tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38830709180585250392024-03-13T23:24:20.960-07:00Pickles and CheeseLisa@Pickles and Cheesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17154819162615247516noreply@blogger.comBlogger649125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3883070918058525039.post-83047954468909705382018-10-20T19:49:00.001-07:002018-10-20T19:51:23.886-07:00Chicken Noodle Soup<p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-gWbuLr4-r3c/W8vpNmBo5TI/AAAAAAAAKoE/qv8h3ZyA8iYB6g_PhqojSVxyiIUlIydmgCHMYCw/s1600-h/Chicken%2BNoodle%2BSoup%255B6%255D"><img title="Chicken Noodle Soup" style="display: inline; background-image: none;" border="0" alt="Chicken Noodle Soup" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-MLOl5W17rYQ/W8vpOFk2XkI/AAAAAAAAKoI/QjLsR8HjHsYMsA2oyrxfpE6-es-gkdjDwCHMYCw/Chicken%2BNoodle%2BSoup_thumb%255B3%255D?imgmax=800" width="631" height="839" /></a></p> <p><font size="4">After such a hot and rainy summer, I have been more than ready for Fall which is my favorite season and the cooler temperatures it brings with it.  This morning was one of those cooler Fall days.  A bit drizzle-y and bit chilly but perfect for soup making.   I no longer buy the cartons of prepared soup stock and I now make my own.   I always heard that making your own stock is easy and and so much tastier, healthier and less expensive and it really is!   I get to control how much salt goes into that pot.   </font></p> <p><font size="4">Chicken Noodle Soup is one of my favorites.  Such a basic soup and a classic for good reason.  Easy and economical because I make it using what is left over from our weekly rotisserie chicken.    This is a <strong><em>“Use what you have” </em></strong>recipe.  The ingredients are simple.  Celery, carrots, onions, parsley or cilantro like I used today, garlic, kosher salt and pepper.  I saw a recipe recently that added a bay leaf.  I wanted to try that but forgot.    Some recipes I’ve seen add a bit of dill. Will also have to give that a go one of these days as well. </font></p> <font size="4"> <p><font size="4"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Whyt2uSfmgc/W8vpOnxYBCI/AAAAAAAAKoM/sTofC5v4DRQ2Zn8WOINzRGjsEtNcl43qACHMYCw/s1600-h/Chicken%2BNoodle%2BSoup%2BPot%255B6%255D"><img title="Chicken Noodle Soup Pot" style="display: inline; background-image: none;" border="0" alt="Chicken Noodle Soup Pot" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-NfhVgoPJwl0/W8vpPI42cEI/AAAAAAAAKoQ/llgveJjG3tYyKJKCB6JU-sYFsJAt1rzggCHMYCw/Chicken%2BNoodle%2BSoup%2BPot_thumb%255B3%255D?imgmax=800" width="629" height="837" /></a></font></p> </font> <p> <p> <p> <p><font size="4">I have a medium sized soup pot that came with a wire basket that makes soup making so much easier.  I simply put all my ingredients into the basket, lower it into the pot, and add enough water to cover all the ingredients.  This pot makes me very happy but is not a necessity.  I have been making this soup for years, long before I owned it using a Dutch oven sized pot and then later a real soup stock pot.  This pot with the basket however, is wonderful. </font></p> <p><font size="4">When making the stock, I roughly cut up all the ingredients and throw them into the pot.  <em><strong>This recipe is NOT precise</strong></em>.  Use what you have and if you like carrots, by all means, add a ton of carrots.  I like to include the celery leaves for this step.   I cut up an onion and leave the skins on because they help add color.  Same with the garlic.  </font></p> <p><font size="4">I bring it to a boil and then let it simmer for about an hour.  Makes the kitchen warm and it smells delightful.  </font></p> <p><font size="4">Back in the days before the the magical soup pot with the basket, I would use a strainer over my largest bowl to strain out the chicken bones, etc… Just be very careful everything is so hot!  You might want to do it in steps and let it cool first before straining.</font></p> </p> </p> </p> <p><font size="7"><strong>Chicken Noodle Soup</strong></font></p> <p><strong><font size="7"></font></strong></p> <p><font size="4">1 leftover Rotisserie Chicken.  (Keep all the skin and bones.  I looked for a deep dark colored rotisserie chicken.  I think they have more flavor).</font></p> <p><font size="4">1 large onion  (Leave the skins on and cut in big chunks.)</font></p> <p><font size="4">4 cloves of garlic</font></p> <p><font size="4">4 or 5 celery stalks roughly cut.   (Lot’s of times I cut off the bottom of the whole celery and throw that in too.)</font></p> <p><font size="4">Carrots    (I add about a half of a bag of baby carrots or whatever kind of carrots you have.  Today I used carrots sticks and like the look!)</font></p> <p><font size="4">Parsley or Cilantro.  ( I take a handful and tear it off and them roughly cut it up and throw into the pot.  Save some to add at the end.)</font></p> <p><font size="4">Egg Noodles.  ( I boil them up in a separate pot.  I like No Yolks brand but use whatever kind of noodles you like best.  Resist the urge to just throwing the dried noodle into the soup pot to let them cook there.  I’ve done this but the extra starch that comes off the noodles as they cook give the soup a look and texture that I don’t care for.  I like a clearer broth if that makes sense.)</font></p> <p><font size="4">1 tsp. kosher salt.  (This is an estimate.  Go in light with the salt.  You can always add more to taste at the end.)</font></p> <p><font size="4">1/2 tsp black pepper.  (Same. Go in light and add more later if you need to.)</font></p> <p><font size="4"><font size="4"><font size="4">Then, when the stock has that deep rich golden color that I love, I can lift the basket up out of the pot and pull out some of the now cooked carrots, celery and onions, set them on my cutting board and chop them up to add back into the soup along with the chicken meat that I picked off of the leftover  rotisserie chicken.  After I've taken out everything I want to add back to my finished soup, I discard what’s left in the basket.  </font></font></font></p> <p><font size="4"><font size="4"><font size="4">  <a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-e7xXiIsg0nw/W8vpPmFSKmI/AAAAAAAAKoU/9YvV7Z-GzrgaDFclh4wsjznczY-Qlxf0wCHMYCw/s1600-h/Chicken%2BNoodle%2BSoup%2BBowl%255B5%255D"><img title="Chicken Noodle Soup Bowl" style="display: inline; background-image: none;" border="0" alt="Chicken Noodle Soup Bowl" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-mUDaxFWN-Vc/W8vpQHePp6I/AAAAAAAAKoY/JV-QQNC5YKYzJrikA12vxzIOyo0ZlzhhQCHMYCw/Chicken%2BNoodle%2BSoup%2BBowl_thumb%255B2%255D?imgmax=800" width="630" height="848" /></a></font></font></font></p> <p><font size="4">And then!!  It’s time to enjoy.  Add some of your cooked noodles to a bowl, and use a ladle to add your soup to the bowl.  This makes a lot of soup.  You can share it and it also freezes well without the noodles.  Cook up fresh noodles each time you serve it.  That’s it!  Enjoy! </font></p>Lisa@Pickles and Cheesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17154819162615247516noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3883070918058525039.post-44977130806872018142018-07-22T11:34:00.001-07:002018-07-22T11:34:50.064-07:00Confetti Cookies<p><font size="4">These delightful cookies are as cheerful as they are delicious!  I took them to a Fourth of July BBQ a couple of weeks ago and got a lot of “oh! who made the cookies?”  They are like a tender and moister vanilla shortbread cookie loaded with sprinkles.  How can you not smile when you look at them? </font></p> <p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-veADM1lPnvA/W1TOLbEj93I/AAAAAAAAKms/aUxQ3xvKo68X74fKWz5cvszJEe2M4UOfQCHMYCw/s1600-h/Confetti%2BCookies%2Band%2BPeaches%255B7%255D"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-P9T6wCj6vrQ/W1TOL1mgiSI/AAAAAAAAKmw/FmdjM5yxzGEJB9A0x2Ji-1w6hfAcQZhLgCHMYCw/s1600-h/Confetti%2BCookies%2BCooling%255B5%255D"><font size="4"><img title="C" style="display: inline; background-image: none;" border="0" alt="C" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-no18kCxMr0o/W1TOMaTxmqI/AAAAAAAAKm0/Lklm9MCQkG0XIXIVMp6HzMYfymtAKR12wCHMYCw/Confetti%2BCookies%2BCooling_thumb%255B2%255D?imgmax=800" width="605" height="805" /></font></a></a></p> <p><font size="4">   I found the recipe in this wonderful Cookbook called </font><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Joy-Baker-Homemade-Decadence-Irresistibly/dp/0385345739/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1532280109&sr=8-1&keywords=joy+the+baker+homemade+decadence"><font size="4">Homemade Decadence by Joy Wilson</font></a><font size="4">.  Joy writes the </font><a href="http://joythebaker.com/?s=Confetti+cookies"><font size="4">Joy The Baker Blog</font></a><font size="4">.  Love, love, love her blog and have loved it for years.  </font></p> <p><font size="4">     </font><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-GFBGuhkvMSE/W1TOMyIsBoI/AAAAAAAAKm4/pN4WoIk6qzc9Evh7bC5FT8tVNgr2vG4agCHMYCw/s1600-h/Confetti%2BCookies%2BHomemade%2BDecadence%2BCookbook%255B13%255D"><font size="4"><img title="Confetti Cookies Homemade Decadence Cookbook" style="display: inline; background-image: none;" border="0" alt="Confetti Cookies Homemade Decadence Cookbook" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-XxeJOChkqbQ/W1TONSLe0EI/AAAAAAAAKm8/2NZlq6lPKTQ64uDJaBdUiTC6bJ4i-nmzQCHMYCw/Confetti%2BCookies%2BHomemade%2BDecadence%2BCookbook_thumb%255B7%255D?imgmax=800" width="587" height="780" /></font></a></p> <p><font size="4">I have mentioned before that I write in my cookbooks.  I’m sure that makes some people cringe but I have been doing it for many many years.  I write down things like if people liked it, what the occasion was and I write down the date.  And you know one of my favorite things is to flip through one of my books and come across a recipe that I might have made years ago that I either made with or for my kids.  I still have the Baklava recipe my daughter and I made when she was in the 5th grade for her Greek Festival at her school.  Or Peanut Butter Cookies I baked with my son which at one point were his favorite.  God Bless peanut butter.  For a long time it was the only thing that boy would eat!</font></p> <p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-WuDOvyDlHHg/W1TON26RAQI/AAAAAAAAKnA/I676uL6Seh0QiGov5-2WMU-tRMsoCSkWgCHMYCw/s1600-h/Confetti%2BCookie%2BRecipe%255B5%255D"><font size="4"><img title="Confetti Cookie Recipe" style="display: inline; background-image: none;" border="0" alt="Confetti Cookie Recipe" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-mdPQjkp0J9g/W1TOOS3ZurI/AAAAAAAAKnE/jA6po3FJsNk4ITUG9sThtZ-bghdqCb8uwCHMYCw/Confetti%2BCookie%2BRecipe_thumb%255B2%255D?imgmax=800" width="617" height="464" /></font></a><font size="4">             </font></p> <p><font size="4">Anyway!  Here is the recipe with all of my notes.  I doubled the recipe and marked down how long it took to bake in my new oven.  I recently had our kitchen updated and got a new oven after the the other one more or less blew up.   And now I have a beautiful new Kitchen Aid which I love BUT it has been very hard getting used to the fact that this oven takes almost  a full 10 minutes longer to bake anything.  But slowly but surely we are becoming friends.  </font></p> <p><font size="4"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-tVof5On3iPM/W1TOO_fZehI/AAAAAAAAKnI/mn-MLPARb3UpG8Xkn2M77qrF7xAcJuT3wCHMYCw/s1600-h/Confetti%2BCookies%2Band%2BPeaches%255B9%255D"><img title="Confetti Cookies and Peaches" style="display: inline; background-image: none;" border="0" alt="Confetti Cookies and Peaches" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-MoLjWpaQHyE/W1TOPRfHvCI/AAAAAAAAKnM/gvYrdzxI_4UDAsAUPOmcZRvwyN5zF2icgCHMYCw/Confetti%2BCookies%2Band%2BPeaches_thumb%255B6%255D?imgmax=800" width="604" height="805" /></a></font></p> <p><font size="4">Here is the recipe along with my usual commentary.  : )</font></p> <p><font size="4">These measurements are for a DOUBLE recipe since I just can’t see if you are going to go to the trouble to make these why you wouldn’t want to have a few extra on hand.  The doubled recipe works fine in my Kitchen Aid mixer sized bowl  </font></p> <p><font size="4"></font></p> <p><font size="6"><strong>Confetti Cookies</strong></font></p> <p><font size="5">3 Cups all-purpose flour</font></p> <p><font size="5">2 tsp. baking powder</font></p> <p><font size="5">2 tsp. cream of tartar</font></p> <p><font size="5">1 tsp. baking soda</font></p> <p><font size="5">1 tsp. salt</font></p> <p><font size="5">1 cup butter (2 sticks.)</font></p> <p><font size="5">1 1/2 cup sugar</font></p> <p><font size="5">1 vanilla bean (I used 1 tbsp. of vanilla bean paste.)</font></p> <p><font size="5">2 large egg</font></p> <p><font size="5">2 tsp. pure vanilla extract</font></p> <p><font size="5">1 cup sprinkles.   This was a whole tub.  ( I also prefer “jimmies” over nonpareils.)</font></p> <p><font size="5"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Bs13FpRhVcg/W1TOP8w0JgI/AAAAAAAAKnQ/mrc-VOjPe3AIvLu59byF4VLml_hmUBfkQCHMYCw/s1600-h/Confetti%2BCookie%2BSprinkles%255B5%255D"><img title="Confetti Cookie Sprinkles" style="display: inline; background-image: none;" border="0" alt="Confetti Cookie Sprinkles" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-37SV5cNC-mc/W1TOQVdSSfI/AAAAAAAAKnU/HZfOYRr0DMwde51JKhOksKD-GAGEXnh0ACHMYCw/Confetti%2BCookie%2BSprinkles_thumb%255B2%255D?imgmax=800" width="623" height="595" /></a></font></p> <p><font size="5"><strong>Directions</strong>: </font></p> <p><font size="5">In a medium bowl mix the flour, baking powder, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt together.  </font></p> <p><font size="5">Beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 or 4 minutes.  Add the vanilla bean or vanilla bean paste, the eggs, the vanilla extract, and beat till thoroughly combined.</font></p> <p><font size="5">Reduce the mixer to slow and slowly add the dry flour mixture.  Incorporate the flour into the wet ingredients then add 1/2 cup of sprinkles.  </font></p> <p><font size="5">Put the other half of the sprinkles in a shallow bowl or dish.  Scoop your cookie dough into a ball and then roll it in the sprinkles.  Place on a cookie sheet prepared with parchment paper and then place in the refrigerator for 2 hours. <p><font size="5">Bake the chilled cookie balls for 10 minutes at 350 degrees in the center of the oven Give each cookie about 2 inches of space.  Bake until the cookies have spread and are just beginning to brown around the edges but are mostly pale and soft.  </font></p> </font></p> <p><font size="5">Let cool on the cookie sheets for about 5 minutes before moving them to a wire rack to finish cooling.  </font></p> <p><font size="5">Makes about 30 small cookies or 15 large cookies. </font></p> <p><font size="5"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Mhqr8zIAKJE/W1TOQ9RtW_I/AAAAAAAAKnY/fut_Jjk6Ke0fCZJiFj09WlkLeSQWIc4kACHMYCw/s1600-h/Confetti%2BCookies%2Bin%2BJar%255B5%255D"><img title="Confetti Cookies in Jar" style="display: inline; background-image: none;" border="0" alt="Confetti Cookies in Jar" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-XXKCEtBTaJg/W1TORc7vJVI/AAAAAAAAKnc/vhaaHzPA2kI-bHLuFW5duFR9ejS_S7wawCHMYCw/Confetti%2BCookies%2Bin%2BJar_thumb%255B2%255D?imgmax=800" width="537" height="714" /></a>     </font></p> <p><font size="5"><font size="5"><font size="6"><font size="5">I made the large size batch and they took about 22 minutes but then again I have a crazy oven.   And now looking at these pictures….I think I overbaked them!!  They really should not be quite so brown. You want a lighter and a bit more pale in color.</font></font></font></font></p> <p><font size="5"><font size="5"><font size="6"><font size="5">The cookies I baked in the first photos have that paler color you might want.  Those were the smaller sized cookies I baked for the Fourth of July BBQ.  The cookies below I baked as I was writing this blog post.  They are larger and are a bit browner.   But no worries!  Rest assured they do not taste burned and are delicious.  I am one of those people who like the way the sugar in the cookies caramelizes and usually enjoy the brown edges of a cookie the most.  </font></font></font></font></p> <p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-tPySjVxPNu0/W1TORpAVmMI/AAAAAAAAKng/ItxNkw_dI-ES8wIYOShH-mcT0T81BJG3QCHMYCw/s1600-h/confetti%2BCookies%2Bwith%2Bjars%255B5%255D"><img title="confetti Cookies with jars" style="display: inline; background-image: none;" border="0" alt="confetti Cookies with jars" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-C8YdvcjjSJY/W1TOSKvuFiI/AAAAAAAAKnk/BWCyAQKt3LUPUXBB1AtIt3b0UpVDWURlQCHMYCw/confetti%2BCookies%2Bwith%2Bjars_thumb%255B2%255D?imgmax=800" width="663" height="498" /></a></p> <p><font size="5">But I have to say, follow your own instincts since you know your oven better than anyone else!</font></p> <p><font size="5">Enjoy!! <p> <p> <p> <p> <p><font size="6"> </font></p> </p> </p> </p> </p> </font></p>Lisa@Pickles and Cheesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17154819162615247516noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3883070918058525039.post-62381353426621287912018-07-15T13:49:00.001-07:002018-07-15T13:49:05.788-07:00Boursin Spinach and Cheddar Quiche<p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-8Au4vm3R74Y/W0uzLDCs2AI/AAAAAAAAKlk/YB7HBS3r4Ewe6vjfNStvumeP4QQ_-VvxACHMYCw/s1600-h/Zinnias%2Bin%2Bthe%2Bkitchen%255B5%255D"><img title="Zinnias in the kitchen" style="display: inline; background-image: none;" border="0" alt="Zinnias in the kitchen" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-O1DrtuYy24M/W0uzLvooe6I/AAAAAAAAKlo/BdYM4OjUqNEeS02LOM3IfpZZRTzr3QB9ACHMYCw/Zinnias%2Bin%2Bthe%2Bkitchen_thumb%255B2%255D?imgmax=800" width="572" height="762" /></a></p> <p><font size="4">What a beautiful weekend it has been although a bit hotter than I would like. But what are you going to do?  It’s July!   I found these gorgeous Zinnias at the Farmers Market yesterday.  Love the flowers that are available in the summertime for cheapness here.  I only paid $5 for that bouquet.  It’s been a lazy weekend for the most part.  Spent a lot of time recycling/painting old plastic flower pots and then planting in them.  I pulled out my old stencils and made some very unattractive green plastic pots pretty and useful again.  My “Bee” pots turned out quite cute I think!</font></p> <p><font size="4"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-sUA3-dwwmjc/W0uzMK0DznI/AAAAAAAAKls/iEPWbcDh5JYEWvAg0W2-3kr5YjVbPHFhACHMYCw/s1600-h/Bee%2BPot%2Bwith%2BButton%2BFern%255B5%255D"><img title="Bee Pot with Button Fern" style="display: inline; background-image: none;" border="0" alt="Bee Pot with Button Fern" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Z-R-oqEOZ8A/W0uzMhtXlEI/AAAAAAAAKlw/Jc7KHmZXQ0EXkgzvFv-Pqpmy4KNt1F4VgCHMYCw/Bee%2BPot%2Bwith%2BButton%2BFern_thumb%255B2%255D?imgmax=800" width="567" height="755" /></a> <p> <p><font size="4">  Boursin Spinach and Cheddar Quiche was a delicious way to start the day today.  I had a bag of spinach getting close to being past it’s prime and I always have lots of eggs.  Found the baking dish at Goodwill yesterday for $1.00 and picked it up to give to my daughter.  Gave it a trial run today and I think she will be happy to have it.  She said she didn’t have a quiche baking dish yet which is hard to believe because that girl got almost everything she could possible need or want last year as shower and wedding gifts.  Decided to blog the recipe today so after she gets her quiche dish she can make this right away. </font></p> </p> </font></p> <p><font size="4"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-yNUMdrxRQkk/W0uzNGDC2AI/AAAAAAAAKl0/Xs1opu4GtU0kg0wMDguKce1J3j_NzvRRwCHMYCw/s1600-h/Portland%2BMaine%2BMug%255B7%255D"><img title="Portland Maine Mug" style="display: inline; background-image: none;" border="0" alt="Portland Maine Mug" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-C5Fbdi-sg5U/W0uzNZTuKeI/AAAAAAAAKl4/Q0AlKXWp2zU73zdEzmuo7keY3y57clTrACHMYCw/Portland%2BMaine%2BMug_thumb%255B4%255D?imgmax=800" width="277" height="368" /></a>     <a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Uj5s5-mOheo/W0uzN0s3-TI/AAAAAAAAKl8/1c9lTg5R_V0QlC0bKgGK7V3n0MzeuDRQQCHMYCw/s1600-h/Fountain%255B4%255D"><img title="Fountain" style="display: inline; background-image: none;" border="0" alt="Fountain" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-DX67ywvOxSE/W0uzOdjSAaI/AAAAAAAAKmA/q95PLIt_-Fcrmy07qrdJ0qxZCjZ9NQP4wCHMYCw/Fountain_thumb%255B1%255D?imgmax=800" width="274" height="364" /></a></font></p> <p> <p> <p><font size="4"> So this morning I sat on the deck just like I did yesterday morning, listened to the trickling water of the fountain which is my new favorite thing and drank my coffee out of my new favorite mug.  My son lives in Portland now and we just got back from a visit there a couple of weeks ago.  Loved every minute of the trip.    Will have to do a blog post soon and get my pictures from that trip up.  I cannot wait to go back! </font> <p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-I44LQe5gSKE/W0uzO3gq-KI/AAAAAAAAKmE/xzx0flg62woOMBmsttYKzTqpKesQvRVgACHMYCw/s1600-h/Boursin%2BSpinach%2BCheddar%2BQuiche%255B9%255D"><font size="4"><img title="Boursin Spinach Cheddar Quiche" style="display: inline; background-image: none;" border="0" alt="Boursin Spinach Cheddar Quiche" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-lbLdvVyipwg/W0uzPKOCqBI/AAAAAAAAKmI/b2sCJs0pEJgo3o-Xyk1QuLf42EjTIdfBgCHMYCw/Boursin%2BSpinach%2BCheddar%2BQuiche_thumb%255B6%255D?imgmax=800" width="219" height="290" /></font></a><font size="4">     </font><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-U2SRYswmJa0/W0uzPsVc_5I/AAAAAAAAKmM/rkfcpXh2_UYMXtZhU68148imMnvBB_JdgCHMYCw/s1600-h/Boursin%2BShallot%2Band%2BChive%255B3%255D"><font size="4"><img title="Boursin Shallot and Chive" style="display: inline; background-image: none;" border="0" alt="Boursin Shallot and Chive" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-6HRni_qA3yM/W0uzQEsoqXI/AAAAAAAAKmQ/56163Ie6MqAlI2yS2f3NF6xopq7js7CPQCHMYCw/Boursin%2BShallot%2Band%2BChive_thumb%255B1%255D?imgmax=800" width="316" height="288" /></font></a></p> <p><font size="4">So back to the purpose of this post.  </font></p> <p><font size="4">I did this all without a recipe so what follows below are my estimates of what and how much I used.  No worries that you won't get the amounts right.  You cannot screw this one up.  It always turns out delicious!  This is a crust-less quiche!</font></p> <p><strong><font size="6">Boursin Spinach Cheddar Quiche</font></strong></p> <p><font size="4">5 or 6 eggs </font></p> <p><font size="4">1/4 cup half and half and 1/4 cup of water to thin it out.</font></p> <p><font size="4">(or milk, whatever you have on hand.)</font></p> <p><font size="4">1 box of Boursin cheese.  I used the Shallot and Chive flavored Boursin.</font></p> <p><font size="4">Handful of fresh spinach.  (In the past I have use a small box of frozen spinach.  Microwaved it about 4 minutes and then drained off all of the liquid.  Then pull apart with a fork before mixing it in.)</font></p> <p><font size="4">1 cup of shredded Cheddar cheese</font></p> <p><font size="4">salt</font></p> <p><font size="4">pepper</font></p> <p><font size="4">Preheat over to 350 degrees.  In a medium size bowl, beat the eggs with the half and half with water or just use milk.  Add the spinach.  Crumble up the hockey puck size disk of the Boursin and drop the crumbles into the mixture.  Add about 1/2 cup of the Cheddar Cheese.  I also threw in a handful of shredded mozzarella cheese.  This is a great recipe for using up what’s in your refrigerator.  Add about 1/2 tsp of salt and 1/2 tsp of pepper.  Stir.</font></p> <p><font size="4">Pour the mixture into your quiche dish.  No need to prep the dish.  It always seems to turn out non-stick.  </font></p> <p><font size="4">Sprinkle the top with some of the leftover Cheddar cheese and it’s ready to go into the oven.</font></p> <p><font size="4">Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minute.  Then check on it.  Mine needed a full 15 more minutes to finish cooking.  Will puff up and get a beautiful golden color right around the time it is done.  Can use a cake tester if you are not sure.  Serve it hot or cold.  Serves 4 to 6.  <font size="4"> <p><font size="4"></font></p> <p><font size="4"></font></p> <p><font size="4"></font></p> <p><font size="4"></font></p> <p><font size="4"></font></p> </font></font></p></p></p></p>Lisa@Pickles and Cheesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17154819162615247516noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3883070918058525039.post-81328350461123191972017-09-10T05:51:00.001-07:002017-09-10T06:28:28.880-07:00Mini Pineapple Pies <p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-xeh2G5-x7Nc/WbU1PAy63RI/AAAAAAAAKkM/nOISpKtBr_ENofS9-C34YViu1wJFijnxACHMYCw/s1600-h/Pineapple%2BPies%255B5%255D"><img title="Pineapple Pies" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Pineapple Pies" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-gW2n9rhzBWk/WbU1PrKUNKI/AAAAAAAAKkQ/vQNgLsp0it4e4aeZf4Du-SjnN2h37GTBwCHMYCw/Pineapple%2BPies_thumb%255B2%255D?imgmax=800" width="774" height="534" /></a></p> <p><font size="4">I am teaching myself how to make pie!  Seriously, I have never been good at making pie. Sad really.   And I always felt like I was cheating every time I made one with the help of the Pillsbury Dough Boy.  He’s great in a pinch but for special occasions I wanted to be able to make a pie with my own pie crust.  Damn it!</font></p> <p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-wog2uD1s-B0/WbU1QIdoikI/AAAAAAAAKkU/23lXmz1a89YNwdfg79xn3-npTMxk3tJIwCHMYCw/s1600-h/Art%2Bof%2Bthe%2BPie%2BBook%255B3%255D"><img title="Art of the Pie Book" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Art of the Pie Book" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-vc0WjNHlqm8/WbU1QiRmfLI/AAAAAAAAKkY/aGykA7dizBETnp4qxkruvm_MsWVmnr-ZACHMYCw/Art%2Bof%2Bthe%2BPie%2BBook_thumb%255B1%255D?imgmax=800" width="387" height="486" /></a></p> <p><font size="4">So with the help of this amazing book <em><font color="#0000ff"><strong> </strong></font><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Art-Pie-Practical-Homemade-Fillings/dp/1581573278/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1505045950&sr=8-1&keywords=art+of+pie"><font color="#0000ff"><strong>Art of the Pie by Kate McDermott</strong></font></a></em> I am learning and having lots of success!!  A couple of weeks ago I made my first Blackberry Pie.  I focused only on the filling with that pie and it was delicious.  But yes, that pie crust was compliments of that previous mentioned Dough Boy.  The pie was pretty and it was my first lattice top.  I was hooked.</font></p> <p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-_KiDNjF5ot4/WbU1Q9onT7I/AAAAAAAAKkc/NdpkK9fPb8grp1kjsHF6BxwZjS0zv75iQCHMYCw/s1600-h/Blackberry%2BPie%255B4%255D"><img title="Blackberry Pie" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Blackberry Pie" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-6hT8U_0jTSA/WbU1RYch4MI/AAAAAAAAKkg/fT0JN0irGyEaNn0KE7TUnUxJ3viwWFKWQCHMYCw/Blackberry%2BPie_thumb%255B1%255D?imgmax=800" width="778" height="533" /></a></p> <p><font size="4">Last week I made my first crust and used the recipe in Kate’s book.  I made the Traditional Art of the Pie All=Butter Dough on page 61 of my newest favorite cookbook.   Her instructions are not only clear but she shares the “whys” and “hows” of making crust.  Keeping things cold I had always heard was one of the tricks I had always heard about making pie dough.  And Kate explains the reasons behind all of her tips and tricks.  In the past I ignored that advice because I always thought cold dough was hard to roll and work with.  Hence my sad pitiful pie making attempts were the result!  No wonder I couldn’t make pie.  Now I can.  : )))))))  Pie dough needs to be cold.  Period.  But that’s not the only tip or trick shared in the beautiful book.  I am hanging on her every word and making pie!</font></p> <p><font size="4">Last night I decided to take the butter pie crust I had made earlier in the week out of the freezer ( YES!  look at me, freezing pie dough!) and make a recipe I had found online for a Pineapple Pie.  