Longing for those days of R & R....

As I look at my calendar, I see that school starts two weeks from this coming Thursday. I know if you are not from California, you are probably saying, big deal, school already started here a week ago. It's just that I am not ready for summer to end. I do love the fall and winter seasons. They are my favorite times of year, but with that comes lots of school projects, never ending spelling words, and homework. Ugh!  

So as I look back over my summer, and the last weeks of the school year 2007-2008, I do long for those leisurely days of vacations, pools, and sleeping in late. So I will take this time and with the next few post, I will tell you about my wonderful adventures. 

The first started with our trip to Sedona, Arizona from May 16-May 20, 2008. 

This was our yearly business meeting, but since my husband and I are the only 2 shareholders, it made it a quiet intimate meeting! After our 1st year in business, it was nice to get away and retreat to a place that was quiet and also had a beautiful setting.

Now my husband loves to do things in style for me, so when we got to the Phoenix airport, there was a full size limousine waiting for us. Two hours of pure pleasure and relaxation. We popped open a bottle of White Star Champagne, kicked back, put our feet up and enjoyed the beautiful scenery along the way. Once we arrived at our final destination, the Enchantment Resort, we were ready to work! (...that is, work at resting and relaxation!) 

Adobe Casita style accommodations amid a pristine 70-acre setting of majestic red rock  formations of Northern Arizona's Boynton Canyon. Lovely! Since we booked two packages, The Tranquility Package & Enchantment's Mii amo Package, we were treated to spa treatments each day.  We spent many days after our spa treatment laying out soaking up the sun by the pool or indoors by the pool reading or relaxing.

Our packages also included Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner daily at the Mii amo Cafe, which featured amazing fresh meats, seafood, and poultry all made using healthy cooking techniques. We also were able to savor the 180-degree view and the beautiful sun setting on the red rocks from our dinner table out on the patio of The Yavapai Restaurant. We could have spent the whole evening just sitting there talking. My husband also treated me to a vintage bottle of Dom Perignon Champagne. The food was delicious and I was able to enjoy two of my favorites; Rack of Colorado Lamb and Buffalo Tenderloin.  We also had a wonderful Jazz Brunch on Sunday at The Yavapai Restaurant pictured below.

We also enjoyed smoothies and yummy concoctions from the juice bar in Mii amo spa and poolside.  One of the highlights of our trip was a wonderful cooking demonstration we went to at Mii amo Cafe.  We were treated to Shrimp with Gyro Marinade, Taziki (cucumber yogurt), Tabbouleh, Seared Sea Scallops in Feta Cheese Cream with Tomato Cous Cous and Eggplant Caponata.  All were easy to make and replicate in one's home kitchen. 

We took quiet walks at night under what looked liked millions of stars. The weather was perfect and we couldn't have asked for more. 

We also ventured out of the resort one night to have dinner along Oak Creek at L'Auberge Restaurant. We ate outside on the open air terrace right next to the creek. The food was delicious and the setting romantic.  

After "wining, dining, rest and relaxation", our wonderful trip had to come to an end. My chariot was waiting. Ahhh, all good things must come to an end.

We are looking forward to going back to the Enchantment Resort and the beauty and solitaire of Arizona's "Red Rock Country." I hope you will consider this wonderful place to get away from the hurriedness of our everyday life and go to a place where you can eat well, and truly get some rest. 

We came back smiling. :) 

P.S. Okay it wasn't all R & R, I did get our business meeting minutes done...and yes, it was a business trip!

 

A Movie Worth Seeing...

Mom always said..."Eat Your Peas!"

I remember as a kid having to eat peas and hating them. I use to swallow them whole with a big gulp of milk, which was just as bad, but better than the peas by themselves. 

Fast forward, 40 + years and I never thought I would say that I love peas! But not just any kind of peas...I lovvvvvvve Fresh English Peas!  Okay, I admit, Fresh Black Eyed Peas are my all time favorite, thanks to my Grandmother who use to always bring them to our house for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners. But....Fresh English Peas run a close race!

Now these are not the easiest things (or cheapest!) to find in California...but then again any "Southern Gal" would tell you that you can't find good Southern food anywhere, but in Texas!  After living in California for 21 years, I am always on the search for good "Southern" food findings....Not impossible, but it will cost me a small fortune to buy the Southern things I love if I can find them in the first place. Every once in a while I am able to find "Gulf Shrimp" on a menu.  I use to be able to find Fresh Black Eyed Peas, but the store I was getting them at upgraded, and decided that a Boar's Head Deli was more favorable then those darn black eyed peas. 

