Edible delights (and low calorie too!)

Is it possible to have an edible delight that is low calorie too? Why yes it is. And, the recipes are so easy, which just gets them bonus points.

I didn't start this blog to become a food critic, or even a food creator. In fact, most of my blogs are not about food. Although a few are about alcohol!

Anyway, maybe it's the hot weather we are having, but my grocery shopping today included a lot more fruits and vegetables than I usually get.  I have Bing cherries, blackberries,  blueberries, strawberries, red and green peppers, zucchini, and fresh basil.  A plethora of goodness.

Today I found two new recipes to try.  Both were really easy and, most importantly, quite tasty.
The first was Watermelon Stacks. They are basically a mound of watermelon covered with yellow tomatoes, feta cheese, toasted pine nuts, and red onion.  I think the recipe calls for some balsamic vinegar and salt, but I left those off and it was still a hit.

The second delight was zucchini rolls. You grill zucchini and then spread a mixture of goat cheese and herbs and some fresh basil on one end and then roll them up.  My husband sort of burned the zucchini, which in my book made them perfect. I love a good char!

So bon appetit!
May you enjoy your summer harvest of food delights.

Summer lovin, had me some food..........

Sylvia

A little piece of Caroline!

It's Father's Day, but today I'm thinking mostly about Caroline. She was Mitch's mom and my second mother. She was a lot like me: left-handed, short, vocal, smart, determined and loved!

It's been more than a month since she passed, but her memories are all around us. We have incorporated a few of her possessions into our home. It's amazing how a little plant can make you stop and think of her.

Of course, we didn't bring much home. We left the "Where's Waldo" stick and the aged salad dressing, and the "every color under the rainbow" collection of earrings. Caroline loved deals and she rarely had just one of anything!

We have cleared out her home, but not our hearts! We donated a lot of usable treasures so that other families may benefit. We have just a few trinkets, but they seem right at home now.




art candle joins other "blue hue" trinkets

Art Vase joins the end table

 

This vase was hand-carried over the Mexican border by Mitch's parents



Cordial glasses get added to the mix

Kitchen plants adorn the shelf

  

 

Leroy Neiman Golf Picture adds to the Office motif



"Love" statue and hanging plants find a new home





Golf figurine, candles, Italian Vase and Stemware complete our T.V. console area

It's nice to feel her presence around us. But, of course, the real treasure was the time we got to be with her. Nothing can replace our fond memories. Her house may be empty, but that's o.k. We hope new families are loving their new possessions. We love the few we brought home!

We love you Al and Caroline! Like that "Love" statue, may you embrace once again.

Beware of sale items!

I love to get a deal. I very rarely buy anything that isn't on sale. Perhaps it's a depression era mentality, but I wasn't born then. I don't know and I don't really care. I just want the best price possible. Maybe that's the buyer in me. I did work in the purchasing field for more than eleven years.

My latest great deal involved a poster outside of Michael's. They were selling posters that normally retail for around $30.00 for a mere five bucks. Five bucks for artwork!  Woo hoo!

I bought the poster not really knowing what I would do with it. Once I got home, I decided on the perfect place for it. But here is where the domino effect comes into play. You have a nice poster, but now you need to frame it. 

My five dollar investment is now turning into over $200.00!  I bought a minimalist frame from Aaron Brothers but it had to be custom made. The poster size would not fit any standard frame, and my area on the wall was not big enough to accommodate a larger frame with matting. Of course, I did work a deal at Aaron Brothers and got $100.00 off the retail price!

I must admit I do like my new look!  However, my wallet took a hit.

So the lesson learned is to not be an impulse buyer unless I'm ready to start the domino effect.

Now I like my wine cabinet even better. And, it has nothing to do with the wine in it!

Cheers,



New and Improved Wine Cabinet

  Sylvia


A cluttered wine cabinet

 

I'm so crafty!

I didn't know I had it in me. But, surprise, I'm crafty!

If I can do it, anybody can.  I'm the left-handed person who can hardly cut with scissors! Now, thanks in large part to Martha Stewart, I have become a transformer of art!

A while back I was motivated to change out my bathroom decor. It started with a candle scenter and then a new floor rug.  The rug sort of made me feel like I was back in Greece, so I decided to pull some of my actual photos of Greece and Paris. 

I went to Michaels and found Martha Stewart stick-on ribbon. This is the best invention ever! 

I took my photos and put ribbon around them and then added some stick-on embellishments.  How easy is that?

Now my picture of Monet's "Parisians enjoying the Parc" has been enhanced by my own photos of the Jardin des Tuileries.

My photo of the windmills in Mykenos has found a new home next to Greek soap. My mule in Santorini picture is on display, as well as my photo of a Greek Church!

Lastly, the Eiffel tower has been embellished too! Although it hardly needs any additional architectural elements!

I think my best result was how my light fixture turned out. No more looking at screws!

All in all, I think I have done a nice job of bringing my actual photos into a small space where I can enjoy them.

So run to your nearest craft store and buy some sticky ribbon. It will change your world!

I promise,
Sylvia

There's an app for that!

It never gets old to receive love letters.  Today I got one from my husband. It wasn't written on nice stationery, or a stick-it-note, it was much more hi-tech than that.  It came to me from his iPad via a pdf file in my email!

It's so great to know that with technology, we can all go back to our inner artist and send doodles!

Here's the one my husband sent me!

This is so great!  The next time I expect some X's and O's and some artwork!  But, for the first attempt, this will do!  As my husband said, this app was like working with an Etch'n Sketch! He used his finger to write and then again to erase!  And, he didn't even have to shake his iPad! 

Such advancement!  Now, there's no reason not to get love notes all the time!

xoxoxoxo

Sylvia



A picture tells it all!

I'm fifty now and watching as time slowly changes things about me.  My belly is getting a bit flabby. My shoulders slouch more. My hips fit tighter in my pants.  But, one thing hasn't seemed to change. My bad hair!  I recently found a picture of myself and my twin when we were little.  Check out the hair!  No wonder I have always said I hate my hair. I have bad hair days all the time!  A picture doesn't lie!



Curly, frizzy, crazy hair of yesteryear!

 I seem to have darker hair now (o.k. some dye has helped that!) but, it is still the same curly, frizzy, crazy hair!  Now, at least, I use "Product" and a hair dryer!  But, that only helps a little. Heaven help me on those days when there's any moisture in the air. So, if it's not raining, humid, or hot, I might have a chance. Of course, this isn't often enough for my liking. so I have adopted the hat! 



So until the next climate perfect day, please excuse my hair. It has a life of its own!

Sylvia

What's for dinner?

My how the years go by. Nothing quite demonstrates that better than what I did yesterday. I cleaned out my cabinet filled with cookbooks and tons of torn out pieces of paper with prized recipes. What was I thinking?
Did I actually think I would cook all those recipes? Who am I kidding. I'm no Betty Crocker and I'm certainly not Giada De Laurentiis! 

I spent a couple of hours clearing out those cabinets. I threw away a lot of recipes, but I figured, If I hadn't tried to look for the recipe in the last five years, it probably wasn't going to ever get made!

I'm so organized now, the only question that remains is "What's for dinner?"


I have put all my scraps of paper into page protectors and sorted by appetizers, entrees, desserts, drinks, meals, holiday items, and sides. 

I feel so accomplished!  Of course, I might feel even better if I actually start making some of these recipes!

For now, I will have to settle for enjoying my lovely "Savoring Tuscany" cookbook proudly displayed on my kitchen counter! 

What's cooking?

Sylvia