I’ve never tasted nor heard of a Pineapple Pie before and it caught my fancy!  I was so happy with the results.  The pie was not only delicious but beautiful too!  I made two mini pies.</font>  </p> <p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-GF_P8U-xwBQ/WbU1Rkl_c-I/AAAAAAAAKkk/XPOcUOy_gDopaf9ludnOnQbv7mINdGKAQCHMYCw/s1600-h/Pineapple%2BPie%255B9%255D"><img title="Pineapple Pie" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Pineapple Pie" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/--gpVewfCaYg/WbU1R8GWeQI/AAAAAAAAKko/aSyXwCJUZskiunVCaBqA8ppHY1XpRA65gCHMYCw/Pineapple%2BPie_thumb%255B3%255D?imgmax=800" width="684" height="476" /></a></p> <p><font size="4">I followed the recipe from Allrecipes.com for<strong><em> <a href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/15903/pineapple-pie-iii/">Pineapple Pie</a></em></strong> and you can find it here.</font> </p> <p><font size="6">Pineapple Pie</font></p> <p><font size="4">One recipe of pie crust for a double crusted pie. </font></p> <p><font size="4">3/4 Cup of sugar</font></p> <p><font size="4">3 TBSP corn starch</font></p> <p><font size="4">1 20 ounce can of crushed pineapple with juice</font></p> <p><font size="4">1 TBSP of lemon juice</font></p> <p><font size="4">2  TBSP of milk or cream.  ( I used Half and Half that I use for my morning coffee)</font></p> <p><font size="4">1 TTBSP white sugar (I used large crystal decorative sugar.)</font></p> <p><font size="4"><strong><u>DIRECTIONS</u></strong></font></p> <p><font size="4">Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. </font></p> <p><font size="4">In a medium saucepan combine sugar, cornstarch, pineapple with juice, and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened, then allow to boil 1 minute.</font></p> <p><font size="4">Cool slightly and pour mixture into pastry-lined pie pan.  </font></p> <p><font size="4">( I made mini pies so I placed my mini aluminum pie tin upside down on the crust and with a sharp knife I outlined the circle of the rim but did it about 1/2 and inch larger.  Then placed the circles of pie dough into my tins, turned the edges under around the rim and did my best at making a pretty crimp.  Lord knows I need practice at this!!)  </font></p> <p><font size="4">Cover with top crust and seal. Make a few steam vents in crust, then brush with milk and sprinkle with sugar.  (I love the look of a lattice topped pie and so that is what I did.  I have a fluted pie cutting wheel and that is what I used to cut the strips that I then weaved over the top of the pies.  </font></p> <p><font size="4"> Place in preheated oven and bake for 35 minutes.  ( baked my mini pies for 20 minutes and then checked on them.  They only needed an additional 5 more minutes till they were a beautiful golden brown.  Watch your pies so they don’t over brown or burn!  </font></p> <p><font size="4">Serve chilled or at room temperature</font>.  </p> <p><font size="4">Whipped cream is delicious on top and so is a scoop of vanilla ice cream.  </font></p> <p><font size="4"> Amazing!!  Easy and tasty.</font></p>Lisa@Pickles and Cheesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17154819162615247516noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3883070918058525039.post-2758928737204869662016-11-19T17:53:00.001-08:002016-11-19T17:53:34.449-08:00Chinese Rice with Cauliflower<p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-TI1kp6V5tFo/WDECHPD9z0I/AAAAAAAAKhw/dRT-FCAJIPE/s1600-h/Chinese%252520Rice%252520with%252520Cauliflower%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><font size="4"><img title="Chinese Rice with Cauliflower" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Chinese Rice with Cauliflower" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ETOnJwocrso/WDECHU2MGQI/AAAAAAAAKh0/Nu70fYs8Jkk/Chinese%252520Rice%252520with%252520Cauliflower_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="745" height="584" /></font></a></p> <p><font size="4">This made me so happy!   I am probably one of the last people to try this.  Cauliflower as a substitute for almost anything that’s pretty much forbidden for a low-carber? I’ve seen recipes for cauliflower potatoes and now this is a substitute for rice.  It honestly has made my food processor my favorite appliance once again.  My Cuisinart and I go a long way back.  About 30 plus years.  It was a gift from my Grandmother and I considered it quite extravagant and I was the lucky recipient!!  </font></p> <p><font size="4">A food processor makes this recipe EASY.  I’ve also heard that you can buy cauliflower that has been “riced” in the frozen food section.  I also heard that Trader Joes has an excellent riced cauliflower even though that doesn’t help me any since we will never get a Trader Joes’s here!  But don’t get me started on a rant.  : )</font></p> <p><font size="4">So I saw </font><a href="http://www.foodandwine.com/video/how-make-cauliflower-fried-rice?xid=soc_socialflow_facebook_fw"><font size="4">this post on Facebook</font></a><font size="4"> where I got to watch a demo of how to make it.  I was inspired.   Fresh lime juice and cilantro?  Got to try it!</font></p> <p><font size="4">Here is the recipe:</font></p> <p><strong><font size="6">Chinese Rice with Cauliflower</font></strong></p> <p><font size="4">1 head of cauliflower, riced size from the food processor</font></p> <p><font size="4">1 medium onion chopped</font></p> <p><font size="4">1 minced/pressed garlic clove</font></p> <p><font size="4">pinch of red pepper flakes</font></p> <p><font size="4">olive oil</font></p> <p><font size="4">2 eggs, scrambled</font></p> <p><font size="4">Birdseye frozen corn, carrot, green beans, and peas mixture ( I used half of a bag)</font></p> <p><font size="4">Soy sauce.  I used about 1/4 cup.  </font></p> <p><font size="4">! tsp. of ginger or Chinese 5 spice powder</font></p> <p><font size="4">1/2 fresh lime, juiced.  ( I also used a Micro Plane Grater to add some of the lime zest for extra lime flavor)</font></p> <p><font size="4">Fresh cilantro chopped</font></p> <p><font size="4">Optional:  Leftover rotisserie chicken or beef. </font></p> <p><font size="4">I used a wok pan but any fry pan will work.  </font></p> <p><font size="4">Saute the chopped onions in olive oil.  Add the red pepper flakes and then the garlic.  Be careful not to burn the garlic. </font></p> <p><font size="4">Add the riced cauliflower and the frozen chopped vegetable.  Stir well and cook till the cauliflower is tender.</font></p> <p><font size="4">Make space in the center of the pad by moving the cauliflower and vegetable mixture to the sides and then good and break up the eggs and bring the cauliflower mixture back into the center of the pan and mix.  </font></p> <p><font size="4">Shake in the Soy sauce and mix.  </font></p> <p><font size="4"> Sprinkle with the ginger or Chinese Five Spice Powder.  Mix well.  </font></p> <p><font size="4">Add any leftover protein/meat that you might want.  </font></p> <p><font size="4">Finish with the lime juice and the fresh chopped cilantro.  </font></p> <p><font size="4">This is awesome!!   I ate 3 plates!  Three!  And I felt so good.  Rice can sometimes make me feel bloated and that was not a problem.  </font></p> <p><font size="4">I need to start looking for a cheesy cauliflower in place of  mashed potatoes recipe.  </font></p>Lisa@Pickles and Cheesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17154819162615247516noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3883070918058525039.post-79513443200655831182016-07-04T07:54:00.001-07:002016-07-04T08:06:35.820-07:00The Original Amelie’s NoDa Charlotte, NC<p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-2Bxf0UhWYDg/V3p4cHlOMGI/AAAAAAAAKfc/d0b0Zyq1AMA/s1600-h/20160703_135246%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="20160703_135246" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="20160703_135246" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-QLbDKyF9jqM/V3p4clj12_I/AAAAAAAAKfg/BHrzZ2wqQi4/20160703_135246_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="770" height="596" /></a></p> <p><font size="4">I realize this might look like a duplicate post.  A bit of deja-vu perhaps?  </font></p> <p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-VsbNLkWB_pI/V3p4c0oyHUI/AAAAAAAAKfk/bj0vcLyHtMg/s1600-h/20160703_113336%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="20160703_113336" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="20160703_113336" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-qfiIKZU42eQ/V3p4djbkYiI/AAAAAAAAKfo/Q_FMAgIkBM8/20160703_113336_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="788" height="605" /></a><font size="4"></font></p> <p><font size="4">No, just a visit to the <em>original</em> <a href="http://picklesandcheeseblog.blogspot.com/2016/07/the-original-amelies-noda-charlotte-nc.html"><font color="#0000ff">Amelie’s location in NoDa in Charlotte</font></a>.  It was the Fourth of July weekend.  Didn’t quite get my act together quick enough to make some kind of arrangements to get near a large body of water.  The ocean or a lake?  No, when you check into that sort of thing at the last minute, your choices of places to stay are quite limited and  very expensive.  So off to Charlotte.  Again : )</font></p> <p>    <a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-umfowQAckgg/V3p4dxMR5eI/AAAAAAAAKfs/I1PMfaCtKkY/s1600-h/20160703_113600%25255B14%25255D.jpg"><img title="20160703_113600" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="20160703_113600" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/--g26dR1dqfo/V3p4efd1QGI/AAAAAAAAKfw/xFr-NDKux1E/20160703_113600_thumb%25255B8%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="246" height="340" /></a>       <a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-MXd0LoIZvIw/V3p4e82a1RI/AAAAAAAAKf0/IJrywEeHB1o/s1600-h/20160703_113537%25255B13%25255D.jpg"><img title="20160703_113537" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="20160703_113537" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-JEBb-O1tgMY/V3p4fGTicQI/AAAAAAAAKf4/mO3XTCBD64I/20160703_113537_thumb%25255B7%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="238" height="340" /></a>     <a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-uo_NlUoC6rA/V3p4fqVHHGI/AAAAAAAAKf8/AoDcc7qVimk/s1600-h/20160703_130740%25255B17%25255D.jpg"><img title="20160703_130740" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="20160703_130740" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-T4S1FYuIo5k/V3p4gj1M1hI/AAAAAAAAKgA/ojGvyTautJ0/20160703_130740_thumb%25255B8%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="210" height="341" /></a></p> <font size="4"></font> <p><font size="4">I have been known to say that one of the nicest things about living in Greensboro, NC is that it is less than a couple of hours to get to Charlotte and so Charlotte it was.  Charlotte is a lot of fun.  Lot’s to see, and do, places to shop, and lots of undiscovered restaurants and dog and puppy filled brewries.  I love that you can bring your dog to a public place nowdays.  But I was a bit confused seeing some people coming in with their kids.  Babies I understand, but kids?    Anyway…… I love Charlotte.</font>  </p> <p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-kV1v3Dd0YoE/V3p4hd7aFVI/AAAAAAAAKgE/c-LELrlgO1o/s1600-h/20160703_113549%25255B17%25255D.jpg"><img title="20160703_113549" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="20160703_113549" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-TOMjvzpVgBY/V3p4hithLNI/AAAAAAAAKgI/7FmwWIAow68/20160703_113549_thumb%25255B8%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="776" height="607" /></a></p> <p><font size="4">Yes that is Marie Antoinette floating in the sky above the bakery display at Amelie’s NoDa.</font>  </p> <p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-u57Ji61dC9Y/V3p4iHWBsOI/AAAAAAAAKgM/rH407n-otz8/s1600-h/20160703_113431%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="20160703_113431" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="20160703_113431" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-3brUu2_II7g/V3p4ivnnp-I/AAAAAAAAKgQ/BEriNpm2rVQ/20160703_113431_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="778" height="640" /></a></p> <p><a href="http://www.noda.org/"><font color="#0000ff" size="4">NoDa?</font></a><font size="4">  Had to google that.  Noda is Charlotte's historic arts and entertainment district and is centered two miles from Uptown at North Davidson and 36th Streets.   So there you go</font>.               </p> <p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-jftW8XfQiiM/V3p4jJopb5I/AAAAAAAAKgU/W3cXrV5pu7E/s1600-h/20160703_113947%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img title="20160703_113947" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="20160703_113947" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-tmWGnZ2V_EQ/V3p4jcI1kDI/AAAAAAAAKgY/rksQJHT0gt0/20160703_113947_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="421" height="332" /></a>    <a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-WtvVeo0Dn38/V3p4j3zdCwI/AAAAAAAAKgc/o580S7P9dIA/s1600-h/20160703_125718-1%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img title="20160703_125718-1" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="20160703_125718-1" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ewxR0I-J2bQ/V3p4kNtd2BI/AAAAAAAAKgg/T9veH9vxUyI/20160703_125718-1_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="284" height="330" /></a>       </p> <p><font size="4">And because I know what I like, I ordered the same thing that I ordered at the other </font><a href="http://picklesandcheeseblog.blogspot.com/2016/06/amelies-uptown-charlotte.html"><font color="#0000ff" size="4">Amelie’s Uptown location</font></a><font size="4"><font color="#0000ff">.</font>  The breakfast sandwich with ham, gruyere cheese, spinach and tomato.  At the last minute I added a cup of soup.  Leek, Potato, and Asparagus.  Each delicious. </font></p> <p>         <a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-sDk86yfWxlU/V3p4kmA3J5I/AAAAAAAAKgk/InKv3FymWnE/s1600-h/20160703_113439%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="20160703_113439" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="20160703_113439" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ZI5w0k3NTuY/V3p4lNmY8ZI/AAAAAAAAKgo/ez0W3PUK4S4/20160703_113439_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="709" height="481" /></a>          </p> <p><font size="4">One of those macaron flavors was jalapeno. And something distracted me before I remembered to order it.  So next time I’ll be looking for the jalapeno flavored macaron.</font>  </p> <p> <a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-jdJvNMRBuy0/V3p4llg52-I/AAAAAAAAKgs/EM_xSaYnlDQ/s1600-h/20160703_112543%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="20160703_112543" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="20160703_112543" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-cMruwzmryDg/V3p4lwnamGI/AAAAAAAAKgw/wkCOBQVIwgI/20160703_112543_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="746" height="577" /></a></p> <p><font size="4">And this was one of my favorite parts of my visit.  This is what will greet you when you walk up to the </font><a href="http://www.ameliesfrenchbakery.com/charlotte-noda"><font color="#0000ff" size="4">NoDa Amelies</font></a><font size="4"><font color="#0000ff">!</font>  A tiny slice of Paris. </font></p>Lisa@Pickles and Cheesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17154819162615247516noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3883070918058525039.post-6531291178917091522016-06-18T08:17:00.001-07:002016-06-18T08:55:38.142-07:00Amelie’s Uptown Charlotte<p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-0yv_QWw40jw/V2Vl7mLNsLI/AAAAAAAAKWM/XyFyDjHZZfI/s1600-h/Amelies7.jpg"><img title="Amelie's" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Amelie's" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-1Q-oRlUK8yM/V2Vl8RQlxuI/AAAAAAAAKWU/oRmG-eqwXc8/Amelies_thumb4.jpg?imgmax=800" width="753" height="592" /></a> </p> <p><font size="4">So one of the fun things about living in Greensboro, NC is being able to escape to Charlotte in under two hours.  Laughing.  : )  I Spent the weekend in the Queen City recently and finally got to checkout a place that’s been on my list.  It’s a French bakery and cafe located in Uptown Charlotte, called <a href="http://www.ameliesfrenchbakery.com/"><font color="#ff0000">Amelie’s</font></a> and it offers up some delicous food and drink.</font> </p> <a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-nEPHPIkbtYs/V2Vl9M9O4LI/AAAAAAAAKWc/lsX2KI76HMU/s1600-h/20160508_1232545.jpg"><img title="20160508_123254" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="20160508_123254" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-pejABf8BiS0/V2Vl9tJrVsI/AAAAAAAAKWk/st-ossCaS7A/20160508_123254_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="752" height="583" /></a> <p><font size="4">And ou la la!!  Such atmosphere!  The menus are suspended up high in those guilded frames. </font></p> <p><font size="4"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-NbgACh1aEqs/V2Vl-K91yBI/AAAAAAAAKWs/dsHeaLBLa1c/s1600-h/Amelie%252527s%252520Menu%252520Frame%252520and%252520Light%252520Fixtures%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="Amelie's Menu Frame and Light Fixtures" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Amelie's Menu Frame and Light Fixtures" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-pV-gK42K0P0/V2Vl-gR0xfI/AAAAAAAAKWw/7aVyYmMB6Ak/Amelie%252527s%252520Menu%252520Frame%252520and%252520Light%252520Fixtures_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="751" height="577" /></a></font></p> <p><font size="4">And would you look at those light fixtures.  Loved all the details in this charming place. </font></p> <p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-YzDeKoCb_64/V2Vl_RY1wQI/AAAAAAAAKW4/bvslQPo_J6E/s1600-h/Croissant%252520Breakfast%252520Sandwich%252520from%252520Amelies%25255B10%25255D.jpg"><img title="Croissant Breakfast Sandwich from Amelies" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Croissant Breakfast Sandwich from Amelies" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-yia5FWfOIEk/V2Vl_6jlM2I/AAAAAAAAKXA/xUySz5N2ePk/Croissant%252520Breakfast%252520Sandwich%252520from%252520Amelies_thumb%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="763" height="586" /></a></p> <p><font size="4">And the place smells amazing.  Outstanding coffee and this  incredibly delicous breakfast sandwich.  Ham and Gruyere cheese with egg, and fresh spinach, on a warm freshly baked croissant.  omg!</font></p> <p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-BD9GSuXrz5A/V2VmAW2kCGI/AAAAAAAAKXI/gikw97bg944/s1600-h/Amelie%252527s%252520Pastry%252520Bakery%252520Kitchen%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img title="Amelie's Pastry Bakery Kitchen" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Amelie's Pastry Bakery Kitchen" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-hk7f26MK6dU/V2VmA8MV2iI/AAAAAAAAKXQ/YiYqCZwIMWA/Amelie%252527s%252520Pastry%252520Bakery%252520Kitchen_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="367" height="290" /></a>     <a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-kzf88f9wzB0/V2VmBTdigMI/AAAAAAAAKXY/wf_yl-9EP8k/s1600-h/Amelie%252527s%252520Pastry%252520Chefs%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img title="Amelie's Pastry Chefs" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Amelie's Pastry Chefs" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-kIVs9E79PZc/V2VmBmZKcVI/AAAAAAAAKXg/UG82-fJDGm4/Amelie%252527s%252520Pastry%252520Chefs_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="365" height="289" /></a></p> <p><font size="4">While enjoying our croissants and cafe</font><font size="4"><font face="Georgia"> we were seated across from this giant window allowing us to watch the pastry chef’s in action.  The window had a <em>trompe de l'oeil</em> red curtain painted on it to framing the window like a theater curtain.  We sat back and enjoyed the show.</font> </font></p> <p><font size="4">          <a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-qB4Y47fm4Ic/V2VmCFHqGMI/AAAAAAAAKXo/pJ5AR76JV0A/s1600-h/Amelies%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="Amelies" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Amelies" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Ve75BOme8MA/V2VmCv9_BLI/AAAAAAAAKXw/BNw7R08mRVs/Amelies_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="207" height="279" /></a>     <a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-496NGLb_r3k/V2VmDITh6aI/AAAAAAAAKX4/3bra2Plpmro/s1600-h/Amelies%252520Sign%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="Amelies Sign" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Amelies Sign" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-C68AH7vOq_c/V2VmF9JFFVI/AAAAAAAAKYA/yDJTAk6QPs0/Amelies%252520Sign_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="208" height="281" /></a>     <a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-5mYRHEd0n3Q/V2VmGdQs2pI/AAAAAAAAKYI/4Iurfmq_ano/s1600-h/Amelies%252520Entrance%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="Amelies Entrance" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Amelies Entrance" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-WkdRMIxBZj8/V2VmGsTrB1I/AAAAAAAAKYQ/Nv0hzr6QoYw/Amelies%252520Entrance_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="208" height="281" /></a></font></p> <p><font size="4">A charming entrance to welcome you in and the place is gigantic!  Amelie’s has three <strong><em><a href="http://www.ameliesfrenchbakery.com/locations"><font color="#ff0000">locations</font></a> </em></strong>in the Charlotte area, a bakery in nearby Rock Hill, SC and a location in Atlanta, GA.</font>  </p> <p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-fVknqYCjJR8/V2VmHLm32xI/AAAAAAAAKYY/LIHAybICo6U/s1600-h/Amelie%252527s%252520Decision%252520Decisions%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="Amelie's Decision Decisions" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Amelie's Decision Decisions" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-CwGYI8g8Z-c/V2VmHl6IWpI/AAAAAAAAKYg/SoTBrXCQD7I/Amelie%252527s%252520Decision%252520Decisions_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="742" height="570" /></a></p> <p><font size="4">And then it was <em>dessert decision time</em>…….</font></p> <p><font size="4">Macarons in every flavor and color possible or a delicate French pastry like a Napoleon prehaps???</font></p> <p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-xNM-8hC0gw4/V2VmIe7TxWI/AAAAAAAAKYo/IIBJS6rtZXw/s1600-h/Amelie-Bakery-Macarons5.jpg"><img title="Amelie Bakery Macarons" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Amelie Bakery Macarons" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-c35CDyjpo4w/V2VmIx3c2RI/AAAAAAAAKYw/24h8DsoAqQU/Amelie-Bakery-Macarons_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="758" height="587" /></a>e</p> <p><font size="4">Eye candy.  Let’s just say a very large bakery box was on the seat next to me for the ride home.  : )</font></p>Lisa@Pickles and Cheesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17154819162615247516noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3883070918058525039.post-58189518214639454502016-05-01T12:37:00.001-07:002016-05-01T12:43:46.608-07:00Quebec City<p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-6ixXklJjnYY/VyZae_tIOYI/AAAAAAAAKOo/JXhvxWJpqGE/s1600-h/Quebec-City-1148.jpg"><img title="Quebec City 114" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Quebec City 114" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-hSUdoi6O4Tk/VyZafaH91UI/AAAAAAAAKOs/FwPZGimqnkI/Quebec-City-114_thumb5.jpg?imgmax=800" width="743" height="580" /></a></p> <p><font size="4">After traveling to Ottawa, Canada a few years ago to attend one of the most beautiful weddings I have ever attended, the decision was made to extend the trip and to Montreal for a day and then head up to Quebec City for a couple more.  </font></p> <p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-rcsytW3IWho/VyZaf8CiiXI/AAAAAAAAKOw/xjYauaX7JkA/s1600-h/Quebec-City-11416.jpg"><font size="4"><img title="Quebec City 114" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Quebec City 114" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-PFzvsoj3gLs/VyZagiv3WyI/AAAAAAAAKO0/i9CKNEpeJI0/Quebec-City-114_thumb10.jpg?imgmax=800" width="736" height="708" /></font></a></p> <p><font size="4">Quebec City has to be one of the most charming cities in all of  North America. </font></p> <p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-dgHv2bqBz-Y/VyZahOcHx7I/AAAAAAAAKO4/EC0OoWgu9J4/s1600-h/Quebec%252520City%252520061%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><font size="4"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-dgHv2bqBz-Y/VyZahOcHx7I/AAAAAAAAKO4/EC0OoWgu9J4/s1600-h/Quebec%252520City%252520061%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><font size="4"><img title="Quebec City 061" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Quebec City 061" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-_gJB4ghYnmo/VyZahuXcbSI/AAAAAAAAKO8/edQLReY3seE/Quebec%252520City%252520061_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="572" height="659" /></font></a></font></a></p> <p><font size="4">The architecture was just plain amazing. </font></p> <p><a><font size="4"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-d-FBbzlGSBI/VyZaiU5ZBQI/AAAAAAAAKPA/wFonI3N-zSg/s1600-h/Chateau%252520Frontenac%252520Quebec%252520City%25255B10%25255D.jpg"><img title="Chateau Frontenac Quebec City" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Chateau Frontenac Quebec City" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-TwS5Mr_8K2I/VyZajGj6klI/AAAAAAAAKPE/wCZOkeGJxeE/Chateau%252520Frontenac%252520Quebec%252520City_thumb%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="753" height="598" /></a></font></a></p> <p><font size="4">After arriving at the<font color="#0000ff"><em> </em></font><a href="http://www.fairmont.com/frontenac-quebec/"><font color="#0000ff"><em>Chateau Frontenac</em></font></a>, which looks like a giganitic European castle perch up high next to the<font color="#809ec2"> </font><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Lawrence_Seaway"><font color="#809ec2">St. Lawrence Seaway</font></a>, we drove through the archway shown in the lower right half of the above photo, and we found ourselves in a courtyard where the hotel’s parking valets greeted us. </font></p> <p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-tIQ6DRqHt8E/VyZajxPhwuI/AAAAAAAAKPI/F2mdPpd0z6c/s1600-h/Quebec%252520City%252520126%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img title="Quebec City 126" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Quebec City 126" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-P3ym1nhZ3kY/VyZakan5RUI/AAAAAAAAKPM/iYcc38QEjf4/Quebec%252520City%252520126_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="762" height="481" /></a></p> <p><font size="4">Cobble stone was below my feet when I stepped out of the car only to look up to be greeted by this lovely bit of architecture off to the side.</font>   <font size="4">Happy sigh.</font></p> <p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-dBPtmKXXcHE/VyZb_pdU2uI/AAAAAAAAKSI/ovHi8KGKMGc/s1600-h/Quebec%252520City%252520019.jpg"><font size="4"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-dBPtmKXXcHE/VyZb_pdU2uI/AAAAAAAAKSM/B0DrmwNZjBEmFjX5FRqTA19Tl83f5mj4QCHM/s1600-h/Quebec%2BCity%2B019%255B1%255D"><img title="Quebec City 019" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Quebec City 019" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-WOa4aVmMkvU/VyZamuXMM7I/AAAAAAAAKPY/HBzwej_FiIw/Quebec%252520City%252520019_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="756" height="614" /></a></font></a></p> <p><font size="4">Just how many photos can one girl take of doors, windows, restaurants, cafes and flower boxes?  </font></p> <p><font size="4">Well, apparently hundreds.  I will try to showcase some of my favorites here.</font></p> <p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-TDKNw5JNglU/VyZcB3Dq5UI/AAAAAAAAKSQ/5V5hFIZdKWk/s1600-h/Quebec%252520City%252520037.jpg"><font size="4"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-TDKNw5JNglU/VyZcB3Dq5UI/AAAAAAAAKSU/6XmbAjAcVxANPiBTDaKo5S8qO24cBvgiwCHM/s1600-h/Quebec%2BCity%2B037%255B1%255D"><img title="Quebec City 037" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Quebec City 037" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-9MP5-cu8o0o/VyZao4_LZyI/AAAAAAAAKPk/hQNg7iv5lJk/Quebec%252520City%252520037_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="756" height="590" /></a></font></a></p> <p><font size="4">This delightful cafe was the first stop made to relax and have a quick drink after wandering happily down a side alley way filled with artists working and showing their paintings.</font>  </p> <p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-VOau5t1ZHpI/VyZcEXc1e4I/AAAAAAAAKSY/MB7Jv4bSqQk/s1600-h/Quebec%252520City%252520020.jpg"><font size="4"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-VOau5t1ZHpI/VyZcEXc1e4I/AAAAAAAAKSc/aYSkRnqSw4IF6TP0fS53jGLu91RYKlbEACHM/s1600-h/Quebec%2BCity%2B020%255B1%255D"><img title="Quebec City 020" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Quebec City 020" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-OAg4sN719CI/VyZarBI4IxI/AAAAAAAAKPw/8_gkKOb68CY/Quebec%252520City%252520020_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="764" height="601" /></a></font></a></p> <p><font size="4">Every time I turned a corner, walked across a street, or looked out and surveyed my surroundings from the comfort of my coblestone street cafe chair, I saw something even more beautiful and charming that needed to be inspected, scrutinized, and photographed.</font></p> <p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-q7fYdvXyM1o/VyZar046i-I/AAAAAAAAKP0/2_uR-_CC6bs/s1600-h/Quebec%252520City%252520060%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><font size="4"><img title="Quebec City 060" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Quebec City 060" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-R0U2oZBE6Tg/VyZasbO2oiI/AAAAAAAAKP4/fM400ZCmgvE/Quebec%252520City%252520060_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="773" height="612" /></font></a></p> <p><font size="4">And hearing people speak French….well that just makes me happy.  </font></p> <p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-2lotXspVO7Y/VyZcGjQeJJI/AAAAAAAAKSg/P45hpCKxyP8/s1600-h/Quebec-City-0903.jpg"><font size="4"></font><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-2lotXspVO7Y/VyZcGjQeJJI/AAAAAAAAKSg/P45hpCKxyP8/s1600-h/Quebec-City-0903.jpg"><font size="4"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-2lotXspVO7Y/VyZcGjQeJJI/AAAAAAAAKSk/Nwe7A5CssZYarR8qofw3leLjCah-MzudACHM/s1600-h/Quebec%2BCity%2B090%255B1%255D"><img title="Quebec City 090" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Quebec City 090" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-f4YGxEv9-zY/VyZauj0BPoI/AAAAAAAAKQE/_7hlQt-FmRg/Quebec%252520City%252520090_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="767" height="594" /></a></font></a></a><font size="4"></font></p> <p><font size="4">  Every direction I looked, I thought my eyes were going to expode.  I mean really….</font></p> <p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-fyVtm-7Phls/VyZavRsmA_I/AAAAAAAAKQI/wL3W8tvbzhc/s1600-h/Quebec%252520City%252520082%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img title="Quebec City 082" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Quebec City 082" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-OZ7UML5BMx8/VyZav2rxLzI/AAAAAAAAKQM/ez3HA2BHzTo/Quebec%252520City%252520082_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="778" height="626" /></a><font size="4"></font></p> <p><font size="4">Sometimes I exaggerate but honestly, I could not believe how incredibly beautiful it was or how much I felt like I had stepped back in time and was happily lost in some city in Europe.  This is one of my most favorite photos from the trip.  It was a shop filled with goregeous French handbags. </font></p> <p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-qM3mGs13osY/VyZcI0wbqGI/AAAAAAAAKSo/V243okD5m7c/s1600-h/Quebec%252520City%252520059.jpg"><font size="4"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-qM3mGs13osY/VyZcI0wbqGI/AAAAAAAAKSs/-GTDDEVnm6kFeOLQjenloL__cID0WX9VACHM/s1600-h/Quebec%2BCity%2B059%255B1%255D"><img title="Quebec City 059" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Quebec City 059" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-KaUAxsEjvFw/VyZaxzAC3lI/AAAAAAAAKQY/i2SExUVrfb0/Quebec%252520City%252520059_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="771" height="618" /></a></font></a><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-xtWvcqOw_38/VyZcLKYBVoI/AAAAAAAAKSw/WAL5xd-l4VM/s1600-h/Quebec-City-0421.jpg"><font size="4"></font></a></p> <p><font size="4">The vibrant colors and flowers…</font></p> <p><a><font size="4"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-U7ijPoE0xys/VyZaztYs0UI/AAAAAAAAKQg/zL2pvyNtFX4/s1600-h/Quebec%252520City%252520109%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="Quebec City 109" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Quebec City 109" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-IwA3KM8F1kk/VyZa0PEwfpI/AAAAAAAAKQk/22cahwnDc-4/Quebec%252520City%252520109_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="774" height="594" /></a></font></a></p> <p><font size="4"> and the selection of restaurants was incredible. </font>  </p> <p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-VgNCmLcOU84/VyZa0lQw5rI/AAAAAAAAKQo/DAhPqi2UToE/s1600-h/Quebec%252520City%252520057%25255B1%25255D.jpg"><img title="Quebec City 057" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Quebec City 057" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-hwYSUt1S1FA/VyZa1ZETLbI/AAAAAAAAKQs/C8iXgHCnrms/Quebec%252520City%252520057_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="763" height="1054" /></a></p> <p><font size="4">hanging flower baskets everywhere…</font></p> <p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-0TMpwqaIdeo/VyZcLlOeXfI/AAAAAAAAKS0/PLTMJBDGkCw/s1600-h/Quebec-City-0803.jpg"><font size="4"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-0TMpwqaIdeo/VyZcLlOeXfI/AAAAAAAAKS4/_ieCAKsE-yEId31eYRJpqMBMf34TaDjxgCHM/s1600-h/Quebec%2BCity%2B080"><img title="Quebec City 080" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Quebec City 080" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-taOY_6iztVU/VyZa2qcCaXI/AAAAAAAAKQ4/1m2w6BEiTlI/Quebec%252520City%252520080_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="315" height="426" /></a>     <a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-0TMpwqaIdeo/VyZcLlOeXfI/AAAAAAAAKS4/_ieCAKsE-yEId31eYRJpqMBMf34TaDjxgCHM/s1600-h/Quebec%2BCity%2B080"><font size="4"></font><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-W1aVRr7osBk/VyZcNFYlEwI/AAAAAAAAKS8/RFhR_neVLnU/s1600-h/Quebec-City-0783.jpg"><font size="4"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-W1aVRr7osBk/VyZcNFYlEwI/AAAAAAAAKTA/5BxmPxj2uqk1OvkBmNNsg3lfrjqUDH2PQCHM/s1600-h/Quebec%2BCity%2B078"><img title="Quebec City 078" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Quebec City 078" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-IN-VCJT_FLY/VyZa4Gv1nDI/AAAAAAAAKRE/Lwd7WEpcbZg/Quebec%252520City%252520078_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="312" height="422" /></a></font></a></a><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-0TMpwqaIdeo/VyZcLlOeXfI/AAAAAAAAKS4/_ieCAKsE-yEId31eYRJpqMBMf34TaDjxgCHM/s1600-h/Quebec%2BCity%2B080"><font size="4"></font></a></a></font></a><font size="4"></font></p> <p><font size="4">Street signs in French made me smile and a quaint hotel tucked away along a side street.</font> </p> <p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-xNFFRy3qsSw/VyZcWRohSpI/AAAAAAAAKTE/eux0PA3pFPg/s1600-h/Quebec-City-0833.jpg"><font size="4"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-xNFFRy3qsSw/VyZcWRohSpI/AAAAAAAAKTI/w92Dx4zJUv8nM1Mt6I7ThkZFmJj6IyVGwCHM/s1600-h/Quebec%2BCity%2B083%255B2%255D"><img title="Quebec City 083" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Quebec City 083" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-f4-qbPPylXs/VyZa6g_jiXI/AAAAAAAAKRQ/SxMsGqK-2yg/Quebec%252520City%252520083_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="774" height="603" /></a></font></a></p> <p><font size="4">The next time I visit I would love to stay in one of the smaller, quaint, and charming hotels like the one in the photo above or in  this one called </font><a href="https://aupetithotelquebec.com/"><font color="#0000ff" size="4">Au Petit Hotel.</font></a></p> <p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-b9IxJwcsYeI/VyZcYNjkrEI/AAAAAAAAKTM/IJma_qJ_nck/s1600-h/Quebec-City-0843.jpg"><font size="4"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-b9IxJwcsYeI/VyZcYNjkrEI/AAAAAAAAKTM/IJma_qJ_nck/s1600-h/Quebec-City-0843.jpg"><font size="4"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-b9IxJwcsYeI/VyZcYNjkrEI/AAAAAAAAKTQ/N1TQl2T4seY_SFtJWOVwWqGDRHd9vSgEwCHM/s1600-h/Quebec%2BCity%2B084"><img title="Quebec City 084" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Quebec City 084" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-vIqnVYgJ-XQ/VyZa8KstAaI/AAAAAAAAKRc/EwdwXLPcuuE/Quebec%252520City%252520084_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="312" height="422" /></a></font></a></font></a>     <a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-RXXIRcYoR3I/VyZcZ2OCYzI/AAAAAAAAKTU/pSapTz6XBdA/s1600-h/Quebec-City-0973.jpg"><font size="4"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-RXXIRcYoR3I/VyZcZ2OCYzI/AAAAAAAAKTY/e9sxOI4czSU6SUhaYqraMcRRMmZD3ovoACHM/s1600-h/Quebec%2BCity%2B097"><img title="Quebec City 097" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Quebec City 097" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-L6WJQJbYdc4/VyZa91cy6HI/AAAAAAAAKRo/W6RPB9MixdQ/Quebec%252520City%252520097_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="332" height="417" /></a></font></a></p> <p><font size="4">Every nook and alley way had something that I just had to capture with my camera</font>. </p> <p> </p> <p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-xtWvcqOw_38/VyZcLKYBVoI/AAAAAAAAKTc/DtYVsZw4hWgSqY4Jt1OXtC8dzRFgx86JgCHM/s1600-h/Quebec%2BCity%2B042%255B4%255D"><font size="4"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-xtWvcqOw_38/VyZcLKYBVoI/AAAAAAAAKTg/QtCFacvveUcMikIPR6-QNJRO55OlmQvOACHM/s1600-h/Quebec%2BCity%2B042%255B6%255D"><img title="Quebec City 042" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Quebec City 042" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-WgnhZ74GfJ8/VyZbAcDiOBI/AAAAAAAAKR0/ipNWq641KyM/Quebec%252520City%252520042_thumb%25255B6%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="754" height="644" /></a></font></a></p> <p><font size="4">And homes just like this one with the French Lace curtains….</font></p> <p><font size="4"></font></p> <p><font size="4"></font></p> <p><font size="4"></font></p> <p><font size="4"></font></p> <p><font size="4"></font></p> <p><font size="4"></font></p> <p><font size="4"></font></p> <p><font size="4"></font></p> <p><font size="4"></font></p> <p><font size="4"></font></p> <p><font size="4"></font></p> <p><font size="4"></font></p> <p><font size="4"></font></p> <p><font size="4"></font></p> <p><font size="4"></font></p> <p><font size="4"></font></p> <p><font size="4"></font></p> <p><font size="4"></font></p> <p><font size="4"></font></p> <p><font size="4"></font></p> <p><font size="4"></font></p> <p><font size="4"></font></p> <p><font size="4"></font></p> <p><font size="4"></font></p> <p><font size="4"></font></p> <p><font size="4"></font></p> <p><font size="4"></font></p> <p><font size="4"></font></p> <p><font size="4"></font></p> <p><font size="4"></font></p> <p><font size="4"></font></p> <p><font size="4"></font></p> <p><font size="4"></font></p> <p><font size="4"></font></p> <p><font size="4"></font></p> <p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-URdYCWJK3t8/VyZbA7AVbmI/AAAAAAAAKR4/PGNSXa3Wbos/s1600-h/Quebec%252520City%252520043%25255B19%25255D.jpg"><img title="Quebec City 043" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Quebec City 043" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-yD_xsXqquqo/VyZbBlJXF1I/AAAAAAAAKR8/hyDjpbZTraA/Quebec%252520City%252520043_thumb%25255B16%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="736" height="1002" /></a></p> <p><font size="4">painted in the most vibrant colors.  Another happy sigh. </font></p> <p><font size="4">Have you ever taken a trip to Quebec and do you have some must see spots there that I might have missed? </font></p> <p><font size="4">I have many more photos to share of this amazing city.  See you soon!</font></p> <p><font size="4"> </font></p>Lisa@Pickles and Cheesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17154819162615247516noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3883070918058525039.post-12426875013945886282016-03-13T14:41:00.001-07:002016-03-13T14:48:38.642-07:00Montreal, Canada<p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-82llsjhXCxM/VuXeOTGeIoI/AAAAAAAAKNY/Rh0WH9_Wq5o/s1600-h/Montreal%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><font size="4"><img title="Montreal" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Montreal" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-zkmzWakvVXQ/VuXePQrzCSI/AAAAAAAAKNc/It897j7Q6qw/Montreal_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="764" height="591" /></font></a></p> <p><font size="4">So this post is only about three years late.  I took a trip to Canada for a friend’s daughter’s wedding about 3 years ago and was going through some photos and realized  that I never blogged or posted much about that trip.  </font></p> <p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-LXn2ba1gih0/VuXeQ04yYpI/AAAAAAAAKNg/zecf1eaQn3I/s1600-h/Canada%2525202013%252520028%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><font size="4"><img title="Canada 2013 028" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Canada 2013 028" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-VnjuSC_7nIk/VuXeRpGxIjI/AAAAAAAAKNk/wsUGLrseR9I/Canada%2525202013%252520028_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="763" height="586" /></font></a></p> <p><font size="4">My life was a bit sad and crazy at the time, my blogging took a major nose dive and I kept telling myself to save the pictures I had taken and write about it later.    So, here I am, three years later reminiscing about an amazing trip to Canada and sharing some of the photos I took.  </font></p> <p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-zKyUUGCNlZw/VuXeSVlb1zI/AAAAAAAAKNo/utadDX71soU/s1600-h/Canada%2525202013%252520042%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><font size="4"><img title="Canada 2013 042" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Canada 2013 042" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-NH8BbAjm3Lw/VuXeTCzRjII/AAAAAAAAKNs/1MqCzWRb3nw/Canada%2525202013%252520042_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="762" height="614" /></font></a></p> <p><font size="4"></font></p> <p><font size="4"></font></p> <p><font size="4"></font></p> <p><font size="4">Cobblestone streets, strolling, shopping, eating, and drinking.  And grabbing photos when I can.  That’s how I like to travel.</font></p> <p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-TrXJlylSXh8/VuXeUKFxMOI/AAAAAAAAKNw/ihg7xnMA3ZI/s1600-h/Canada%2525202013%252520029%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><font size="4"><img title="Canada 2013 029" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Canada 2013 029" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-AV-L6TO0Xek/VuXeVBxgcZI/AAAAAAAAKN0/D7aA5_-ipJs/Canada%2525202013%252520029_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="755" height="584" /></font></a></p> <p><font size="4">Window boxes and flowers were everywhere.  My favorite window box flowers are those tiny purple-blue flowers called Lobelia.  I have the hardest time growing it here in North Carolina.  And believe me I have tried.   I suspect it gets a bit too hot for it to thrive here.    The cooler temperatures in Canada must be what it likes because it was everywhere I went.</font></p> <p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/--orH3qSeqsA/VuXeWLKHUoI/AAAAAAAAKN4/I4CiuJnYx6Y/s1600-h/Canada%2525202013%252520043%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><font size="4"><img title="Canada 2013 043" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Canada 2013 043" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-MI-yAKRZ0oI/VuXeW9CykkI/AAAAAAAAKN8/mfSmaJWxstA/Canada%2525202013%252520043_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="757" height="581" /></font></a></p> <p><font size="4">Window boxes anywhere and everywhere. </font></p> <p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-DA7tMZE6mLA/VuXeX_YZApI/AAAAAAAAKOA/IWWsb8Rp0J0/s1600-h/Canada%2525202013%252520087%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><font size="4"><img title="Canada 2013 087" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Canada 2013 087" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-0FMgNg9NqSY/VuXeYjLP1eI/AAAAAAAAKOE/Hg1mHUtjrLo/Canada%2525202013%252520087_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="755" height="580" /></font></a></p> <p><font size="4">Yep, I think I could live here and be very happy.</font></p> <p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-zpe3DCAfCg4/VuXeZU4IYgI/AAAAAAAAKOI/JXLXVtFbnIQ/s1600-h/Canada%2525202013%252520031%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><font size="4"><img title="Canada 2013 031" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Canada 2013 031" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-zJ4KHf_mHHk/VuXeaIDlODI/AAAAAAAAKOM/oIwKpQb7CJY/Canada%2525202013%252520031_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="763" height="586" /></font></a></p> <p><font size="4">Just hearing people speak French made me very happy.    And little signs of French-ness everywhere I looked like the French lace door panels .  </font></p> <p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-cQK-cSkphNI/VuXea_5Tg9I/AAAAAAAAKOQ/AgAtGuKielo/s1600-h/Canada%2525202013%252520086%25255B10%25255D.jpg"><font size="4"><img title="Canada 2013 086" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Canada 2013 086" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ryvpkDFtJng/VuXebr3mmZI/AAAAAAAAKOU/L4Ao4TAePSA/Canada%2525202013%252520086_thumb%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="755" height="584" /></font></a><font size="4">h</font></p> <p><font size="4">I think flowers, windows and doors are some of my favorite things to photograph.  Something about flowers in a city setting I think really grab my attention.  There was no shortage of things to photograh in Montreal but OH! when I got to  Quebec City I nearly lost my mind.  : )  Stayed tuned.</font></p>Lisa@Pickles and Cheesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17154819162615247516noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3883070918058525039.post-11278168909099686032016-01-23T12:49:00.001-08:002016-01-24T06:39:04.975-08:00Far From the Madding Crowd<h3><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-klCNZqdUoy8/VqPnFrezjQI/AAAAAAAAKJ0/eFvPv5yrkt8/s1600-h/Far-from--the-Madding-Crowd-Umbrella.jpg"><img title="Far from the Madding Crowd Umbrella" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Far from the Madding Crowd Umbrella" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-VT0YbHAwgGU/VqPnGfTzIoI/AAAAAAAAKJ8/oPDI8djIjQ0/Far-from--the-Madding-Crowd-Umbrella%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="424" height="662" /></a> </h3> <p align="left"><font size="4" face="Georgia">We are officially snowed in.  And actually when you still have your electricity it’s kind of an opportunity to catch up all the little things that have been nagging at you that you have wanted to get done around the house.  Day one of Winter Storm Jonas (which was yesterday… a Friday….and an unscheduled day off  from work) : ), was spent spending way too much time on Pinterest and Facebook, cleaning out my closet and creating a nice large bag of clothes to take to Goodwill when we thaw out, TV channel surfing between the weather channel and whatever else I could find, making a giant pot of <a href="http://picklesandcheeseblog.blogspot.com/2010/02/southwest-chicken-soup.html"><font color="#ff0000"><strong>Southwest Chicken Soup</strong></font></a>, and I hate  to admit it but  finishing up the de-Christmas-ing of the house.   </font></p> <p align="left"><font size="4" face="Georgia"></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">I read a few chapters in my new book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Grandmother-Asked-Tell-Shes-Sorry/dp/1501115065/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1453566611&sr=1-1&keywords=my+grandmother+asked+me+to+tell+you+she%27s+sorry"><font color="#0000ff"><em><strong>“ My Grandmother Asked Me To Tell You She’s Sorry”,</strong></em></font></a> by Fredrik Backman.  So far it’s delightful but more on that in a forthcoming post.</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-r5BNOLPVdZY/VqPnG5yy1MI/AAAAAAAAKKE/9628NlJL-Zs/s1600-h/far-from-the-madding-crowd-DVD7.jpg"><img title="far from the madding crowd DVD" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="far from the madding crowd DVD" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-o7hMp8QPSTY/VqPnHTToiWI/AAAAAAAAKKM/RPc56w9aaTs/far-from-the-madding-crowd-DVD_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="219" height="254" /></a>     <a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ISSS8Y_HjYg/VqPnICGTo4I/AAAAAAAAKKQ/UCVsGLE5cUQ/s1600-h/Book-My-Grandmother-Asked-Me-to-Tell.jpg"><img title="Book My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She is Sorry" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Book My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She is Sorry" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-sZ3feV-BXZo/VqPnIg6ryZI/AAAAAAAAKKY/0M57PS21rV0/Book-My-Grandmother-Asked-Me-to-Tell%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="171" height="253" /></a></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">And then I wrapped up under a blanket and watched <font color="#d16349"><strong>Far From the Madding Crowd</strong></font>.  Click to watch the move trailer on IMDB.  </font><font size="4" face="Georgia">I believe that it was the one and only movie I actually saw in a movie theater last year….wait, I lied.  I also saw Train Wreck with Amy Shummer.  Talk about films on the opposite ends of the spectrum!  </font></p> <p> </p> <p>     <img alt="Image result for far from the madding crowd 2015" src="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRHaKF_iyzW7Me75RqpT7t5R_ghtXNbevySRRfB37P3EDmmJWKUcA" width="319" height="224" />     <img alt="Image result for carey mulligan leather riding jacket photo from movie far from madding crowd" src="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSr5bstQjwibW1Q09RPsjCJxvixopLlKk7tGheywcFXHLPUkFVw" width="394" height="221" /></p> <p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-_KiWc95fyKk/VqPnJMbU1MI/AAAAAAAAKKk/VnKp6aslmfY/s1600-h/image125.png"><img title="image" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="image" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-r0UsjFLjA54/VqPnLNNk2UI/AAAAAAAAKKs/NttCDlo_L6o/image12_thumb4.png?imgmax=800" width="337" height="220" /></a>     <img alt="Image result for carey mulligan leather riding jacket photo from movie far from madding crowd" src="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQ3fmU78I5RXtw0EINlq02vbDPI-0KB4ZPmMMZgClCIkCEZApZg" width="347" height="221" /></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">I loved <em>Far From the Madding Crowd</em> so much that I picked up a copy for myself and as a Christmas gift for my friend Carrie who is and expert at Sheep Shearing.  I’ve mentioned her before I think.  She works as an Interpreter at Colonial Williamsburg, dresses the part and is a walking wealth of knowledge when it comes to sheep breeds and hand shearing.  Many of the scenes include shots of the sheep on the farming estate that Carrie Mulligan’s character Bathsheba Everdeen  inherits and oversees as an independent woman back in the late 1800’s.   Hey…two Carrie’s in the same paragraph.  : )</font></p> <p><img alt="Image result for carey mulligan leather riding jacket photo from movie far from madding crowd" src="https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQlvLFMi3d-kkXP5W5sypNs_4t-LKN89EdRuviN3XBD1RkgmTuUig" width="340" height="511" />     <a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-yVTZAS5ZvnU/VqPnMVynGgI/AAAAAAAAKK0/Ca1OJT60Dj8/s1600-h/image1.png"><img title="image" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="image" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-P5S3WeJ44sI/VqPnNo1FYDI/AAAAAAAAKK8/NH0OJjp0BcY/image_thumb11.png?imgmax=800" width="339" height="509" /></a></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">The movie is just lovely especially if you love watching period movies set in beautiful idyllic settings and the costumes were absolutely stunning in my ever so humble opinion.  It’s a love store of course but it also about how few options women really had back then.  </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"></font></p> <p>   <a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-CGCEcPYssCI/VqPnOkCDdEI/AAAAAAAAKLE/Z-ka5UsTt0M/s1600-h/image20.png"><img title="image" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="image" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-6pvG20e4Yzw/VqPnPekjP2I/AAAAAAAAKLM/HtEtyz3vuRQ/image_thumb6.png?imgmax=800" width="165" height="244" /></a>     <a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-MFSPd9jYqPQ/VqPnQSsK4jI/AAAAAAAAKLU/XBQCwIEDL5I/s1600-h/image5.png"><img title="image" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="image" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-9AKeYw3-8aw/VqPnRFBhkoI/AAAAAAAAKLc/FTsPpIAZCHk/image_thumb1.png?imgmax=800" width="203" height="244" /></a>     <a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-dGfUjuL_rt8/VqPnRpPaVMI/AAAAAAAAKLk/PYEzoCwomiA/s1600-h/image211.png"><img title="image" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="image" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-gCJbtOeImiQ/VqPnSuyewhI/AAAAAAAAKLs/81pn849vX1Y/image21_thumb.png?imgmax=800" width="313" height="242" /></a></p> <p><font size="2" face="Georgia">                  Carrie Mulligan with her co-stars Michael Sheen, Tom Sturridge and Matthias Schoenaerts</font>. </p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">She was unique because she became a woman of means and was able to forge an independent life and who had to choice to marry or not.  </font></p> <p><img alt="Image result for far from the madding crowd 2015" src="https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcROdcO0StBH09stPzwwJoLgGdV7holXYVk9vUM-J_OpUpPz9FS1Ew" width="719" height="403" /></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">  She had three suitors.  One offered respect and additional stability, another offered passion but ultimately no respect, and the third offered both passion,respect, and a deep friendship.  He understoon her  and loved her all the more for it.    The movie tells the story of how she comes to the realization of who she is, what she is capable  of and who she really wants to share her life with.  </font></p> <p>     <a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-dsZzfjuxTw4/VqPnTBigPRI/AAAAAAAAKLw/BszBWWqWo1U/s1600-h/Far-from-the-madding-crowd-Wagon-wit.jpg"><img title="Far from the madding crowd Wagon with Dog" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Far from the madding crowd Wagon with Dog" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-4jgWMbA0d6s/VqPnTmbOHkI/AAAAAAAAKL8/mCTS-LMSdqY/Far-from-the-madding-crowd-Wagon-wit%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="335" height="482" /></a>     <a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-SUQGVSBfIMA/VqPnVOSrHOI/AAAAAAAAKME/uTYKyRymy0M/s1600-h/image93.png"><img title="image" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="image" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-30ZwL7RE3Ak/VqPnWTg0pbI/AAAAAAAAKMM/hHHtxMAGk5U/image9_thumb2.png?imgmax=800" width="318" height="481" /></a></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">Beautiful costumes from a classic Thomas Hardy novel.  I can’t say that I ever read any Thomas Hardy novels not even way back when in my school days so it is extra fun for me to discove</font><font size="4" face="Georgia">r them now when I am sure I am to better appreciate them than I did back then.</font>  </p> <p><img alt="Image result for far from the madding crowd 2015" src="https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRDsmWYEQZJr6hIMEgy7Fd8lFFERRK1G16Z6bDLBrjRbTcqXG1kyg" width="354" height="220" />     <a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-PP8tYuqTCqM/VqPnW9pOHCI/AAAAAAAAKMQ/kHV1iGPAOWs/s1600-h/Far-From-the-Madding-Crowd1.jpg"><img title="Far From the Madding Crowd" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Far From the Madding Crowd" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-J7tK1vlEBRk/VqPnXbPgVZI/AAAAAAAAKMY/EQ73BcCJOvk/Far-From-the-Madding-Crowd_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="208" height="310" /></a></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">Today is Day Two Of Winter Storm Jonas.  So far I’ve drank and obscene amount of Café l’orange topped with whipped cream….ate two pieces of carb forbidden toast with lots of butter.  And I savored every single bite.  I actually have the time to blog today and will probably do some baking and a bit more movie watching and book reading.  Making the best of it!</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">How about you?  Did winter storm Jonas put a kink in your weekend too? </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"> </font></p>Lisa@Pickles and Cheesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17154819162615247516noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3883070918058525039.post-48659292751099922362015-12-27T19:27:00.001-08:002015-12-29T17:18:42.901-08:00How to Make Limoncello<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-sOZyZYskCVY/VoCrwKhJwxI/AAAAAAAAKF4/bGzM9YV00r8/s1600-h/Limoncello-0705.jpg"><img title="Limoncello 070" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Limoncello 070" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-FIt-sBQE6cA/VoCrxKbROjI/AAAAAAAAKGA/9o9q1mG31ok/Limoncello-070_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="787" height="526" /></a> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">So the lemons are now 4 bottles of Limoncello!  </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">They’ve all been given away for Christmas gifts after keeping one for myself and I have to say they were a  BIG SUCCESS!!</font></p> <p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-m9Ddbnxuuk4/VoCrx3cVMhI/AAAAAAAAKGI/cdAe6ZVR3Y0/s1600-h/Limoncello-Two-Glasses5.jpg"><img title="Limoncello Two Glasses" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Limoncello Two Glasses" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-N-rTMzDy4w8/VoCr0FFJ4DI/AAAAAAAAKGQ/G2uv_bBC-5I/Limoncello-Two-Glasses_thumb5.jpg?imgmax=800" width="610" height="578" /></a><font size="4" face="Georgia"></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">And look at how cute and perfect these little Limoncello glasses are.  </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">For my Christmas gifts I paired up a bottle of my Limoncello with a set of Limoncello glasses that I picked up made by <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bormioli-Rocco-Limoncino-Cordial-Glasses/dp/B000MD69ZA/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1451262448&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=biormoli+limoncello+glasses"><font color="#0000ff">Bormioli in Italy through Amazon</font></a>.  Very inexpensive and so cute with the green stems.  The perfect mini size for sipping and a bargain I think at only $14.99 for a set of six!  This made an extremely nice and affordable gift this year.   </font></p> <p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-5iM21MCqoWE/VoCr2IQBAbI/AAAAAAAAKGY/_WoIBkYNP18/s1600-h/Limoncello-0124.jpg"><img title="Limoncello 012" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Limoncello 012" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-rvgDS1_aAWU/VoCr3spA-VI/AAAAAAAAKGc/t2tpvvWVo5k/Limoncello-012_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="780" height="521" /></a></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">The original recipe that I was inspired by was from </font><a href="http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-limoncello-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-197694"><strong><font color="#0000ff" size="4" face="Georgia">TheKitchn.com</font></strong></a><font face="Georgia"><font size="4"><strong><font color="#0000ff">.</font></strong>  </font></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">Following this recipe with a few tweaks of my own, I was able to make a little more than  four 8.5 ounce flask sized bottles.</font>  </p> <p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-nliF6cBCQ8M/VoCr4J4-l3I/AAAAAAAAKGk/I6EMQFDVJXE/s1600-h/Limoncello-0751%25255B1%25255D.jpg"><img title="Limoncello 075" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Limoncello 075" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-qJArm-iCmFI/VoCr5HUQuVI/AAAAAAAAKGs/uUVFsjjJWvo/Limoncello-075_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="638" height="991" /></a></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">I used my <a href="http://us.microplane.com/microplanekitchentools.aspx"><font color="#0000ff"><strong>Microplane Grater</strong></font></a> to get all the yellow zest off of my lemons.  Many of the recipes showed the lemons getting peeled with a vegetable peeler warning to be careful not to get too much of the white layer just underneath the bright yellow zest.  The white part can be bitter and all of the color and the lemon oils for the flavor are in that yellow zest so it just made sense to me to zest it with the <a href="http://us.microplane.com/microplanekitchentools.aspx"><font color="#0000ff">Microplane Grater</font></a>.  This is how I plan to do it every time.  I had a hard time trying to peel the lemons with the vegetable peeler.  I also only had to steep my lemon zest in the vodka for one week and it was plenty of time.  The larger recipes that used the larger peels suggested steeping for up to a month which I can see as being necessary with the larger pieces of peel to extract the lemon oils and flavor.</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">No thanks, my method was much faster and produced wonderful results.</font></p> <p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-xyPsNLyLJtE/VoCr54TTFBI/AAAAAAAAKG0/IDJ4FSUk09Q/s1600-h/Limoncello-0724.jpg"><img title="Limoncello 072" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Limoncello 072" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-MRfWtokHIQ8/VoCr6tgklwI/AAAAAAAAKG8/aXj1Q_H5iQE/Limoncello-072_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="478" height="419" /></a></p> <p><font color="#000000" size="4" face="Georgia">Some of the other recipes online also called for Everclear instead of vodka.   I’ve never had Everclear but I believe it is a grain alcohol made from corn and it’s powerful stuff.  A lot like Moonshine and a lot like drinking lighter fluid I’ve been told : ) </font></p> <p><font color="#000000" size="4" face="Georgia">Again, no thanks.</font> </p> <p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-rWlbc9O5zKM/VoMw7STUFKI/AAAAAAAAKJM/VTPFyU-QXhc/s1600-h/Limoncello-020.jpg"><font size="4" face="Georgia"></font></a><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-rWlbc9O5zKM/VoMw7STUFKI/AAAAAAAAKJU/7ZZH7IY6NR8/s1600-h/Limoncello-02011.jpg"><img title="Limoncello 020" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Limoncello 020" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-7zVSdV5SaP8/VoCr9u8IkqI/AAAAAAAAKHU/lT4mSKbYmeg/Limoncello-020_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="801" height="536" /></a></a></a></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">The vodka I decided to use was <a href="http://www.smirnoff.com/en-us/vodkas/?gclid=CLXu8v2z_ckCFUiBfgodb-0Isw&gclsrc=aw.ds"><font color="#ff0000">Smirnoff.</font></a>  I picked it  mostly because I liked the price.  I didn’t want to spend too much on my first attempt at making it but really I should have had more faith.  It was awesome!  </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">  I’ve had store bought Limoncello from the liquor store and I have to say it was hard for me to drink and enjoy.  It was rather harsh.  My batch from the recipe I used was VERY drinkable.  </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">I think the sugar syrup to the lemon flavored vodka ratio that I used made for a not too sweet but not so strong that it makes you wince, close your eyes, shake your head and shiver.  I hate when that happens!</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"></font></p> <p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-_XDKfdbsCaw/VoCr-Eq75qI/AAAAAAAAKHc/RKuPJW99lNg/s1600-h/Limoncello-0184.jpg"><img title="Limoncello 018" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Limoncello 018" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-7eb94xc7mLM/VoCr-xE6dcI/AAAAAAAAKHk/jI65hq_py8M/Limoncello-018_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="719" height="481" /></a><font size="4" face="Georgia"></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">Here is how I made it!!</font></p> <p><font size="7" face="Georgia">Limoncello</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"><font size="6"><strong><em>Ingredients:</em></strong></font> </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">10 organically grown lemons, washed.  You don’t want lemons that have a pesticide residue so I suggest organic. </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">1 fifth  (750ml)  of vodka.  I used Smirnoff</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">3 cups water</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">3 cups sugar</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"><font size="6"><strong><em>Tools:</em></strong></font>  </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">MicroPlane Grater or vegetable peeler</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">Large glass container with a lid that the lemon peels and vodka can steep in.    I used a very large half gallon sized wide mouth Ball Canning Jar that  holds 8 cups. </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">fine mesh strainer fit over a bowl.</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">coffee filters</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">Measuring Cup</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">Small Funnel</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">Five  8.5oz reusable bottles with stoppers. </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">Labels <font face="Georgia"><font size="4">(I used Avery #22816 square labels and found a template I liked for free on their<font color="#0000ff"> </font></font></font><a href="http://www.avery.com/weprint/landing.shtml?int_id=banner-TSWPstepsv30915-weprintlp"><font color="#0000ff" size="4" face="Georgia">Avery.com</font></a><font size="4" face="Georgia"> website.)</font></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"><font size="6"><strong><em>Directions:</em></strong></font>  </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">Zest all of the lemons   And be careful to get only the bright yellow part and not the white underneath.  </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"></font></p> <ul> <li><font size="4" face="Georgia">Place all of the zest in your glass jar.</font> </li> </ul> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"></font></p> <ul> <li><font size="4" face="Georgia">Pour the pint of vodka into the jar over all of the lemon zest.  Place the lid on top and shake it well.</font> </li> </ul> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"></font></p> <ul> <li><font size="4" face="Georgia">Leave the lemon zest and vodka in the jar and let steep for at least one week occasionally giving it a shake and opening the lid to let any gasses out and letting it breath for a minute before placing the lid back on. </font></li> </ul> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"></font></p> <ul> <li><font size="4" face="Georgia">After your lemon zest and vodka has steep for a week you are ready strain it.</font></li> </ul> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"></font></p> <ul> <li><font size="4" face="Georgia">Now you will need to strain out the lemon zest and so you will need to do this with a fine metal mesh strainer suspended over a bowl.  Pour the content of the jar slowly into the strainer.  This takes a while to strain out all of the zest.  You will need to stir to allow the liquid to strain through into the bowl below.  </font></li> </ul> <p><font size="4"></font></p> <ul> <li><font size="4" face="Georgia">  I strained a second time through some coffee filters to make sure I got all of the zest and the result was a beautiful clear yellow.  </font></li> </ul> <p><font size="5">Make the Simple Syrup and Combine with the Lemon Vodka</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"></font></p> <ul> <li><font size="4" face="Georgia">Take the 3 cups of sugar and 3 cups of water  and combine them in a pot on your stove over medium heat and bring to a boil.  Stir to make sure all of the sugar dissolves in the water.  It will thicken up a bit as it comes to a boil.  Do this slowly.  </font></li> </ul> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"></font></p> <ul> <li><font size="4" face="Georgia">Let the simple syrup cool for a bit and then using a  one cup measure, add three cups of the simple syrup to the jar of lemon zest and vodka.  I had a lot of simple syrup left over after taking 3 cups, one at a time, and adding them to the lemon flavored vodka.  I didn’t want  the final result to be too sweet.  But definately taste and add more it you think it needs it.  </font></li> </ul> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"></font></p> <ul> <li><font size="4" face="Georgia">Add syrup and taste as you go.  You can always add more simple syrup if you like but I found the 3 cup mark was just perfect for mine.  I don’t like things that are too sweet and this seemed perfect to me.  </font></li> </ul> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">Place a small funnel into the mouth of your  washed bottle and with a measuring cup pour your limoncello into your bottles.  </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">Secure the stoppers and there you are.   Delicious and perfect for gift giving!</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"></font></p> <p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-3SQjX5aQtj4/VoCr_1jUm0I/AAAAAAAAKHs/jT2MyuJeFpI/s1600-h/Limoncello-bottles-211.jpg"><img title="Limoncello bottles 2" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Limoncello bottles 2" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-CczLHToHQdk/VoCsAoDRKEI/AAAAAAAAKH0/vndhRuITTNc/Limoncello-bottles-2_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="771" height="517" /></a><font size="4" face="Georgia"></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">I love the <a href="http://www.surlatable.com/product/PRO-689950/Bormioli+Rocco+Pocket+Flasks"><font color="#ff0000"><strong>flask sized bottles</strong></font></a> that I got from </font><a href="http://www.surlatable.com/product/PRO-689950/Bormioli+Rocco+Pocket+Flasks"><font color="#0000ff" size="4" face="Georgia"><strong>Sur La Table</strong></font></a><font color="#0000ff"><font face="Georgia"><font size="4"><strong>.</strong> <font color="#000000">I think I paid $4.95 for each bottle but I think they are well worth it especially if you are giving them away as gifts.  </font></font></font></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">I also found some great reusable bottles with the attached stoppers at <a href="http://www.hobbylobby.com/Home-Decor-Frames/Decorative-Accessories/Vases-Jars-Containers/Glass-Bottle-with-Stopper-Chalkboard-Front/p/119077"><font color="#ff0000">Hobby Lobby</font></a> that were normally $2.99 each but lucky me they were 50% off so a bargain at $1.50 each.  They also have the same bottles with a <a href="http://www.hobbylobby.com/Home-Decor-Frames/Decorative-Accessories/Vases-Jars-Containers/Glass-Bottle-with-Stopper-Chalkboard-Front/p/119077"><font color="#0000ff">chalkboard label</font></a>.   </font></p> <p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-xpxEI6eBSZg/VoCsBc0oyPI/AAAAAAAAKH8/biZCupCyGHc/s1600-h/Limoncello-Two-Glasses-Better2.jpg"><img title="Limoncello Two Glasses Better" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Limoncello Two Glasses Better" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-gvexxcmTLTk/VoCsCeI3-RI/AAAAAAAAKIE/rF_LzAi17X4/Limoncello-Two-Glasses-Better_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="777" height="624" /></a></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">Time to label your bottles.  </font><font size="4" face="Georgia"><font face="Georgia"><font size="4">I used Avery #22816 square labels and found a template I liked for free on their<font color="#0000ff"> </font></font></font><a href="http://www.avery.com/weprint/landing.shtml?int_id=banner-TSWPstepsv30915-weprintlp"><font color="#0000ff" size="4" face="Georgia">Avery.com</font></a><font size="4" face="Georgia"> website.</font></font></p> <a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-YXhPefx6yks/VoCsD0mx5wI/AAAAAAAAKIM/Odt15uNsx-s/s1600-h/Limoncello-Glasses.jpg"><img title="Limoncello Glasses" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Limoncello Glasses" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-gtMA_jxWt1s/VoCsE4Cw4-I/AAAAAAAAKIU/b-45QxIXkT4/Limoncello-Glasses_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="769" height="514" /></a> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">I will be increasing my production substantially for the holidays next year. </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">But in the meantime, it was seriously so good that I am going to try to keep a bottle in my freezer at all times.  <font size="4" face="Georgia">I can see spreading the Limoncello cheer around the bonfire in the summertime as well in the colder months.</font>   That means I’ll be shopping for more organic lemons very soon.</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">Bottoms Up!!</font></p>Lisa@Pickles and Cheesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17154819162615247516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3883070918058525039.post-48164774093681317102015-12-06T07:17:00.001-08:002015-12-06T07:19:16.364-08:00Making Limoncello<p><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-4EMz9SO8OCc/VmRRiELGk2I/AAAAAAAAKD0/eGfBdWiKD90/s1600-h/Limoncello-0695.jpg"><img title="Limoncello 069" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Limoncello 069" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-KgvFTa714mk/VmRRiv5bvoI/AAAAAAAAKD4/_t_WtmNDtYE/Limoncello-069_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="794" height="531" /></a></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">It’s time to harvest the lemons.  And more importantly, it’s time to make the Limoncello!</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-fqL0m8AFLiM/VmRRjKCbZXI/AAAAAAAAKEA/aitvZuiUv-w/s1600-h/Limoncello%252520009%25255B9%25255D.jpg"><img title="Limoncello 009" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Limoncello 009" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-s0VnfffzHvU/VmRRjiFr7dI/AAAAAAAAKEI/9vVaygceDG8/Limoncello%252520009_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="782" height="523" /></a></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">The lemon peels are steeping as we speak! </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">And the lemony smell is the promise of very good things to come.</font>  </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Ueh3L4zAFGk/VmRRkGYV2rI/AAAAAAAAKEQ/3poo-HOyHy4/s1600-h/Limoncello%252520016%25255B13%25255D.jpg"><img title="Limoncello 016" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Limoncello 016" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-2xhQnz5Blhc/VmRRkiommtI/AAAAAAAAKEY/pQcIJ6hgmko/Limoncello%252520016_thumb%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="782" height="522" /></a></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"> I harvested 6 lemons off of my tree this year. </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"> Last year I only got one lemon so I am increasing my yield.  : ) </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"><a href="http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-limoncello-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-197694"><img title="Wlimoncello" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Wlimoncello" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ruZKacq4Es8/VmRRlMx0VoI/AAAAAAAAKEk/QAJchb2DKsM/Wlimoncello%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="535" height="675" /></a></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"> The recipe I used was from </font><a href="http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-limoncello-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-197694"><font color="#0000ff" size="4" face="Georgia">TheKitchn.com</font></a><font size="4" face="Georgia">.  </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">Fabulous website with step by step easy and clear instructions on how to make your own Limoncello.</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">Look at how cute those chalkboard labels are.  I am on the hunt.</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">If you want to get a jumpstart on making your own for the holidays, check out The Kitchn’s website and recipe.  </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">My limoncello is steeping and I hope to bottle it up in the next couple of weeks for gift giving.  I’ll be back with an update for sure. </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">Can’t wait for the lemon sipping goodness!!</font></p> <p> <a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-GI0Tf8xjS5E/VmRRl4tBwZI/AAAAAAAAKEo/n-TiIhfIiYw/s1600-h/Limoncello-07613.jpg"><img title="Limoncello 076" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Limoncello 076" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-jxwUH1P1QuU/VmRRmG5s-uI/AAAAAAAAKEs/dRgWq5c6vBk/Limoncello-076_thumb7.jpg?imgmax=800" width="241" height="162" /></a>     <a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-f5qavVv8rKM/VmRRmqnSTsI/AAAAAAAAKE0/x0xS-HGbiUk/s1600-h/Limoncello%252520016%25255B7%25255D.jpg"><img title="Limoncello 016" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Limoncello 016" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-2Tl7ZcGckD8/VmRRm3sWC9I/AAAAAAAAKE4/ubIZdUSUVyw/Limoncello%252520016_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="164" /></a>     <a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-OmCnytsjXOI/VmRRnX-9EKI/AAAAAAAAKFA/ESRXeNEgO-w/s1600-h/Limoncello%252520009%25255B7%25255D.jpg"><img title="Limoncello 009" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Limoncello 009" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-PVZniFVnn9s/VmRRnntuZ1I/AAAAAAAAKFI/OROrN3g_qwI/Limoncello%252520009_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="164" /></a></p> Lisa@Pickles and Cheesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17154819162615247516noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3883070918058525039.post-101473969387106252015-12-01T19:54:00.001-08:002015-12-05T11:01:44.954-08:00Photo Christmas Ornament Bulbs<p><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Zzc2h5hm6AY/Vl5rYpKk8ZI/AAAAAAAAKDE/A3dMuREcn2I/s1600-h/Ornaments%252520for%252520Grace%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img title="Ornaments for Grace" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Ornaments for Grace" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-kUsb15ypKgU/Vl5rZXs9IGI/AAAAAAAAKDM/33uRRbeWSqk/Ornaments%252520for%252520Grace_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="782" height="587" /></a></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">‘Tis the season to make Christmas Ornaments and my favorites to make and give are photo ornaments.  I love the look of delight on someone’s face when I give them such a personal gift.  </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">This year I made some ornaments for my cousin’s sweet daughter.  It’s a photo of her with her girlfriends dressed in their Halloween costumes.  </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">A few years ago I was all about a product you could get at <a href="http://www.michaels.com/"><strong><font color="#0000ff">Michael’s</font></strong></a> craft supply store called Magic Bubble.  It was a solution that you would pour into a glass Christmas bulb and it would allow you to adhere a photo to the inside of a Christmas bulb.  Well sadly, Magic Bubble has fallen off the face of the earth. I couldn’t find it anywhere at the local craft stores and a search online pulled up other’s like me trying to find the stuff.    But happily, I still had a bottle of the solution and some of the beautiful iridescent glitter that gives the bulbs their sparkle.  </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">The idea came to me when I was looking around on Pinterest and came across a link to someone who was making photo ornament bulbs just like these only instead of using the Magic Bubble product she was using clear floor wax.   Makes sense!  </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/--tMf4i_GeWM/VmM0lZDcwKI/AAAAAAAAKDc/TOqK8SuDrAE/s1600-h/Limoncello%252520002%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="Limoncello 002" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Limoncello 002" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-YCRjympgh_k/VmM0lw9BJZI/AAAAAAAAKDk/qwxjDS6Dgew/Limoncello%252520002_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="772" height="516" /></a></font></p> <p><font size="5" face="Georgia"><strong>Here is how I made mine and what you will need.</strong></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">*Clear glass or plastic ornament bulbs.</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">*Laser copies of your favorite photo sized to fit inside the ornament bulb.  Make several copies in case you make a mistake.  Believe me the more the better till you get the hang of this!  I learned this the hard way after making several trips to <a href="http://www.fedex.com/us/office/printing-services.html"><font color="#0000ff">Fed Ex</font></a> to make additional copies. </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">*Magic Bubble solution if you can find it or a clear floor wax such as Pledge.  </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">*Glitter</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">*A soft long and think paint brush.</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">*Paper Towel </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">*Ribbon</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">*Decorative Christmas tree hook.  ( I love the fancy hooks you can get at Hobby Lobby.) </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">*Scissors</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">The first thing you are going to need is a photo copy of a photograph that you want to showcase inside your bulb.  Your photo copies need to be make from a laser printer.  The ink from an inkjet with dissolve and run when it touches the solution.  So what I did was either take the original photos or inkjet copies from my home computer and I photocopied them on the fancy laser printer at my local Fed Ex Office Store.  Size your photo properly so that you know it will fit inside your ornament bulb. </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">If you want to include some words or maybe the year inside your bulb, print out the words in the size and font you like and print it out to also be photocopied by a laser printer.  Print out several of the same words to allow for mistakes. Again….I learned the hard way. </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">And speaking of ornament bulbs…..I’ve used both the clear glass bulbs and plastic.  Both work equally well.  The photo of the bulbs above are plastic.  And This time I use the the “flat” bulbs.  These are much easier to work with and the shape is unique.</font>  </p> <p><font size="5" face="Georgia"><strong>Directions:</strong></font>  </p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">1.  Cut out your photo to the size you would like to see inside your bulb.  If you use a traditional round bulb, your photo may need small slash marks around the outside of the photo copy to help it mold correctly to the inside of your bulb.  </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">2.  Carefully remove the cap from your bulb.  Pour in a teaspoon or two of the floor wax or Magic Bubble product and swirl it around the inside of your bulb to coat the entire inside of the bulb. </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">3.  Roll up your photo copy small and tight enough to fit it through the opening in your bulb.</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">4.  Using your paint brush, gently maneuver the photo so that it opens up and press it against the wall of your bulb so that you can see the photo from the outside.  Take your time and gently use the paint brush to position your photo inside the bulb where you would like it.  Gently press out any air bubbles and smooth out any creases.  </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">5.  Gently swirl the solution to make sure all surfaces inside the bulb are coated and then carefully pour out the excess solution.  </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">6.  Pour in glitter and gently rotate the ornament bulb so that the glitter completely covers the inside of the bulb.  Turn the bulb upside down and empty it of any excess glitter.  </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">7.  Let your bulbs dry.  When the insides are dry. Replace the cap on the ornament.  </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">8. Decorated the cap by tying on a decorative ribbon in a bow. I like the wired ribbon for the best shaped bows.  </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">9.  Add a decorative hook.  </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">I like to put them in the decorative boxes you  can pick up at the dollar store for gift giving.  I place the bulb in the boxes wrapped in tissue paper including the decorative ornament hook.  Then I like to tie the box off with some ribbon.  </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">If you make a mistake this is a very forgiving project.  Just pour water into your bulb to flush it out and start again with a new photo copy.</font>  </p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">Have fun with these.  These are a real people pleasing gift.  Fun to make and fun to receive!!</font></p> Lisa@Pickles and Cheesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17154819162615247516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3883070918058525039.post-85014732949993919912015-10-14T20:46:00.001-07:002015-10-15T18:15:52.324-07:00Summerfield Farms<p><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-JlxFuEMwJNw/Vh8hP2Uql2I/AAAAAAAAJ9c/v-hvxBeLmrs/s1600-h/Summerfield-Farm-0971.jpg"><img title="Summerfield Farm 097" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Summerfield Farm 097" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-7ZVl6n8B0Hg/Vh8hQbyUUNI/AAAAAAAAJ9g/Xm4TLFhm-3s/Summerfield-Farm-097_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="780" height="521" /></a></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"><a href="http://www.summerfieldfarms.com/"><font color="#0000ff">Summerfield Farms</font></a> is that hidden gem that everyone wishes they lived close to.  And much to my surprise I do live quite near and only recently discovered it!  It’s located just outside of Greensboro in the beautiful North Carolina countryside in Summerfield N.C.  It’s a picturesque  working farm dedicated to raising grass fed beef, growing seasonal and sustainable organic vegetables and flowers, and has a market where you can buy these products along with a wide variety of fresh, local, artisanal goods, unique gifts, products made in North Carolina and other goodies. Every item in their  store has been hand-selected.   And it’s incredibly charming.  </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"></font></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-SOLdcqZoimk/Vh8hQzg51iI/AAAAAAAAJ9s/gjL3GZhDWZg/s1600-h/Summerfield-Farms-Market-bldg3.jpg"><img title="Summerfield Farms Market bldg" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Summerfield Farms Market bldg" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-cd3U3DL4a5c/Vh8hRbgHbuI/AAAAAAAAJ9w/nQmjo60dIQg/Summerfield-Farms-Market-bldg_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="794" height="343" /></a></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">The market is housed in a renovated barn and the windows can be rolled up like a garage door.  I love that concept of being able to roll up the windows and letting the outdoors in.</font> </p> <p> <a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-mooy3CfA1eU/Vh8hR3cVNII/AAAAAAAAJ98/T2jRYOqQ6Tk/s1600-h/Summerfield-Farm-Market1.jpg"><img title="Summerfield Farm Market" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Summerfield Farm Market" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-4kdoohRkO-g/Vh8hSuG_ByI/AAAAAAAAJ-E/-3LHHeHQQXg/Summerfield-Farm-Market_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="786" height="525" /></a></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">This is a “<em>Farm to Fork” </em>market offering the grass fed beef raised right there on the farm and the sustainably raised vegetables grown in their garden.  In addition to this they carry certified organics including grass fed milk and other certified organic dairy products, eggs and they partner with other farms with the same philosophy.  The vegetables are grown with out any herbicides or pesticides and the beef and poultry and eggs are raised without antibiotics and no added hormones.  </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">And let me share with you one of my favorite parts of the décor in the Market building itself.</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">The light fixtures!  </font></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-EVV7eDNfrAo/Vh8hTKCaGDI/AAAAAAAAJ-I/t2A5hN3XnSg/s1600-h/Summerfield-Farm-062.jpg"><img title="Summerfield Farm 062" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Summerfield Farm 062" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-K4z2aDPx1Bw/Vh8hTtMiQvI/AAAAAAAAJ-Q/-wAhh-N9aFg/Summerfield-Farm-062_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="792" height="529" /></a></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">My eye was immediately drawn up to the ceiling when I walked into the Market building.  Old farm buckets turned into light fixture and  turned upside down hanging from the ceiling provides much of the lighting along with some skylights and a gigantic oversized fan also hangs from the ceiling in the middle.</font>  </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Nr4-KaID0n4/Vh8hUQjBmiI/AAAAAAAAJ-c/Y_IaXXPPutc/s1600-h/Summerfield-Farm-0521.jpg"><img title="Summerfield Farm 052" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Summerfield Farm 052" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ozBOxJaeuno/Vh8hU9hSitI/AAAAAAAAJ-g/PbxQ7r4YDoc/Summerfield-Farm-052_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="783" height="524" /></a></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">After my first visit there, I went home with a pound of grass fed ground beef and  a dozen organic eggs. </font></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-kYlorlMUe88/Vh8hV2pwobI/AAAAAAAAJ-s/Gu2jNrZaYCk/s1600-h/Summerfield-Farm-Eggs8.jpg"><img title="Summerfield Farm Eggs" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Summerfield Farm Eggs" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-MFr0yP5SXms/Vh8hWayx4-I/AAAAAAAAJ-0/krBnqNrURs0/Summerfield-Farm-Eggs_thumb5.jpg?imgmax=800" width="777" height="768" /></a><font size="4" face="Georgia"></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">I made a batch of Mexican Beef Nachos with the beef and I used the eggs to make a </font><a href="http://picklesandcheeseblog.blogspot.com/2011/05/boursin-and-spinach-quiche.html"><font face="Georgia"><font size="4"><font color="#0000ff">Boursin and Spinach Quiche</font>.</font></font></a><font size="4" face="Georgia">  It tasted delicious.   If you are looking for a quiche that is more than delicious and has great eye appeal this one might be your ticket.   Get the organic eggs.  They really do make a difference.  </font></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-TrX1ZlREYsk/Vh8hW6-JIRI/AAAAAAAAKCo/rYWbu6Pm08A/s1600-h/Summerfield%252520Farm%252520Cow.jpg"><img title="Summerfield Farm Cow" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Summerfield Farm Cow" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-QB8jYWjDl6w/Vh8hXQ-8kCI/AAAAAAAAKC0/K7ZDrJYVRls/Summerfield%252520Farm%252520Cow_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="780" height="525" /></a></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">So why grass fed beef?</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"> </font><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-LvrCIQoFsCM/Vh8hX9j1ycI/AAAAAAAAJ_M/r2wfqRMiJa4/s1600-h/Summerfield-Farms-Cows6.jpg"><img title="Summerfield Farms Cows" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Summerfield Farms Cows" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-2OVLnLxCqT8/Vh8hYSrTtiI/AAAAAAAAJ_U/_mZVUO49V1Y/Summerfield-Farms-Cows_thumb4.jpg?imgmax=800" width="799" height="537" /></a></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">Well, to start it’s so much healthier for you and it tastes great too.    The cows raised there are eating what nature intended them to eat.  GRASS. Not genetically modified corn and wheat which is so difficult for them to digest,  but GRASS. </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"></font></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Bn5yc8Hsiug/Vh8hZC_D5LI/AAAAAAAAJ_c/b-UPPK0AqlY/s1600-h/Summerfield-Farm-086.jpg"><img title="Summerfield Farm 086" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Summerfield Farm 086" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-9Lo-Qv4Q4jc/Vh8hZo58FtI/AAAAAAAAJ_k/33YpGSgw9oo/Summerfield-Farm-086_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="788" height="527" /></a></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">I was surprised but happy to learn that grass fed beef is considered N<em>utrient Dense with a perfect</em> <em>balance of essential fatty acids</em>. Omega 6 : Omega 3 proportion mirrors the health benefits of wild salmon!  The cattle are pasture raised and the farm uses sustainable grazing practices that keeps both the cows and the land healthy and happy.  And because their cattle are raised on a natural grass, they are healthier and less susceptible to disease so there is no need for antibiotics.  Makes for happy cows if you ask me. </font></p> <p><em><font color="#f79646" size="4" face="Georgia">“We consider our beef to be beyond organic, as our cattle are raised without added hormones, antibiotics, or steroids.  We would never dream of feeding them animal by-products; they are raised on mother’s milk and grasses alone- no grain ever!”</font></em></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">And Summerfield farms considers themselves to be “<em><strong>Certified Transparent</strong></em>” which means they welcome any and all questions about how their beef is raised  and invite you to come take a look if you so desire.</font>  </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-_1b21s_gq-I/Vh8havREf5I/AAAAAAAAJ_s/ZGQVqCxqxHg/s1600-h/Summerfield-Farm-0331%25255B1%25255D.jpg"><img title="Summerfield Farm 033" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Summerfield Farm 033" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-DcNBSF-7L-w/Vh8hbIIiYaI/AAAAAAAAJ_0/DwaNUgn0Dic/Summerfield-Farm-033_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="789" height="527" /></a></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">The Market is filled with carefully selected and when possible,  locally sourced products.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-piL1eEqOCrM/Vh8hbwQ9QJI/AAAAAAAAJ_8/T6SR79IbInA/s1600-h/Summerfield%252520Farm%252520046%25255B1%25255D.jpg"><img title="Summerfield Farm 046" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Summerfield Farm 046" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-0F01FzXm4PY/Vh8hcaFfu4I/AAAAAAAAKAA/dKIvrHPZMZg/Summerfield%252520Farm%252520046_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="793" height="530" /></a></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">“Seasonal vegetables are sustainably raised on the farm and offered for sale within The Market.  The produce offering is also supplemented from local partner suppliers using the same or similar production methods.”</font> <u></u><u></u></p> <p><u></u></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-BDTyRg6qIdg/Vh8hdLbDxEI/AAAAAAAAKAM/Ncxe2K4UXb0/s1600-h/Summerfield%252520Farm%252520044%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img title="Summerfield Farm 044" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Summerfield Farm 044" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-OogDVbEcdeE/Vh8hdoMh7xI/AAAAAAAAKAQ/KQcP-pgdOvE/Summerfield%252520Farm%252520044_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="797" height="532" /></a></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">And ALL produce in their Market is grown without pesticides or herbicides.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-DJ3pEn6LxO4/Vh8heF-s6OI/AAAAAAAAKAc/1X4AVz3Gi58/s1600-h/Summerfield%252520Farm%252520090%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img title="Summerfield Farm 090" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Summerfield Farm 090" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-k8tgL8G7E3M/Vh8he-TiF3I/AAAAAAAAKAg/qUlycoIIl_Q/Summerfield%252520Farm%252520090_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="791" height="529" /></a></p> <p> <font size="4" face="Georgia">And look at the baking mixes I spotted from </font><a href="http://oldmillofguilford.com/"><font color="#ff0000" size="4" face="Georgia">The Old Mill of Guilford</font></a><font size="4" face="Georgia">.   I can personally recommend the <a href="http://picklesandcheeseblog.blogspot.com/2010/02/mini-cheddar-corn-muffins.html"><font color="#0000ff">Corn Bread Muffin</font></a><font color="#0000ff"></font> mix.   Add some cheddar cheese and minced up jalapeno peppers….Delicious!   They are so good this time of year with a bowl of soup or chili.  I’ve visited this nearby mill.   You will feel like you took a step back in time if you stop for a visit.   It’s a fully operational and historic 18th century water powered grist mill in Oak Ridge, NC.   Very happy to see their products here at the Summerfield Farms Market.  </font>     </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-NqST3TCf_HU/Vh8hfbWy8BI/AAAAAAAAKAs/8ccN6Tvks1o/s1600-h/Summerfield%252520Farm%252520069%25255B10%25255D.jpg"><img title="Summerfield Farm 069" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Summerfield Farm 069" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-XBIAjlJyEBw/Vh8hfsNidMI/AAAAAAAAKAw/Au-B5PbSw94/Summerfield%252520Farm%252520069_thumb%25255B7%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="339" height="228" /></a>      <a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-mfH3ITuUSEM/Vh8hgATDGyI/AAAAAAAAKA4/qMInBXfaS6U/s1600-h/Summerfield%252520Farm%252520074%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="Summerfield Farm 074" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Summerfield Farm 074" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-btjLXOjvNS8/Vh8hgqdhUDI/AAAAAAAAKBA/nN1jAiAQe44/Summerfield%252520Farm%252520074_thumb%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="330" height="222" /></a></p> <p> <a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-5-QFcFDOUwU/Vh8hhPyftlI/AAAAAAAAKBM/ijoVO0wgngo/s1600-h/Summerfield%252520Farm%252520073%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="Summerfield Farm 073" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Summerfield Farm 073" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-G9Lrw4N12bs/Vh8hhSq0v1I/AAAAAAAAKBQ/jFL5wtyZ0PE/Summerfield%252520Farm%252520073_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="338" height="225" /></a>     <a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ceCWZQfSHys/Vh8hh41LVAI/AAAAAAAAKBY/QLQ4xk5F3a8/s1600-h/Summerfield%252520Farm%252520070%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="Summerfield Farm 070" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Summerfield Farm 070" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-T9I0-f7v46k/Vh8hiMMSe1I/AAAAAAAAKBg/1WjWyzcdGsw/Summerfield%252520Farm%252520070_thumb%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="330" height="222" /></a></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">The Market considers itself a <em>lifestyle food market</em> offering quality products sourced locally whenever possible.  If you are concerned about what you and your family are eating this is a great source for the best and most wholesome food you can find. </font></p> <h5><strong> </strong><a href="http://www.redclaygourmet.com/"><img title="Summerfield Farm 083" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Summerfield Farm 083" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-eftOe8Lsve4/Vh8hiS4wZrI/AAAAAAAAKBo/QXq8sZ06nO8/Summerfield-Farm-0832.jpg?imgmax=800" width="346" height="232" /></a>     <a href="http://twochicksfarm.com/"><img title="Summerfield Farm 078" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Summerfield Farm 078" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-14iyg0Kb7jg/Vh8hi3FhB-I/AAAAAAAAKBw/fndcXvFn1qs/Summerfield-Farm-0782.jpg?imgmax=800" width="349" height="234" /></a> </h5> <h5><font color="#ff0000">              <font size="4" face="Georgia"><a href="http://www.redclaygourmet.com/"><font color="#ff0000">Red Clay Gourmet Pimento Cheese</font></a></font></font>                              <a href="http://twochicksfarm.com/"><font color="#ff0000" size="4" face="Georgia">Two Chicks Farm Sauerkraut</font></a></h5> <p> </p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">And of course you know I have to mention some of the  local and artisanally-made cheeses they carry like cheeses from <a href="http://www.ashecountycheese.com/"><font color="#0000ff">Ashe County Cheese</font></a> in West Jefferson, <a href="http://hollygrovecheese.com/"><font color="#0000ff">Holly Grove Goat Cheese</font></a> made in Mt. Olive, NC, and  <a href="http://redclaygourmet.com/"><font color="#0000ff">Red Clay Gourmet Pimento Cheese</font></a> from Winston-Salem, NC (Got a very good report on the Red Clay Pimento Cheese.  Haven’t tried it myself but was told and I could see by looking in the container that it was very cheesy and not too much mayonnaise.  Just enough to hold it all together.)</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">I also have to mention that I took home a jar of the <a href="http://twochicksfarm.com/"><font color="#0000ff">Two Chicks Farm</font></a> Sauerkraut made in Hillsborough N.C and it is truly the best sauerkraut I’ve ever had.  Honestly!  Really tasty.  Fermented foods are very good for you and your digestion!  </font></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-HZLj6Yz97MU/Vh8hjruke2I/AAAAAAAAKB8/_wU-OXp43CQ/s1600-h/Summerfield%252520Farm%252520010.jpg"><img title="Summerfield Farm 010" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Summerfield Farm 010" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-eY3guyFQ-AQ/Vh8hkXVwzMI/AAAAAAAAKCE/ALN6UDk9qA0/Summerfield%252520Farm%252520010_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="820" height="548" /></a><font size="4" face="Georgia"></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">And if there is a <a href="http://www.summerfieldfarms.com/gallery/weddings-events/"><font color="#0000ff"><em>wedding or another special event</em></font></a> in your future and you are looking for a <a href="http://www.summerfieldfarms.com/weddings/summerfield-farm-venues/"><font color="#0000ff"><em>venue to have it, consider Summerfield Far</em>ms</font>.</a> </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"></font></p> <p><img title="Summerfield Farm 015" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Summerfield Farm 015" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-cErQP6hzkoQ/Vh8hlMeJ8vI/AAAAAAAAKCM/3RdLPFnhk98/Summerfield%252520Farm%252520015_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="804" height="538" /><font size="4" face="Georgia"></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">It’s the perfect Carolina country setting and they have everything you need for a big celebration, a company event, or a smaller party. </font></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-4NPuBi6X_7A/Vh8hmDK8-MI/AAAAAAAAKCU/nbVJONieZtM/s1600-h/Summerfield%252520Market%252520Barn%2525202%25255B1%25255D.jpg"><img title="Summerfield Market Barn 2" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Summerfield Market Barn 2" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-18t54mffmK8/Vh8hm1q1xnI/AAAAAAAAKCc/aSLmevhx80E/Summerfield%252520Market%252520Barn%2525202_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="808" height="542" /></a></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">So there you go.  I simply cannot say enough good things about <a href="http://www.summerfieldfarms.com/the-market/"><font color="#0000ff">The Market at Summerfield Farms</font></a><font color="#0000ff">.</font>  We are so lucky to have this in our area and I wish them great success.  Next summer I hope to buy their organic cucumbers for my summer batch of pickles.   </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">The Market is open Monday – Friday 11:00am – 6:00pm and Saturdays 9:00am – 6:00pm.</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">And y</font><font size="4" face="Georgia">ou can even get <strong><em>Pickles</em></strong> (sauerkraut) <strong><em>and Cheese</em></strong> there.  Makes me happy. </font></p> Lisa@Pickles and Cheesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17154819162615247516noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3883070918058525039.post-46381956897602669902015-09-20T18:18:00.001-07:002015-09-20T18:32:29.792-07:00Carolina Panthers Game<p><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-s0-RBFhdehE/Vf9az4BvliI/AAAAAAAAJ40/u6dGmO8Ir3c/s1600-h/Panthers%2525206%25255B7%25255D.jpg"><font size="4" face="Georgia"><img title="Panthers 6" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Panthers 6" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-IZpK8DJukA0/Vf9a0jyPSNI/AAAAAAAAJ44/4k_G1UUSPUw/Panthers%2525206_thumb%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="803" height="604" /></font></a></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">Today I got to go to my first Carolina Panthers football game in sunny Bank of America Stadium in sunny Charlotte, NC!</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">The last and only time I was at an NFL football game was back when the Detroit Lions still played at the Pontiac Silverdome.  Sad but true.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-8qZ0ZJtSxzU/Vf9a1CAPdFI/AAAAAAAAJ5A/W3lyS2F-YdI/s1600-h/Panther%252520Stadium%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><font size="4" face="Georgia"><img title="Panther Stadium" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Panther Stadium" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-mA7KOSCSOeg/Vf9a1t7hlkI/AAAAAAAAJ5I/a12aDm9lhKU/Panther%252520Stadium_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="468" height="623" /></font></a></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">Attention Ladies!!  It was right about here that I learned something very important that I would like to share with you so that it doesn’t happen to you!  The NFL had decided for security purposes that you cannot bring a purse or handbag in with you to the game.  Of course I didn’t now know this so when I got to the gate, I wasn’t allowed in with my bag!!  Had to WALK back to the hotel and drop my purse off.  The things I wanted to bring in with me had to be placed in a see through plastic bag that they were more than happy to give me.  Too much walking in very uncomfortable but I have to say extremely cute sandals and my feet have borderline blisters.  It felt like it was 100 degrees!</font>  </p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"><a href="http://rrpedicabcompany.com/"><img title="Rickshaw cabs in Charlotte, NC" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Rickshaw cabs in Charlotte, NC" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Xesa_3PxeM8/Vf9a2loJfyI/AAAAAAAAJ8M/2Z-ZZfRbGpg/Rickshaw%252520cabs%252520in%252520Charlotte%25252C%252520NC%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="430" height="480" /></a></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">And a huge thank you to the Pedicab or bicycle driven pedestrian taxi like this one from </font><a href="http://rrpedicabcompany.com/"><font color="#0000ff" size="4" face="Georgia">R & R Pedicab Company</font></a>.  <font size="4" face="Georgia">Walking back to hotel did a number on my feet in those cute sandals I was telling you about.  So……..Rickshaw cab to the rescue!  Took me back to the stadium in no time flat for a very reasonable fee.  : )</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-zTcZfxKzlO4/Vf9a3a4r5dI/AAAAAAAAJ5g/0R1xBc2EfLg/s1600-h/Panthers%2525205%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="Panthers 5" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Panthers 5" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Qdq6xPqBMRA/Vf9a37JzkAI/AAAAAAAAJ5o/qPv_OY5jf8g/Panthers%2525205_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="327" height="323" /></a></font>       <a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-TVE1dqVLg1s/Vf9a4menjiI/AAAAAAAAJ50/r6oSQ_KwvP8/s1600-h/panthers%2525204%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="panthers 4" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="panthers 4" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-MRJ2gn-BqMg/Vf9a5YZ4j3I/AAAAAAAAJ54/QT4E5zCUYKg/panthers%2525204_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="429" height="323" /></a></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">This was not a planned event for my weekend but you know I have learned and have started to embrace and love the things, people, and activities that come my way seemingly out of nowhere.  Two free last minute tickets to the Carolina Panther’s game on a very hot Sunday afternoon. Ummm….OKAY!