Somewhere in the sun...

Pressure Cooker Experiment - #2

2010-03-28T19:59:00.002-08:00

Today, (after working for a bit), I stopped at the store picking up the necessary items to make 3 pressure cooker dishes. Dish number one: Spaghetti Sauce. It turned out quite yummy and made enough for two nights. We had spaghetti for dinner tonight, and put the rest of the sauce in the freezer for another night. Love being able to do that.

I also made another dish - this one an Alton Brown Pressure Cooker Chili. Larry and I had to sample, a tad on the spicy side. I'll need some sour cream to cool the spice a bit. It is going in the freezer as well.

I purchased the ingredients to make an enchilada dish (yes - in the pressure cooker too), but that will have to wait for another day.

Spring break over... work tomorrow with a busy week ahead; laundry done and put away; bathrooms cleaned; dusting done; and taxes done too. The only thing I didn't do that I had planned on? Exercise! I really wanted to start exercising again. Oh well, there is always tomorrow!

A New Kitchen Gadget - The Pressure Cooker

2010-03-27T18:09:00.003-08:00

Well, darn that QVC kitchen show! It made me start thinking I needed a new kitchen toy. So, started shopping around for an electric pressure cooker. There was not one single model in town, so off to internet shopping. Macy's did the trick - they had a Cuisnart Electric Pressure Cooker on sale. Yipee! It was delivered yesterday, Friday. At the same time, came 3 new cookbooks all about pressure cooking.

Have we tried it out yet - you bet! Last night I tried the Risotto. Hmmm - tasty, but not as good as the kind you stand at the stove for 35 minutes nonstop stirring... that is true risotto. But this modified version (ok the easy way) is still quite tasty.

Todays experiment is Boston Baked Beans and BBQ Ribs. The beans are done, and staying warm in the oven. The ribs are in the cooker right now. They say - 40 minutes and you will have fall off the bone ribs as if they have been slow cooking/smoking all day. We shall see!

Don't ya love new toys that are supposed to make your life easier?

Here is the recipe.

Saucy Ribs Pressure Cooker Style
(Recipezaar)

Ingredients:
3 lbs ribs
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp paprika
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup beer
12 oz barbecue sauce

Cut ribs into serving pieces. Mix spices and create a dry rub. Rub onto ribs. Heat oil in pressure cooker. Brown the ribs, all sides. Put in the cooking rack. Pour the beer into the cooking pot. Add the ribs. Lock lid in place, and cook on high pressure 40 minutes. Let cooker depressurize naturally (about 15 minutes). Remove lid. Drain some of the liquid. Add barbecue sauce and ribs back in. Simmer 10-15 minutes. The beer is supposed to be the secret to the unique flavor, so the recipe says to make certain you do not leave it out.

I'll let you know how it goes! So far, so good...

Spring Break CHILI NIGHT!

2010-03-24T07:12:00.003-08:00

This year we are not going away for Spring Break. It feels good to be home, get things done that I need to get done (ok, like taxes), and have some time for being lazy as well. I've also been doing working a little too... webinar yesterday, meeting today, meeting tomorrow, and need to work on some paperwork too. But, having time is so nice!

I actually had time to cook yesterday - which I love to do, but doesn't happen often. I browsed recipes on the Food Network and found an interesting chili recipe by Rachael Ray. I added a dollop of sour cream to calm the chili down (I may have used too much chipotle chili powder. Pretty spicy..) I also made a cornbread recipe by Paula Deen - boy, was it YUMMY!

So, if you are in the market for a great chili night, give these recipes a try! DELICIOUS...

VIDALIA ONION CORNBREAD
Paula Deen, Food Network

Ingredients
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1 large Vidalia or other sweet onion, chopped
1 (8-ounce) package cornbread/muffin mix
1 egg, beaten
1/3 cup whole milk
1 cup sour cream
1 cup grated sharp Cheddar, divided
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dried dill weed
Directions
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Spray an 8-inch square baking pan with vegetable oil cooking spray.

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter and saute the onion until tender, but not browned, for about 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and add the muffin mix, egg, milk, sour cream, 1/2 cup of the cheese, the salt, and dill weed. Stir to combine. Pour into the prepared pan and top with the remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Bake for 30 minutes, until set and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cornbread comes out clean. Allow to cool slightly before cutting into squares.

UPTOWN-DOWN HOME CHILI
Rachael Ray, Food Network

Ingredients
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 pounds ground sirloin
2 tablespoons grill seasoning(recommended: McCormick's Montreal Steak Seasoning) a palm full
1/2 pound baby Portobello mushrooms, chopped
1/4 pound shiitake mushroom caps, sliced
1 medium yellow skinned onion, chopped
3 ribs celery, chopped
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
4 to 6 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 canned chipotle peppers in adobo, chopped, with their juices or 1 generous palm full ground chipotle chili powder, about 2 tablespoons
1 tablespoon ground cumin, half a palm full
1 bottle imported beer (recommended: Stella Artois (...imported just 'cause we're Uptown and that's all they drink here.)
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained
1 (15 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 cup beef stock (8-ounce box)
2 to 3 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
8-ounce piece smoked Gouda, shredded
1 small white onion, finely chopped
Directions
Heat a deep, large skillet or a pot over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil and the meat. Season it with grill seasoning and sear it up, browning and crumbling it, for 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer meat to a plate and return pot to stove. Reduce heat to medium- high and add another tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil. Add the mushrooms and begin to brown them before adding the other veggies. After 2 or 3 minutes the mushrooms will begin to shirk and soften. Push the mushrooms off to one side of the pot and add all the remaining veggies to the opposite side of the pot surface. Once the onions, celery, peppers and garlic have been working for a few minutes as well, mix the veggies with the mushrooms. Add the meat back, season with Worcestershire sauce, chipotle in adobo or chipotle powder and cumin. Add in beer to deglaze the pot, scraping up all the pan drippings. Reduce the beer by half, about 2 minutes. Add the black beans, tomatoes, stock and thyme to chili and simmer 10 minutes for flavors to combine. Taste to adjust seasonings. Top bowls of the chili with shredded smoked Gouda and finely chopped raw onions.

New Recipe Night! Chicken Mole Enchiladas

2010-02-28T18:31:00.003-09:00

Well, tonight was a new recipe attempt. I modified the original recipe some (trying to make it a bit healthier). In retrospect, not sure I accomplished my goal. But, it was very tasty!

The original recipe is listed here:

Here is my attempt to recreate Marcela Valladolid's recipe from MEXICAN MADE EASY.

CHICKEN MOLE ENCHILADAS

2 chicken breasts, salt/pepper and bake 15 minutes. Shred chicken into bite size pieces.

MOLE SAUCE:
4 dried pasilla chiles, stemmed and seeded
1 1/2 cup HOT water
2 handfuls of tortilla chips
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 medium onions, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 3/4 cups chicken stock
3 Tbsp peanut butter
1/2 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp oregano
5 oz Mexican chocolate (Ibarra)

ENCHILADAS:
12 corn tortillas
Olive Oil Nonstick spray
Feta cheese

TOPPINGS:
Queso Fresco cheese
Chopped cilantro
Light sour cream

DIRECTIONS:
Soak the dried pasilla chiles by soaking in 1 1/2 cups HOT water for at least 15 minutes. Drain, set aside.

In large saucepan, heat the olive oil. Add chopped onion and saute until translucent. (3 minutes or so) Add garlic. Cook another 2 -3 minutes. Do not burn garlic.

Transfer the following to blender:
Onion/garlic mixture
Tortilla chips
1 3/4 cup chicken stock (save rest for later)
Peanut Butter
Sugar
Oregano
Blend until very smooth and creamy.

Transfer sauce to the large saucepan. Bring to boil - be careful! It will splatter. (I know from experience.) Reduce heat to simmer. Cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. Stir in the chocolate. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the rest of the chicken broth as needed - mixture can become too thick. I added one additional cup of chicken broth.

ASSEMBLY:
Cover bottom of 9x13 baking pan with thin layer of mole sauce. Heat up large flat nonstick griddle. Spray both sides of tortillas with olive oil nonstick spray. Put the tortillas on the hot griddle and saute both sides to soften the tortillas. I did all the tortillas as Larry filled and rolled. Put a spoonful of chicken in the center of tortilla with a tad bit of feta cheese. Roll and place seam side down in the 9x13 dish. Repeat procedure with all tortillas. Ladle mole sauce over top of enchiladas. Top with Queso Fresco (crumbled) cheese and cilantro. Bake at 375 degrees about 15 minutes until warm.

Serve with light sour cream.

We had refried beans w/cheese and warmed tortillas with our enchiladas. Delicious!

**HINDSIGHT: When I repeat this recipe, I will add a bit more salt than I did, a little less feta cheese. The flavors were very interesting together, but I think we might have overdone the feta. I'm wondering if gorgonzola would be milder than the feta??? Still have some playing around to do with perfecting this recipe, but it is pretty darn good!

Weekends are for...

2010-02-07T19:20:00.006-09:00

Weekends are multi-faceted. They are for resting, relaxation, getting everything done at home (such as laundry, cleaning, bills, shopping, the list goes on...). Well, this time of year it is time to add another "to do" to the list! Taxes... So, today was my organizing day. I did pretty well, not done - more to do, but have a good start! I bet by next weekend, I'll be ready to drop everything off. Even though I started the year of 2009 very organized for taxes, I need to follow through all year and stay up to date and organized.

Why is it so hard to stay organized all the time? It seems I used to be very organized... (my nickname is Planner Patty after all), but now I can't keep up. (Sadly enough!)

Well, Abby had a great weekend of resting. I would like to be a dog owned by me! Good comfie life to be sure. The picture signifies Abby's favorite things... the couch; the blanket (have to be warm after all); and her favorite toy - the squirrel. A DOG'S LIFE as they say...

New Recipe Night!

2010-02-03T20:36:00.003-09:00

Tonight was Caribbean night in the house! We had a very tasty dinner, another easy one at that. (The best kind after all...) One little mishap with the propane on the BBQ - ran out, so had to drag out the George Foreman grill for the shrimp.

ROASTED VEGGIES
Asparagus pieces
Quartered mushrooms
Sliced Zuchini
Spike Seasoning
Garlic
Olive Oil
Freshly Ground Pepper
Jerk Seasoning

Mix all together. Put in casserole dish (13x9). Sprinkle with just a tad of parmesan cheese. Bake at 350 until veggies are done.

