time for the Old Greenwich Pumpkin Patch.  I was Greta's assistant to collect and replenish tickets for the games and prizes but first a stop for hot coffee.

Myles and friendsg

Hunter had a little Ying and Yang face painting.

I delivered Hunter to his flag football game and watched the end of Tucker's, then brought Tucker to the Pumpkin Patch

I took over Greta's duties with the tickets when she took Myles to his flag football game.  At the end of the event I almost lost Tucker when he went outside while I was trying to figure out what to do with all the tickets.  But we found each other, which was a good thing since Greta warned me before she left "not to lose him."  Tucker and I went to see the end of Myles game but Tucker was happy to sit in the car and play a game on my iPhone.

The next morning we painted some mini pumpkins.

Tucker and I played lots of games of Yahtzee Hands Down while I was there.

A quick game of hockey to start off the outdoor activities.  Greta and I were getting ready to go to Laura's.

The first thing Greta did when she got to Laura's was rearrange her furniture in the living room.  Now she has a good walkway to the kitchen.

We took a walk/run on the Minuteman Trail.

Stopped at Laura's office to print out Greta's boarding pass for Amtrak and we went out to dinner where we ate way too much but it was oh so good.

The next morning Greta and I left before 6:00 AM to go to the station and then I continued home.  Since we didn't have any coffee it was 3 hours before I made my first stop and it was a rest stop in New York with a Starbucks!!

Good Information for Emergency Situation

I received this in one of those emails you're supposed to forward to everyone in your address book but I thought the information was good so I'm posting it here.

Because of recent abductions
In daylight hours, refresh yourself
of these things to do in an emergency situation...
This is for you, and for you to share
with your wife, your children,
everyone you know.
After reading these 10 crucial tips,
forward them to someone you care about.
It never hurts to be careful
in this crazy world we live in.

1. Tip from Tae Kwon Do :
The elbow is the strongest point
on your body.
If you are close enough to use it, do!

2... Learned this from a tourist guide.
If a robber asks for your wallet and/or purse,
DO NOT HAND IT TO HIM.
Toss it away from you....
Chances are that he is more interested
in your wallet and/or purse than you,
and he will go for the wallet/purse.
RUN LIKE MAD IN THE OTHER DIRECTION!

3. If you are ever thrown into the trunk of a car,
kick out the back tail lights and stick your arm out the hole
and start waving like crazy..
The driver won't see you, but everybody else will.
This has saved lives.

4. Women have a tendency to get into their cars
after shopping, eating, working, etc., and just sit
(doing their checkbook, or making a list, etc.
DON'T DO THIS!)
The predator will be watching you, and this
is the perfect opportunity for him to get in
on the passenger side, put a gun to your head,
and tell you where to go.
AS SOON AS YOU GET INTO YOUR CAR ,
LOCK THE DOORS AND LEAVE..

If someone
is in the car
with a gun
to your head
DO NOT DRIVE OFF,
Repeat:
DO NOT DRIVE OFF!
Instead gun the engine
and speed into anything, wrecking the car.
Your Air Bag will save you.
If the person is in the back seat
They will get the worst of it .
As soon as the car crashes
bail out and run.
It is better than having them find your body
in a remote location.

5. A few notes about getting
into your car in a parking lot,
or parking garage:
A.) Be aware:
look around you,
look into your car,
at the passenger side floor ,
and in the back seat
B.) If you are parked next to a big van,
enter your car from the passenger door.
Most serial killers attack their victims
by pulling them into their vans while the women
are attempting to get into their cars.
C.) Look at the car
parked on the driver's side of your vehicle,
and the passenger side... If a male is sitting alone
in the seat nearest your car, you may want to walk back
into the mall, or work, and get a
guard/policeman to walk you back out.
IT IS ALWAYS BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY. (And better paranoid than dead.)

6. ALWAYS take the elevator
instead of the stairs.
Stairwells are horrible places to be alone
and the perfect crime spot.
This is especially true at NIGHT!)