</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">    </font><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-6w6Ykb-epsM/Vf9a6pm9peI/AAAAAAAAJ8w/v9LlrXjFVQ8/s1600-h/Panther%252520Tailgate%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><font size="4" face="Georgia"><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-6w6Ykb-epsM/Vf9a6pm9peI/AAAAAAAAJ88/km81-wtOa00/s1600-h/Panther%252520Tailgate%25255B7%25255D.jpg"><img title="Panther Tailgate" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Panther Tailgate" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-zKnQoAOdvwE/Vf9a7HtjKDI/AAAAAAAAJ7U/D_dSze0iMa0/Panther%252520Tailgate_thumb%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="574" height="764" /></a></font></a></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">  Started the morning at a tailgate.  I got to see firsthand how serious a large part of the population take their football.  And I’ll be shopping for the<font color="#ff0000"> </font></font><a href="http://zingzang.com/collections/zing-zang-mixers/products/zing-zang-bloody-mary-mix2"><font color="#ff0000" size="4" face="Georgia">Zing Zang Bloody Mary Mix</font></a><font size="4" face="Georgia"> asap. </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"></font></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-gTcxwoaDIPw/Vf9a5nNLvnI/AAAAAAAAJ6A/eMpFeRTgeBs/s1600-h/Bloody%252520Mary%252520Mix%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><font size="4" face="Georgia"><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-gTcxwoaDIPw/Vf9a5nNLvnI/AAAAAAAAJ6A/eMpFeRTgeBs/s1600-h/Bloody%252520Mary%252520Mix%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><font size="4" face="Georgia"><a href="http://zingzang.com/collections/zing-zang-mixers/products/zing-zang-bloody-mary-mix2"><img title="Bloody Mary Mix" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Bloody Mary Mix" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-gGs7jKdIMvE/Vf9a6LO61JI/AAAAAAAAJ7g/PCOpLnJ1jpI/Bloody%252520Mary%252520Mix%25255B8%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="240" height="283" /></a></font></a></font></a><font size="4" face="Georgia">     <a href="http://www.bojangles.com/menu/meal/28/20-piece-10-biscuits-box"><img title="Bojangles" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Bojangles" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Ik3oyCRHnJQ/Vf9dP-tgvDI/AAAAAAAAJ7o/t9Yii-UQUPw/Bojangles%25255B6%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="417" height="281" /></a></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"> Usually I don’t really like drink mixes…..this one was awesome! </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"> And what respectable southern tailgate doesn’t have at least one box of <a href="http://www.bojangles.com/menu/meal/28/20-piece-10-biscuits-box"><font color="#ff0000">Bojangles</font></a>  chicken and biscuits?</font>  </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Gkm9DsPz4Mw/Vf9a7x3lP6I/AAAAAAAAJ6k/bs0LdTsMfNY/s1600-h/Panther%252520Boy%252520Scouts%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="Panther Boy Scouts" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Panther Boy Scouts" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-C8E7pjQERa4/Vf9a8pIT9qI/AAAAAAAAJ6o/zs6ajj9Odak/Panther%252520Boy%252520Scouts_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="731" height="549" /></a></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">These were the smartest and most enterprising Boy Scouts I’ve ever seen.  They were selling bags of popcorn for their troop.  Fun popcorn like jalapeno cheddar!  And of course caramel corn.  Get a bunch of hot and hungry football fans who are eating and drinking to pass the time before the game starts and ask them if they want to buy a bag of popcorn.  I’ll bet they set a troop sales record</font>.  : )</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-hgUGc-fFYpc/Vf9a9jiI9MI/AAAAAAAAJ60/GN1SMUMuVT0/s1600-h/Panther%2525207%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="Panther 7" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Panther 7" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-lq_OSeAAqHg/Vf9a-RmnhOI/AAAAAAAAJ68/XbaX8Cp7Gbo/Panther%2525207_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="729" height="548" /></a>I</p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">So the game was big fun.  It was way too hot….I was melting.  The Carolina Panthers beat the Houston Texans 24-17.  Took a rickshaw/pedicab back to the hotel before the game was over because feet were still a hot mess as was I from baking in the sunshine.  I have to work on my football fan skills.  They are seriously lacking.  Remember, I grew up in Michigan.  Football is a cool/cold weather sport.  I’ll get better at the football fan thing.  I just need a bit more practice.</font>  : )</p> Lisa@Pickles and Cheesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17154819162615247516noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3883070918058525039.post-2953246816116227972015-07-14T17:05:00.001-07:002015-07-15T05:58:39.758-07:00Low Country Boil<p><a href="http://www.coastalliving.com/food/dinner-in-a-breeze/twenty-shrimp-recipes/shrimp-boil"><img alt="Shrimp Boil" src="http://img1.coastalliving.timeinc.net/sites/default/files/styles/400xvariable/public/image/2011/04/shrimp-boil-m.jpg?itok=QynJugD6" width="766" height="766" /></a></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">For years I have wanted to try and make a <em><strong><a href="http://www.coastalliving.com/food/dinner-in-a-breeze/twenty-shrimp-recipes/shrimp-boil"><font color="#0000ff">Low Country Boil</font></a></strong></em> and serve it to a large crowd and preferably at the beach! I was a subscriber to <a href="http://www.coastalliving.com/food/entertaining/lowcountry-boil"><font color="#0000ff">Coastal Living Magazine</font></a> for years which is where I found the basic recipe that I used to make mine.  There I saw and read recipes and stories about Low Country Boils and always wanted to give it a try.   I finally got my chance.  </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">Favorite kind of vacation for me….hands down….is to spend a week at the beach.  The Outer Banks in North Carolina continues to be one of my favorite spots on the earth.  But this year, now that the kids are older and more spread out location wise, I found a place to stay that was easy for everyone to get to and so for the first time we met on the<font color="#f79646"> <em><a href="http://picklesandcheeseblog.blogspot.com/2015/07/vacation-on-beautiful-isle-of-palms.html"><font color="#f79646">Beautiful Isle of Palms,  in South Carolina.</font></a></em></font></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">And I had a crowd to feed which made me very happy!</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">I looked at a lot of recipes and each of them a little bit different from the other.   Which made me realize that this too was one of those great recipes that is never the same exact thing twice or that you can easily put your own signature on.  It’s one of those ”throw whatever you have on hand into the pot, feed a lot of hungry people, and it’ll all work out just fine” kind of suppers.</font>      </p> <p> </p> <p> <a href="http://www.cabelas.com/category/CWC-Low-Country-Boil/635026680.uts"><img title="image" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="image" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-EmiYiWlEsbc/VaWjqgj0tdI/AAAAAAAAJ0g/FYOF---E0GA/image5.png?imgmax=800" width="777" height="416" /></a></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"><font size="5">This is how I made mine.</font> </font></p> <p><font size="6" face="Georgia"><strong>Low Country Boil</strong></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"><font size="5">Equipment and Ingredients:</font>  </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">Very tall pot.  A Stock pot works great or even a canning pot would work.  </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">News papers, and lots of paper towels!  Forks optional.  : )  This is the ultimate finger food kind of dinner. </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"><strong>Water</strong>, I filled the stock pot up about 1/3 of the way with water so that I had enough room for all the ingredients.  </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">4 Heaping tablespoons of <strong>Old Bay Seasoning</strong>  (add more or less depending on your pot size.)  Don’t worry about precise measurements.  It’ll all work out I promise! </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"></font></p> <p><font color="#f79646" size="4" face="Georgia"><em>If you don’t want to be eating at midnight, I suggest you start to boil the water with the Old Bay added to it right away.</em></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"><em><font color="#f79646">Turn your burner on High and put a lid on the pot to bring it all up to a boil.  Chop your vegetables and seafood while this is happening.</font></em> </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"><strong>Red skin potatoes</strong>, leave the skins on, cut in large chunks for even and quicker cooking.  I figured about  2 potatoes for each man and 1 for each woman.  How’s that for science?  The potatoes need more time than some of the other ingredients to cook all the way through so add them to the pot first and then cut up the rest of your ingredients. </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">3 to 4 <strong>Onions</strong>, cut into large chunks </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">1 to 2 <strong>Green Pepper</strong>, cut into large pieces</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"><strong>Corn on the cob</strong>.  Shucked and each piece broken in half.  I figured one ear per person and threw in a couple of extra.  </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"><strong>Raw Shrimp</strong>,  The shrimp still in their shells have more flavor but you can use whatever kind you want.  Peeling with your fingers is part of the fun.  Just have lots off napkins or paper towels on hand.  I used 2 pounds of shrimp and was able to feed 7 people.  But I also did not have any other seafood in the pot.  Many people like to add crab legs or chunks of fish.  The next time I make this I would love to add some mussels.  </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">I did not add my seafood, in my case the shrimp, until the pot was at a full boil.  Then I added my shrimp and set the timer for 10 minutes.  Perfect.  The shrimp were cooked but not over done or tough.  They were nice and tender.  </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">3 links of<strong> Sausage</strong>, cut in small chunks.  Any kind.  I used beef sausage from Hillshire Farms because it was buy one get 2 free!  Buy what you like.  Next time I think I’ll try kielbasa.  A smoked sausage might be nice in this too. </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"><strong>Butter</strong> , melted for dipping the seafood in and makes buttering the corn cobs easier. </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"><strong>Salt and Pepper</strong></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"><strong>Sliced Lemons </strong>(optional)</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"><strong>Cocktail Sauce </strong></font><font size="4" face="Georgia"><a href="http://www.crosseandblackwell.com/products/seafood-sauce"><font color="#0000ff">Crosse and Blackwell</font></a><font color="#0000ff"></font> is my favorite brand.  </font></p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-tOJmX5VzQYQ/VaWjrKD8AcI/AAAAAAAAJ0k/vSMxPrEIsXE/s1600-h/Old-Bay-Seasoning6.jpg"><img title="Old Bay Seasoning" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Old Bay Seasoning" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-pqC6Vzx4vuk/VaWjrt-C7iI/AAAAAAAAJ0s/DVs2L6XcHLM/Old-Bay-Seasoning_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" width="243" height="322" /></a>     <a href="http://www.crosseandblackwell.com/products/seafood-sauce"><img title="Cocktail Sauce Crosse and Blackwell" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Cocktail Sauce Crosse and Blackwell" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-h7ay71C__Dg/VaWjr8s_rXI/AAAAAAAAJ00/nhHzkDjCYHI/Cocktail%252520Sauce%252520Crosse%252520and%252520Blackwell.jpg?imgmax=800" width="426" height="322" /></a></p> <p><font size="4"><font face="Georgia">Old Bay.  It’s a classic for a reason.</font>  <font face="Georgia">     And my favorite cocktail sauce is made by Crosse and Blackwell.</font></font></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-uptl3hIxr-U/VaWjso0O9dI/AAAAAAAAJ1A/op5PFBH6bXs/s1600-h/Low-Country-Boil5.jpg"><img title="Low Country Boil" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Low Country Boil" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-0ZSK7L9LC2c/VaWjtNGZC1I/AAAAAAAAJ1E/HvgqhDZes5Y/Low-Country-Boil_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="368" height="277" /></a>     <a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-HydnQmtmjF8/VaWjtk-EldI/AAAAAAAAJ1Q/03cMdwJAapg/s1600-h/Low-Country-Boil-Isle-of-Palms-Vacat.jpg"><img title="Low Country Boil Isle of Palms Vacation 3" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Low Country Boil Isle of Palms Vacation 3" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-MdlQIcMdz2c/VaWjuMUL1sI/AAAAAAAAJ1U/fPCgot610dQ/Low-Country-Boil-Isle-of-Palms-Vacat%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="319" height="277" /></a></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">Spread some newspaper several layers thick down the center of your table.  I used a large slotted spoon to lift the food out of the broth in the pot and put it in a large bowl.  I poured the food down the center of the table.  Steaming hot.  Be careful.  The newspaper absorbs any excess broth and the food is evenly dispersed across the center of the table for a reach in and help yourself meal.  Have lots of paper towels or napkins on hand.  This is a messy but very fun business.   I had to improvise with brown paper Harris Teeter Grocery bags deconstructed with a pair of scissors and the inside of the bags face up with the  ink side face down.  It worked out just fine. </font></p> <p> <font size="4" face="Georgia">                        <a href="http://www.coles.com/breads/original-garlic-bread"><img title="Coles Garlic Bread" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Coles Garlic Bread" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-kZda-dBI_tE/VaZY_pov9AI/AAAAAAAAJ10/FoLMT1JmHxk/Coles%252520Garlic%252520Bread%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="618" height="70" /></a>  </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">( <font size="2">I also served up one of those ever so handy frozen <a href="http://www.coles.com/breads/original-garlic-bread"><font color="#ff0000">Coles’ Garlic Breads</font></a> that you can find in the frozen bread section.  Perfect beach fare although a really great bread would be more than awesome….if you can make it easy on yourself…and you’re on vacation…..do it! </font>)</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">This was the ultimate in beach food.  Feeds a crowd, easy and economical too. I hope to make this meal an annual event! </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">Sand or no sand.</font></p> Lisa@Pickles and Cheesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17154819162615247516noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3883070918058525039.post-7544008700704988292015-07-08T09:31:00.001-07:002015-07-08T10:38:22.526-07:00Vacation on the Beautiful Isle of Palms, South Carolina<p><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-dEBJYD10FLo/VZ1QKSXQoyI/AAAAAAAAJxU/YDMYVMqKZ0E/s1600-h/Marina%2525202%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="Marina 2" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Marina 2" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-fYz5yhYK49U/VZ1QLQPKjEI/AAAAAAAAJxc/TxPoU1GDYQE/Marina%2525202_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="825" height="619" /></a></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">Having a wonderful and long due vacation on the Isle of Palms in South Carolina this week.  It’s been a long time coming.  My favorite vacation to take is one at the beach and while I think my favorite beaches are on the Outer Banks in North Carolina, we decided to give the Charleston, South Carolina area a try.  Love it here too!  We are staying the on the beautiful Isle of Palms and not a rain drop all week.  It’s been perfect beach weather.   They take their <em>Palm Trees</em> very seriously here.  As well they should.  There is a very beachy vibe here.  The main street as you come across the island where all the beach front cottages/beach mansions : ) are located is lined with palm trees.  We even saw city maintenance crews pruning away the dried out fronds.  Isle of Palms is a barrier island on the South Carolina coast. It lies along a narrow strip of land, hugging the beach, separated from the mainland by Intracoastal Waterway.  And Charleston is only about a half hour from here or so I’m told.  Will find out tonight.  Planning on having dinner there this evening. </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">Our first day here we had lunch on the top deck of a restaurant called <font color="#0000ff"><strong><font color="#ff0000">Morgan Creek Grill</font> </strong><font color="#000000">which was in the <a href="http://www.iopmarina.com/"><strong><font color="#0000ff">Isle of Palms Marina</font></strong></a></font>.</font>  How’s that for a view?!  </font></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-KaII-MA3BsU/VZ1QLy4zG6I/AAAAAAAAJxk/gVz57xIieSA/s1600-h/Creek%252520Drinks%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img title="Creek Drinks" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Creek Drinks" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-XJo8N5OGZqc/VZ1QMSSrJ1I/AAAAAAAAJxs/5B5BttvMjXg/Creek%252520Drinks_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="344" height="458" /></a>          <a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-H4e2lethwtU/VZ1QM1Me_eI/AAAAAAAAJx0/BL5gHLUIIH8/s1600-h/Marina%2525203%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="Marina 3" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Marina 3" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Nfjk-GFbLhA/VZ1QNsZ6aTI/AAAAAAAAJx4/rIX4Fy_hVlQ/Marina%2525203_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="344" height="457" /></a></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">It was a bit too early for cocktails but the drink menu looked good enough for a return visit.  I’m very into Moscow Mules right now so I think I might have to order The “Gig”.  : )</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-UHbha-uSIDo/VZ1QOPYANZI/AAAAAAAAJyE/U753ptJA7P0/s1600-h/Isle%252520of%252520Palms%252520Beach%25255B7%25255D.jpg"><img title="Isle of Palms Beach" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Isle of Palms Beach" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-071UAQjhDJ4/VZ1QOkSJxNI/AAAAAAAAJyM/xP_vdqE0KAE/Isle%252520of%252520Palms%252520Beach_thumb%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="819" height="548" /></a></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">My camera lens and angle makes the beach look really crowded but it really was not.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-cSiB_GLZmuk/VZ1QPcE7kVI/AAAAAAAAJyU/EbTiS9MbCww/s1600-h/Beach%252520Pelicans%252520and%252520Sea%252520Gulls%252520Isle%252520of%252520Palms%25252C%252520SC%25255B7%25255D.jpg"><img title="Beach Pelicans and Sea Gulls Isle of Palms, SC" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Beach Pelicans and Sea Gulls Isle of Palms, SC" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-uRLyh5Xx6lE/VZ1QQEx7beI/AAAAAAAAJyc/Z2FcXuhcZsI/Beach%252520Pelicans%252520and%252520Sea%252520Gulls%252520Isle%252520of%252520Palms%25252C%252520SC_thumb%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="811" height="541" /></a></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">Pelicans have to be my most favorite kind of bird.</font></p> <p>  <a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-EMho-DUNWo0/VZ1QQiLmcnI/AAAAAAAAJyk/u7AK5Hrkyv8/s1600-h/Shrimp%252520Boat%25255B7%25255D.jpg"><img title="Shrimp Boat" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Shrimp Boat" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-qx0LI73CqA4/VZ1QRO08QtI/AAAAAAAAJys/7Y_pGLDfAUQ/Shrimp%252520Boat_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="164" /></a>    <a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-bLSSGizh46I/VZ1QR5k3-gI/AAAAAAAAJy0/pNJ9dhpjxxo/s1600-h/Beach%252520Chair%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="Beach Chair" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Beach Chair" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Upu906bmUKw/VZ1QSTrghiI/AAAAAAAAJy8/LT-Fa19uB4M/Beach%252520Chair_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="164" /></a>    <a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-TV7xyY7J3fg/VZ1QS94EWKI/AAAAAAAAJzE/e7EsHNciBRA/s1600-h/Sea%252520Gull%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="Sea Gull" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Sea Gull" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-jMUQ9JR7eus/VZ1QTmEW_iI/AAAAAAAAJzI/f4VSNYpKtXQ/Sea%252520Gull_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="164" /></a></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">That’s my beach reading chair in the middle.  Toes in the water and my book and my 50 SPF sunscreen.  Happy Girl.</font> </p> <p>     <a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-G61z7rGU9xE/VZ1QUKCL07I/AAAAAAAAJzU/IjGO-KVS0KI/s1600-h/Evan%252520in%252520water%252520fishing%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img title="Evan in water fishing" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Evan in water fishing" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-k60koOw2fDY/VZ1QUmgjDaI/AAAAAAAAJzY/7LyerXzp1g8/Evan%252520in%252520water%252520fishing_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="473" height="316" /></a>     <a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-dZvAaMcNdKM/VZ1QVI0T7sI/AAAAAAAAJzk/E9GDKPRwVZ4/s1600-h/Evan%252520Isle%252520of%252520Palms%25252C%252520July%2525206%25252C%2525202015%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="re" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="re" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-xWVUihbcO-Q/VZ1QVhfku4I/AAAAAAAAJzs/0DlvLY5b-y4/Evan%252520Isle%252520of%252520Palms%25252C%252520July%2525206%25252C%2525202015_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="235" height="313" /></a></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">So I am sure you have all heard the reports of the crazy shark attacks this summer off the coast of North and South Carolina.  Well, I have to say there were very few people in the water here.  Me included.   The sharks are there I am thinking because my son caught 3 baby Black Fin Sharks in the last two days. I don’t know much about sharks or how long the Mama sharks stay with their babies but that made me kind of nervous!</font>  </p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">I am headed back to the beach for the day.  Got a little bit scorched by the sun yesterday so I have to take extra care with the sun screen and beach umbrella today.  I had a lot of mouths to feed the other night and did so by making my first Low Country Boil.  So stay tuned.  It was a big success! </font></p> <p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0015DTUYI/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0015DTUYI&linkCode=as2&tag=pickandchee-20&linkId=W75AVVO4LMHIQ2EF">Off Season</a><img src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=pickandchee-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B0015DTUYI"><img title="Book Off Season Anne Rivers Siddons" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Book Off Season Anne Rivers Siddons" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-28ZeWfV1sdI/VZ1X0pbHHLI/AAAAAAAAJz8/RVTwGLmg3hI/Book%252520Off%252520Season%252520Anne%252520Rivers%252520Siddons%25255B6%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="124" height="193" /></a>     <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0446698318/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0446698318&linkCode=as2&tag=pickandchee-20&linkId=7DGVGWZQ5K3NQZ4Q">The Girls of August</a><img src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=pickandchee-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0446698318"><img title="Book The Girls of August Anne Rivvers Siddons" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Book The Girls of August Anne Rivvers Siddons" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-UT9ILxr-__w/VZ1X1LdP1WI/AAAAAAAAJ0A/obgxhzyV09E/Book%252520The%252520Girls%252520of%252520August%252520Anne%252520Rivvers%252520Siddons%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="128" height="195" /></a></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">My beach read this week is <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0446698296/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0446698296&linkCode=as2&tag=pickandchee-20&linkId=7FFGJE6KIHESAIMV">Off Season</a><img src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=pickandchee-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0446698296"><font color="#0000ff"><strong>Off SeasonOff Season by Anne Rivers Siddons</strong></font></a>.  And I am very excited because next week <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0015DTUYI/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0015DTUYI&linkCode=as2&tag=pickandchee-20&linkId=W75AVVO4LMHIQ2EF">Off Season</a><img src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=pickandchee-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B0015DTUYI"><font color="#0000ff"><strong>Off SeasonThe Girls of August</strong></font></a> comes out.  I took my vacation one week too early.  Look at that cover.  Either make for beach reading perfection.</font> </p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">See you soon.</font></p> Lisa@Pickles and Cheesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17154819162615247516noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3883070918058525039.post-84189159799125563942015-06-30T09:14:00.001-07:002015-07-01T19:58:37.721-07:00Driving Hungry by Layne Mosler<p><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-I1hp9bz7pvA/VZLAarmumwI/AAAAAAAAJwg/XZv5htqNgao/s1600-h/Driving-Hungry-Layne-Mosler-Stack-of%25255B1%25255D.jpg"><img title="Driving Hungry Layne Mosler Stack of Books" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Driving Hungry Layne Mosler Stack of Books" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-YQN8jTF2Yl0/VZLAbG6G0vI/AAAAAAAAJwo/aBNaB1ibVaM/Driving-Hungry-Layne-Mosler-Stack-of%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="504" height="632" /></a></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">Summer is upon us and I couldn’t be happier!!  Hard to believe that next week is the Fourth of July which to me marks the middle of the summer.  How can that be??!!  We are headed to the beach very soon and it’s been a long time coming.</font> <font size="4" face="Georgia"> I Love to sit in my beach chair with my toes in the water  a good book in my hand,  with my sunglasses and my SPF 50 sunscreen.  I can’t think of anything more relaxing than that can you? </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">I just finished this very entertaining book.  </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">Are you looking for a great beach read?  Consider this one.</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">It promises to take you on an adventure!