JAMAICAN JERK SHRIMP
1 # raw shrimp (deveined & cleaned)
Jamaican Jerk Seasoning
Garlic
Curry
Thyme
Sage
Cayenne
Freshly ground pepper
Cinnamon
tiny bit of sugar
Ground nutmeg
Olive Oil

Mix together all ingredients (except the shrimp) in a bowl. Toss the shrimp in the seasoning/olive oil mixture. Put on skewer and bbq until done.

Chipotle Beef & Black Bean Dinner

2010-02-01T20:44:00.003-09:00

By popular request, here is the recipe for a very easy dinner! (and delicious too...) Get a large glass of water and enjoy!

CHIPOTLE BEEF
2-3 lb chuck roast
15 oz beef broth
7 oz chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (can be spicy! if you don't like spice, use less...)

In a nonstick skillet, spray with Pam. Salt and pepper the chuck roast. Saute the chuck roast in the skillet for about 3-5 minutes per side. It will NOT be done. When both sides are browned, put meat into crockpot. Pour over the beef broth, and empty the can of chipotle peppers (and sauce) into the crockpot. Cook on low all day.

EASY BLACK BEANS
2 cans of black beans
chopped garlic to taste
1/2 cup of salsa

Stir together. Put in casserole dish, cover with foil, bake on low heat (225 degrees) for an hour to an hour and a half.

Serve with a salad - wah laa - you have a complete dinner. Low cal, tasty and healthy.

Is Alaska in the United States?

2009-09-27T08:23:00.003-08:00

There are many times that living in Alaska makes you think you are on some far away island - totally isolated from the lower 48; almost as if it is another country. Today is one of those days...

I found the cutest blouse to go with a new skirt that I ordered (e-bay designer clothing), and placed a bid on the blouse. Well, today I looked at the blouse again and noticed at the bottom of the page (in the fine print) that the seller only ships to the contiguous US. I, unfortunately, did not notice that fact before placing my bid. This brought back a frustration that we who live in this far off land often feel... We are part of the United States. The United States Post Office delivers our mail (just like in the contiguous U.S.). The shipping rates and the process to mail a package is the same as in the contiguous U.S. Why do companies and e-bay sellers have these odd rules?

Well, I wrote to the seller and asked if I were to win the auction, if she would ship to me here in the wilderness of Alaska. The good news is that she will. She said that she usually just ships to the lower 48 however, but will make an exception this time and ship to me at the same shipping rate. (I had pointed out in my e-mail that the shipping process and shipping rates using USPS are the same for us here in Alaska as they are for any other state.) Strange huh!

Mexican Food - Rick Bayless style!

2009-08-03T16:29:00.003-08:00

Well, I've been hooked on the reality t.v. show TOP CHEF MASTERS... Rick Bayless was one of the fantastic chefs on the show. His recipes always looked interesting during the show, so I googled looking for some of his recipes. I ran across his restaurant - FRONTERA GRILL in Chicago. He has many, many recipes posted on this site. Here is one that I will be making tomorrow... I have changed his recipe slightly, as I know I won't be able to find some of the ingredients here in our little town before ever going to the store. I couldn't even find cilantro this weekend! Crazy huh?

BLACK BEAN BATHED ENCHILADAS (with Chorizo & Fresh Cheese)
aka: Enfrijoladas
RICK BAYLESS

Serves 4 as main course

1 cup dry black beans, rinsed
2 chipotle chiles (in adobo sauce), minced
1 1/4 cups (10 oz) chorizo sausage, casing removed (bacon, ham, or other sausage can replace chorizo)
1 medium white onion, sliced
Salt, 1/2 tsp
12 corn tortillas
Serrano-Tomatillo Salsa; or Chipotle Salsa (3/4 cup)
3/4 cup crumbled queso fresco or dry goat cheese
3 T. roughly chopped flat leaf parsley

Directions:
BEAN SAUCE...
Place beans in medium size saucepan, cover with 3 cups water, remove any beans that float. Heat to simmer.

Using saucepan, add 1/4 cup of chorizo and 1/2 of the onion. Saute. Put into beans. Simmer over medium to medium-low heat, stir occasionally, until the beans are fully tender, 1 1/2 to 2 hrs. If you see the beans peaking up through the liquid, add water to cover them by 1/2 inch.

Coarsely puree the beans in batches in a food processor. Return to the pot and add enough water to thin the consistency of a medium cream soup. Taste and season with salt.

TORTILLAS & CHORIZO...
Set up steamer (veggie steamer in saucepan filled with 1/2 inch of water); heat to boil. Wrap tortillas in a heavy kitchen towel, lay in steamer & cover with tight lid. Boil 1 minute, turn off heat and let stand without opening for 15 minutes.

In saucepan, cook the remaining 1 cup chorizo until done (10 min), breaking up any clumps. Drain off fat. Add the minced chipotle peppers. Keep warm over low heat.

FINISHING:
Turn oven to the lowest possible setting and warm a serving platter in it. Onto a deep plate or tray pour out 1 1/2 cups of the warm bean sauce onto the deep plate. One by one, dip both sides of the tortillas into the sauce, fold into quarters and transfer to the warm serving platter. Lay the tortillas in 2 rows, slightly overlap. Keep warm in oven.

Scrape any leftover bean sauce from the deep plate back into the pot. If the sauce has thickened, add a bit of water to get back to the original consistency. Quickly bring to simmer, spoon over the folded tortillas (should be lots of sauce), top with warm chorizo, splash on the optional salsa, sprinkle on the cheese, parsley and remaining sliced onion. Serve right away - they don't like to sit!

Variations: with bean sauce and tortillas as a base, you can vary toppings or fillings as you like.

Serve with a nice salad, and margaritas of course!

**ORIGINAL RECIPE**

Patty's Margaritas! Ole...

2009-08-03T16:23:00.002-08:00

Well, I seem to be transitioning from Italian cooking to Mexican Food! Shrimp Tacos was my last post; and now I'm moving on to a nice refreshing drink to accompany your tacos...

Patty's Margaritas

3/4 blender of ice
1/2 can frozen limeaid
4 oz tequilla
2 oz triple sec
4 oz water

BLEND. Serve in salt rimmed glasses.

Simple and tasty!

Tacos With Spicy Shrimp!

2009-08-01T19:10:00.003-08:00

Who wants a yummy taco? This is a wonderfully easy and tasty recipe for Shrimp Tacos. When living in California, I used to love going to a casual restaurant called Rubios. My favorite on the menu? Shrimp Tacos! Well, I found this recipe for shrimp tacos. Not the same as Rubios - but excellent and SO EASY!

SHRIMP TACOS
Serves 6

12 oz bacon (cut into pieces)
1/2 onion, chopped
2 lbs. large cooked shrimp (peeled, deveined & cut into bite size pieces
3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced
12 corn tortillas
1 cup chopped cilantro
1 lime, juiced
salt to taste, optional
Mexican cheese
Avocado
Sour Cream

In large, deep skillet fry bacon until evenly brown. Drain bacon fat. Add onions to the pan with the bacon. Saute five minutes (till onions are translucent). Stir in the shrimp and chipotle chiles; cook 4 minutes until heated.

Heat tortillas on ungreased skillet over medium-high heat for 10-15 seconds. Turn over and heat another 5-10 seconds. Fill heated tortillas with the shrimp/bacon/onion mixture.

Top with preferred toppings. I use sliced avocado; a sprinkle of cheese, and sour cream.

CILANTRO CHILE CREAM SAUCE
(16 Servings)

This sauce could be an option to serve as a sauce for these shrimp tacos! Works great for either chicken or fish tacos. Makes a dip as well.

1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped coarsely
3 chile peppers (seeded & chopped)
3 cloves garlic
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup heavy cream
salt/pepper to taste

Place all in food processor. Puree till smooth.

Both recipes courtesy of Allrecipes.com
CHIPOTLE SHRIMP TACOS

SKYAUCTION... How to travel in luxury on a budget!

2009-07-27T22:27:00.004-08:00

I am in love with a travel website called Skyauction. I've probably used it successfully a dozen or so times - all for hotels. We have stayed at amazing places we could never have stayed had it not been for this site. An example of that is our trip next June - Guana Island in the British Virgin Islands.

Recently, I have had several people ask about the website I use, and how to use it. So, I've written a step by step guide that will help walk you through it. You too can find some awesome deals!

HOW TO SUCCESSFULLY TRAVEL ON A BUDGET- USE SKYAUCTION!

Happy traveling!

Italian Cooking Kick Continues! Chicken Mushroom Risotto

2009-07-21T17:53:00.005-08:00

OK, this will be my second time making this so let's see if I can time it just right. Do NOT let it sit while you finish up something else... it will turn to glue! Be warned! (mine really wasn't glue - but I can tell a big difference from when it was done till the time I took it off the stove)

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
1 quart chicken stock
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 small sweet onion (chopped)
2 cloves minced garlic
1 cup sliced cremini mushrooms
Olive Oil (and a little butter)
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan reggiano cheese
1 Tbsp chopped Italian parsley

1. Heat the chicken stock to a simmer. Keep it hot! (this is key)
2. Melt 1 tbsp of butter and a swirl of olive oil in saute pan, and saute the sliced mushcrooms till they are soft. Remove from heat and set aside for later.
3. In a large, heavy bottomed saucepan, heat olive oil and 1 Tbsp of butter over medium heat. Add chopped onion. Saute about 2 minutes, add 2 cloves minced garlic (or more if you love garlic like I do). Saute another minute or two until onion is slightly translucent. Do not let garlic burn!
4. Add the rice to the pot and stir briskly with wooden spoon so that the grains are coated with oil and butter. Saute for a minute or so, until there is a slightly nutty aroma. Do NOT let rice brown. Stir in the wine, continue stirring until liquid is fully absorbed.
5. Add one ladle of hot chicken stock to the rice and stir until the liquid is fully absorbed. When the rice appears almost dry, add another ladle of stock and repeat the process. IT IS IMPORTANT TO STIR CONSTANTLY, AND ADD THE NEXT LADLE AS SOON AS THE RICE IS ALMOST DRY. THIS WILL BE YOUR UPPER BODY WORKOUT FOR THE DAY. As you see the rice absorbing the stock, it is important to season the rice with salt and freshly ground pepper. It is at this point that the flavor will be absorbed into the rice.
6. Continue adding ladles of hot stock and stirring the rice while liquid is absorbed. As it cooks, you will see rice take on a creamy consistency as it begins to release the natural starches.
7. Continue this ladle at a time process and stirring for 20-30 minutes, or until the grains are tender but still firm to the bite (not crunchy). If you run out of broth, and your risotto is not completely cooked, you can use hot water or more hot chicken broth. (I had to the second time I made this.) When you are down to the last few ladles of stock, add the cooked mushrooms.
8. Stir in 2 Tbsp butter, the parmesan cheese and the parsley. Finish seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.
9. Risotto turns glutinous if held for too long - serve it right away! It should be soft, creamy mound on a dinner plate (not run across the plate). I put chicken on the top of mine.