7. If the predator has a gun
and you are not under his control,
ALWAYS RUN!
The predator will only hit you (a running target)
4 in 100 times; and even then,
it most likely WILL NOT be a vital organ.
RUN, Preferably in a zig -zag pattern!

8. As women, we are always trying
to be sympathetic:
STOP
It may get you raped, or killed.
Ted Bundy, the serial killer, was a good-looking,
well educated man, who ALWAYS played
on the sympathies of unsuspecting women.
He walked with a cane, or a limp, and often
asked 'for help' into his vehicle or with his vehicle,
which is when he abducted
his next victim.

9. Another Safety Point:
Someone just told me that her friend heard
a crying baby on her porch the night before last,
and she called the police because it was late
and she thought it was weird.. The police told her
'Whatever you do, DO NOT
open the door..'
The lady then said that it sounded like the baby
had crawled near a window, and she was worried
that it would crawl to the street and get run over.
The policeman said, 'We already have a unit on the way,
whatever you do, DO NOT open the door.'
He told her that they think a serial killer
has a baby's cry recorded and uses it to coax
women out of their homes thinking that someone
dropped off a baby. He said they have not verified it,
but have had several calls by women saying that
they hear baby's cries outside their doors
when they're home alone at night

10. Water scam!
If you wake up in the middle
of the night to hear all your taps outside running or what you think is a
burst pipe, DO NOT GO OUT TO INVESTIGATE! These people turn on all your
outside taps full ball so that you will go out to investigate and
then attack.

Stay alert, keep safe, and look out for your neighbors!
Please pass this on
This e-mail should probably be taken seriously because
the Crying Baby Theory was mentioned on
America 's Most Wanted when they profiled
the serial killer in Louisiana

I'd like you to forward this to all the women you know.
It may save a life. A candle is not dimmed by lighting another candle..
I was going to send this to the ladies only,
but guys, if you love your mothers, wives, sisters,daughters, etc.,
you may want to pass it onto them, as well.

Send this to any woman you know that may need
to be reminded that the world we live in has a lot of crazies in it
and it's better to be safe than sorr

Memory Lapse

Yesterday I made banana bread but couldn't find my favorite pyrex loaf pan.  I looked all over and it was nowhere to be found.  I tried to think of whether I temporarily used it for something else but nothing came to mind, so I resorted to using a metal pan that is wider than my normal pan but what was I to do, I already had all my ingredients out and ready and Larry was out of an "after cereal-to go with coffee" baked good.

Today when I was taking a shower I was thinking about that pan again and realized that there was also a corning loaf pan that I was missing and then I had a vision.  The last time I used it, I decided to move some of my more frequently used pans to a drawer in the island

so I wouldn't have to climb on a stool to reach them where they were previously stored over the refrigerator.

Why is the shower such a good place to think??

Apples and Apple Crisp

The apple tree behind our deck was loaded with apples this year and they weren't even as buggy as usual.  Because of this, I felt compelled to not waste them.  So rather than letting them rot on the tree or just fall to the ground, which was my first inclination, I decided to make use of them.  The thought of peeling all the apples was not a good one since that would involve more work than I wanted to invest in this project so I decided to just make applesauce.  However, once I had cut away the buggy sections and quartered the apples I decided I could make an apple crisp out of some.  Below is the recipe I used.  It is a modified version of a Weight Watcher recipe that I found at food.com

Audrey's Lemon Bars

Audrey gave me this recipe to make for her wine tasting.  The lemon bars are in the forefront with the other desserts that were served at the event in memory of her daughter Heather

LEMON BARS

CRUST
2cups sifted flour
1/2 c. sifted conf. sugar
1 cup butter or margarine
Sift together flour and conf. sugar.
Cut in butter till mixture clings.

Press into 13x9x2 pan – bake 350 degrees for 20-25 min. or until lightly browned.

FILLING
3 eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
1/3 cup lemon juice
¼ cup flour
½ tsp. baking powder
Beat together eggs, granulated sugar, lemon juice.  Sift together flour and baking powder; stir into egg mixture.