</font></p> <p><iframe style="height: 240px; width: 120px" marginheight="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=ss_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=pickandchee-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=1101870311&asins=1101870311&linkId=HR7MOQBDRNWKFGEG&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p> <p> </p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1101870311/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1101870311&linkCode=as2&tag=pickandchee-20&linkId=RRKOU4GYZJ6LANLK">Driving Hungry: A Memoir</a><img src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=pickandchee-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1101870311" target="_blank">Driving Hungry: A MemoirDriving Hungry</a> will be released by <a href="http://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/220302/driving-hungry-by-layne-mosler/9781101870310#aboutthebook"><font color="#9b00d3">Penguin Random House</font></a> on July 14, 2015.  </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"></font></p> <font size="4" face="Georgia"></font> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">This delicious and fun book is by the author of the popular blog </font><a href="http://taxigourmet.com/"><font color="#ff0000" size="4" face="Georgia"><strong><em>Taxi Gourmet</em></strong></font></a><font size="4" face="Georgia"> where Layne Mosler takes you on her Taxi Cab Adventures.  She learned quickly back in 2007 when she started writing her Taxi Gourmet blog that sometimes the best food a city has to offer is sometimes off the beaten path and who would know better where some of these hidden treasures are than the taxi cab drivers shuttling locals and tourists around town?  She writes about the food and restaurants she discovers on these adventures and  also writes about the interesting, and diverse and colorful cab drivers she encounters from all parts of the world.  And so much good food.  But if it’s bad or if it’s not all that, she’ll tell you. </font></p> <p> </p> <p><font size="4"><font face="Georgia"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Driving-Hungry-Memoir-Layne-Mosler/dp/1101870311/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1435616323&sr=8-1&keywords=driving+hungry"><font color="#0000ff">Driving Hungry</font></a> is  a memoir that will take you from Buenos Aries to New York City and finally to Berlin.  You really get to experience all three of these unique cities through the eyes, nose, and taste buds of Layne Mosler and learn a lot about taxi cab culture as you tag along on one of her "Taxi Cab Adventures".  She discovers the uniqueness of each city by tasting it's food based on the recommendations of the taxi cab drivers she meets along the way. </font></font></p> <p><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/18/AR2009021803176.html"><img title="Driving Hungry Laynes Mosler Washington Post Photo" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Driving Hungry Laynes Mosler Washington Post Photo" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ZiVAWki-xcc/VZLAbkcYOkI/AAAAAAAAJws/VCmF7Kx6_H8/Driving-Hungry-Laynes-Mosler-Washing%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="345" height="265" /></a></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">Photo from an article in the <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/18/AR2009021803176.html"><font color="#0000ff">Washington Post February 19, 2009 Cabbies Steer Blogger to Buenos Aries’s Diverse Culinary Offerings by Joshua Partlow</font></a></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">I so appreciate good writing and Layne Mosler can write.    She takes the reader of her memoir to three very different cities.  It starts in Buenos Aries, a city that I really didn’t know anything about except that it’s the capitol of Argentina and is known for it’s beef.  I don’t speak Spanish but I do have a thing for beef and <a href="http://www.two-tarts.com/2014/06/chimichurri-sauce.html"><font color="#0000ff">Chimichurri sauce</font>.</a>   : )   The sights, sounds, and smells of this city are brought to life in Layne’s descriptions of what she gets to eat so much so </font><font size="4" face="Georgia">that I found myself looking for recipes to try my hand at making empanadas.  They seem to be the easy street food of choice there.  Tasty and economical.  Her charming story includes a romance that centers around the handsome Tango Dancer she meets but also gives us a taste for the culture and tradition of Tango dancing that is the city of Buenos Aries.  </font></p> <p><a href="http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748703571704575340923898364624"><img title="Driving Hungry Layne Mosler WSJ photo" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Driving Hungry Layne Mosler WSJ photo" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-09h-XJj2IT4/VZLAcCtDesI/AAAAAAAAJw4/6vmIfVGyUNk/Driving-Hungry-Layne-Mosler-WSJ-phot.jpg?imgmax=800" width="701" height="541" /></a></p> <p><font color="#0000ff" size="4" face="Georgia"><font color="#000000">Photo from the</font>  <a href="http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748703571704575340923898364624"><font color="#0000ff">Wall Street Journal  July 2, 2010 A City of Tasty Fares by Aaron Rutkoff</font></a></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">Next stop is New York City.  It’s a city that I am sure would chew me up and spit me out in a very short amount of time!  But Layne gives it her best shot and even finds herself in cabbie school after meeting a couple of female taxi cab drivers and gets her cab driver’s license and starts picking up fares in a tough city.<font size="4" face="Georgia">I admire her braveness.  </font></font><font size="4" face="Georgia">Her Taxi Cab Adventures continue by finding the hidden food treasures of a gritty and bustling city but something is missing and soon she finds herself in Berlin.  Berlin is a</font><font size="4" face="Georgia">nother city that I am so unfamiliar with but I found it fascinating to learn of it’s history and to see it through her eyes.  She meets an especially endearing taxi cab driver who experienced the Cold War first hand and witnessed history watching  the Berlin Wall come down.  She must have fallen in love with Berlin and her Taxi Cab driver because she is still there!  Such a sweet story.  </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">Want to read more about Layne and her taxi cab adventures here’s another link:</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"><font color="#0000ff"> </font><a href="http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9507E0DF113CF932A05753C1A9669D8B63"><font color="#0000ff">New York Times  October 31, 2010 A Cabby and Her Cravings by Simon McCormack</font></a><font size="4" face="Georgia"></font></font></p> <p><font color="#0000ff" size="4" face="Georgia"></font></p> <p><font size="4"><strong><font face="Georgia">Driving Hungry.  Highly recommended and thoroughly enjoyable</font><font face="Georgia">!</font></strong></font></p> Lisa@Pickles and Cheesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17154819162615247516noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3883070918058525039.post-83270990304802855092015-03-29T07:31:00.001-07:002015-03-29T07:34:56.205-07:00Little Free Libraries<p><font size="4" face="Georgia">I have to say I was charmed the first time I saw one of these Little Free Libraries.  </font></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-WSiD_VtXkT4/VRgMruw3DDI/AAAAAAAAJt0/4H82-KV3pa8/s1600-h/Charleston%25252C%252520SC%252520Little%252520Library%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><font size="4" face="Georgia"><img title="Charleston, SC Little Library" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Charleston, SC Little Library" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-0ZvTIDZl2iI/VRgMsn6zXKI/AAAAAAAAJt8/OJGRcb_T-cs/Charleston%25252C%252520SC%252520Little%252520Library_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="670" height="893" /></font></a></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">I didn’t really know what I was seeing but it was pretty easy to figure out and intrigued me enough when I spotted my first one one a recent Girl’s Weekend to Charleston, South Carolina that when I got home from my trip, I dug around online to learn more about them. </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-GdO15gaXvuc/VRgMtaTCUaI/AAAAAAAAJuE/7To6fJT6PYo/s1600-h/Charleston%25252C%252520Jogger%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img title="Charleston, Jogger" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Charleston, Jogger" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-zegG3v7QoVU/VRgMuRTwdtI/AAAAAAAAJuM/alOM2LrdtxY/Charleston%25252C%252520Jogger_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="666" height="884" /></a></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"> Charleston, SC is a delightful city.  We took the horse drawn carriage tour into some of it’s neighborhood’s and my camera was in overdrive.  So as we were moving our way up this street, I snapped this shot thinking to myself that if I lived here of course I would be jogging too! And then that little box just past that lucky runner who I was imagining to be myself caught my eye.  </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">There was what at first looked like an elaborate bird feeder to me but to my surprise it was filled with books.  I have a soft spot for libraries.  I loved to visit them when I was growing up and worked in one when I was in college.  Still love to visit and browse in a library.</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">The box I spotted had a little sign on it and I snapped the photo so I could investigate when I got home.  The boxes are called </font><a href="http://littlefreelibrary.org/"><font color="#0000ff" size="4" face="Georgia">Little Free Libraries</font></a><font size="4" face="Georgia"> and they are springing up all over the country and all around the world.  The premise is a simple one.  “Take A Book, Return A Book”.  Making books available right there in one’s own neighborhood.</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">Check out this </font><a href="https://vimeo.com/72957294"><font color="#ff0000" size="4" face="Georgia">cute video</font></a><font size="4" face="Georgia"> that explains how it works.</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"></font></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-xR0laXQJ23g/VRgMukyWY_I/AAAAAAAAJuQ/Pdp5Xnhrbxg/s1600-h/Little%252520Free%252520Library%2525202%25255B1%25255D.jpg"><font size="4" face="Georgia"><img title="Little Free Library 2" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Little Free Library 2" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-lbPAtKeIXoY/VRgMvA5UI4I/AAAAAAAAJuc/g-koO12GTvc/Little%252520Free%252520Library%2525202_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="286" height="380" /></font></a><font size="4" face="Georgia">     </font><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-6VtOfUFz6jI/VRgMvlpfxsI/AAAAAAAAJug/MKbitbIR2cE/s1600-h/Little%252520Free%252520Library%25255B1%25255D.jpg"><font size="4" face="Georgia"><img title="Little Free Library" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Little Free Library" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ZM-KgXGRRwY/VRgMwCXaaoI/AAAAAAAAJus/5Jxlm282O8s/Little%252520Free%252520Library_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="301" height="380" /></font></a></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">  And the creativity!!  Just look at how adorable some of these Little Libraries are.   And what a great way to recycle an old newspaper box.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-WSiD_VtXkT4/VRgMruw3DDI/AAAAAAAAJt0/4H82-KV3pa8/s1600-h/Charleston%25252C%252520SC%252520Little%252520Library%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><font size="4" face="Georgia"></font></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-awTo1_rbRL0/VRgMwtX3jzI/AAAAAAAAJu0/LhwLWgFEH9Y/s1600-h/Little%252520Free%252520Library%252520Book%252520Roof.jpg"><font size="4" face="Georgia"><img title="Little Free Library Book Roof" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Little Free Library Book Roof" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-TpUFP8xHEQU/VRgMxBNZweI/AAAAAAAAJu4/gXVfSpufkWY/Little%252520Free%252520Library%252520Book%252520Roof_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="178" height="263" /></font></a><font size="4" face="Georgia">      </font><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-I9pluvnhSdk/VRgMxYYk4hI/AAAAAAAAJvE/PVqTCQ54_HI/s1600-h/Little%252520FreeLibrary%2525203.jpg"><font size="4" face="Georgia"><img title="Little FreeLibrary 3" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Little FreeLibrary 3" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-PW__G6l00L0/VRgMx2i419I/AAAAAAAAJvI/-WxN7YgxC0U/Little%252520FreeLibrary%2525203_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="193" height="260" /></font></a><font size="4" face="Georgia">     </font><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-GN4gdY4-k8k/VRgMyY8S2JI/AAAAAAAAJvU/Qj2hUemVY8Q/s1600-h/Little%252520Library.jpg"><font size="4" face="Georgia"><img title="Little Library" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Little Library" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ePnwTj-q4w8/VRgMy4fjezI/AAAAAAAAJvY/TJD1O4ntUX8/Little%252520Library_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="194" height="257" /></font></a></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">Love the book roof on this first one. </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"></font></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-oVkqtc7v7ck/VRgMzYnvd7I/AAAAAAAAJvk/SbAdDmKZ1_w/s1600-h/Little%252520Free%252520Libray%252520Mushrom.jpg"><font size="4" face="Georgia"><img title="Little Free Libray Mushrom" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Little Free Libray Mushrom" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-5SdrEyWY2Bc/VRgMz-T3fBI/AAAAAAAAJvs/poG9I3d21-U/Little%252520Free%252520Libray%252520Mushrom_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="589" height="399" /></font></a></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">And oh my, I love little red mushrooms.  What a cute idea for a book box.  </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">Have you spotted one in your neighborhood?</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"> </font></p> Lisa@Pickles and Cheesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17154819162615247516noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3883070918058525039.post-27873953409596693642015-03-12T05:46:00.001-07:002015-07-02T05:39:27.778-07:00Life From Scratch by Sasha Martin <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-eKBqbrEtcvo/VQGKfCRI3TI/AAAAAAAAJsg/wmrYvfEeaoo/s1600-h/Life-from-Scratch9.jpg"><img alt="Life from Scratch" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-fxWM1qpo8Ig/VQGKf6jFRkI/AAAAAAAAJso/j7RkytJBfkc/Life-from-Scratch_thumb5.jpg?imgmax=800" height="713" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Life from Scratch" width="474" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: medium;">This was a gem of a book. And it’s getting lot’s of attention. I don’t get asked to write book reviews very often but when this one was offered to me I jumped at the chance mostly because it is the kind of book that I would have picked up on my own. I read cookbooks for fun. I love to sit on my front porch in the summertime and pour through old favorites. In the wintertime I sit on my couch with a lot of those same cookbooks. Sometimes I’ll pick up a fresh stack of cookbooks from the library, and armed with a quilt, I’ll look for new recipes among them to try for the next night’s dinner. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: medium;">I also like to read memoirs. And this one is special. Life from Scratch is a memoir about food, family, and forgiveness.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: medium;"> Sasha Martin tells the story of her childhood with memories of a larger than life mother and her mother’s ability to make her earlier childhood an educational adventure. Another reviewer compared it to <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Glass-Castle-Memoir-Jeannette-Walls/dp/074324754X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1426164546&sr=8-1&keywords=the+glass+castle"><span style="color: #ffc000;">The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls</span></a> and I have to say it reminded me a bit of that book too. It’s extremely well written, poignant, and hopeful.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: medium;">Here is the summary of the book I was given when I was first asked if I would like to read and review it. </span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia;">Over the course of 195 weeks, food writer and blogger Sasha Martin set out to cook—and eat—a meal from every country in the world. As cooking unlocked the memories of her rough-and-tumble childhood and the loss and heartbreak that came with it, Martin became more determined than ever to find peace and elevate her life through the prism of food and world cultures. From the tiny, makeshift kitchen of her eccentric, creative mother to a string of foster homes to the house from which she launches her own cooking adventure, Martin’s heartfelt, brutally honest memoir reveals the power of cooking to bond, to empower, and to heal—and celebrates the simple truth that happiness is created from within.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: medium;">I love this kind of format for a book. It’s a memoir that tells the story of Sasha’s life and includes the food that was part of those events that shaped her and then wraps up each chapter with a recipe from those events. It reminded me of another favorite food memoir I read a few years ago called <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1416551069/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1416551069&linkCode=as2&tag=pickandchee-20&linkId=U5NC2Q4VF6VV3WMO" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">A Homemade Life by Molly Wisenberg</span></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null">. </a>Although the stories were very different, they were the written in the same format of telling the story of a family and wrapping each chapter up with a recipe. I’ve tried several of the recipes from Molly’s book and can’t wait to get started trying some of the recipes in Sasha’s <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Life-Scratch-Memoir-Family-Forgiveness/dp/1426213743/ref=sr_1_sc_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1425862700&sr=1-1-spell&keywords=Life+from+screatch"><span style="color: red;">Life from Scratch</span></a>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: medium;">Reading this memoir also introduced me to Sasha’s blog called <span style="color: red;"><a href="http://globaltableadventure.com/"><span style="color: red;">Global Table Adventure</span></a> <span style="color: black;">where she shows her readers how to bring the world to your kitchen. The idea behind her blog was to take 195 recipes from 195 countries and prepare and enjoy them with her family. It was a way to see the world without leaving home. Not all of us can travel the world…trips like that are usually once in a lifetime but this is an amazing way to experience foreign lands and the people that live there. It’s brilliant! And it makes for wonderful reading. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: medium;">And look at this amazing cake that she is featuring on her blog. <a href="http://globaltableadventure.com/recipe/recipe-dark-chocolate-guinness-cake-with-baileys-buttercream/"><span style="color: blue;">Dark Chocolate Guinness Cake with Bailey’s Buttercream!!</span></a> That looks so delicious and if you like the idea of the Bailey’s Buttercream but maybe not the Guinness Stout, she also has a recipe for <a href="http://globaltableadventure.com/recipe/oharas-irish-red-velvet-cake-with-baileys-buttercream/"><span style="color: red;">O’Hara’s Irish Red Velvet Cake with Bailey’s Buttercream</span></a>. Click on either link and you’ll be taken to her blog with the amazing recipes. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: medium;"> Perfect for a St. Patrick’s Day celebration. I’ll be making this for St. Pat’s day myself. A bottle of Guinness is on my shopping list…I’ve got all the other ingredients. </span> <br />
<img alt="" src="http://i1.wp.com/globaltableadventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Guinness-Stout-Chocolate-Cake.jpg?resize=600%2C399" height="235" title="Dark Chocolate Guinness Stout Cake with Bailey's Buttercream" width="353" /> <img alt="Irish Red Velvet Cake Recipe" src="http://i1.wp.com/globaltableadventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/irish-red-velvet-cake-recipe-13.jpg?resize=840%2C560" height="234" width="351" /><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: medium;">Take a trip around the world or make something special based on where your ancestors are from. I plan to dig in to some Czech Republic recipes right after I explore the Irish recipes for St. Pat’s Day. How about you? Where are your people from? And wouldn’t it be fun to make and eat something that you great great Grandmother used to make? </span><br />
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<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-6zcCZZI6XZk/VQGKgUcSV5I/AAAAAAAAJsw/Tnne5UHmbxY/s1600-h/Sasha-Martin31.jpg"><img alt="Sasha Martin" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Z5mYX62KiTQ/VQGKgxVOlwI/AAAAAAAAJs4/8awJg3rNOyw/Sasha-Martin_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" height="244" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Sasha Martin" width="164" /></a> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-vq5Bw6NFrGo/VQGKhesEaAI/AAAAAAAAJtA/Ytc0RE38n2k/s1600-h/Sasha-Martin3.jpg"><img alt="Sasha Martin" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-kkYCCy-nEMM/VQGKiGrximI/AAAAAAAAJtI/8XJUNEN0GGI/Sasha-Martin_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" height="244" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Sasha Martin" width="421" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: medium;">Life From Scratch by Sasha Martin is published by <a href="http://press.nationalgeographic.com/2015/01/30/new-ng-book-life-from-scratch-a-memoir-of-food-family-and-forgiveness/"><span style="color: red;">National Geographic Press</span></a> and is available on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Life-Scratch-Memoir-Family-Forgiveness/dp/1426213743/ref=sr_1_sc_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1425862700&sr=1-1-spell&keywords=Life+from+screatch"><span style="color: blue;">Amazon</span></a>, <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/life-from-scratch-sasha-martin/1119054864?ean=9781426213748"><span style="color: #9b00d3;">Barnes and Noble</span></a>, and <a href="http://www.indiebound.org/book/9781426213748"><span style="color: blue;">IndieBound.</span></a></span>Lisa@Pickles and Cheesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17154819162615247516noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3883070918058525039.post-49122030435255756362015-02-25T18:01:00.001-08:002015-02-25T18:01:17.274-08:00Green Beans with Prosciutto<p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-ELQVZRlSHpA/VO5-M5ckl5I/AAAAAAAAJmk/pqq0ME6DHjE/s1600-h/Green-Beans-on-Platter22.jpg"><img title="Green Beans on Platter" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Green Beans on Platter" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Om1NrbM83LE/VO5-NpOS6DI/AAAAAAAAJms/X8jyj1n-7SY/Green-Beans-on-Platter_thumb10.jpg?imgmax=800" width="774" height="517" /></a></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"></font></p> <p> </p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">These green beans rock!!  I could eat them alone as an entire meal and be completely satisfied.  They are that good.  I mean it.  Really.</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">They are adapted from a </font><a href="http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2008/06/fresh-green-beans-one-way/"><font color="#0000ff" size="4" face="Georgia">Pioneer Woman recipe</font></a><font size="4" face="Georgia">.   My version has a few secret weapon ingredients and I have tweaked this recipe enough to finally declare that the version I have here is the preferred recipe of choice.  Pretty bold statements I know.  But really, these are tasty!!</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-RAaHpD96Hm8/VO5-PixNf6I/AAAAAAAAJmw/7EAg99xPnh8/s1600-h/Green-Beans-with-Citterio-Prosciutto%25255B1%25255D.jpg"><img title="Green Beans with Citterio Prosciutto" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Green Beans with Citterio Prosciutto" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Vv9nj5ChGms/VO5-QR9mT-I/AAAAAAAAJm8/H3qC46Um_uA/Green-Beans-with-Citterio-Prosciutto.jpg?imgmax=800" width="769" height="514" /></a></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">My secret weapon ingredient is diced prosciutto.  My favorite brand is </font><a href="http://www.citteriousa.com/products-cubetti.html#"><font color="#ff0000" size="4" face="Georgia">Citterio</font></a><font size="4"><font face="Georgia"> which is one of the brands my company merchandises for the supermarket chain we service.   The cheese company I work for has branched out a bit and we now merchandise some meats and sausages and so that is how this fun and <em>magic making</em> product showed up on my radar.  Now of course you could use diced ham which would be very nice in this recipe or even some bacon.  I think The Pioneer Woman gets a lot of the flavor for her recipe by using bacon grease…. but if you can find the prosciutto it really makes a difference.</font><font face="Georgia">  And you will only need to use half of the 4oz. package of prosciutto.  </font></font></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-mU8EBAkzGiA/VO5-RDbLYhI/AAAAAAAAJnE/-b3Pm0WDMZM/s1600-h/Green-Beans-with-Prosciutto.jpg"><img title="Green Beans with Prosciutto" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Green Beans with Prosciutto" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-dWhMwzFwXHs/VO5-R0a1XII/AAAAAAAAJnM/1nH_N_N1jmA/Green-Beans-with-Prosciutto_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="767" height="513" /></a><font size="4" face="Georgia"></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">There are a few other things that I tweaked from her original recipe.  I leave out the chopped red pepper and I also leave out the salt.  I find that the chicken stock really has enough salt and whenever I added the salt she called for in her recipe it was too much.  And if it was too much for me, and I LOVE my salt, even though I am not supposed to, then please take my advice and leave it out until after you cook these delicious babies up.  You can always add it later if you need to.  </font></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-WRpZV2Kl27c/VO5-SlFL5LI/AAAAAAAAJnU/DbMmhPPrxYM/s1600-h/Green-Beans--Garlic-and-Black-Pepper.jpg"><img title="Green Beans Garlic and Black Pepper" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Green Beans Garlic and Black Pepper" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-34NmHT4qQv8/VO5-V3QNRBI/AAAAAAAAJnc/_QFgp5grXrY/Green-Beans--Garlic-and-Black-Pepper%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="791" height="529" /></a><font size="4" face="Georgia"></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">My second secret weapon ingredient are the <a href="http://www.pictsweet.com/"><font color="#0000ff">Pictsweet  Frozen Whole Green Beans</font>.</a>  Of course fresh is always best and I would absolutely use fresh in the summertime if I grew my own or found some at the Farmer’s Market, but this is my favorite brand of frozen vegetables.  