Yummy!!! Serve with a salad.

Adapted from About.com and a YouTube video...

ITALIAN COOKING KICK! Pasta Carbonara ala' Tom Cruise

2009-07-20T07:56:00.003-08:00

Ever since visiting Grenada, and staying at La Luna with an Italian chef, I have been on an Italian cooking kick! One day I asked if they could make a Spaghetti Carbonara (not on menu) for my lunch. Absolutely - no problem. Tasting the wonderful pasta dish made me realize how long it has been since I made it myself. Well, upon our return, I set out to find a true recipe for Carbonara. There are lots of pastas that say they are Carbonara, but a true Carbonara has no cream - yet many recipes call for cream. Here is one I found, and tried - delicious! I was a little heavy with the red pepper flakes - next time will follow the recipe. Enjoy!

Supposedly this recipe comes right from Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes...

Spaghetti Carbonara

Olive Oil (good first cold press extra virgin), 1/2 inch in large saute pan
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 chopped onion
8-12 slices pancetta, thick bacon (I used regular bacon)
4 eggs
1 16oz. pkg spaghetti (recipe calls for 2 pkgs of spaghetti - I used one)
2 cups fresh grated parmesan cheese or parmigiano-reggiano cheese
crushed red pepper flakes
salt & fresh ground pepper

1. Put 1/2inch olive oil in saute pan
2. Add 2 cloves (or more) chopped garlic, onion & bacon cut into small squares
3. Let simmer 30 minutes, don't let it boil
4. During last 10 minutes, add red pepper flakes (1 tsp., probably not much more)
5. In bowl, beat 4 eggs with lots of salt and fresh ground pepper.
6. Cook spaghetti until al dente
7. Drain and immediately add egg mixture to pasta. The pasta needs to be very hot in order for the eggs to cook!
8. Stir until eggs are cooked.
9. Mix into saute pan and finish with grated cheese.
10. ENJOY.

Source: Recipe Bazaar

DREADED ISLAND FEVER

2009-07-19T08:33:00.003-08:00

Dreaded Island Fever is a malady, which eventually affects all those who travel primarily to the Caribbean and truly let the varied sights, sounds, smells, tastes and feelings into their bones. Dreaded Island Fever, hereinafter known as DIF, is a real, not imagined, affliction which is contracted by most first time visitors to the Caribbean! People contracting the disease usually start showing symptoms within the first twenty-four hours of being in the Caribbean. It manifests itself in a myriad of different ways, depending on the sufferer. There is no known cure, only treatments, given in bouts of one, two or at the most three weeks, depending on the funds available to the sufferer.

I suffered my first bout of DIF in March, 1992. My family and I spent a week in the British Virgin Islands, 7 days on a sailboat named Island Fever, viewing spectacular sunsets, and enjoying all that the islands had to offer. I felt the first real symptoms of the malady as I gloried in snorkeling in the bath-water-warm waters of the Caribbean. I had never snorkeled in my life and remember (after the fear wore off) being amazed at those beautiful fish. Once contracted, DIF is never cured. The malady did not have a name for me then and in fact remained dormant thereafter–through a combination of divorce, lack of money and time and other factors--until 2001, when I again visited the British Virgin Islands aboard the Windjammer Barefoot Cruises Flying Cloud.

Over the years, we have taken many trips to the Caribbean, on land and sea, trying to visit all the islands in the Kokomo song. On land and sea, we’ve visited Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Anegada, Jost Van Dyke, St. Thomas, Grenada, Bequia, St. Lucia, Mustique, Mayreau, Canouan, Carriacou, Puerto Rico, Petit St. Vincent, St. Vincent, Barbados, and many other islands, shopped for dark chocolate bars from the Grenada Chocolate Factory, fed bananas and petted a monkey who lives in the Grand Etang rainforest, spent hours hunting for enough little nutmeg graters to give as a gift to each of the teachers I work with, making numerous scrapbooks to keep memories alive just a little bit longer, ALL symptoms of one variant or another of DIF.

In between those trips to the Caribbean, the deadly disease continues to affect us, as it does other victims. Victims have been reported posting pictures and even posters of a tranquil island scene on office walls and near their desks and purchasing a $1,000 Nikon D70 digital camera so that they can take digital pictures for the computer. Many folks’ computers reflect computer wallpapers and screen savers of Caribbean scenes, keeping the malady more alive in the sufferer’s mind, but not necessarily helping folks to recover. Reporters have observed folks checking in on travel forums 6 times or more a day, many of them while they are SUPPOSED to be working, and hurriedly shrinking their browser as the boss walks past. Very severe DIF sufferers have been observed pounding their computer keyboard in frustration, as they are unable to get any Caribbean Beach Bar web cam to come up. People with DIF have reported that they often daydream about that special island in the sun, while at work. Others have reported seeing people in serious business meetings with a silly grin on their face and a far away look in their eyes.

At home it doesn't get any better! The poor sufferer forgets about the lawn, housework, kids, little league, friends, neighbors, family and even their job! In an extreme case, one forgets about house payments, car payments and social responsibilities. All they can think of is, "If I don’t eat lunch at all this month, can I afford another trip to the islands this year?" Many are observed listening to Jimmy Buffett or the Beach Boys or a tape or CD from some no-name band they listened to in the Caribbean (that sounded a WHOLE lot better down in the Caribbean!!) blasting out of the player, bugging the neighbors and the dog.

Most lately the symptoms for us have settled in to, more often than not, one particular Island in the Sun, as they do for many folks here. If a person is lucky, they find their own particular island in the sun, that one place on earth that makes their soul sing. That place is different for many folks and could be an otherwise deserted island, on a sailboat, a villa overlooking a fabulous sunset, or a cruise ship. That one particular “Island in the Sun”! For us, it means a sailboat sailing to small islands with the friendliest people you have ever met. It is there that we experience the highest, purest form of DIF. The initial symptom is an uncontrollable urge to lie on a beach and do absolutely nothing. All those "must do" plans seem to melt away in the Caribbean sunshine. When the afflicted are asked about going somewhere or doing something, the reply is usually, "What's the DIFference? It can wait until tomorrow!" The effects of a strange force found only in the Caribbean further compound DIF. It is called "Sand Gravity!" When the disease meets up with this force, the poor afflicted soul finds it hard to even get up to retrieve another cold beverage! That's why some resorts employ beach waiters and waitresses. The far-gone sufferer has taken to bringing along a portable collapsible cooler so that liquid libations will never be more than an arm’s length away. The disease gets progressively worse as time goes on. Even couch potatoes are more active than DIF sufferers! Flight attendants, who say that spouses have been observed dragging their mates aboard aircraft leaving for home, have reported another symptom of the disease. The afflicted have been heard to scream, "One more day -- just one more day!!!"

There is no known cure for DIF! All of the people, who tried to find a cure, were themselves afflicted and ran off to some Caribbean location! There are only "treatments" for this dreaded affliction. The treatment consists of a large "dose" of warm Caribbean sunshine, soft sandy beaches, warm Caribbean sea water and many cold drinks served at a beach bar. There is a downside to this however. The afflicted build up a resistance to the treatments and have to return more and more frequently and for longer periods to relieve the symptoms! Most of the regular travel internet forum goers are hopelessly and helplessly afflicted and will never recover! The CDC and your government don't even acknowledge that this disease exists because they don't want to have mass panic and have all of the citizens rush to the Caribbean. The main problem is, DIF is something that you either already have -- or something you WILL get!

So, how ‘bout it? When did YOU first realize that you were suffering the effects of DIF???

And DIF is just not the Caribbean alone, but includes all destinations in the world. The type of place where you say going in -- this is a ONCE IN A LIFETIME shot and it will never happen again -- but.......will it or not -- who knows -- but DIF is................ and there will never be a cure and we are glad for that!

(The above is rather cheerfully plagiarized from a similar piece written some ten years ago by one Ray Ousley. Ray hung out “sometimes in the Caribbean” and sometimes on the Prodigy BB service. Ray was somewhat of a philosopher, sanguine and cantankerous all at once. Apologies also go to Jamaica Jim Jordan, and Carol & Eric (TTOL), from whose websites we recently stole a version of Ray’s original piece. JJ hangs out mostly in Easley, South Carolina and sometimes in the Caribbean.)

La Luna - The Grand Finale of our Trip!

2009-07-18T08:01:00.009-08:00

Thursday, 7/2/09 – 7/6/09
This was another day of transition. Kathi left Grenada for her home in Oregon. Larry and I left the comforts of Bel Air to experience yet another property in Grenada. I must say we felt trepidation about leaving, as we were so very comfortable in our unit at Bel Air Plantation Resort! We left Bel Air around noon, and headed for La Luna Resort. http://www.laluna.com/

I have read about La Luna in the past, and this year we were lucky enough to have obtained the property on a Skyauction bid. We were in a cottage at the top of the hill, #11. It has a gorgeous view, and the plunge pool was the perfect place to enjoy a sunset happy hour (although each day was too cloudy to get the best sunset viewing during our stay).

Someone described La Luna as "Shabby Chic", and truly that most likely does fit this property. It has a Bali feel, dark woods with lots of cushions and pillows. As you approach the unit, you walk up to a deck with a large couch/day bed filled with white cushions and pillows. There is a coffee table with a large lantern complete with candles; and various other seating types all white and comfy, contrasting with the dark woods used. The doors to the unit were double French doors with white curtains tied on each side. The flooring inside the unit is sealed cement, and the walls on the property appeared to be ragged with either a blue or terracotta color. The canopy bed was dark wood, with white coverings. The bathroom is truly an outdoor bathroom, yet very private. I was worried that we would be bothered with bugs – and the entire time there I did not even see a bug. (I’m not sure how they accomplished that, but everything was immaculate.)

The pool/bar area was stunning - again, dark woods with white cushions everywhere. Under their covered area were a variety of seating areas designed for your comfort. I found a favorite spot - a large daybed - the perfect place for curling up and reading a good book.

We ate in the restaurant each night (four dinners), one lunch and two breakfasts. The service was excellent, the food very good. We even ordered off the menu two times – and nothing was too much trouble! The Italian chef came out each dinner and spoke to the guests making certain everything was to their liking. We were very pleased.