My newest finding is at Whole Foods Markets ( which is about 25 minutes away from my house) You guessed it, it is those wonderful little green peas that I use to hate! ( but then again my mom never served them "fresh" )  At $3.99/lb. they are not cheap, but well worth the extra dollars. I buy a big bag full, bring them home, and sit on the couch to get those precious peas out of their shells. When all is said and done, I have a little bowl of gold!  You would think that you would get a lot more for your money, but you don't so I have learned to stretch those little green things to go along way. 

I place my "little gold nuggets" into a pot along with halved red new potatoes and let them bowl until all is tender. After draining them, I add a couple tablespoons of flour, carefully mixing it all around. Then I add some milk, lots of salt and pepper and let it thicken up to a nice and thick yummy cream sauce. I am now in heaven!

Okay, I know this isn't the healthiest way to eat peas, but hey, we're talking Southern here.

Now that I know where I can buy my peas, I am going to look for a healthier way to fix them... The California way...after all, I'm a "California Gal" now. 

So, here's to peas! 

And here's to my mom who forced me to "eat those awful green things!"...  Now if I can only get my own kids to eat green...

Mom knows best, RIGHT! 

When I find the healthiest way to eat these things I will let you know, in the meantime, I am going to sneak them into my kids food. What the kids don't know, won't hurt them, RIGHT!

Summer at the Beach....

Wouldn't be summer at the beach without S'mores'.....

Home Sweet Home

It's always fun to go away, but I have to say that there is also nothing like "home!"  Before I tell you about all of our away adventures,  I want to tell you about one of our favorite places to spend the day. Sometimes it's easy to forget that Southern California is a vacation destination for everyone else in the world. It's so easy for us to take for granted what is right here in our very own "backyard."

As a family we spend most Sundays down in San Clemente, the halfway point between San Diego and Los Angeles. This was the place I came to when I first vacationed in California, and I have loved it ever since. There are 20 acres of sand, a 1200 foot long pier, 342 days of sunshine, great places to eat, and a quaint downtown shopping area. 

Our starting point is Pacific Coast Church located right off of I-5 and Avenida Vista Hermosa. It's about a 25 minute drive from our home.  We always notice about a 10 degree drop in temperature as we head down to San Clemente.  The kids are well taken care of with free donuts, bagels, orange juice and fruit punch every Sunday morning. A nice way to start off our day. We enjoy Pastor Mark's detailed study of the bible where he takes us through each verse and helps us to see God's word in a whole new light. 

After church, we are off to have some family fun!  We usually head down to Avenida Del Mar, the main street of shopping. One of our favorite restaurants down there to eat at is Avila's El Ranchito Mexican Restaurant. On a pretty day, which is most, we will ask for a table out on their patio. The food is delicious and their margarita's are the best.

We have found several shops that we like to frequent also... Bliss Boutique is one of my favorite clothing stores.  The clothes are usually one of a kind and trendy.  Often it's hit or miss in finding something I like, but when I do find something, I am forever in love with it.

Rascal's Ladies Boutique has styles ranging from sexy to demure, classic to forward trending. They carry Clothing and Accessories, Lingerie and Sleepwear, and Brighton Jewelry. They don't have a web site, but you may find them at 114 Avenida Del Mar.  

And when you have a great husband like I do, he offers to watch the kids while he sends his wife off to the have a massage at the 5 Elements-day spa. After my treatment, he suggest (yes, suggest) that my daughter and I go have a pedicure. How sweet is that!

Oftentimes, we head down to the pier to spend our day at the beach instead of shopping. 

This past week, we decided to go down there to have dinner on the pier at The

Fisherman's Restaurant. It sits right out on the water and is the most relaxing atmosphere. While dining on the "Crab Feast" (yum-o!), we not only see the train as it goes by blowing it's horn, but we also see a man flying by with what looked like an electric powered parachute...much cooler than hang gliding!  

The waves are big and surfers wait to catch the biggest one. After dinner, we sit out on the concrete barrier as the kids swing on the swings at dusk. A large group of people are picnicking at the tables, while one of the guys in the group plays soft rhythms on his bongo drums. The waves are crashing against the shore and my feet are in the sand. This is why I find San Clemente so extraordinary and the perfect place to just get away.  