They cost a little bit more but they really are worth it and I usually stock up on them when <a href="http://www.harristeeter.com/">Harris Teeter</a> has a buy one get one free deal  which they do quite frequently.  </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">     <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-2aopXsuIvRA/VO5-WvJzJpI/AAAAAAAAJnk/hct-4SdimFE/s1600-h/Green-Beans-Almost-Done4.jpg"><img title="Green Beans Almost Done!" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Green Beans Almost Done!" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-84pkZijLxmg/VO5-XDSeksI/AAAAAAAAJns/yrTtnItZ__k/Green-Beans-Almost-Done_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="327" height="219" /></a>          <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-q-t0UORJBnI/VO5-X4eiUEI/AAAAAAAAJn0/UXNPMGQnBw0/s1600-h/Green-Beans-on-Platter18.jpg"><img title="Green Beans on Platter" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Green Beans on Platter" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-nyBNQ-fDcFA/VO5-YSqi9VI/AAAAAAAAJn4/jrIjDc-So4g/Green-Beans-on-Platter_thumb9.jpg?imgmax=800" width="320" height="215" /></a></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">Here’s the recipe:</font></p> <p><font size="6" face="Georgia">Green Beans with Prosciutto</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">1 24oz. package of Pictsweet Whole Green Beans (Family Size)</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">1 cup chicken stock.  (I like <a href="http://kitchenbasics.elsstore.com/retailer/store_templates/shell_id_1.asp?storeID=47FEB0D519204B8AA405479426749068"><font color="#0000ff">Kitchen Basics</font></a>)</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">1 medium onion, diced small</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">1 Tbsp. Olive Oil</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">2 Tbsp. butter</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">Half a package of Citterio Cubetti Prosciutto.  2 oz.</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">2 cloves of garlic, pressed</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">1/2 tsp. ground black pepper</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter with the olive oil and sauté the diced onion till soft and they start to caramelize. </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">Add the prosciutto and sauté with the onion just enough for the prosciutto to start to brown careful not to burn the prosciutto and onions. </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">Add the entire package of frozen green beans. Mix well with the meat and the onions.  </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">Add the cup of chicken broth and deglaze the pan by scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan.  </font></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-JmmzOTMYImY/VO5-ZL3p51I/AAAAAAAAJoE/K6cFNUO3-FQ/s1600-h/Green-Beans-on-Platter16.jpg"><img title="Green Beans on Platter" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Green Beans on Platter" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Tk5TL-DZ8U0/VO5-ZqS-4HI/AAAAAAAAJoM/nOvMJetqqn8/Green-Beans-on-Platter_thumb7.jpg?imgmax=800" width="774" height="517" /></a><font size="4" face="Georgia"></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">Add the garlic and pepper and quickly put a lid on the mixture till it comes to a boil and then reduce the heat to low and let simmer for 30 minutes with the lid on.   Add more chicken stock as needed so watch them close.  When they are done they will have a somewhat thickened sauce on them.  </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-89pF7ZEflfI/VO5-aUv6SkI/AAAAAAAAJoU/6B_PVEZUN2o/s1600-h/Green-Beans-Finished-59.jpg"><img title="Green Beans Finished 5" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Green Beans Finished 5" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-5nq5y5Ibhvc/VO5-a5E4RxI/AAAAAAAAJoc/8cLrsUNvAqs/Green-Beans-Finished-5_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" width="786" height="525" /></a></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">Delicious!</font></p> Lisa@Pickles and Cheesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17154819162615247516noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3883070918058525039.post-86006232062645603732015-02-24T11:46:00.001-08:002015-02-24T11:48:00.858-08:00Snow Day Lunch<p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-JEZcIquWJ6w/VOzU_BLchRI/AAAAAAAAJl8/RmoH4_mNvbc/s1600-h/Snowday%252520Lunch%25255B11%25255D.jpg"><font size="4" face="Georgia"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-JEZcIquWJ6w/VOzU_BLchRI/AAAAAAAAJmE/nuAsTpDB--k/s1600-h/Snowday%252520Lunch%25255B14%25255D.jpg"><img title="Snowday Lunch" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Snowday Lunch" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-qTPKgYKGwb4/VOzU_-sCMSI/AAAAAAAAJl0/s_ABgPWjato/Snowday%252520Lunch_thumb%25255B8%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="829" height="536" /></a></font></a></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">Woke up to a blanket of snow and the local weather forecasters are falling all over themselves trying to explain it. </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">It’s okay by me.  I’m taking a snow day off.  I am also going to:</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">Drink too much coffee</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">Cook a real dinner tonight</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">Play on my blog</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">Bake something</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">Dig deeper into some of the new blogs I have recently discovered like </font><a href="http://modernmrsdarcy.com/"><font color="#0000ff" size="4" face="Georgia">Modern Mrs. Darcy</font></a><font size="4" face="Georgia"> and some old favorites like </font><a href="http://www.parisiennefarmgirl.com/"><font color="#0000ff" size="4" face="Georgia">Parisienne Farmgirl</font></a><font size="4" face="Georgia"> and </font><a href="http://joannagoddard.blogspot.com/"><font color="#0000ff" size="4" face="Georgia">Cup of Jo</font></a></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">Investigate Instagram and see if I like it better than Twitter</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">and</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">eat this</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-sCTchxiaShk/VOzVAuqxZsI/AAAAAAAAJlc/bj5exNaOj3c/s1600-h/Snowday%252520Lunch%252520005%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><font size="4" face="Georgia"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-sCTchxiaShk/VOzVAuqxZsI/AAAAAAAAJlc/bj5exNaOj3c/s1600-h/Snowday%252520Lunch%252520005%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><font size="4" face="Georgia"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-sCTchxiaShk/VOzVAuqxZsI/AAAAAAAAJmM/h-5Nt0DKmeQ/s1600-h/Snowday%252520Lunch%252520005%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="Snowday Lunch 005" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Snowday Lunch 005" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-LzAIHoNabw8/VOzVAxl7LnI/AAAAAAAAJmU/tdyabU-4cmY/Snowday%252520Lunch%252520005_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="500" height="335" /></a></font></a></font></a></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">Toast an English Muffin.  Add chopped up avocado.  Salt and pepper the avocado.  Top with bacon and sliced tomatoes.  Pepper the tomatoes.  I like pepper.  Lot’s and lot’s of pepper.</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"> Eat Open faced.  </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">Delicious!</font></p> Lisa@Pickles and Cheesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17154819162615247516noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3883070918058525039.post-84660364172240556062015-02-23T06:56:00.001-08:002015-07-02T05:47:45.153-07:00Life From Scratch<p><font size="4" face="Georgia">I am currently wrapped up in reading a book that I was asked to read and review for </font><a href="http://tlcbooktours.com/2014/12/sasha-martin-author-of-life-from-scratch-on-tour-march-2015/"><font color="#ff0000" size="4" face="Georgia">TLC Book Tours</font></a><font face="Georgia"><font size="4"><font color="#ff0000">.</font>  It’s called <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1426213743/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1426213743&linkCode=as2&tag=pickandchee-20&linkId=GEPY7MKX3AXWSI45">Life From Scratch: A Memoir of Food, Family, and Forgiveness</a><img src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=pickandchee-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1426213743" target="_blank"><font color="#0000ff">Life From Scratch: A Memoir of Food, Family, and ForgivenessLife From Scratch</font></a></font></font><font color="#0000ff" size="4" face="Georgia"></font><font size="4" face="Georgia"> and I can only say that it’s really good!   My review of the book is scheduled for March 12, 2015 and I am already thinking about how I am going to put my blog post together for it. It’s a memoir of growing up under difficult circumstances but with an abundance of love and memories with ties to people, places, and food.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-cvVGRl9YMvc/VOs_qOLobOI/AAAAAAAAJjc/rg_FxC3X1XM/s1600-h/Book%252520Life%252520From%252520Scratch%2525203%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><font size="4" face="Georgia"><img title="Book Life From Scratch 3" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Book Life From Scratch 3" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Z9L7s2860lw/VOs_q_tC5sI/AAAAAAAAJjk/-F0CM8po0U4/Book%252520Life%252520From%252520Scratch%2525203_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="536" height="808" /></font></a><sub></sub></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">The author is </font><a href="http://tlcbooktours.com/2014/12/sasha-martin-author-of-life-from-scratch-on-tour-march-2015/"><font color="#0000ff" size="4" face="Georgia">Sasha Martin</font></a><font size="4" face="Georgia"><font color="#0000ff"> </font>and the book is already drawing lots of attention.  I am her newest follower on Facebook where I saw a post that her book was recognized by <a href="http://www.oprah.com/omagazine/Reading-Group-Guides-Reading-Room-List-for-Book-Clubs/2">Oprah’s Reading Room</a>.    She also writes a blog called </font><a href="http://globaltableadventure.com/"><font color="#ff0000" size="4" face="Georgia">Global Table Adventure</font></a><font size="4" face="Georgia"> where she blogs about cooking for 195 weeks the 195 foods from 195 countries around the world.  Amazing, ambitious and inspiring to be sure!   So, in addition to reading her memoir,  I am also busy digging in to all the amazing blog posts of the recipes and foods she’s cooked from every corner of the world.    Go ahead.  Pick a country and see what she came up with.  Who knows…it might just be just what you need for tonight’s menu.  : )</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">You can find it on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1426213743/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1426213743&linkCode=as2&tag=pickandchee-20&linkId=GEPY7MKX3AXWSI45">Life From Scratch: A Memoir of Food, Family, and Forgiveness</a><img src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=pickandchee-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1426213743" target="_blank"><font color="#0000ff">Life From Scratch: A Memoir of Food, Family, and ForgivenessAmazon</font></a></font><font color="#0000ff" size="4" face="Georgia"></font><font size="4" face="Georgia"> and it’s available for pre-order.   The book will be released on next Tuesday, March 3rd by </font><a href="http://press.nationalgeographic.com/2015/01/30/new-ng-book-life-from-scratch-a-memoir-of-food-family-and-forgiveness/"><font color="#0000ff" size="4" face="Georgia">National Geographic Press</font></a><font size="4" face="Georgia">.</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"> </font></p> Lisa@Pickles and Cheesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17154819162615247516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3883070918058525039.post-15185521094617957332015-02-04T15:04:00.001-08:002015-02-04T15:08:47.827-08:00Watercolor Cowboy Boots<p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-XkkewtCMYK4/VNKlSMTcT0I/AAAAAAAAJfI/DbfvmcvssqI/s1600-h/watercolors%252520015%25255B17%25255D.jpg"><img title="watercolors 015" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="watercolors 015" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-7VeXLiCYVdU/VNKlTGLHttI/AAAAAAAAJfQ/d8i6jbAMYMg/watercolors%252520015_thumb%25255B8%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="785" height="525" /></a></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">Yep. That’s what it says.  “Cowboy up or go cry in the truck”  Ha!  I saw a photo of some cowboy boots  in the September issue of Country Living Magazine (I’m a little behind in my reading).  : )  And decided to see if I could sketch them out on some watercolor paper.  Then after I finished painting them, I decide to go in search of a quote to add to the empty space on the side of the painting and found a quote that made me chuckle.  Not sure why I decided to paint them since I don’t even own a pair of cowboy boots.  But they reminded me of the boots I saw in shop after shop when I was in Nashville a couple of years ago for a wedding and looked basic enough to give them a try.  They were a fun mini painting project.  (I found the frame in the photo above at Goodwill.  It doesn’t have any glass or a back for it but it won’t need them for the project I have in mind.  Anyways, Seemed like a good way to display last nights painting projects. )</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"></font></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-9kkNMjC9P0k/VNKlT5TIoRI/AAAAAAAAJfY/vya2FlnwMss/s1600-h/watercolors%252520002%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="watercolors 002" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="watercolors 002" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-wQPzmkviU9Q/VNKlVLNlodI/AAAAAAAAJfg/Kj-4Ukqa31Q/watercolors%252520002_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="800" height="535" /></a><font size="4" face="Georgia"></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">And then I found myself binge sketching and painting.  After the cowboy boots I then sketched out the window picture </font><font size="4" face="Georgia">and sketched it from a beautiful photo I have saved on my <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/picklesandcheez/all-things-french/"><font color="#ff0000">All Things French board</font></a> on <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/">Pinterest</a>.  Each of the paintings are rather small…just the right size for a beginner like me.  I took a large piece of watercolor paper and folded it in half and then in half again and then gently tore the sheet into 4 smaller sheets and sketched and painted three by the end of the night. </font></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-FgxGYGsQY3Q/VNKlWEvnlUI/AAAAAAAAJfo/0jui3IMBfP4/s1600-h/Window%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="Window" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Window" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Tc5v_1IIvAg/VNKlW6C8pHI/AAAAAAAAJfw/s61a3mrRraw/Window_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="273" height="407" /></a>     <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-qtlqtzuEg4c/VNKlX6HELPI/AAAAAAAAJf4/Q7_69UlliwA/s1600-h/watercolors%252520011%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="watercolors 011" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="watercolors 011" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-1WTvQ2BYC4Q/VNKlYRuTBMI/AAAAAAAAJgA/HpuQ9FGpOMg/watercolors%252520011_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="322" height="402" /></a></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">Of the three I did last night I think the window picture is my favorite.</font>  </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-0JvabZ3p9xc/VNKlZQaEDEI/AAAAAAAAJgI/0kayxX-s5Gs/s1600-h/Fence%252520Water%252520Color%2525202%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img title="Fence Water Color 2" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Fence Water Color 2" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-eZI9bKL7Sbw/VNKlaMghYvI/AAAAAAAAJgQ/c18eXxRooLo/Fence%252520Water%252520Color%2525202_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="747" height="499" /></a></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">And then last but not least I made this fence painting.  I found the quote first online and love it and so decided that the simplest way to illustrate it would be to sketch a small fence.  So it seems inspiration can come in any order and from anyplace!  Hope you are having a Happy Wednesday!</font></p> Lisa@Pickles and Cheesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17154819162615247516noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3883070918058525039.post-12888846205115399162015-01-28T17:06:00.001-08:002015-01-28T17:15:44.082-08:00Making An Art Journal<p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-0SD1AuEd9Q8/VMmHdaTEppI/AAAAAAAAJdI/PuVJf1pbqWY/s1600-h/Art%252520Journal%252520experiment%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><font size="4" face="Georgia"><img title="Art Journal experiment" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Art Journal experiment" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-hUUdrXD2TME/VMmHeYdfMkI/AAAAAAAAJdQ/TOxXBidvkg0/Art%252520Journal%252520experiment_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="787" height="591" /></font></a></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">Art journaling.   Where have you been all these years???   Such a simple way to stay creative and I am so excited to start one!  I’ve done some basic research a lot of which has involved Pinterest which in turn has pointed me in the direction of some amazing blogs.  My favorite videos to watch have been by <a href="http://www.christytomlinson.typepad.com/"><font color="#0000ff">Christy Tomlinson</font></a> for collaging but I think my favorite art journaling blog right now has to be <a href="http://yesandamenblog.blogspot.com/p/art-journal.html"><font color="#0000ff">Junelle Jacobsen’s Blog called  Yes and Amen</font></a></font><font color="#0000ff" size="4" face="Georgia"></font>.  <font size="4" face="Georgia">She is so generous in what she shares and she also offers workshops and tutorials.  And on top of that her website and blog are absolutely charming with the way she sprinkles in photos of the sheep and baby lambs that I am guessing her family raises.   Adorable!  And her creativity will amaze you…it did me. </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"> Art journaling is a way to create, express, practice, and experiment in one place. Not everything needs to be placed on a canvas!  Sometimes you just want to try out a new idea or play around with a new combination of colors or experiment with some new papers or stamps.   I like the idea of having a book that I can do anything I want in.   In it I can draw, sketch, paint, doodle, decoupage, play with watercolors, papercraft, stamp, add photographs or make smaller versions of my favorite right now….collage.  I’ve even started a <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/picklesandcheez/mixed-media-art/"><font color="#ff0000">Mixed Media Board on Pinterest</font></a> if you would like to take a peek.  </font></p> <p><a href="http://artjournalist.com/how-to-prepare-an-old-book/"><img title="How to make an art journal" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="How to make an art journal" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-jA2lWyoHHOs/VMmHe-ilrGI/AAAAAAAAJdU/K662hVCXXxY/How%252520to%252520make%252520an%252520art%252520journal%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="195" height="244" /></a>     <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-wZQv9LPb0ow/VMmHgJbirCI/AAAAAAAAJdg/LWUrLJYvi2c/s1600-h/Art%252520Journal%252520Book%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="Art Journal Book" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Art Journal Book" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-XVCclylt200/VMmHgphHAUI/AAAAAAAAJdk/QGBrvsY_arw/Art%252520Journal%252520Book_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244" /></a>     <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-3NgtP1qLOiA/VMmHhJ8XUJI/AAAAAAAAJdw/4BiFY7ZnhDU/s1600-h/Art%252520Journal%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="Art Journal" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Art Journal" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ebVhx99KQsU/VMmHht8bXII/AAAAAAAAJd0/Gmmj_6Kwiqg/Art%252520Journal_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244" /></a></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">So just the other night I found another website called <a href="http://artjournalist.com/"><font color="#0000ff">Art Journalist</font></a> which has all kinds of advice, ideas and how-tos for art journaling.  I followed their advice and found myself in a Goodwill looking for a suitable book that I could convert into and art journal.  And for a $1.25 I found what I think might make the perfect book.   (Click on the photo above “How to Prepare An Old Book to be used for Art Journaling” and be taken directly to that post.)</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-WxfuVdRbmg0/VMmHiSoyBVI/AAAAAAAAJeA/wmyL433QN_Y/s1600-h/Art%252520Journal%252520with%252520Gesso%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="Art Journal with Gesso" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Art Journal with Gesso" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-UMsfIE-uWNg/VMmHizSAr_I/AAAAAAAAJeE/5sa8wht4fdM/Art%252520Journal%252520with%252520Gesso_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="603" height="453" /></a><font size="4" face="Georgia"></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">It’s an Office XP Basics Manual that someone donated and the great thing about it is it’s spiral bound, nice and big but not too big and I don’t feel guilty for gluing it’s pages together, gesso-ing the heck out of it and drawing and painting in it among other things.  Here it is with a coat of gesso.  I’ll add more gesso if needed when I use that page for a project.  It just depends on what I am going to do with the page.  I glued three pages together and then added a coat of white gesso.  The nice thing I  have learned is that the gesso is like a primer and makes the paper suitable for even watercolor painting.  It gives it something for your medium to hang on to and absorbs the water from watercolor paints as well. </font></p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-dEbmG0Kkn1E/VMmHjiOoKMI/AAAAAAAAJeQ/O9R7nLpgzkU/s1600-h/Art%252520Journal%252520Water%252520color%252520Chart%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="Art Journal Water color Chart" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Art Journal Water color Chart" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Iycdf-ppYkc/VMmHkYTjYrI/AAAAAAAAJeY/qQDg_BQEjy4/Art%252520Journal%252520Water%252520color%252520Chart_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="794" height="597" /></a></p> <p><font face="Georgia"><font size="4"><font face="Calibri"><font face="Georgia">Here is my first page. I picked up a set of new watercolors the other day and really wanted to see what the colors would look like on paper</font> </font>I made a watercolor chart and turned it into a journal page that I can reference anytime I want to help me select the right colors when I am painting with them</font></font>.  <font size="4" face="Georgia">Not sure what I am going to do on the opposite side just yet.</font> </p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-dXLka34-TYE/VMmHldlf5kI/AAAAAAAAJeg/ivdylKuAX-M/s1600-h/Water%252520Colors%252520Chart%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="Water Colors Chart" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Water Colors Chart" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-POYPPvaBJtY/VMmHl5yjR-I/AAAAAAAAJeo/BW7VoGIyau8/Water%252520Colors%252520Chart_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="802" height="602" /></a></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"> Love these colors!!  Something about a fresh new pallet of paints!</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-mhP1rYGzaTQ/VMmHm4S8bQI/AAAAAAAAJew/cv9pj--2eH4/s1600-h/Art%252520Journal%252520Girl%25255B8%25255D.jpg"><img title="Art Journal Girl" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Art Journal Girl" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Z_2nOPZZLPg/VMmHnpSguhI/AAAAAAAAJe4/IkG4a_RI6rI/Art%252520Journal%252520Girl_thumb%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="529" height="705" /></a></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">And here is my 2nd art journal page.  Ha!  Believe me when I say I am <strong>cringing</strong> about showing you this page.</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">Let’s just say I learned a lot from this little piece of what I want to do in the future and what I don’t!  </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">Here are a few things I learned from this today:  </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">1.  I like her hair.  It’s a bit spiky and a also a bit more modern.</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">2. I like her dress.  I cut it out of some scrap paper.  </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">3.  Hate her arms!  Ha!  And the heart hands were poorly executed!  Ha again!  And don’t outline legs with a hot pink felt marker.  </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">4.  Not too happy with the use of the color brown for the honeycomb background pattern.   I need to establish a color palette before I begin and stick to it!!</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">5.  The flowers were paper punched out of some brown and black paper.  Talk about a color clash.   So I then painted them over with the aqua blue and added the white center.         That saved them but I am still not wild about them.  </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">6.  I tried a new face with a heart mouth.  It’s okay…but not crazy about it either.  </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">7.  I love the technique of using regular Scotch Tape and lifting text out of magazines and then decoupage-ing the bits of text to the piece. </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">8.  I used my <a href="http://www.fabercastell.com/design-memory-craft-us/products/gelatos"><font color="#0000ff">Gelatos by Faber-Castell</font></a><a href="http://www.fabercastell.com/design-memory-craft-us/products/gelatos"><font color="#0000ff"> </font></a> for the first time and did the pink and yellow vertical border with them.  They are fun to use.  Like a soft creamy crayon that I then activated with a paint brush and water.  I can see myself playing around with these a lot more.  </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">9.  I like the idea of using the pages from my old French dictionary.  I just tore a snippet and glued it on.  </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">10.  I like my new butterfly stamp.  Not so sure about the hot pink ink though.  </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">11.  My doodles need help.  Serious help.</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia">12.  Wilma Flintstone wants her necklace back.  : )  </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Georgia"></font></p> Lisa@Pickles and Cheesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17154819162615247516noreply@blogger.com2