One thing I noticed is that La Luna works hard to get to know each guests name and calls them by their name. This is always such a nice touch, and a touch that not many establishments accomplish.

From La Luna, you could walk to the Grand Anse area. Yes, there are some hills – but after 3 weeks of vacation, and delicious pasta from an Italian chef, I absolutely needed to burn some calories! We walked to Grand Anse two different times, and on one of those jaunts took a bus the rest of the way into St. Georges to do our final souvenir shopping. The goal - to buy up all the dark chocolate bars we could put out by the Grenada Chocolate Factory! Our last walk into town looked as if it might rain, so we took the La Luna umbrella. Boy, did it rain! Not just a little rain, or a mist, but we were caught in a huge downpour – wind & rain. Well, the little umbrella helped to keep our heads dry anyway! The rain stopped as quickly as it began, we dried out and continued on our journey.

Our flight was an early morning flight, so we settled our account after dinner on our last night at La Luna. We were asked if we wanted them to put together something for our breakfast since we had an early flight. They put together a nice muffin and some fruit for us to have prior to our flight. Very nice touch!

All in all, La Luna was a very nice experience and a fantastic way to end our amazing trip to the “islons”!

Socony... The Musician

2009-07-17T09:17:00.004-08:00

Well, I was wrong in my spelling of Socony's name - this is the correct spelling. Socony was the musician that came aboard Camille on Union Island to entertain us with his music, song and trivia!

Turns out, Socony has many YouTube hits!

Here is one of them... SOCONY - I CAN'T STAND YOUR SILENCE ANYMORE

Socony is an expert at trivia - both U.S. Presidential trivia, as well as other trivia. Here is one question!

Name five State Capitals that are also names of U.S. Presidents. (Don't cheat and use Google!)

Good luck!

Off to Grenada!

2009-07-15T18:38:00.010-08:00

6/28 - 7/2

Our group of four hopped aboard the 7am ferry on Sunday to catch the nonstop Liat flight to Grenada. As we sailed out of Port Elizabeth, we waved goodbye to Camille (our wonderful sailboat where we had the most delightful week), and viewed the gorgeous scenery. Early morning is so peaceful and quiet!

Our flight was slightly late, but we made it to Grenada with most of the day to enjoy. Our hotel was fantastic – as always. Bel Air Plantation Resort in St. David’s. http://www.belairplantation.com/

We had one 2-bedroom villa for hubby and I, and my adult son; and a 1 bedroom villa for my friend. The villas at Bel Air are luxury all the way and include air conditioning throughout, huge bathrooms, a large spa tub and separate showers. The linens are top notch, and everything you could possibly need you have. The kitchens are fully stocked with all utensils, serving dishes, etc.

We spent four relaxing nights here enjoying the amenities. On Sunday, our arrival day, we were treated to live entertainment in the restaurant/bar, Water’s Edge. Very enjoyable. We also spent some time at the nearby La Sagesse Nature Center http://www.lasagesse.com/ enjoying the beach where we got married three years ago, and a wonderful lunch.

This time at Bel Air, we did cook two of our four nights. I provided Susan, the owner, a list of items that I would need and she shopped prior to our arrival and had the villa stocked with food. Something that was greatly appreciated!

Sunday night we had dinner at Water’s Edge. The food was very good, and it was nice to once again see the restaurant staff. We had a delicious meal and wonderful drinks!

Monday we went into St. Georges, doing our shopping at the public market for spices, gifts and jewelry. After we were done, we wandered through the tunnel and had lunch at BB’s Crabback. This was our first visit there, and it was excellent! So much so that hubby and I visited another time during our stay. I can’t say enough about the food and the experience – it was excellent! We used to always go to Nutmeg on our in town trips, but Nutmeg has closed down. We have absolutely found a better alternative! http://www.bbscrabback.com/upgrade_flash.htm

Tuesday we went on an island tour with tour guide and friend, Mandoo. If you are looking for a top notch guide, Mandoo is your man. http://www.grenadatours.com/ We have used him now every year for four years, and I can’t recommend him highly enough. Our lunch was at Belmont Estate and excellent! What a beautiful place. On our stop in the Grand Etang rainforest we were lucky enough to experience our old faithful monkey – Lover Boy. He is getting quite old and slowing down. He came right up to us, took a banana (or two or three), and made clear he wanted to be scratched and petted. Sweet monkey – wow. Seeing the moana monkeys is always a highlight for me! I’m wondering if next time we visit (2 years) we will see Lover Boy again. Sad thought…

Wednesday my son had to go home (we actually extended his stay by 2 days - he should have gone home on Monday), so hubby and I took him to the airport (very early). Once he got inside the gates, hubby and I went to the Grand Anse area thinking that we could catch an early breakfast at La Boulangerie. La Boulangerie is a bakery that has excellent food at very reasonable prices. Little did we know they did not open until 8:30am, and it was only 6:30am. OK, plan B… we would walk the beautiful beach and get some exercise to start our day. We were not the only ones out on the beach – lots of locals taking a nice morning walk or swim. At 8:30 we did end up making our way back to La Boulangerie for a nice breakfast. After breakfast, we took a bus (aka: crowded minivan with loud reggae music) into St. Georges. Once we got to the bus terminal – it just started to pour! We experienced the bus terminal, figured out which bus we needed to take us back to St. David’s after a few kind people answered our questions. This was our first time taking the bus out to Bel Air. The bus would stop at the road that goes to the hotel, from there it was about a one mile walk to our little villa. Let’s hope for no rain we thought!

Mother Nature was kind to us and by the time we got to our road, the weather had cleared making it a nice walk in to the resort. We visited with dogs, puppies, and goats (including 2 newly born white goats). Very peaceful walk!

The rest of our day was spent relaxing at the pool and enjoying Bel Air’s beautiful property. We had a game of H20 Uno in the pool, lunch outside and thoroughly enjoyed the day. This was our last day at Bel Air.

I can’t thank Susan and her staff at Bel Air enough for a wonderful stay. It is like visiting a good friend as opposed to staying at a resort.

Sailing the Grenadines! Final day on the boat...

2009-07-15T06:52:00.009-08:00

Friday, 6/26/09
It was time to explore Chatham Bay – gorgeous beach with no people (but us). We wandered, hunted for sea glass and shells, and enjoyed the last peaceful morning on the boat. Our trip was about to wind down… time to set sail for Bequia.

After a long sail and late lunch, we were able to explore Bequia a bit. We went to Coco’s for dinner – wonderful dinner and the last one for our motley sailing group to experience together. There was supposed to be music, but for some reason the band did not appear - low season in the Caribbean, things are quite casual - even music engagements. We took some leftovers with us to try to feed the fish at the boat. We got strong flashlights, and thought we would have good luck getting fish to come over with our tasty leftovers. But, alas - they were either not hungry, or did not like what we had to offer as we did not do well finding fish to look at. By the time we finished our fish feeding experiment, everyone crashed.

Saturday, 6/27/09
Jackie and Neal had to leave first as they were flying out on SVG to Barbados for a night at the Crane. The rest of us went back to Sugarapple Inn where we spent a quiet day exploring Friendship Beach, and being lazy in the pool. We enjoyed a great lunch at the Bequia Beach Hotel.

For dinner on our last night on the island, we met Paul and Jan at Mac’s Pizza. We had to get in our Mac’s Pizza fix, it is a tradition for us to go to Mac’s. I had a lovely lasagna! They have many other things – not just pizza, although their pizza is wonderful. The evening was delightful. We had to say our goodbyes to Jan and Paul – the crew that had become good friends over the week!

Truly, this was “the” best vacation, relaxing and fun. We loved it so much, we are signed up for another week next June, British Virgin Islands this time! Can’t wait…

Sailing the Grenadines! A deserted island....

2009-07-14T08:12:00.010-08:00

Thursday, 6/25/09

The plan for Thursday at 6am was to get up early and swim with the turtles as they were feeding. However, the weather was not really cooperating for that plan so we slept in and waited out the wind/rain. After breakfast, we did venture over to snorkel the area as I said earlier.

After our snorkel, we moved the boat over to another Cay (yes, another deserted island) where we could go ashore and climb up a hill for a great view of those turquoise waters. Larry actually walked around the entire island. Beautiful!

We stayed here until after lunchtime at which point we set sail for Union Island – Chatham Bay.

Chatham Bay is a beautiful, quiet bay that we have been to before. The weather made it “interesting” – huge winds flipping our dinghy (and other dinghy’s in the area as well). We were all drenched by the time we were all squared away (anchored). I’m not sure there were any dry towels left! Once we were all dried off, we moved our usual game activities in to the saloon – cribbage night.

After an hour or two, the rain cleared and everything dried. The next day the sunshine was beautiful… storms pass quickly in the Caribbean!

Sailing the Grenadines! Happy Anniversary to us...

2009-07-13T19:49:00.007-08:00

Wednesday, 6/24
Our Anniversary!

Well, our day began after breakfast by wandering around town a little more exploring the shops and such that had not been open the previous evening. Jan had to pick up some supplies for the boat, etc. Well, tricky girl – she really went out to pick flowers and buy an anniversary card. She came back, handed Larry the flowers to give to me. Very sweet!

We set sail for Petit St. Vincent – an island we had never visited before (always a special treat).

We anchored and were dropped off for some beach/floating time, remember it is our favorite pastime! They sent us with the cooler bag and provisions. We were there a couple of hours, and Paul came to pick us up. Time to go back to the boat for lunch. What a beautiful island. There is a resort on island, and they were fairly careful about not letting us beach people wander too far into the resort.

Next stop – Tobago Cays! Tobago Cays is a marine park – very protected. We used to go here with Windjammer Barefoot Cruises (for a day stop), but once this area became a marine park, that was not allowed. Now this is the first time I've been since it has been deemed a marine park, and boy, can I see the change! Sea turtles – and LOTS of them. Wow. The afternoon we arrived we were going through a bit of a squall in the area, so we really did not explore until Thursday.

Dinner was fabulous and Paul had baked a cake for our anniversary! Jan had everyone aboard sign the card, and they sang a rendition of Happy Anniversary. Jackie and Neal even got us a Tobago Cay mug on Union. Very sweet – what a great way to spend an anniversary! (Let’s do it again next year…)

Sailing the Grenadines! The fun keeps on coming...

2009-07-13T07:50:00.007-08:00

Tuesday: 6/23

This morning after breakfast four of our group went diving in Mayreau Gardens. They all expressed their gratitude for being able to dive that particular site and stated it was absolutely fantastic diving. Notice the squid in the picture to the left? Pretty cool huh?