 If you are in town in July make sure to join us for San Clemente's Ocean Festival. There will be fun, food and entertainment...A guaranteed good time!

See you don't have to go far from home to find a little bit of paradise!

Sorry for long delay....

Hi,

I've been off traveling again!  To... Sedona, Az., Amsterdam, The Netherlands; and to Dallas and Austin, Texas.  Now I am back for the summer and will have some time to catch up on my blogging and tell you all about my trips!...so much fun!!

The kids last day of school was today.  It's hot here in California, so we are heading to the pool tomorrow. 

Check back soon for more blogging.

Why God Made Moms...

Questions second-graders where asked about the most important women in their lives...

Why did God make mothers?
1. She's the only one who knows where the scotch tape is.
2. Mostly to clean the house.
3. To help us out of there when we were getting born.

How did God make mothers?
1. He used dirt, just like for the rest of us.
2. Magic plus super powers and a lot of stirring.
3. God made my Mom just the same like he made me. He Just used bigger parts.

What ingredients are mothers made of?
1. God makes mothers out of clouds and angel hair and everything nice in the world and one dab of mean.
2. They had to get their start from men's bones. Then they mostly use string, I think.

Why did God give you your mother and not some other mom?
1. We're related.
2. God knew she likes me a lot more than other people's moms like me.

What kind of little girl was your mom?
1. My mom has always been my mom and none of that other stuff.
2. I don't know because I wasn't there, but my guess would be pretty bossy.
3. They say she used to be nice.

What did mom need to know about dad before she married him?
1. His last name.
2. She had to know his background. Like is he a crook?
3. Does he make at least $800 a year? Did he say NO to drugs and YES to chores?

Why did your Mom marry your dad?
1. My dad makes the best spaghetti in the world. And my Mom eats alot.
2. She got too old to do anything else with him.
3. My grandma says that Mom didn't have her thinking cap on.

Who's the boss at your house?
1. Mom doesn't want to be boss, but she has to because dad's such a goof ball.
2. Mom. You can tell by room inspection. She sees the stuff under the bed.
3. I guess Mom is, but only because she has a lot more to do than dad.

What's the difference between moms and dads?
1. Moms work at work and work at home, & dads just go to work at work.
2. Moms know how to talk to teachers without scaring them.
3. Dads are taller & stronger, but moms have all the real power 'cause that's who you got to ask if you want to sleep over at your friend's.
4. Moms have magic, they make you feel better without medicine.

What does your Mom do in her spare time?
1. Mothers don't do spare time.
2. To hear her tell it, she pays bills all day long.

What would it take to make your Mom perfect?
1. On the inside she's already perfect. Outside, I think some kind of plastic surgery.
2. Diet. You know, her hair. I'd diet, maybe blue.

If you could change one thing about your Mom, what would it be?
1. She has this weird thing about me keeping my room clean. I'd get rid of that.
2. I'd make my Mom smarter. Then she would know it was my sister who did it and not me.
3. I would like for her to get rid of those invisible eyes on her back of her head.

Source: Unknown

Tent Camping and Batter Blaster!

I always wonder why I continue to be a Girl Scout Leader for my daughter's troop. It's not something I love to do, but I do it for my daughter and that means the world to me. This time it was tent camping at El Dorado Park in Long Beach. It's called Junior Jamboree and I have to admit, I had a good time!  Over the years, I have learned to be a good little camper.  I know how to pitch a tent and I have learned that a good sleeping bag and a full size air mattress are a must! I have also learned that 10 year old girls like to stay up and talk late into the night. Luckily, I no longer stay in the same tent as them, so I manage to get a good nights sleep.  I have learned that 2 days is my maximum time without a shower.  Nothing feels better than taking that hot shower when I get home.  It reminds me of the same feeling I got as a kid, when I would come home from the Gulf Coast after a long day at the hot sticky beach, all sandy, and jump in to our shower. AHHH!  It was like heaven!!

Now I have to share something with you....Sunday morning before we left, we made pancakes. My family would tell you that I am not a breakfast cook. It's not my favorite meal. But I have to tell you I was amazed by this product that one of the mom's picked up at Costco.  It's called Organic Batter Blaster.  It's amazing! I was sold on this stuff. It squirts out just like cool whip.  No mess in the morning. Gotta love that.... Check it out!