Pour over baked crust.
Bake 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes more.
Cool.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired.
Cut into bars.


Note from Audrey:This is a recipe that my sister sent to me that uses a 13 X 9 pan. It has all the ingredients of my Mom's tried-and-true recipe.  The only thing I would add to the lemon custard type topping is some lemon zest - maybe of one to two lemons if you have them. I have two if you need them.    Beat this mixture until light and fluffy before pouring over crust.

Myles and Hunter take the Bus

This is the first day Myles and Hunter took the bus home from school and were met by Mom and her camera.

Sept 7, 2012

Egg yolk and plastic bottle

Everyone has probably seen the video of separating an egg yolk from the white using a plastic bottle.  I got it from my cousin Michael and when I first saw it and checked for others on youtube they were all in Chinese.  Leave it to the Chinese to come up with such a clever way to do this!

I wanted to try it myself but never got around to it, probably because I never needed to use an egg or maybe just forgot about it.  This morning I was making meatloaf and decided to try it.  IT WORKS!!  It is so easy!!
Watch >>>>>

This 'n That

I looked this up on the internet, but couldn't find anything about watermelons not liking zucchini, but this zucchini and watermelon were next to each other and the zucchini rotted where it was the closest to the watermelon.

On Saturday we played golf and I had a great drive on the 9th hole followed up by a 5 iron shot that was good too!!

Sunday we went to the Bristol Valley Theater in Naples and saw Pass the Popcorn.  A really cute review of movie songs.  After dinner I took a walk and saw a beautiful sunset.

Earlier in the week I spent a bunch of days cleaning my desk and it's the cleanest I've seen it since I can't remember when.  The desk surface has been MIA for months.

The apple tree that backs up to the deck is filled with large, non-buggy apples.  Last year we didn't have any apples on the tree and most years they are very buggy since no one sprays.  This year they weren't sprayed either so I don't know where the bugs went but I'm starting to think about what I should make with the apples.  I feel compelled to use them since they are so handy to just pick while standing on the deck.

 

T'ai Chi

We started T'ai Chi on Wednesday and went again today.  When we got home I already forgot the monkey move, which I thought was called the gorilla.  If I can't remember the name how can I remember the move.  Couldn't find a video for the move either so next time, I'm going to video the moves so I can remember them.
However, I did find videos for the Shibashi moves

G&C at US Open

I not only got to watch the US Open on my computer I got to see Greta and Charles there too.

This one was August 28

and this one was from Aug 31

Cuban Chicken with Black Bean and Mango Salsa

Cuban Chicken with Black Bean and Mango Salsa

This recipe was in the Weight Watchers Weekly this week.
I saw it first on Tuesday, did the marinade on Wednesday and we cooked it tonight (Thursday).
Highly recommend it.   My only changes were that I made more of the salsa than the recipe called for since I used the whole can of black beans and more onion and mango because I didn't want the leftover amounts.

The original recipe is here:  http://www.weightwatchers.com/food/rcp/RecipePage.aspx?recipeid=142381

Ingredients
1/2 cup unsweetened orange juice  
1/4 cup cilantro, fresh, chopped  
3 Tbsp fresh lime juice  
2 tsp olive oil  
2 tsp minced garlic  
1 tsp ground cumin  
3/4 tsp table salt, or to taste  
1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground  
1 1/4 pounds uncooked boneless skinless chicken breasts, four 5-oz pieces  
1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained  
1 cup mango, fresh, cubed  
2 Tbsp uncooked red onions, chopped  

Instructions
In a small bowl, combine orange juice, cilantro, lime juice, oil, garlic, cumin, salt and pepper; remove 1/2 cup and place in a large zip-close plastic bag. Add chicken to bag and turn to coat; seal bag and refrigerate up to 12 hours. 


Meanwhile, to make salsa, add beans, mango and onion to bowl with orange juice mixture; toss, cover and refrigerate up to 12 hours. 


When ready to cook, coat grill or grill pan with cooking spray; preheat over medium-high heat. Remove chicken from marinade; discard marinade.