Kathi and I spent the morning reading on the trampoline under a shade tarp. Who could ask for more. Once we got a little warm, we decided it was time to float (a favored pastime by all). The boat has noodles aboard and we figured out if you use two noodles, you can fashion a chair of sorts – most comfie! This may be stretching it, but I looked at it as a CORE Workout... balance and focus were key to successful chair floating.

The other pastime of the day was to watch the excitement of one of the Switch charter boats. It came in later in the day on Monday and they decided to beach the catamaran, tying it to a tree. Huh, we thought. None of the other boats were doing that we noticed. Well, the tide (yes there is tide) went out over night, and the catamaran was firmly beached. Some locals throughout the day would come, try to assist, but to no avail. By the time we left after lunch, the boat was still firmly beached. I’m sure they had to wait it out until late in the day when they re-floated.

After our lunch, and giving up on the beached cat excitement, we set sail for Union Island. Union Island’s main town is Clifton. We docked for the night and this was our night to go out to dinner. We talked about options, and decided on the West Indies Restaurant for dinner. The six of us spent time exploring Clifton: bars, restaurants, dive shop and internet café. During this time of wandering, this is when Jan and Paul work hard to spiffy up the boat (fresh towels, fresh sheets, more water, and a good scrub for Camille). Boy, do they work hard to make everything perfect!

They also had arranged for Sivoney, a friend & musician, to come aboard during our happy hour to entertain us. Sivoney is a master trivia expert, and will absolutely stump you with his questions. He would sing, but prior to starting a song he would deliver a most difficult, multi-faceted trivia question. I don’t think we got any one of them completely correct! He was great, and we did purchase a CD from him. Very interesting and entertaining fellow.

After Sivoney left, we all wandered down to the West Indies Restaurant for a fabulous dinner. Very good food and great service as well. WEST INDIES RESTAURANT

Sailing the Grenadines! More fun to come...

2009-07-12T07:58:00.001-08:00

Monday: 6/22/09
Another wonderful breakfast and we were off – sailing to Mayreau. Paul and Jan dropped us off in Saline Bay. We donned our shoes, took a cooler bag with provisions and headed ashore. Our task – to climb the hill over the island and end up in Salt Whistle Bay.

At the top of the hill is the Catholic Church. If you go behind the church, you will find the most magnificent view! Don’t miss it… Keep following the road (the only road, so you can’t get lost) and you will end up at a beautiful beach where the Salt Whistle Resort is located.

During our jaunt over the hill, we ended up on a goat/sheep rescue mission. Many appeared to be tangled, so we helped untangle the goats, or were they sheep? Tails up – goats. Tails down – sheep. Our last rescuee’ was very sad when we left and cried and cried for Neil, his rescuer.

Well, after our tiring goat rescue mission, we were treated to wonderful appetizers and cocktails aboard Camille – and of course another fabulous dinner. This night was probably our best sunset! Beautiful…

Sailing the Grenadines! (continued)

2009-07-11T10:05:00.013-08:00

Mustique was about a 2-3 hour sail. One of our crewmates was not feeling very well, a bit seasick, so put on Seabands and took Bonine that I had brought along (just in case). She seemed to feel better (about the time we arrived)! We sailed into Mustique, had another fabulous meal and took the dinghy to the dock. Our group of six decided to do the island tour. Wow is all that I can say. Compared to other islands, this island was pristine.

Being in education, I always pay attention to schools. The school on Mustique was beautiful. The facilities were up to date, and the children had a gorgeous playground. In all of my travels to the Caribbean, I have never seen a school that would even come close to that one! Since our visit, I have learned the the island is owned by the Mustique Corporation. The gorgeous school is not a public school, but a school built by the Corporation. It was donated, designed and built by the late Arne Hasselqvist, the acrhitectural mastermind behind 69 of Mustique's villas, the jetty, airport, boutiques, Basil's Bar and some offices. The school opened in 1987 and is financed in part by the homeowners' annual benefit, which provides local children with the best education possible. Some of the world's leading entertainers are numbered among visiting storytellers! Apparently the education is on the same par as the facility, and considered an "employee perk" for those living on the island working for the corporation.

During our tour we visited the Cotton House Hotel grounds – beautiful! (At a hefty price I might add.)

And of course drove by some magnificent homes. OK, who wants to live here?

We ended our tour at Basil’s Bar with a drink and sunset before heading back to Camille for another wonderful dinner. What a great day!

Sailing the Grenadines!

2009-07-10T11:12:00.007-08:00

Part three of our adventure takes us aboard a 51 ft Privilege Catamaran named Camille. This was our first time sailing with Tradewinds, and we were REALLY looking forward to it. Our sailing experience is not recent, our last bareboat charter in 2005 visiting the B.V.I. We did not feel confident enough to attempt a sailing trip on our own, very rusty skills, so the Tradewinds option worked out great for us! We can do as much sailing as we like, and do not have the responsibility of cooking, provisioning, and the boat tasks. This truly was vacation! We met Paul and Jan (our captain and first mate), and they led us to Camille. She was great – looked beautiful and welcoming complete with a welcome sign with each of our names and pitchers of cocktails and appetizers. We all enjoyed the early evening waiting for the last two boat mates to arrive – Jackie O. and Neal. Once they arrived, we unpacked, stowed suitcases in the locked Tradewinds storage area and left the dock to anchor near Princess Margaret Beach for the night. Each meal was amazing and hard to believe that Jan could produce that kind of food in such a small area. Not only was it delicious, but the presentation was fabulous as well! Kudos to Jan.

Sunday: 6/21/09
After a nice breakfast, we were off for Mustique (island of the rich and famous). We left Bequia and got the closest view of Moonhole I have ever had! What a unique place… one of these days I do want to see it up close.

Back from Paradise!

2009-07-09T14:12:00.010-08:00

TRIP REPORT – PART ONE, JUNE 16-18
THE JOURNEY BEGINS…

The time had finally arrived to begin our little adventure, one that we had been planning for about a year! Our trip consisted of five parts… travel to “the islons” (from the west coast, never an easy task); a night in San Juan; time in Bequia; sailing the Grenadines; time in Grenada; and finally the return to reality which is an inevitable reality with vacations, albeit a sad one.

Larry and I set off from Alaska with the intent to meet up with my grown son and a friend in Los Angeles. This would be our group’s first night together before our journey on to the Caribbean. We left Alaska around noon, and experienced a hefty delay right from the get go. Uh-oh, not a good sign for our long journey ahead. Sure enough, our stop in Seattle to catch our first of many connecting flights was too late… as we were pulling in to our gate, we saw our flight to LAX pull out of the gate ahead of us while we sat on the taxiway. No problem – we caught the later flight to Los Angeles, and instead of enjoying the first evening with our group being together, we got there in time to go to sleep and ready ourselves for the morning flight.

To continue with the theme of delays, (this time using American), we were delayed getting out of Los Angeles on our flight to Miami. We got into Miami late, and sat at the gate for quite some time prior to the jetway being deployed for us to try to catch our next flight – MIA-SJU. Luckily for us, the San Juan flight was also delayed, so we did make our flight. After some worry about a mechanical issue, and sitting on the plane waiting to take off for quite some time, we were happy and relieved to finally be on our way to San Juan.

We arrived in San Juan two hours late, but we were there and our journey was well underway! Yipee – we were ready for vacation. Our hotel, the El San Juan Resort and Casino, is now a Waldorf-Astoria Collection hotel. We found one restaurant open at that late hour, and had a nice dinner (the first food we had since breakfast!).

Our rooms were nice and in a renovated section of the hotel. We did not have a view, but it was fine for our one night at the hotel. Our next flight (SJU-GND) wasn’t until 6pm, so we had the day to spend exploring San Juan. We started with an outdoor breakfast at the hotel, and toured the property. Very pretty pool areas, and the beach was lovely. It was nice to feel we were in the tropics – finally!

After checking out of the hotel, and leaving our bags with the valet, we caught a cab to Castillo de San Felipe del Morro, El Morro for short. Exploring the windswept walkways and tunnels makes for an interesting day. This particular day was especially windy and dozens of school children on field trips were flying kites in the outside courtyard area as you approach the castle. The purpose of El Morro was to keep seaborne enemies out of San Juan. Today it is an attraction for tourists, which we were one of on this breezy day!

After our morning at El Morro, we decided we were all hot and thirsty, and that it was time to find the shops and restaurants of Old San Juan. This 465 year old neighborhood has evolved into a charming residential and commercial districted. The narrow streets are lined with cobblestones, and there are many carefully restored 16th-17th century Spanish colonial buildings to admire. After a little shopping, it was time to find the Parrot Club for lunch. The Nuevo Latino cuisine blends traditional Puerto Rican foods with Spanish influences. The restaurant is set in a beautiful 1902 building. Now that our little group has had refreshments and food, it is time to head back to the hotel to get our bags, and “mosey” (island time) on to the airport for our flight to Grenada.

Our flight to Grenada was uneventful (unlike each flight the previous 2 days), we left on time and arrived early! Isn’t that refreshing? One note of something new while going into the Customs area… we were met by 2 nurses, each wearing a mask and given a Swine Flu questionaire to complete prior to speaking with the Customs Agent (who by the way were also wearing masks). Basically, the forms contained questions about your health. These forms were collected after speaking to Customs, and before you went to the luggage area. We were staying for the one quick night at the Flamboyant Hotel. We easily caught a taxi to the Flamboyant, and thought all was good… we were looking forward to dinner and going to bed. Unfortunately, our luck did not change as when we arrived at the hotel, it was evident we were short one of our 3 rooms. My son and I share a last name still, and the hotel saw the same last name and assumed we only needed one room. We had prepaid for all 3 rooms, had confirmations/travel vouchers for all three rooms, but it took about one hour to straighten out the room issue. Apparently, the hotel had some sort of event going on, and things seemed to be quite confused. At first I was told there were no rooms left at all. I was quite surprised with June being low season, and the Flamboyant being a rather large property. But, after an hour or so, the manager was able to find the third room for us. The Flamboyant is a moderate hotel, and is clean and air-conditioned. I was disappointed at the room mix-up and the way it was handled, but we eventually did get our room so it worked out fine. Unfortunately, in all the room confusion, my friend put her cell phone down by the public computer in the lobby. After noticing the phone missing, my friend went back down to look for her phone. It had only been 10 minutes, but alas – the iPhone was gone. Things did not appear to be going our way – at least at that point in time! We were all (kind of) laughing at the luck of our little group, and hoping that the new day would bring us some new GOOD luck!

