Antipasto Tray...

Here is a helpful hint or idea....an antipasto tray is a great way to serve appetizers, at your next dinner party....it can be done ahead of time and left out even....the cheese should be room temperature to be the best it can be....

the funnest and cheapest idea for a tray is a tile from your hardware store....they are 1 to 3 dollars each depending on the size and you can get all different colors....you can put little felt pieces on the bottom, if you want to put it on the nice coffee table or buffet table, but if you are just putting it on an outdoor table or like me the cutting board, you don't need to bother....

there are many ideas of items to add to a tray...but it traditionally is, a few very good artisan cheeses, some fruit that is easy to pick up and go, like the grapes and berries in season, crackers or little breads and something salty like olives, cured meats, capers, smoked fish or anchovies....add a few nuts served salted or plain... all these flavors enhance the flavor of your great wine....crackers or little breads are good too, remember this is just to wet the appetite, not fill up your guests....so don't feel like you need to make a huge amount....use a smaller tile and pile it on....it will look like more! Always add something that is jazzy...in this case dried figs....but it could be fresh raspberries, or a fig bread or date breads...just something unexpected...

pick a couple of local good wines, they don't have to be expensive but yes they should be good....so get what you like, and a variety....if after your dinner party you have left over wine you can put it in 1/2 cup increments in baggies and freeze it...when you need some for a recipe 'voila' you got it!

Cheers to Happy  !!

Tomato Basil Soup

Tomato Basil Soup just like the deli at the store....I buy tomato basil soup from the deli section of my local grocery store often, it is good, I usually put it into a bread bowl and it is delicious! Last night the kids were going to come over and I wanted something hot and also something they would eat...I remembered this recipe that I used to make along time ago, it is alot like the soup you can buy already made and it is very flavorful, and creamy with chunks of tomatoes, it is also good with grilled cheese sandwiches, they way the grandkids like,  really gooey and cheesy....This is a great soup for lent, and that is coming up soon, right around the corner...

here are the ingredients....a jar of basil spaghetti sauce of your choice, a can of tomato soup, a can of chopped tomatoes that are seasoned.....milk and Parmesan cheese and fresh basil....

mix the sauce, tomato soup, canned tomatoes and 3 cups milk together and heat on medium heat for 15 or so minutes, until piping hot....stirring often..

serve with chopped fresh basil on top and fresh grated Parmesan cheese....

(isn't he cute)

Cheers to Happy  !!

Orange Fennel Salad

Did you miss me and wonder what happened? I sure missed being here...well here I am.......

This is a one of a kind wonderful salad! It is so flavorful, goes well with something hearty like pasta or a steak......I love the flavor of licorice, fennel is so subtle and has such a clean flavor, it has to be good for you, doesn't it?

Orange Fennel Salad

4 bulbs of fennel
3 whole naval oranges
1/2 of large red onion
2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
5 tablespoons of olive oil
2 tablespoons of gray poupon mustard

first slice fennel bulbs in half and then slice the bulbs very thin..
add 2 oranges cut in chunks. Cut the 1/2 onion in half lengthwise and
slice real thin...add all together, in mixing bowl....whisk together next 3 ingredients
and add a little sat and pepper....and then stir into the salad...peel and decorate with the other orange and left over fennel fronds....

Cheers to Happy  !!

Seed Catalogs....or Dream Catalogs...

The best thing to do this year is to plan your summer garden, imagine all the 'fruits' of your labor and the salads and vegetables for your table....

ok, I have this all ready for you, aren't you happy? all you have to do is click on the links and request your catalog and you will have great seed catalogs coming in the mail that you can have garden dreams over.

this I put first because it might be the best...
http://rareseeds.com/
every one loves burpee
http://www.burpee.com/
this one is romantic
http://www.gardenfairy.com/seeds/directory.htm
this one is thompson and morgan, they have been around forever
http://www.tmseeds.com/
the green people is organic,,,,
http://www.greenpeople.org/VegetableSeed.html


Oh what fun!!!!!!

Cheers to Happy  !!

Valentines Day

Oh my favorite holiday is right around the corner........I can hardly wait!.....this year I have such big plans and hopes....

I started celebarating Valentines Day when my children were small...I had the 'let down blues' from christmas and old man winter, and needed something to look forward to and , well,  there was Valentines day.... it started with a nice breakfast with little presents and a large decorated homemade cookie, with a special message on it for each child, and the celebration grew from there.......I love it because there are no expectations..no need to feel like you have to reciprocate....you can just show those around you how much you love them...oh happy day.....what is not to love about the day? Last year I made these cookies from edible papers from an on-line web site I have talked about before called.... http://www.fancyflours.com/  take a look there...they have lots of cool baking things......I am working on my order for this year now.......Valentines Day this year is on Sunday so I will be blessing my staff with my baked goods....he he he....

Cheers to Happy  !!

Sunday Morning, Church Day,,,

Well no I am not going to Church, but I am going to work...which is not the same thing at all....I thought I would answer this little questionnaire here for you, fun huh? I knew you were dying to know this stuff!

I AM HEARING....
Food Network .... The Neelys I am turning it off now so I can concentrate....
I AM THINKING...
About all I have to do today....and trying NOT to be overwhelmed

I AM THANKFUL FOR...
My Family....My Home.....My job that gives me my home and car

FROM THE KITCHEN...
right now coffee....this week though I will be making Lasagna Bolognese

I AM WEARING...
pink plaid flannel pajama bottoms, white oversized t-shirt and pink polka dotted bathrobe...