This video will show you exactly what I mean....My kind of breakfast cooking!

Las Vegas - A Needed Break!

So sorry for the long delay.  Life gets in the way sometimes!  

Steve wisked me off to Las Vegas for a very needed break. He attended the National Association of Broadcasters Convention (NAB) at the Las Vegas Convention Center, while I laid out at the pool and just relaxed. We stayed at THEhotel at The Mandalay Bay this time around. It did not turn out to be our favorite hotel in Las Vegas.  We still prefer The Bellagio and both decided that the next time one of us talks the other into a different hotel, we'll talk each other out of it and pay the extra few dollars to stay at the place we love.  

Not to say that THEhotel was all that bad, but we have gotten spoiled in the past. Especially after our last trip to Las Vegas where my dear husband put me up in a Penthouse suite in The Bellagio. We had a nice business meeting there, and it was a nice write-off! :) 

So back to THEhotel....the room itself was very nice, but no turn-down service. Yes, we are spoiled!  The other thing lacking is a pool.  Guest at THEhotel have to use Mandalay Bay's pool, which is like a block away from THEhotel.  You either have to walk outside and through the garage or you have to walk about a mile through the casino and restaurant area.  Once you finally get to the pool, it is mostly sand.  Maybe I am just getting old, but if I want to lay out in sand I will go to Laguna Beach.  There were two pools nearby where there was cement, but there was sand in the pools.  So I guess if you are a fan of sand, then this is the place for you!

Monday night we had dinner at one of our favorite Las Vegas restaurants,        Red Square. It's located in Mandalay Bay.   It's the one time we can splurge and order Beluga Caviar. We both went for the tasting menu paired with wine. Our main course was a Roquefort Crusted Filet Mignon. I like my filet rare and it was superb!  No complaints here, we had such a nice evening. We ended our evening by going over to The Bellagio and both winning at Blackjack. There haven't been too many times I can say I came home with money from Las Vegas, but this time we did well at Blackjack, and came home with an extra few dollars in our pockets. 

One of our other favorite restaurants in Las Vegas has become Todd English's Olives, located in The Bellagio. It has become a tradition for us to have lunch there before we have to leave and drive back home to California.  As I am an olive lover, I enjoy the complimentary appetizer of flatbreads and olives, along with both black and green olive tapenade. Delicious!  We haven't yet had a table out on the patio or by the window overlooking Lake Bellagio, so I suggest if you go there, to call ahead for reservations and ask for a table by the Lake. Along with excellent food, you will have a exquisite view of The Fountains of Bellagio water show that takes place on the lake. You won't be sorry that you ate here. We keep coming back for more every year.

Last but not least, I can't go on a trip without bringing home a cookbook or two. This time around I picked up Wolfgang Puck's Live, Love, Eat- a collection of the best of Wolfgang Puck. On the opposite end of the spectrum,  I also found The Stubb's Bar-B-Q Cookbook - the back cover says C.B. "Stubb" Stubblefield's Austin restaurant is a barbecue shrine! It says Stubb never let a friend leave his house hungry. Sounds like a plan to me!

So all and all it was a nice needed break.  To my dear husband, thanks for a wonderful time away from our hectic lives!  I love you more than anything!

David Charles Edgar

RACING LOVER: Dave Edgar in his dragster Jeep, taken hours before the crash on March 15 that resulted in his death.

DAVID C. EDGAR
Age: 59
Died: March 24, from injuries suffered in a drag-racing crash in Fontana on March 15
Home: Modjeska Canyon
Family: Wife Sheryl; six surviving children; three brothers and two sisters.
Occupation: Safety officer, U.S. Forest Service; Owner & Operator, Santiago Equestrian Center; part-time private investigator; reserve deputy, Orange County Sheriff's Department
Services: 10 a.m. Monday, March 31 at Saddleback Church, 1 Saddleback Parkway, Lake Forest.

In Loving Memory....

Roman 8:28 

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

David Charles Edgar

Beloved Father and Friend

February 8, 1949 - March 24, 2008

I will miss you my dear friend!  