PART TWO: JUNE 19-20
TRULY PARADISE!

We awoke bright and early (hmmm – well it was still dark actually) to head to the airport and catch our LIAT flight to St. Vincent. One change from our trip last year has to do with liquids and gels… last year the Grenada airport did not seem to follow the U.S. protocols of the 3oz size limit. This year, they did! Also, LIAT seemed much tighter on bags than last year. I had a beach bag purse, and a small wheeled backpack. They insisted on checking the wheeled backpack. Last year I had the same travel setup, and was able to carry both on the plane. Upon arrival in St. Vincent, we again were met by completing a Swine Flu questionaire. We collected our bags, and made it quickly and easily through Customs and Immigration. LIAT again this year had been great – flight close to on time and no lost luggage (4 people traveling). Maybe our luck had indeed changed!

Leaving the airport, we walked outside to be called by name. How did that happen? I had transfer arrangements taken care of in Grenada, and in Bequia – but not St. Vincent! Well, turns out that Tradewinds Cruise Club (our sailing charter) had sent a driver. Very nice! We had the driver take us to the Fort and the Botanical Gardens as we had some time to kill prior to the ferry.

The Botanical Gardens in St. Vincent are absolutely beautiful. We had a guide that led us through the fabulous grounds showing us all of the plants and trees, as well as the unique characteristics of many of their plants. What a lovely area for photo ops! We took many photographs to attempt to capture the beauty, serenity and peace of this lovely spot.

After our walk through the Gardens, it was time to head over to the ferry terminal. We were aboard the 11:30 ferry headed for one of my favorite islands – Bequia. The crossing is quite quick, one hours time, and you are transported to a small charming island filled with friendly people and gingerbread trim.

Doc was there to pick us up at the ferry terminal and take us to Sugarapple Inn for our one night in Bequia. We used Doc last year for all our transfer and taxi needs while on the island. He is such a nice reliable man, we made sure we arranged to use him again this trip.

Sugarapple Inn (http://www.sugarappleinn.com/Site_2/Background.html) is an adorable Inn, and very reasonably priced. We chose it last year while in Bequia due to the very positive reviews on TripAdvisor, and were not disappointed. This year going back as a repeat customer felt like returning to visit family. Cilla, the manager, gave a warm and welcoming smile and hug and we were indeed in paradise! This is the Bequia I remember… friendly and welcoming people. We settled into our 3 rooms (the only guests staying in the Inn), and after a quick swim in the beautiful pool, headed back into town. A little shopping, a quick internet check stop and lunch rounded out our afternoon.

We had dinner at the Bequia Beach Hotel, and were treated to a wonderful dinner. This hotel/restaurant is a quick three minute walk from Sugarapple, so the perfect dining spot. This probably was my favorite pumpkin soup of the trip – it was delicious! I had a chicken stuffed with callaloo that was to die for! Yum. Everyone enjoyed their meals immensely.

We spent Saturday with a morning island tour (thanks Doc), and enjoyed seeing the island once again. Unfortunately, the Turtle Sanctuary was closed on Saturdays, but as we wandered around the outside peeking in we got a glimpse of Busybody (the turtle that has been with him the longest – he likes to be scratched!). I had a little chat with Busybody, and could see him come up to the edge of his pool right by me turning on his side as if to say, “Pet me.” Our breakfast this day was at De Bistro – quite yummy. We did some shopping for snacks and such prior to heading down to our own sailboat (catamaran) for the week. What a nice day it had been! And… the fun was just beginning!

Ahoy Sailor! One week till we step foot on our sailboat...

2009-06-13T07:53:00.003-08:00

Well, one week from today we will be on our own sailboat (our own for a week that is) in the warm waters of Bequia. Bequia is called The Big Little Island. It is seven square miles in size, and home to about 5000 people. It absolutely is the most friendly place I have ever been! Everyone smiles, and wishes you a "Good mornin'". If you are driving, you are waved at by the friendly locals. Amazing place to be sure!

I know this year will be different than we are used to - the economy hits paradise too. I just heard that one of our favorite restaurants in Grenada has closed down. It has been there for years - a tradition, and is a favorite of locals and tourists alike. Many restaurants are only opening for certain hours, or closing early for the low season. Sad...

But, paradise will still be paradise; the lovely beaches will be open; and we will adapt with the times.

Ten days till we leave for paradise...

2009-06-06T20:28:00.003-08:00

In ten days we start our long adventure to paradise. In honor of our upcoming trip to the "Spice Island" (Grenada - the Spice Isle), I am reposting a recipe for Nutmeg Ice Cream. Summer is always a nice time for some homemade ice cream. (especially with this wonderful weather)

NUTMEG ICE CREAM - a delicious dessert you find in Grenada
1 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
3 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. freshly grated nutmeg - about 1 whole nutmeg
1/8 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
In pan, bring milk and cream just to a boil. Whisk together eggs, sugar, nutmeg, salt, and vanilla. Whisk 1/2 cup of the milk mixture into the egg mixture. Whisk the egg mixture into the remaining milk mixture. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until 175 on a candy thermometer. Transfer the custard to a metal bowl and set it in a larger bowl of ice and cold water. Stir until the custard has completely cooled. Freeze the custard in your ice cream machine according to directions. Enjoy!

Two Week Countdown till sailing in paradise! Time for a new recipe... PAINKILLER CAKE

2009-05-31T20:25:00.002-08:00

Two weeks from today we will be on our own little catamaran sailing the warm, glistening Caribbean Sea. AHHHHHHHH...... In honor of the wonderful Caribbean, I'm posting a favorite recipe. This is actually a drink (maybe recipe to follow) called the Painkiller, but this has been modified to become your dessert.

PAINKILLER CAKE
Source: Walker's Website

Cake:
1 pkg pineapple cake mix - Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe Pineapple Supreme Cake Mix works best
1 small pkg Jello Coconut Cream Instant Pudding Mix (or vanilla is almost as good)
4 eggs
1 cup pineapple juice
1 8oz can chunk pineapple in juice
1/2 cup dark rum
1/2 cup Coco Lopez (cream of coconut - NOT coconut milk)
1 cup coconut flakes (if you like coconut)

Glaze:
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup Coco Lopez
1 cup dark rum
1/2 cup Gran Marnier

Additional:
Fresh grated nutmeg

Directions:
1. Pour the cup pineapple juice in saucepan. Strain the juice from the can of chunk pineapple, adding the juice to the pan. Reduce the liquid over med.-high heat until you have 1/2 cup of liquid in pan. This intensifies the pineapple flavor.
2. Very lightly chop the pineapple chunks (5 quick pulses in food processor)
3. Mix all of cake ingredients and pour into greased pan. A bundt pan will cool quicker, but you can use a loaf-type pan.
4. Bake at 350 degrees. Cake should be done in 45 minutes (bundt pan). This cake rises a LOT, so leave lots of room in the oven above the pan. When cake starts to turn nice and brown on top, check for doneness with toothpick. Don't overcook.
5. About 30 minutes after putting cake into oven, make the glaze. Bring butter, sugar, o.j., and Coco Lopez to a boil over med. heat. Remove from heat, add the rum and Grand Marnier. Return to heat, and reduce over high heat until the glaze reaches 240 degrees (soft ball candy stage).
6. Drizzle glaze over cake while cake is still warm. Drizzle from the center, allowing glaze to run to edges. Once top has been covered, let cake rest for a couple of minutes while the glaze runs down the sides. Slowly add more glaze to the very top. Don't worry about the glaze that runs off the side, it will form a delicious soft candy as it cools.
7. Grate a very light sprinkling of fresh nutmeg over glaze.
8. Sprinkle coconut flakes over top, optional.

3 Week Countdown (till VACATION IN PARADISE)

2009-05-25T18:18:00.004-08:00

In honor of our 3 week mark till we leave on a jet plane for a sunny, tropical paradise, I thought it was time to post a tropical drink recipe! Here is one of my FAVORITES... it is called THE BUSHWACKER. (YUM! It actually tastes much like a chocolate shake - for the life of me I have no idea why.)

In googling BUSHWACKER RECIPES, I actually found a great number of them - all a bit different, with different ingredients. There was even a video of how to make a proper Bushwacker. The recipe below comes from the British Virgin Islands (and again, everyone makes their own version). This is one we have tried, and can attest to... although I'm betting the other recipes are wonderful too!

BUSHWACKER
(Recipe comes from Anegada, B.V.I.)
Source: BVIPirate

1 part Amaretto
1 part Bailey's
1 part Kahlua
1 part vodka
1 part white rum
1/2 part Coco Lopez
Ice
Freshly grated nutmeg

Fill blender 1/2 to 3/4 full of ice. Add liquids and blend until smooth. Pour into glass and grate fresh nutmeg on the top. Consistency is much like a milk shake! Be sure to serve in a disposable plastic cup, complete with umbrella - ISLAND STYLE.

One Month Countdown!

2009-05-17T06:56:00.011-08:00

Well, we are at that point in time when our sailing trip is getting very close! We have one month to go before we are on our way to the Caribbean. Ahhh - warm water; warm weather and island hopping - doesn't that sound like fun? I had to go back through some old trip pictures to get that good Caribbean vibe. Soon we will be there, feel the warmth, smell the spices in the air in Grenada (as they grow all over the island) and see the beauty of that part of the world. How wonderful!

Here are some of my favorite pictures and favorite places...

This is Grand Anse Beach on Grenada. During high season it is a hopping place, but when we go (June/July) we had it almost to ourselves! Such a gorgeous place.

Here we are in the Grenadines. We are on an island, taking in the view! Nice view huh?

Here is the BEST pizza place on the islands - Mac's. I rarely have pizza here however, as everything they make is wonderful. And, the have the best homemade bread!

Time for a recipe? How about CILANTRO-LOVER'S GUACAMOLE?

2009-05-02T06:34:00.002-08:00

Well, posting a recipe weekly (as I had planned) hasn't been happening lately. Life gets in the way sometimes, especially this time of year when everyone who works in a school is insanely busy! So, time to post a recipe...

My very favorite site, Kalyn's Kitchen, has a wonderful recipe posted for Guacamole lovers! (OK, I am a guacamole lover - yum!) Since Cinco De Mayo is right around the corner, this seemed like an appropriate time to post!

Kalyn is a great food blogger, and she always posts nice healthy (low carb) recipes. I appreciate her blog and use it frequently when looking for yummy recipes to try at home. I hope you enjoy it! I know I will...

