Happy Halloween!

We are busy with 'The Pamper Project' here . . . Pampering the new mom and the new baby too.

Isn't she just the sweetest treat in the world?

Happy Halloween Y'all~

Sandi

Photohunt ~ Broken

The PhotoHunt for this week is 'Broken'.
This church door is on one of the Elafiti Islands we visited in Croatia. It is a tiny chapel that sits next to the village cemetary. It was so tiny that each door panel was only about 12 inches wide.
I was touched by the broken stone on the door frame. Imagine the number of hands that have brushed this door over the centuries. Happy Hunting y'all,
Sandi

Flavors ~ Duck

The Flavor for this week is Duck. I thought for sure duck would not something that is easily found at the Piggly Wiggly. Surprise to me. . . In the freezer department. I am not sure about the quality of the duck~ although with enough of the cherries and red wine. . .

The Flavor Bible describes duck as 'loud' . . . which reminds me of Daffy Duck (I confess~ I never liked that cartoon) Bill was not excited about this weeks challenge; I don't think it had anything to do with the Daffy Duck.

Back to the flavor profile ~ Duck pairs nicely with citrus and fruits, with savory like rosemary and mushrooms, of course with Thai and Asian cuisine. In my recipe, I have capitalized the foods that are recommended by the Flavor Bible.
Duck Breasts with Cherries in Red Wine
3 Tbs SUGAR
2 Tbs water
1/2 cup dried CHERRIES
2 Tbs sugared GINGER
3 Tbs BALSAMIC VINEGAR
1 Tbs OLIVE OIL
2 boneless DUCK breasts
2 cloves GARLIC
1 1/2 cup MERLOT
1 ORANGE
Place the cherries and wine in a bowl and allow to soak.
Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan, cook on low to melt the sugar. Bring to a boil and allow to come to a rolling boil for 4-5 minutes (do not stir). Remove from the heat and add vinegar and cherries (reserve the wine for later)stirring as needed. Set on a low heat and allow the fruit and juices to caramelize.
Heat olive oil, add minced garlic and cook until clear. Pan sear duck breasts 5 minutes on each side. Remove from heat and set aside. Add wine to the pan and bring to a boil. Reduce by half, then add to the cherries. Continue to boil until it reaches a thickened consistency.
Serve duck breast sliced on a bed of oranges, with cherry sauce and orange zest.
I served mine with orange flavored cous-cous. . . and the rest of that bottle of wine
Waste Not ~ Want Not !
Join us for the ride on Facebook and our blog Flavors.

Happy Cooking y'all~
Sandi

Traveling Tuesdays ~ Put Croatia on the bucket list

Have you ever wanted to go to Croatia?
I never really had ~ until this opportunity came up to travel with my sister and her friends from the American Women's Club in London.
Croatia is a beautiful country on the Adriatic sea. We spent several days seeing Dubrovnik, Montenegro and the surrounding area.
We even spent one day on a replica of a pirate ship . . . complete with a beautiful woman figurehead. Fitting ~ since it was a boat full of fabulous women ! We spent the day sailing to 3 of the Dalmation Islands off the coast of Dubrovnik. All were amazing . . .
Each island was unique with it's coast lines and ports. The people were so very friendly; Proud of their wines and olive oils.
We ate fresh fish every night that had been swimming in these waters. We tasted a bit of that Croatian wine as well. Of course ~ I could be on a deserted island with my sister and still have fun !

Now, lets see where everyone else is traveling this tuesday !
Y'all enjoy the ride~
Sandi

Photohunt ~ High

The PhotoHunt for this week is 'High'.Which is perfect... Because just before I left London...We went shopping on High Street at the Zara Baby... Just a little something for our little princess!
Happy Hunting y'all,
Sandi

Fr♥day's Favor♥tes ~

Isn't she beautiful? She is our Hope.

and I just can't wait to get my hands on her again!

What is your favorite today?

Y'all enjoy the weekend~

Sandi

Flavors ~ Mushrooms

Have you been following our Flavors?
The ingredient this week is Mushrooms.
What a choice . . . chanterelles, cremini, portobello, shitake, morels. I picked the dried porcici. Even the Flavor Bible says that the porcini goes with Italian Cuisine.
Bellisimo ! I see that Deborah also posted a Risotto recipe ~ great minds think alike!