The Power of Our Blessings

We bless the life around us far more than we realize. Many simple, ordinary things that we do can affect those around us in profound ways: the unexpected phone call, the brief touch, the willingness to listen generously, the warm smile or wink of recognition. We can even bless total strangers and be blessed by them. Big messages come in small packages. All it may take to restore someone's trust in life may be returning a lost earring or a dropped glove.
A woman once told me that she did not feel the need to reach out to those around her because she prayed every day. Surely, this was enough. But a prayer is about our relationship to God; a blessing is about our relationship to the spark of God in one another. God may not need our attention as badly as the person next to us on the bus or behind us on line in the supermarket. Everyone in the world matters, and so do their blessings. When we bless others, we offer them refuge from an indifferent world.

The capacity to bless life is in everybody. The power of our blessing is not diminished by illness or age. On the contrary, our blessings become even more powerful as we grow older. They have survived the buffeting of our experience. We may have traveled a long, hard road to the place where we can remember once again who we are. That we have traveled and remembered gives hope to those we bless. Perhaps in time they too can remember this place beyond competition and struggle, this place where we belong to one another... I first learned to do this from people who were dying, people who had moved into a more authentic relationship with those around them because only that which is genuine still had meaning for them. These people had let go of the ways in which they had changed themselves to win approval, and so they made it safe for others to remove their masks as well.

From "My Grandfather's Blessings: Stories of Strength, Refuge, and Belonging," by Rachel Naomi Remen:

An Easter Prayer

Lord,
Thank You for the gift of HOPE You gave us on Easter morning.
Because of You we know that no problem is too difficult and even death does not have power over us.
Thank You for the gift of JOY You gave us when You were resurrected.
Because of You we know that no matter how challenging life may be, in the end we will rejoice again.
Thank You for the gift of LOVE You gave us when You laid down Your life. Because of You we know that there is no sin too great to separate us and we are incredibly valuable to You.
Thank You for the gift of LIFE You gave us when you left the tomb.
Because of Easter we know this world is just the beginning and we will spend forever in heaven with You.
We celebrate You, JESUS, with hearts full of praise and gratitude for who You are and all You've done for us!
Amen

(Holley Gerth-Writer, DaySpring)

I forgot...

If you look closely at the small words underneath "To-Do Tattoo"... it says "The Perfect Solution for Your Shoddy Short Term Memory!"  This set includes 12 tattoos and a skin safe gel pen (which in a few years will be a cancer-causing gel pen and will be pulled from the market!)

As I get older and it seems like my 46th birthday is fast approaching, my memory seems to be going also (whoops did I say 46...I will actually be 47!)  This seems like the perfect solution, as I am always forgetting to sync my Treo, which has my "to-do" list on it. A permanent hand "To-Do Tattoo" would even be better. But in my older age, the thought of anything permanent on my body, scares me.  So I guess the real answer for now is that I will just have to become better friends with my Palm and my never ending to-do list. 

 

Okay, moving on... 

Did I forget to mention what we did for Valentine's Day this year. It is the first time, my husband and I have gone out on the actual day.  I know it is a month later that I am telling you about our night, but again I forgot. We went to another one of my favorite restaurants in Orange County, Turner New Zealand's. It's a quaint restaurant serving some of the finest lamb, beef and seafood in town. Turner Ranch is famous for its free-range, grass-fed meat: beef, lamb and venison. It also imports magnificent fish and shellfish. Service is excellent. The waiters never overwhelmed us, but meticulously cleared our table after each course was done. While we enjoyed a 5 course meal for Valentine's Day, you could easily make it a part of a  special evening which could include an evening performance at the Orange County Performing Arts Center in Costa Mesa.  

After dinner, we crossed the street to have a drink at a Savannah's, a contemporary American restaurant, serving American regional cooking. The warm, clubhouse décor features dark wood, oversized booths, soft lighting and stone fireplaces, reminiscent of Moulin Rouge in Paris.  I half expected to see can-can dancers in the dimly-lit bar...but was met with a delightful sound of a jazz duo, quietly playing in the corner.   The bar is exquisitely decorated with red leather booths and comfortable chairs to lounge in and has perfect lighting to enjoy a romantic evening. As we arrived on Valentines Day, the waiter quietly placed a box of chocolates on our table...A perfect ending to a perfect evening.  

Ah Yes.... The Thrill of the Grill !!

Well I can't recall when  was the last time I grilled dinner!  I know it was back in my single days. I think I grilled once for my husband when we were dating and we ate out on my patio of my apartment. So you can imagine the thrill I got from being the master of the grill tonight!  Now let it be known that you can't find any graphics on the internet that show a gal grilling...

because we all know that it's a man's job. But then so is taking out the trash and mowing the lawn.  Okay, I'm a little old fashioned. 