CILANTRO-LOVER'S GUACAMOLE WITH RED ONION, LIME AND CHILES
(Makes about 1 1/2 cups guac) Recipe created by Kalyn (click on the above link to go to Kalyn's site)

2 medium avocados (must be ripe and ready for guacamole)
1 T lime juice
3 T very finely minced red onioin
1/4 cup finely minced cilantro
1/4 tsp Ancho chile powder
1/2 tsp Vege-Sal (or 1/4 tsp salt)
1/2 tsp Green Tabasco sauce (or to taste)

Peel avocados & dice. Put into a glass or plastic bowl and toss with lime juice.

Chop your red onion & cilantro, add to avocado. Add chile powder, Vege-Sal, and Green Tabasco to the bowl.

Use a fork, mash & stir the avocado until other ingredients are mixed in & avocado is mostly mashed, with a few chunks here and there. Taste for seasoning and add more salt, chile powder or hot sauce depending on your desires.

If you are a South Beacher - you wouldn't want to have regular tortilla chips, but instead use whole wheat tortilla chips or brown rice tortilla chips. You could even have it in a salad, or with whole wheat crackers.

Beautiful days in Juneau!

2009-04-28T20:30:00.002-08:00

Wow - we have been so lucky lately. Spring has arrived in Juneau! It was another beautiful day - sunny, warm and gorgeous. We have NO RAIN in the forecast, nothing but sun and we are approaching 70 degree weather. Wow. There is nothing better than a sunny day in Juneau.

I think this weekend we are going to plant containers of flowers. We will have to watch the weather closely, till the frost danger is gone, but I think we are safe!! Can't wait for the flowers to bloom, to put out our colorful flag and get the patio furniture out and set up. Our cruise ship season starts tomorrow, and a nice downtown restaurant opens on Friday. Spring/summer is here!

High Tech Game Night

2009-04-18T20:06:00.004-08:00

So, tonight we are taking it easy at home and playing games using the iPhone! We played Yatzee and are now in the middle of Monopoly. I'm Nesting Doll and Larry is Penguin. It is a fun game, and there is absolutely no pieces you can lose... To roll the dice, you simply shake the iPhone! When it is the next persons turn, you just pass the iPhone. Very fun...

Mom's Christmas Morning Breakfast... a tradition!

2009-04-11T21:14:00.004-08:00

Well, I just finished making 15 casserole dishes of this wonderful recipe. State testing is coming up, and I decided to cook for the kids! Yes, it is about 200 children that will be eating my mom's recipe. Of course the recipe passed to me - and even though mom is not around any longer - I still make every Christmas (and sometimes other times as well)! I hope the kids like it! They are so excited about having breakfast at school.

Do-Ahead Breakfast

5 slices sourdough bread, torn into pieces
1 lb. Brown & Serve sausage links (pre-cooked), sliced
1.5 lbs. Cheddar Cheese, shredded

2 1/4 cup milk
4-5 eggs
1 tsp dry mustard

Take 9x13 inch pan and spray with Pam. Put torn bread pieces into bottom of pan. Sprinkle cheese on top of bread. Place sausage slices on top of cheese. Mix the milk, eggs and dry mustard. Pour over the casserole. Cover with foil, put in fridge and allow to sit overnight.

In the morning, mix one can of Cream of Mushroom Soup and 1/2 can of milk. Pour over the top of casserole.

Bake at 300 degrees for about 70 minutes. (Just enough time to open presents!)

Wii Fit...

2009-03-29T10:57:00.005-08:00

Well, technology just keeps adding to our lives doesn't it? We are now the owners of a Wii Fit. Finally got all the pieces on Thursday (wii console and wii fit), with flight delays & cancellations due to the volcano erupting in Alaska. I have been a faithful user of it since its arrival. It is quite fun, motivating, keeps you moving, and I am actually sore - so it must be making me use some muscles that were not used prior to its arrival.

The exercise categories are balance, yoga, aerobics, and strength. When you begin, the Wii Fit does body measuring - it measures weight, bmi, and balance/agility and provides you with your Wii Age.... Yes, it is brutally honest depending on how you do with your balance/agility test, weight & bmi, and will provide you with an age that may be either above your own, or below your own (yay). Like today - I was "40". Liking the wii fit today :) One day I was in my 30's - that was a wonderful day. Larry's first Wii age was 66 - I still give him a hard time about that.

When you begin "training", you are given a gift of a piggy bank. This bank is to collect & tally your daily minutes of exercise. I have put in over one hour a day so far and try to equally balance my activities in all of the areas. It actually has positive reinforcement built into the program, as the more time you put in exercising you unlock more games and activities.

My favorites so far are the advanced step aerobics, hula hoop, rhythm boxing (all aerobics), ski slalom, penguin, and bubble in the river (all working on balance). I also am enjoying the yoga - and especially like the breathing visual & sound to remind you to breathe. I tried push ups on the strength, and found it to be quite difficult to do using the balance board as your hands seems to slide.

So, more experimenting to be sure needs to be done. But, so far - I'd highly recommend it.

This is spring?

2009-03-27T08:02:00.004-08:00

Oh my goodness. If you have been to my house, you have seen I have the great view of Juneau from my windows. Well, today my view is gone. All I can see are millions of tiny snowflakes falling (no dumping) from the sky. I can't even see the street in front of my house any longer, except for the narrow pathway carved out of 12 feet of snow! We are so done with this weather, and anxiously awaiting springtime! It may be officially spring, but boy is it hard to tell just from looking out the window...

Who won the HGTV Dream Home?

2009-03-23T19:42:00.004-08:00

Meet Cheryl from Lakeland, Florida. This retired couple, who live in a modest home in Florida, are the happy and surprised owners of the HGTV Dream Home in Sonoma, CA. They have won not only the home (complete with furnishings), but an Acadia Crossover as well. Congratulations Cheryl and family!

If you want to learn more about the dream home, and "borrow" some of their decorating tips, check out HGTV Dream Home Central. http://www.hgtv.com/dream-home/index.html

Spring is here...

2009-03-21T08:30:00.005-08:00

Well, today on our first official full day of spring we actually have SUNSHINE! What a beautiful day. Now, if only the snow would melt (all of it) by tonight. (ha) I'm very ready for spring, and have spent the morning watching QVC looking at patio furniture, plants, and fountains! Can you tell I'm ready for nice weather?

Here is what I'm debating currently...

I want a dwarf kishu mandarin tree! It can be grown here outside in the summer, and then brought inside as a potted plant before the first frost. I had it in my shopping cart as I was thinking it over, and now it is sold out! I guess my decision has been made for me.

OK, now that I can't have the dwarf mandarin tree, I'm thinking about plumeria to grow indoors as a houseplant. If I can't have Hawaii or the Caribbean all the time, I could at least have it in the living room! Just going in and taking in the scent would be enough to transport one to paradise...

Chicken Salad Anyone?

2009-03-15T08:31:00.002-08:00

Well, I found a wonderful chicken salad recipe that I modified slightly to serve at a salad potluck. It was yummy - and a HUGE bowl of it was devoured (always a sign of a good recipe).

Chicken Salad
Serves 12

4 cups cubed cooked chicken meat
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp paprika
1 1/2 cups dried cranberries (cherries work well also)
1 cup chopped celery
2 green onions, finely sliced
1/2 cup finely minced green bell pepper (I used the food processor to make it quite fine)
1 cup chopped pecans
1 tsp seasoning salt
1 tsp garlic powder
Ground black pepper to taste

Mix together mayo, & paprika. Blend in all other ingredients and mix well. Season with black pepper to taste. You can serve in a number of ways - as a salad; on a croissant; on a nice wheat/multi-grain bread; in a toasted pita; or as a spread on a tortilla (with baby spinach) - a wrap. Very tasty - I'll be making this one again!

One of the meager homes...

2009-03-08T10:50:00.004-08:00

If you had the good fortune to win the HGTV dream home, this would be one of your neighbors! This home sits on an entire city block. It appears to have a pool house, and at least one guest house on site. Rumor has it the owner owns a winery in the area. Not too shabby huh?

Who will win??

2009-03-06T18:23:00.003-09:00

Well, during our short time in California we were able to find the new HGTV DREAM HOME in Sonoma, CA. Some lucky person will be winning this home in a week or so! It is in a cute little area in Sonoma - wine country. I thought it would be grander and larger... but it actually was a nice farm style home. The other homes in the neighborhood were gorgeous (and actually more lavish than the dream home). Not that I would complain mind you! The lucky winner will have to cough up about $700,000 for the tax man.

I learned while there that actually HGTV picks several names; then does interviews with the perspective winners finding just the "right" person to win the home. So, I'm betting I did not win or I would have heard by now! Oh well, back to reality.

Off to California!

2009-02-22T06:43:00.004-09:00

Well, I'm gearing up for a week long trip to northern California. I leave Wednesday morning for San Francisco to attend a yearly summit put on by a company called CORE. I will be in Burlingame (near the airport) for the first part of this trip. Some well known reading researchers are going to lead sessions, so I'm looking forward to hearing them!

Part two of the trip is spending the weekend in city itself - near Fisherman's Wharf. I'm hoping to get in touch with a friend who lives in the area and be able to see her! It truly has been years since we have been able to see each other.

Then, finally part three of the trip will be in Sonoma. I was lucky enough last year to be part of an intensive reading training. It was the best training I've ever experienced! (four trips; 12 days of intensive training - and it "WAS" intensive) I will be involved in a follow-up session focusing on grades 4-6 this year with the same trainer.

I'm hoping for warmth and sunshine, but in looking at the weather report it will most likely be chilly and possibly rainy as well. Oh well, it will be warmer than here in Alaska! Now to figure out what to bring...

Inservice Day Lunch - Ole'

2009-02-15T17:44:00.005-09:00

Well, tomorrow we are putting together an old favorite in the crockpot for lunch - TACO SOUP! There are a million different recipes, all quite similar. Here is the one I'll be using (which I have modified)...

Taco Soup In the Crockpot
(serves around 8)

1 pound of browned extra lean ground beef (drained)
1 chopped onion
1 can of kidney beans (undrained)
1 can whole kernel corn (undrained)
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
2 14.5 oz cans peeled & diced tomatoes (undrained)
1 4 oz can diced green chiles
2 cups water (you will want to judge the consistency of your soup here - very likely won't need to add the water... with the undrained canned goods - you probably will be fine)
1 pkg taco seasoning mix
1 pkg ranch dressing

Mix everything in the crockpot and turn on high for 4 hrs; or low for 8 hours. Top with Fritos; cheddar cheese and sour cream. Enjoy.