We are working each week with the same ingredient. We may see several recipes that are similar.
I think I will look at how many different ways I can make Risotto.
Wild Mushroom Risotto
1 Tbs OLIVE OIL
1 cup ONION
1 pkg porcini mushrooms (dried)
1 cup crimini mushrooms
1 Tbs fresh THYME
1 Tbs fresh TARRAGON
1 cup ABORINO RICE
1/2 cup DRY WHITE WINE
1/2 cup PARMESAN cheese
5 cups porcini broth (reserved from soaking mushrooms and a couple of broth cubes)
Soak dried mushrooms in warm water to reconstitue. Dice onion and mushrooms, reserving broth from porcini. Add thyme and tarragon to the broth and simmer on low heat.
Heat oil in a large pan. Add onions and sauté until tender. Add rice and cook until translucent. Stir in wine and cook over low heat until the liquid is absorbed. Slowly add broth 1 cup at a time, stir and cover. When liquid is absorbed repeat with the simmering broth. When all the broth is absorbed, vigorously stir in cheese. Add fresh thyme for garnish.
Join us for the ride.
Happy Cooking y'all~
Sandi

Traveling Tuesdays ~ Victoria

When we were in London, we stayed in the Sloane Square area~ On the 'royal' side of Victoria Station. We were only a few blocks from Buckingham Palace.
Holly's flat is awesome! One rainy morning we walked past this neighborhood square.
Here is a statue of the young Queen Victoria, with a very fashionable hairstyle..
She ruled the UK for 64 years with Albert; who was her husband, and truely the love of her life.She looks so sweet... young and regal. A lot different than the pictures of her in her later years!
By all reports, when Albert died she was devistated.
She lived a life of seclusion in Windsor and Balmoral castle ~ I've traveled to both!
Speaking of travels...

Where are y'all traveling~
Sandi

Photohunt ~ Public

The PhotoHunt for this week is 'Public'.

This public service made me laugh . . . so very British!
Happy Hunting y'all,
Sandi

Flavors ~ Apple

The Flavor for this week is Apples!
I immediatly thought of a ton of things to do with apples... but I wanted to try something different.
The flavor profile for Apples is wide open. They can be paired with sweet as sugar and caramel, or savory as cumin or horseradish; They suggest pairing with red cabbage or with pumpkin. The most recommended flavor is Cinnamon.
Pork with Apples and Ginger
3 Tbs fresh minced GINGER
4-5 apples
2 Tbs pure MAPLE SYRUP
1 Tbs OLIVE OIL
2 Tbs BROWN SUGAR
1/4 cup chopped PECANS
1 pound PORK cutlets
3 Tbs fresh ROSEMARY
3 Tbs OLIVE OIL
Preheat the oven to 350°
Combine 3 tablespoons olive oil with minced rosemary and set aside for the oil wo absorb some of the rosemary flavor.
Peel and slice apples into 1/2 inch slices. Spread a baking dish with foil. Toss the apples and ginger with syrup and oil. Spread the apples onto the foil and sprinkle with sugar and pecans. Gather the foil and seal. Bake for 30 minutes until apples are tender.
Pour the rosemary oil into a skillet. Pan fry chops will browned on both sides.
Place chops in a baking dish, cover with baked apples and sauce. Bake until pork is cooked to 160°Serve warm pork with baked apples, pecans and rosemary.

Happy Cooking y'all~
Sandi
This recipe was featured on Photograzing

A baby changes everything!

A baby changes everything !
I got back from London monday night . . . just in time to get the call. Hope Morgan decided to come a bit early !
I booked the next flight out of Birmingham into Charlotte.
As I landed, I got the news that they were doing an emergency c-section. I raced from the gate to the rental car desk . . . Apparently this is a big NASCAR weekend. No rental cars available.
Panic was washing over me.
Then a kind man ~ with a British accent ~ asked if I needed a cab. I think he was my angel. As he was driving quickly to the hospital, he prayed with me. How often do you find a praying cab driver with a London accent in the NASCAR capitol?
I am thrilled to say that Mom and baby are doing fine. She is so precious, and of course perfectly beautiful.
A baby changes everything.

Traveling Tuesdays ~ it's a day around London

Traveling Tuesdays~
Let's hop the Double Decker bus in London.