Grill chicken, turning as needed, until cooked through, about 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer chicken to serving plates and spoon salsa over chicken; pour any liquid left in bottom of bowl over top. Yields 1 piece of chicken and about 1/2 cup of salsa per serving.


Note:
Marinate the chicken and bean mixture the night before you want to serve it. Then when it's time for dinner, just grill the chicken and your dinner's ready fast.

Feel free to use papaya or pineapple instead of the mango (could affect PointsPlus values).

A Happy Camper

For the first time in two weeks I felt great!!  No headache, no neck ache, no back ache. or any other ache I have recently had.  I went out to do a couple of errands and realized I felt really good.  Nothing hurt so I kept going.  One store, then another until all of a sudden four hours had passed.

I went home and suggested we take a hike since I felt so good and didn't want to sit down.  I just wanted to keep moving.

We went to Webster Park and walked for a few miles and it was peaceful, beautiful, and pain free.

Champion Hills

We played at a new course for me today out in Victor and it was just so pretty.

First hole

Nectarine and Blueberry Bread

I had some nectarines in the refrigerator that had been there too long for just eating in their present state but they were fine for cooking. Just needed to find a recipe and this is the one I found and we love it.

Nectarine and Blueberry Tea Bread recipe adapted from Shove It In Your Face which was adapted from Lynne's Country Kitchen

1 1/2 Cups Flour, divided

3/4 Cup Sugar

2 teaspoons Baking Powder

1/4 teaspoon Baking Soda

1/2 teaspoon Allspice

1/4 teaspoon Salt

1/3 Cup (75 grams) Butter, room temperature

1 teaspoon Orange Zest (I used grapefruit) (I skipped this)

1/4 Cup Orange Juice (I used grapefruit) (I used pineapple)

2 Eggs

2 Nectarines (I used 4 small)

1/2 Cup Blueberries, fresh or frozen

Topping:

2/3 cup Almonds, chopped well and divided

1 Tablespoon Sugar

1 teaspoon Cinnamon

Combine 1/4 cup almonds, sugar and cinnamon.  Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350F/175C

Combine 1 Cup of flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, allspice and salt in a bowl or stand mixer.   Add in butter, orange juice and orange zest.  Mix on low for about 30 seconds, then on high for 2 minutes.  Add in eggs and remaining 1/2 Cup of flour.  Mix to combine.   Fold in fruit and remaining almonds.

Pour batter into a loaf pan and add the topping.  Bake 50 - 60 minutes or until a tester comes out clean.  Cool in pan for ten minutes then finish cooling on a rack.  Enjoy!

Great Quote

At the end of Yoga this morning Lynn shared a quote with us that she particularly liked but couldn't remember the source.  I liked it too and remembered enough of it to Google it and find out all the details.

"We are not human beings on a spiritual journey. 

We are spiritual beings on a human journey."
- Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

The above is the paraphrased version.

The original is  

We are not human beings on a spiritual journey. We are spiritual beings on a human journey.

from The Phenomenon of Man (1955)

Le Phénomène Humain (1955)

Pierre Teilhard de Chardin SJ (May 1, 1881 – April 10, 1955) was a French philosopher and Jesuit priest who trained as a paleontologist and geologist.

OK - now back to doing something other than googling around the internet.

Lemon Blueberry Bread

I saw this recipe in the D&C 7/27/12 and finally tried it.
http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20120727/LIVING/307270014/Recipe-Week-Lemon-blueberry-bread-provides-sweetness-zing?nclick_check=1
 
According to the article the blueberries will not sink to the bottom because they are coated in flour first and that this will work for other fruit as well.
" Coating berries or other fruit with flour absorbs moisture that is released during the baking. That moisture is what causes the fruit to fall precipitously to the bottom."

Out of Town

On Wednesday I drove to Greta's for a couple of days.  I didn't have my usual sitting in the car for 6 hours look.  For some reason I decided to dress nicely and even put on makeup.  I must have had time to kill but it was all worth it when I got a compliment from Charles when he came home.