Have a wonderful Thanksgiving everyone. May your holiday be filled with joy and a sincere gathering with family and friends. And remember, no matter how bad times are, please take a moment to be thankful for all the blessing you have received in twenty-ten.
I must admit, I am not a fan of pumpkin pie. I prefer more of a fruit based tart if I am forced to eat a pie like dessert. I say give me fresh fruit any day. But just for traditional sake, I always bake a pumpkin pie for my guests. In light of trying to stay healthy and watching my family’s calorie intake, I, once again, have opted for the following recipe which I found here. pumpkin coconut tart INGREDIENTS CRUST 1 1/4 cups white whole-wheat flour, (see Ingredient Note) 1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted (see Tip) 1 tablespoon sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces 4 tablespoons cold reduced-fat cream cheese, (Neufchâtel) FILLING 1 1/2 cups canned unseasoned pumpkin puree 3/4 cup sugar 2 tablespoons dark rum 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 3 large eggs 1 cup “lite” coconut milk GARNISH 1/3 cup unsweetened coconut chips, (see Ingredient Note) or flaked coconut, toasted (optional) PREPARATION Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat an 11-inch …
Not a shocker to anyone in the U.S. trying to make it through the holidays without over eating or avoiding eating things that are not good for you. Although if you think about it, the Thanksgiving meal in itself is pretty healthy, based on today’s healthy eating standards. But just in case you are thinking about how to add more to the healthy Turkey, Cranberry, sweet potato or green beans dishes, I have included a recipe for stuffing which I have found here, that I plan to incorporate to my menu this year. Pear, prosciutto and Hazelnut stuffing INGREDIENTS 3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided 4 ounces prosciutto, thinly sliced, cut into ribbons 2 cups onion, chopped 2 cups diced fennel bulb 1/4 cup minced shallot 2 teaspoons minced fresh sage 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary 8 cups stale baguette, preferably multi-grain (not sourdough), cut into 1/2-inch cubes 2 Bosc pears, ripe but firm, chopped 1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley 1/3 cup chopped hazelnuts, toasted 1 14-ounce can reduced-sodium chicken …
Most Americans take great pride in setting up the dinner table for the holidays, especially Thanksgiving. Why not? After all it is probably the most and sometimes the only time a woman has the chance to gather her family and friends around the table to eat at the same time. I am one of those individuals who take pride in setting up my Thanksgiving dinner table and would consider a different theme each year just for the fun of it. Since Thanksgiving is a holiday celebrated during the Fall, I have no trouble incorporating nature throughout the table decor. Just in case you are wondering what I am going to do this year and even if you are not :), I am getting my table decor inspiration from the following photos and plan to include a bit of something from each suggestion to create an eclectic feel. Let me know what you think?
Of course there is nothing more prestigious than staying in a hotel with all the modern day decor and amenities while travelling for business. But in my opinion, there is nothing more romantic than staying in a boutique hotel while travelling with your spouse or significant other for a holiday (a.k.a. vacation). So, in light of romance, here is another one of my favorite boutique hotels, this time in London, which I think every significant other should keep in mind while planning a romantic getaway. The hotel is called, The Gore, and for sure one of the most beautiful and memorable hotels you will ever experience. With only 50 rooms and in high demand, planning to stay in this particular property should be planned well in advance to ensure availability. Have a great weekend!
Although, (my favorite cuisine), middle eastern and Armenian restaurants and delis are top-notch throughout suburbia Montreal, and most definitely beat the quality served in the greater Los Angeles area, I am always in search of the best of the best international cuisines most anywhere I travel. Of course, searching for international restaurants throughout the city of Montreal is not difficult at all. Every corner and street has multiple cuisines to choose from. This brings up another reason to visit Montreal. If you consider yourself a gastronome guru, then the choices are endless while in Montreal. Here are some of my favorites and most recommended, outside the middle eastern and Armenian cuisine.
Outside of Paris, my second favorite place to visit in order to get my dose of French essence is Montreal, Canada. Although most of my visits there revolve around family, I manage to sneak in a day to escape the norm and traditions just to reconnect with the city, in my own way. It isn’t difficult to feel as though you are in parts of France, while in Montreal, because every where you turn there is a reminder of the French culture. Whether in street signs or billboard advertisement, architecture and cobble stoned streets, restaurants and cafes, bookstores and more, the make up of the city exudes a more Parisian feel than most any other place around the globe which is influenced (previously colonized) by French culture. One of my favorite times of the year to visit the city is in the Fall. According to family, Montreal seldom sees sun and is often times more cloudy and rainy than the locals prefer. Plus the humidity in the Summer months is most unbearable outside air-conditioned …
There are two things I appreciate during the course of a year. Holidays and Nature themed decoration. Whether it be a dinner table centerpiece, a bouquet of flowers on a side table or a wreath hung on the outside of the front door, how about a mantle displays or just a platter full of fruits and nuts on the dessert table. I usually get a warm fuzzy feeling and even become teary eyed when I see the efforts people make in incorporating nature into their decoration. In light of this subject matter and since Thanksgiving is based around a harvest festival, I have gathered some ideas from the internet which I think are very easy to make and beautiful to look at in any home during the Thanksgiving celebration. I hope you like and happy weekend while planning your special Thanksgiving dinner get together.
By now you might think I work for Anthropologie or perhaps get paid to advertise their products on my blog, but no that is not the case. I simply appreciate their connection in style to most anything French. With that said, I have found a few pieces in their HOME Decor section which I think are pretty cool and out of the norm. I have detailed them below for your consideration as well, just in case you happen to have an eclectic taste like mine. Click here for product description and pricing:
I have always appreciated foreign actors more so than the ones in LALALand. I’ll tell you why. Talent,” natural” beauty, more talent, minimal drama and much more talent. However, some foreign actors (actresses) just to make myself perfectly clear, I appreciate for their physical attributions and outlook on life more so than their creative talents. With that said and in light of this blog’s theme, I want to introduce one actress, who I think has not only aged gracefully, but in my opinion is one to be admired for her efforts to remain true to herself no matter how demanding her career and lifestyle may be. She is none other than the Italian actress, Monica Bellucci, who at 46 just recently (May 2010) had her second child with husband Vincent Cassel. I can honestly go as far as comparing her beauty and gusto to that of Sophia Loren and Raquel Welch, and just by understanding her attitude through personal quotes and interview, I know that her core make up has contributed to her flawless outer …
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