This oyster card is all we needed to get around town . . .
Unless I want to ride in that cute Union Jack cab !
Everyone was out enjoying the beautiful weather in while I was in London !

Now that I am home, I can sort through the hundreds of photos I took. There will be lot's of 'traveling' in the next few weeks.
Thanks Hollydayz for the brilliant trip~

Y'all enjoy the ride~
Sandi

Beautiful Croatia!

It is early sunday morning in London. So I have the jump start on my bloggy friends. Y'all can wake to some sunday morning photos. I thought I'd share some images of Croatia. It is a beautiful country that was never a place I needed to see. Now, I am so glad that I did!
I was lucky to be included with the American Women's Club in London, and made some new friends. We shared a lot of laughs on these beautiful streets of Dubrovnik.
We saw this chapel ~ The Lady of the Rocks.
It was built over hundreds of years on an island that was built of rocks. and another boat ride to one of the Dalmation islands~

Y'all enjoy!
Sandi

Photohunt ~ Waiting

The PhotoHunt for this week is 'Waiting'.

So I thought I'd post some pictures of the cute pets we have seen in Dubrovnik,and in London~ Waiting for snack... to catch a fish or a crumb of some kind.I have lots more photos of London and Croatia to come!
but y'all will just have to WAIT. ;-)

Happy Hunting y'all,
Sandi

Flavors ~ Plum

This is the first post of the next 52 weeks ~ Flavors is the blog to follow. Every day my friends and I will be posting a recipe, based on the ingredient of the week. We will be 'building' recipes based on the flavor bible.
Our first ingredient is Plum. According to the Flavor Bible, plums are sweet and astringent. Flavors that are recommended will be capitalized in my recipe.
Keeping it true to me ~ I've come up with a recipe that is simple and yummy. Y'all will be wanting to try this quick dessert.
Plum Tart
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
1/2 cup sliced ALMONDS
2 tablespoons SUGAR
2 cups thinly sliced Plums
1/4 cup ORANGE marmalade
1 tsp CINNAMON
1 Tbs crystalized GINGER
Preheat oven to 350° On a lightly floured work surface, roll out puff pastry to a 12-by-16-inch rectangle. In the center of the pastry spread the orange marmalade, minced ginger, and sprinkle with cinnamon. Slice the plums and arrange on the top. On the outer 1-inch, sprinkle with almonds. Bake until light golden, about 20 to 25 minutes. Serve with a scoop of ICE CREAM and a drizzle of SOUTHERN COMFORT (if desired)

Join us for the ride.
Happy Cooking y'all~
Sandi

Cooking Light ~ Halloween Spooky Feast

Our Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club is celebrating Halloween with a spooky feast. We all went to Cooking Light to find our recipes.
I have decided to bring Devilish Deviled Eggs. They are interesting because they contain smoked salmon. I felt the need to warn people before they ate them. There is something funny about a deviled egg that tastes like cold fish.
Not Bad... but a little spooky.

Devilish Eggs
8 large eggs
1/4 cup fat-free sour cream
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
2 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons minced fresh tarragon
2 teaspoons minced fresh dill
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 ounces cold-smoked salmon, finely chopped
16 small dill sprigs (optional) 16 small tarragon sprigs (optional)
Preparation
1. Place eggs in a large saucepan. Cover with cool water to 1 inch above eggs; bring just to a rolling boil. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 15 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold running water until cool.
2. Peel eggs; cut in half lengthwise. Place yolks in a medium bowl; mash with a fork until smooth. Add sour cream and next 7 ingredients (through salmon); stir well. Spoon mixture into egg white halves (about 1 tablespoon in each half). Garnish with dill and tarragon sprigs, if desired.

Now let's see what everyone else has brought for our Halloween Virtual Super ...
Jerry has started off the festivities with Dracula's Revenge
Val is bringing a pot of Winter Squash with floating ghosts
MaryAnn has made Sweet Potato and Black Bean Empanadas
Roz has brought dessert with Chocolate Spiderweb Cookies.
Jamie has munchies~ Devilishly Devine Peanut Butter Caramel Corn

Don't forget, that y'all are welcome to join in our virtual supper with the blog hop!
Y'all enjoy~

Sandi