Anyway, I am a great griller... if I say so myself! The menu consisted of Cracked Peppercorn Beef Tenderloin, Boneless Chicken Breast, and two types of sausage: Chicken Parmesan Italian Sausage and Chicken Basil Sausage. Delicious! Too bad my dear husband wasn't here to enjoy it.  Or maybe I just wanted to brag a bit! Even my daughter piped in during dinner and said, "Mom you are a better griller than Dad!"  Oh the knife that would have cut through Dad if he heard those very words.  

So let it be know that for just this one night only...

 I WAS KING OF THE GRILL.   :) 

You Cannot Unscramble An Egg!

CINNADUNKERS....have you heard of these things?  OMG....TGIF!!

Okay well it's not Friday, but these things are good any day of the week!  If I ever was to say that I have a sweet tooth, then this is what I would choose to indulge in. They are awesome!  But now TGIF's tells me they are taking them off of their menu!  Girls Night Out will never be the same in my opinion.  

So what is this girl to do?

I found the answer.... I could make my own with this nifty donut maker! But I wouldn't dare buy it...unless I am really down and out and need a little pick me up!  I would eat all 7 donuts in one sitting if I bought it. YIKES!  

Gosh this was at William Sonoma, but it was such a hot seller, it is no longer on their website. Bummer!  Okay I settled for a hard boiled egg/poached egg maker at amazon.com instead. Much healthier.

Well, I'll still be dreaming about those TGIF cinnamon oh so yummy donuts! 

" All the goodness of a good egg cannot make up for the badness of a bad one."

How lazy can one be?

Okay, these have to be the ultimate house slipper! Clean your floors with your feet...you think I am kidding, don't you? 

But hey, it's true, our world has now come to this. You can get your very own pair of Slipper Genie Microfiber Cleaning Slippers on Amazon.com. They are inexpensive to boot. Really, your floors will never be cleaner and your feet will thank you for it!

Live and Learn...

Sorry I haven't been around lately. I just found out that our business taxes are due March 15th, not April 15th. Never assume anything!  So now I am scrambling to get all our tax files in order to meet with our accountant next week. I know I have made a few mistakes in our first year of business, but at least I am aware of the problems and can take my questions to our accountant and ask him how we go about fixing them now. 

I have apples on my mind, as I just got Pampered Chef's apple corer, peeler, slicer gadget thingy. It's pretty cool and the only way I can get my kids to eat some type of fruit.  I have a good baked apple recipe I need to find and post. Last time I made it we said it definitely needed some vanilla ice cream with it. Apple pie was never my favorite, but for some reason this is sounding good! Anything to take my mind off of those darn taxes. Ugh!

One last point, large braeburn apples were $1.79/lb and I bought 4 apples. My total cost was $4.62 for stinking apples. OUTRAGEOUS!  Those are my favorite type of apples, so I guess they will be worth every penny, but I still can't get over the price of groceries these days. 

Okay a little apple trivia....to put a smile on my face!

What Kind of Apple Eater Are You?

US Apple Association

There are almost as many ways to eat an apple as there are apple varieties. What kind of apple eater are you? Compare your munching method with these apple profiles.

Compulsive Wedger: This apple eater can't eat the apple whole; must have perfect, core-free wedges neatly arranged on a plate. Each wedge must equal one-eighth of an apple.

Splitter: This apple eater hates to deal with the core, but isn't compulsive enough to bother with wedges – just chop the apple in half, remove the core and munch contentedly. Muscle-bound types show off their brute force by twisting the apple in half with their bare hands (though in fact it's really not that difficult).

Circle Stickler: This rebellious sort slices the apple against the grain – across the core, to make round slices. She can often be found with convenient slices of cheese at hand. This person knows that round apple slices are much better than crackers!

Top-to-Bottom Type: This methodical muncher starts at the stem and munches all the way down to the bottom. He doesn't change the apple's position until one vertical top-to-bottom pass had been completed. He then rotates the apple to continue in the next lane until the whole thing is done.

Equator Eater: Probably the most common approach, this muncher takes bites out of the center of the apple all the way around, until the apple looks something like a mushroom on a mirror. The nibbler then attacks the top, and finally the bottom, which is somewhat less convenient as there is no place left to hold apple without getting one's fingers juicy – but she doesn't mind!

