I am a firm believer that hosting Thanksgiving can actually be therapeutic for those who enjoy cooking or baking. But if you dread the idea and wished you hadn’t volunteered to host, here are a few great suggestions to follow – just click on the below photos:
What a wonderful idea, to have a tree trimming party, or an excuse to invite a few friends or family over to trim the tree while you serve up cocktails and appetizers. I honestly couldn’t hope for a better occasion to escape, even for just a few hours:
When I was a child, there was a tradition established where relatives – mostly the women – visit one another on a particular date each month. The date was determined based on a symbolic event for that certain family – such as a birthday or a wedding date. The hostess would bake a cake or two or make brioche and other wonderful baked goods, fresh lemonade in the summer and cinnamon spiced tea in the winter and sometimes even ice cream or jello would be added – for the kids that behaved during the visit. I don’t recall behaving until the cake and ice cream was served and then I had to glance over to my mother to make sure I was entitled to getting my share. So in light of traditions, and hosting a tea party or Sunday brunch or even a simple get-together just because, I share with you this wonderful old-world, easy marble cake recipe, just like the ones my mother and aunts made – right here: Ingredients 3 eggs about 210 g 210 g of cane …
A few weeks ago I had food poisoning from a chicken salad I bought for lunch. The same one I normally ordered from an organically sustainable eatery in downtown. After that incident, I haven’t craved meat and the idea of seafood makes my stomach turn. Not sure what happened, but it’s as if my stomach has realigned itself and I have no choice but to obey. So for tonight – since I was craving pizza at 3 in the morning – I plan to make these wonderful beauties instead. Ingredients 12 slices of butternut squash 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil 1 teaspoon of salt 1/2 tablespoon of water Freshly ground black pepper For the seasoning 300 g (1 cup) of peeled datterini, or tomato pulp Extra virgin olive oil 1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano Salt 250 g (1 ½ cup) of mozzarella torn into pieces 2 tablespoons of grated pecorino romano {more} {photo source}
In light of the fact, a few department stores are either closing down or renovating and reinventing themselves here in northern California to remain key players in this day and age of online shopping, I have to applaud Chanel’s newly designed flagship store in Manhattan. The very idea of a modern chic decor approach, which others are following, is a sure way to captivate passersby:
I am not a fan of Turkey and if I am not hosting an extended family dinner, I usually go with a whole chicken – applying the same recipe but on a different bird – if you will. Here’s a recipe I found, which is simple enough to follow for the first-time host or the expert. In case you go with the chicken recipe – no lined cheesecloth needed – you can go with the oven bag to lock in the flavors. INGREDIENTS 1 (14-16) pound turkey, giblets and neck removed, patted dry 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature 2 tablespoons fresh sage, plus more for stuffing the bird 2 tablespoons fresh thyme, plus more for stuffing the bird 3 tablespoons fresh parsley zest of 1 lemon 3 teaspoons kosher salt 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper 1 piece large of double lined cheesecloth 2 lemons, halved 1 garlic head, tips sliced off 1 onion, halved 7-8 cups low sodium chicken or turkey broth WHITE WINE PAN GRAVY 1 cup white wine 4 tablespoons salted butter 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour drippings from the turkey 2-3 cups low sodium chicken or turkey broth, as needed {more} And of course, we can all use …
Christmas is around the corner, and the shopping has begun in some places, while in others the planning – first stop a good old fashioned Christmas market:
The best way I could put the reason behind this post is this. You know how when you attempt to subscribe to an online site, there is a pop-up asking if you are a robot – and if not, to key in a set of squiggly numbers and letters to prove it. Well, sometimes when I talk only about the beautiful things on this site, I realize that I may come across as a robot, especially on days where there are tragic events that redefine or reshape the world. And although my efforts are to calm the anxiety, and help promote clear thinking, it is always a good idea to share some realities once in a while.
I realized the other day, while picking out the next set of books to read from the public library, that I have not shared what I’ve read and what I’ve watched on television in a long while. Yes, I do go to public libraries. I love them, especially this, and this location, where I spend hours searching for the next book based on recommendations from all sorts of online sites. The books I choose have to inspire me to continue to pen my next story. So, here it is: Read: The Cost of Living By Deborah Levy On my List: Things I Don’t Want to Know by Deborah Levy Read: Where Honeybees Thrive by Heather Swan Currently Reading: Carnegie’s Maid by Maria Benedict I have ordered The Nest to Read Next – the idea of a family feud over inheritance has sparked an interest and in reality I have picked up and put down this paperback so many times, but now I am going to finally read it. Found this film on Netflix …
Let us take a day to remember to honor our veterans with this touching video from here. {featured image source}
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