Month: February 2019

Food: Valentine’s Breakfast Pancakes For Those Staying In

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I saw this recipe a few weeks ago, and already knew the plans for Valentine’s Day or actually any other Sunday. I mean, this option is not only for those in love, but rather for anyone celebrating  – their independence, to a perfect friendship and even a newly purchased home. Double chocolate champagne pancakes is the way to go, I say: Ingredients: 1 cup AP flour 1¾ tsp baking powder 1/3 cup sugar 4 tsp cocoa powder, sifted 1 tsp salt 2 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips 1/4 cup milk 1 large egg 1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp champagne. {more}   {recipe and photo credit} Oh and yes for the mimosa champagne in lieu of coffee or a cup of green tea – plus more pink drinks here 

Food: Dinner Tonight – Chicken Soup and Here’s Why

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I normally do an inventory of what’s in my refrigerator the night before to see what dinner I can create from the ingredients  within.   Simply put, I don’t like when fresh food items go bad or expire. So, I make do with what I have – even if it means altering ingredients suggested in a recipe. Plus the fact, I do not have a slow cooker – so stove top it is  for this recipe INGREDIENTS 6 cups low sodium chicken stock 2 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 2 onions, chopped 4 carrots, chopped    {Since I only have zucchini at home, and not carrots, I will substitute)  2 parsnips, chopped 2 ribs celery, chopped  {Broccolini will have to do based on my inventory}  2 leeks, chopped 8 peppercorns 1 bay leaf 4 sprigs fresh thyme 2 sprigs fresh rosemary 2-3 pounds bone-in chicken breasts or thighs kosher salt and black pepper juice + zest of 1 lemon 3/4 cup dry farro 1/2 cup fresh cilantro and or mixed herbs  – in my case parsley it is    {follow along here}  {Photo and recipe source here} Soup to be eaten with fresh baked …

Food: Dinner Tonight – Chicken, Sweet Potatoes, Hummus

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Over the weekend, while doing the usual grocery shopping, I brought home chicken as usual, and a half dozen fresh sweet potatoes with the intend that I would dice up the chicken, and the sweet potatoes  and stir fry it with garlic, olive oil and herbes de Provence blend of spices and then I saw this recipe and decided to shift gears and try something new. INGREDIENTS 2 pounds boneless chicken breasts 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon honey 4 cloves garlic, minced or grated 1 tablespoon smoked paprika 2 teaspoons ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes juice of 1 lemon kosher salt and black pepper 2 medium sweet potatoes, sliced into 1/4 inch rounds 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds 4 cups baby arugula 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes + 2 tablespoons oil from the jar 4 ounces cubed feta cheese 2 cups plain hummus, homemade or store-bought naan, Persian cucumbers, and fresh dill, for serving  {more} In case you are curious about cooking with herbes de Provence – there is a whole list of recipes to incorporate the spice –    

Travel: Top 20 in 2019

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Suggested travel destinations go full circle it seems throughout the years, and some places stay on the list year after year. But either way, here’s the top 20 suggested travel destinations for 2019 and which ones got me thinking where it is I will be this summer. {featured image of Tbilisi, Georgia (Caucasus and not the Georgia in the US)

Food: You Had Me at Rose, Lemon, Shortbread Cookies

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I teared up when I saw this beautiful pic online leading to a simple shortbread cookie recipe which by the way is wonderful to have on-hand for not only Valentine’s Day, but for bridal showers and even a simple wedding in a friend’s backyard or another.  The hardest part is finding the perfect ensemble of cookie cutters – past the heart-shaped ones, perhaps parasol for showers, baby carriage for, well baby showers and so… INGREDIENTS 2 sticks (1 cup) salted butter 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1 tablespoon lemon zest 1 teaspoon dried rose petals, finely crushed (optional) 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour LEMON GLAZE 2 cups powdered sugar 2 tablespoons Meyer (or regular) lemon juice 1-2 drops blood orange juice (optional)   {more}  Cookie cutters in the U.S.  from here, here, here and here And my favorite from here

Fun Coats For Her – Valentine’s Day Gift or Otherwise

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January gave us all the much needed break from the stress of gifting, and now that we’ve all recovered well 😉 – let us proceed to the Valentine’s Day frenzy of finding the perfect gift for the woman in search of a winter coat or jacket to add to her collection:

Decor: Modern Bedrooms

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I spent most of my time indoors over the weekend, lounging around, reading and cooking. The weather was pretty brutal in San Francisco, although nothing like in other places dealing with floods, ice storms, avalanches and other natural or otherwise disasters. But here, rain keeps the locals mostly indoors. At one point on Sunday I sat in front of my computer attempting to write a few chapters, and naturally I got sidetracked in so many other ways. I wish there was an off-switch to surfing the internet when in need of using the computer for work or school. But anyway, here’s what I found in terms of bedroom decor that had me thinking about revamping a room or two. and if you are wondering about the color trends for 2019 – click on photo below 

Food: Appetizers For Dinner

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I normally let my taste buds dictate what we will be having for dinner, and today it seems like a ton of finger foods are in order to pair up with beer. Don’t know why, but these days all I crave is beer. So here we go – click on photo to find the recipe: And for dessert – of course there is dessert and a few class movies here, here, and here and lots of snuggles from my dog Have a wonderful weekend everyone!