The Streak: This eater prefers to eat his apples in the nude – the apple, that is! He does not care about what he's been told about all those vitamins and fiber in the skin, peeling the stuff right off, preferably in one long winding piece. Once the peeling is complete, he either eats the apple whole or sliced. The latter method is usually employed, as the apple's skinless state can lead to copious juice drippings.

Core-Free Cruncher: This muncher comes in two personalities. Type B loves gadgets and small appliances. He eats a lot of apples because he gets to use that nifty "apple corer" gadget. Type A is a seedophobic and doesn't care whether she gets to use a gadget, knife or sharp fingernails - she just has to get those darned seeds out of there before she'll even take one bite! The Type A personality does avoid core disposal issues, however.

Stem Plucker: Before the first bite, this apple muncher grabs the apple's stem and twists, saying one letter of the alphabet with each turn. The letter at which the stem comes off has profound meaning, usually interpreted as the first initial of the name of the future spouse. (Married munchers, take note: Turns can be modified to ensure the stem comes out at the desired letter.) Particularly curious Stem Pluckers continue the ritual by poking the outside of the apple with the stem to determine the number of children they will have, said to be equal to the number of pokes it takes to break the skin of the apple. (Hey, we don't make these things up, we just reprint 'em.) In a recent, incredibly unscientific poll, three out of four people surveyed reported themselves to be Stem Pluckers.

So what kind of apple eater are you?  I'll never tell....

Super Tuesday

Can't Win 'em All...

Well perhaps Hannah Montana and Miley Cyrus can, but it was the Giants who produced a show stopper!  The underdog Giants orchestrated one of the most shocking upsets in football history, beating New England, 17-14, in Super Bowl XLII on Sunday night.  I hope you stayed to watch the last 2 minutes of the game.  Now that is what I call a good game!

A Change of Scenery!

It's finally here, the big day!  It's a rainy day here in Southern California, so a good day to stay home and watch football.  I'm making homemade enchilada's, guacamole, chips, cheese dip and salsa. Not a day to watch the pounds on the scale.  This actually is one of my favorite days to watch football and I am rooting for the Giants to win, although the Patriots probably deserve to win. But what does that matter, it's fun to root for the underdog and hope for an upset! Go Giants!!

So you have all my fondue recipes now, but I did want to mention that if you don't want to go through all the work of having a fondue party at home, I also know of two good restaurants you should check out. My favorite is located right across from the historical Mission in San Jaun Capistrano, California. It's called La Fondue. If you do the fondue feast, you get a choice of two items from a list of cheeses, seafood and meats. We tried the Wild Boar and the Buffalo. I was a little hesitant to try these two eclectic items, but thought if I don't try it now, when will I ever have another opportunity. Well, I am now a Bison lover! 

Oh my goodness, it was delicious.  Bison tenderloin is so tender and healthy for you. Full of Omega 3 and much less fat than the meat from a cow. And most bison is grass-fed.  But not easy to find in the stores around here.  I did find some bison ground meat at our local grocery store that I am going to give a try. Okay got off on a little tangent there.  

Back to good fondue restaurants. The other one that is found in more states than California is The Melting Pot. It's not as fancy as La Fondue, but just as good. (Sorry no Wild Boar or Buffalo) But now that everyone and his uncle knows about it, I have found that you have to make reservations for this restaurant weeks ahead of time. (When it first came to Southern California, you could just walk in there and sit down and eat!) We didn't have any trouble making reservations for La Fondue a few days before we ate there. La Fondue is a little more expensive, and a little more eclectic, but if you are looking for a little more casual atmosphere then I'd pick The Melting Pot. Looking for a romantic eclectic evening, then pick La Fondue.

There you have it, my take on Fondue!  Now let's play football!!  

Fudgy Chocolate Fondue

Fudgy Chocolate Fondue

Warm chocolate fondue made with cocoa, evaporated milk and butter is perfect for dipping just about anything!

Ingredients:
● 1/2 cup butter
● 1/2 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa Powder
● 3/4 cup sugar
● 1/2 cup evaporated milk
● 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:
Melt butter in small saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat; immediately stir in cocoa. Add sugar and evaporated milk.

Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until sugar is dissolved and mixture is
smooth. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla extract. 

Serve warm with assorted fondue dippers i.e. Strawberries, pineapple, banana, pound cake, marshmallows, and graham crackers.