I AM CREATING...
I am creating? oh for heavens sake.....I usually am creating a mess..

I AM GOING...
to work....

I AM READING...
The Help...by author Kathryn Stockett, so far a very good book...

I AM HOPING...
for calm.....and peace.....and happy days...oh and that I say the right thing, and have smart answers, and know when to keep my mouth shut......I can hope anyway....

AROUND THE HOUSE...
the house is very quiet.....just the smell of coffee....and the orange I peeled last night...

ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS...
Only one? my hearing aid.....can I have two? then my laptop and just one more my sewing machine.
oh yes I am a 'sewer who never sews' but still value my machine....

A FEW PLANS FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK...
Monday               Work and drive to Portland
Tuesday               Meeting at Corporate in Portland
                            Drive home
Wednesday          Boss comes for a formal visit to work
                            make dinner for the following night
Thursday              Boss finishes his formal visit and has a review
                            Thursday night, Saul and his family come to dinner
Friday                  day off...from work and then I just breathe...
Saturday              more breathing and playing and housework
Sunday                Work day.......

PICTURE THOUGHT...

I wish my thoughts were always this beautiful...like looking through a Kaleidoscope.....

Cheers to a Happy Sunday Church Day  !!

oh remember this?

I saw such a hopeful thing today....Spring!!!!!! I want to shout it from the roof...hip hip hooray!!!! 
remember this?

I know I can't wait either....but today I say many signs of spring is almost here.....

the jays showed up, a whole brigade of them...they were definitely looking for something, or they were already twitterpated....

I know it is blurry, but she was so shy little miss Robin...Mr. and Mrs. Robin both were here...there were also some little chickadees, or the little hopping birds, hopping all over the place....and some birds that looked like starlings....

the iris are coming up.....

and if you move the dead leaves you can see the crocus.....can't wait!

looking through the moss, you can see the daffodils coming......

don't look at the weeds.....look at the hyacinths, cool huh?

Cheers to Happy  !!

Dungeness Crab Eggs Benedict

Just for you, for breakfast this weekend, a great Northwest Eggs Benedict recipe using thick bacon and fresh Dungeness Crab....I just started eating eggs about 5 years ago and now I eat them often, and eggs Benedict with poached eggs are my favorite way to eat them...and homemade buttery hollandaise sauce make them soooo over the top!

start by frying the thick cut bacon....fry over medium heat and fry until crisp and done, but not hard and overcooked....

kinda like this....drain on paper towel....

next cut 4 slices of thick artisan bread and brush with olive oil...

broil until nice and brown on top and then set this aside.....

Now the Hollandaise Sauce......separate 3 egg yolks....put the whites aside for something else...

1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice....

put in blender and add 3 dashes of Tabasco....

melt 2 sticks of butter until very hot and bubbly almost a boil.....

start the blender on low and slowly, ever so slowly through the top of the blender, drizzle the butter.....

the holladaise will emulsify and come together to make the most fantastic buttery sauce ever...set aside...this sauce is meant to be used immediately and at room temperature

make your poached eggs...some people have a real nice egg poachers and some like me do theirs in boiling water...you boil the water and as it is boiling you stir it clockwise and as it is swirling slip the eggs in....it will quickly come back to a boil and after about 2 minutes they are finished....

assembling is the fun part....place the toast...then the bacon...then a good helping of the crab....carefully balance the eggs on top then.............

slowly pour on the hollandaise sauce....all over the eggs...

top with a bit of crumbled bacon and crab....

this may be the very best thing you have ever eaten...Guaranteed Great!!!!!

Cheers to Happy  !!

Pollo al Rhum

Pollo al Rhum (Chicken in Rum)

This Chicken is so delicious....it is like a hot buttered rum and chicken, well a little anyway....it is buttery and it has rum and the nutmeg is so subtle, it is hard to distinguish just what that wonderful flavor is...using thighs the chicken stays moist...I found this recipe on-line in Savour Magazine...it is from a fellow food blogger...I knew I had to make it as soon as I read it......I think it would work with breasts as well....You will love this! Guaranteed Good!!

 for this recipe.... 4 chicken thighs, 4 sage leaves, 1/2 cup of rum (I bought the little bottle at the liquor store) 1 cup chicken stock, 3 1/2 T butter, 1 large pinch of nutmeg and salt and pepper

wash and trim your chicken thighs and pat, pat, pat dry....salt and pepper..

place 3 1/2 tablespoons of butter in a heavy skillet and the four sage leaves...heat to medium high...and add the seasoned chicken skin side down ....

grate or sprinkle nutmeg over top of chicken..

brown chicken on all sides....

I mean 'all' sides...

then add the chicken stock and bring to a boil and cook for 6 minutes...

then add rum and bring back to a boil and then cover and turn down to a simmer...

cook for 20 minutes turning the chicken often...the last 5 minutes or so...lift the lid and let the sauce reduce some...look, my new pan has a chip in it, how did that happen?

and serve....I served it with potato gnocchi with alfredo sauce and steamed broccoli....also be sure and sneak out the cooked sage leaves from the sauce and eat with your chicken, tell the others they aren't good and then maybe you can have all 4 pieces...the crispy little leaves taste wonderful!

Cheers to Happy  !!