Coq Au Vin Fondue

Description:

A cooking style favored in the French countryside. It combines the flavors of fresh herbs, mushrooms, garlic, and a hearty Burgundy Wine

Coq Au Vin Fondue

Origin: Diane's Favorites

Yield: 2-4 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:
● 3 1/2 cups vegetable stock
● 1/2 cup Burgundy wine
● 1/2 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced
● 1 Tbsp. fresh garlic, minced
● 2 green onions, sliced
● fresh herbs, to taste

Directions:
Heat vegetable stock in fondue pot until it begins to simmer. Add all other ingredients, bring to simmer. Place individual pieces of desired meat or veggies on fondue fork and put in pot until correct temperature has been reached. Lobster and shrimp may take under a minute to cook while beef, pork and chicken will take slightly longer. Also use a slotted spoon to put halved red potatoes in bottom of pot to cook as you are cooking your meat and seafood. Take the necessary precautions so you don't eat raw meat!

Cheddar Beer Fondue

Cheddar Beer Fondue
Origin: Diane's Favorites

Ingredients:

● 1 lb. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
● 1 Tbsp. flour
● 1 1/2 tsp. dry mustard
● dash cayenne pepper, or add a dash of hot sauce to the melted mixture
● 3/4 cups beer
● 2 tsp. worcestershire sauce

Directions:

In bowl, combine cheese, flour, mustard and ground cayenne pepper; mix to blend well. In fondue pot, combine beer and Worcestershire sauce. Set temperature to 375℉ and heat to bubbling. Gradually add cheese mixture and stir constantly until cheese melts and mixture is smooth, about 5 minutes. Reduce temperature to 200℉ and serve with crusty bread and other dippers i.e. green apples, raw carrots and raw cauliflower.

I like Salt!!

Okay I am slacking again!  I'm trying to keep up with my blog, but I get so darn busy all the time. 

Let's see, Santa was very good to us this year! Steve gave me a beautiful white gold ring with 7 diamonds and some Gwen Stephanie "Lamb" Perfume that I had asked for.  Oh, also his annual Victoria's Secret gift! I got him a Garmin GPS, which he loves!  Santa was good to the kids also..my daughter got an electric scooter and my son got the Nintendo ds Lite that he wanted.

  

I already told you what occurred once we got up to Red River, but I wanted to share this picture with you, so you could see that my prayers were answered. We had lots of snow!

This is a view from the porch at our house.

This is a picture of the city of Red River that I took on my one downhill run skiing from the top!

Well it was fun while it lasted!

We came back to Albuquerque and tried to get everyone well for New Years. Our tradition with the kids for New Years Eve is to do fondue. We go all out and do a cheese fondue, an array of meats and seafood fondue, and a chocolate dessert fondue. The kids love it and it is a good way to keep the old folks ( yes, I am talking about me!) awake until midnight!  I will share some of my recipes for fondue in the next post.   I have 5 fondue pots that I use. One for cheese, three for the meat (one peanut oil and the other two for a broth based cooking), and one for dessert.  It's alot of work, but I enjoy getting everything together and spending the evening with my family.  

After New Years we were off to lower ground!  We ended up staying in Scottsdale for two nights as my daughter came down with a fever and sore throat. We did manage to make it out to two really good restaurants while were were there. 

The first one the hotel recommended to us and told us it was kid friendly. Well it wasn't, but because both of kids were tired and not feeling all that great, they

 did not eat, but mostly slept on the booth beside us. So it worked out okay. The restaurant was called, The Salt Cellar, and was located underground. Very Cool. 

Here is a picture of the outside of it.... It doesn''t look like much from the outside. When you walk in the door you walk down a case of stairs and you enter a very quaint restaurant. They serve very fresh seafood. I had Gulf Shrimp and Filet Mignon. It was delicious! Highly recommend if you are ever in Scottsdale, but leave the kids behind!

The next night we went into Old Town Scottsdale and ate at a restaurant called The Salty Senorita.  Don't ask me how we came up with two restaurants with the word "salt" in them, but we did. Anyway, it was another winner!  The food was excellent. I have never seen such an extensive listing of Margarita's. 

So that does it for our trip. We made it home all in one piece and somehow managed to get all our loot home also. All and all, we had a nice holiday, in spite of the illnesses of my family. Now if we can just find a place to put it all!