Facebook!

2009-02-15T10:15:00.006-09:00

Well, this is quite an addicting site I must say. It is a fun way to touch bases - keep in touch, with friends from near and afar. I have "friends" from the Caribbean; England; and an old friend that was a co-cub scout leader with me (eons ago) who is living in Budapest. I'd love to find more friends (you know, those friends you lose contact with when you move away), and I just sent out another batch of "invites".

If you haven't tried Facebook - try it, you'll like it! And when you do, find me as a friend!

Have fun...

Another yummy breakfast!

2009-02-07T09:28:00.003-09:00

This recipe again comes from Kalyn's Kitchen (my favorite website). Enjoy!

Southwestern Egg Casserole
Serves 10-12)

18 eggs
4 oz can diced green chiles
14.5 oz diced tomatoes, well drained (organic preferred)
Seasonings (Spike Seasoning; Freshly ground pepper)
12 oz grated cheese (4 cheese mexican blend works great)
3 Tbsp sliced green onions
Optional: you could also top with bacon crumbles; or browned sausage

For Serving:
Sour Cream & Salsa

Preheat oven to 375. Drain your canned diced tomatoes in a collander and let sit to completely drain. Spray a 9x12 glass casserole dish with nonstick spray. Whisk eggs until well mixed, stir in well-drained tomatoes, green chiles with any juice, and seasonings.

Put the cheese in the bottom of the dish. If you are using bacon or sausage, put this over the cheese. Sprinkle the green onions. Pour the egg mixture on top. Bake uncovered 40-45 minutes (until eggs are well set and top is starting to brown). Serve with sour cream and salsa to top. Yummy!

To look at Kalyn's website for a picture and other recipes for breakfast casseroles, follow this link!
SOUTHWESTERN EGG CASSEROLE

Transitioning to new technology can be tough!

2009-02-01T12:47:00.006-09:00

Well, one thing always leads to another right? This time around it is all related to efficiency. I went to a wonderful conference that taught us to work efficiently and with our secretary with the utmost of organization. Part of this plan involves calendaring, and how our secretary should be handling our calendar. So, being open and willing to get more organized, I thought I'd give it a try. I dug out the old Palm Pilot, got it all charged up and "synced". Strangely enough it did not want to sync with the Palm software, but it seemed to like ICal. OK, I can go with that - so I spent one night entering all the data I had in my Palm calendar over to ICal. Worked great! But, to make things more complicated we wanted to have my secretary have my calendar on her computer where I could sync my Palm with her ICal. Oops - little did I know there is a rule about multiple computers - a definite no-no. The district IT person said we need to use Google Calendar, then it will load to my ICal, then I can sync my Palm. Easy right? NOT... In order to get Google Calendar to talk to ICal, he had to take my computer away, update it, and he returned it at the end of the day. All my e-mails disappeared in the process - not good. I then re-entered everything from ICal into Google Calendar and tried to sync. Well, Google did move everything to ICal like it was supposed to, but now it has been determined that my Palm is ancient and to not even try it. IT's recommendation: Get an IPhone. So, that was yesterdays journey - the AT&T store.

I've spent the day (Sunday) getting things sync'd (now it works). Next step - take the IPhone to the Ford Edge and get the two to talk to each other so that I can use my handsfree phone. Don't ya love technology? It is absolutely a love/hate relationship!

P.S. My Ford Edge and iPhone can now talk. (I had heard there were issues getting the two to communicate. Luckily, I was not one with trouble...)

Prime Rib (Smoked)

2009-01-25T12:48:00.004-09:00

Doesn't that sound yummy? Today (on this very cold day) we are pretending it is summer and using the smoker for a prime rib. Here is our recipe:

6 pound standing rib roast
1/2 cup freshly ground pepper
2 Tbsp granulated garlic
Smokey Beef Rub
Sea Salt
1/4 cup olive oil

We let our roast sit out of the fridge about 3 hours. Rub with olive oil over the entire surface. Sprinkle with garlic, pepper, beef rub, and sea salt making a heavy and even coating over the meat. Place the roast in the smoker, fat side up and smoke until the thickest part reaches 125 degrees. It should take about 3 hours.

I'm serving it with creamy horseradish; salad and twice baked cauliflower. Who wants to come to dinner?

Oh, and the best part - leftovers for tostadas and burritos!

Dessert Anyone?

2009-01-25T10:37:00.002-09:00

I love dessert and I love chocolate! But, when you are trying to be healthy (and not eat sugar) dessert can be difficult, right? Here is my favorite EASY dessert - south beach style! Who remembers eating frozen fudgsicles as a kid? I do - used to love them. Apparently, I still do!

Peanut Butter Cup (South Beach style)

1 sugar free fudgsicle
2 Tbsp organic peanut butter (no sugar added)
2 Tbsp fat free Cool Whip

Take your sugar free fudgsicle from the freezer, stick in a bowl and microwave for about 15 seconds. Scrape the fudgsicle from the stick. Mix in your peanut butter and cool whip. Stir, stir, stir. Eat & enjoy!!

Easy and yummy. ENJOY...

What a GORGEOUS morning!

2009-01-18T08:42:00.002-09:00

It is almost 50 degrees (heat wave), and today is the most gorgeous morning. These shots were taken from our deck, however do not display how beautiful the skies were today. Have a terrific day everyone!

Dreaming about paradise!

2009-01-17T10:52:00.002-09:00

Well, even though we are not freezing (at least for a few days), I'm still dreaming about being in a warm, tropical paradise! This is the pool of the Hawaii timeshare we stayed in. I'd love to be there right now...

Stand Up Paddle Surfing

2009-01-14T19:07:00.003-09:00

Since it is winter, cold, icy and snowy here in Juneau, I thought I would blog about a warmer place (and a warm activity). I had never heard of Stand Up Paddle Surfing before our trip to Hawaii. If you are not familiar with the sport, it entails standing on a very long board and propelling yourself with a paddle. It is quite popular now, and a great way to work your CORE! I can see why...

I guess the learning curve is a steep one. I know it would be for me! While we were on the beach, we noticed two very pale paddle surfers and one very tan surfer on a paddle board. I imagine the two were taking lessons (from the tan one). They were definitely having difficulties! You can see them in the picture - one is standing, the other is kneeling and the instructor is shouting directions. Looked like a lot of work! (but fun...)

Check out the VIDEO as well - this person is not a beginner to be sure!

Snow Day Today!

2009-01-09T08:34:00.004-09:00

Well, our first snow day of the year. LOTS of snow, with more expected. (possibly 30 inches total) We have a path wide enough for the car in our driveway. Our driveway needs some attention to be sure. I'll post a picture here soon.

Warm Chili to help keep you warm?

2009-01-08T19:21:00.004-09:00

Here is a great chili recipe I found on my favorite website, Kalyn's Kitchen. Yum - delicious. Try it - you won't be sorry...

BLACK BEAN & BEEF CHILI WITH CILANTRO, LIME & AVOCADO SALSA
6 servings

3 cans black beans
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
1 diced Chipotle chili pepper (or like I did - substitute a square of Chipotle chili powder)
1-2 Tbsp olive oil
1 # very lean ground beef
1 large red onion, diced
1 Tbsp or more regular chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin
2 cups homemade beef stock (or not homemade - like me; I used Wolfgang Puck)
1-2 Tbsp tomato paste
1/4 cup + 1/4 cup lime juice
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
2 avocados, finely diced
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Drain 2 cans black beans into colander. Rinse well (till no more foam appears) Let beans drain while you use the blender or food processor to puree the third can of black beans (undrained), the diced tomatoes & liquid, and the diced Chipotle pepper. Blend about 2 minutes till fairly smooth.

In bottom of soup pot, brown beef. Break into small pieces as you cook. Remove been to bowl, add a bit of olive oil and half the onions (about 1 cup). Lower heat and cook onions till soft. Add all the chili powder and cumin and saute about 30 seconds.

Add beef stock, ground beef, pureed bean mixture, drained beans from colander & tomato paste. Simmer uncovered, 30 minutes or longer. Taste - you might add more chile powder.

While chili simmers, dice avocado and place in a plastic bowl with 1/4 cup lime juice. Rinse and finely chop cilantro. Mix the rest of the chopped onion and half of the cilantro into avocado-lime juice mixture. This can be kept in fridge while chili cooks. Be sure to mix the lime juice with the avocado as soon as you cut it to keep it from turning brown.

Just before serving, stir in the other 3/4 cup cilantro and 1/4 cup lime juice to the chili. Cook about 5 minutes. Taste and season with salt, pepper. Serve hot, with scoop of avocado salsa on top of each serving. Yummy!

Thanks Kalyn's Kitchen for another wonderful recipe. Easy, healthy and low calorie! Check out the website for a picture.
http://kalynskitchen.blogspot.com/2008/01/black-bean-and-beef-chili-recipe-with.html

Christmas Day... Golf Anyone?

2009-01-03T23:22:00.002-09:00

Here is how we spent our Christmas Day... This seaside putting course at the Hilton Waikoloa Village in Hawaii was a blast! I was the "Loser"! Thats OK - it was a gorgeous day.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2009-01-02T07:20:00.003-09:00

Well, we are in 2009 now (hard to believe). We returned from our Hawaii trip Tuesday night. Going from sunshine and warmth to about eight degree weather - quite the transition!

I'm including two pictures today (well, trying to - they are not wanting to load) - one of the Seattle airport the morning after the "big snow". And, the other is of our favorite Hawaii activity - helicopter volcano viewing! Very cool... Next trip we all want to do the longer helicopter trip that takes you all over the island, into valleys with huge waterfalls and lush green jungles.

We loved Hawaii and can't wait to go back. However, the Caribbean is still our favorite (warmer water to play in), but Hawaii was easier to get to for us to be sure (well - should be easier without snowstorms to deal with). We actually want to try another Christmas trip next year (two islands hopefully).

Stranded in Seattle...

2008-12-22T18:10:00.002-09:00

This about says it all... We were one of the MANY that had plans cancelled, stood in the longest line I've ever seen (probably a mile long at least) and spent hours and hours on my cell phone trying to get things rebooked. We have now made it to Los Angeles, but EVERY flight to Hawaii is booked. Just getting to LA on our rebooked flight due to Saturday's cancellation was interesting. Our flight was supposed to leave at 9am, and 7 hours later finally did take off. We were very lucky - as most all the flights Sunday were cancelled. We were the last plane they de-iced, as they were OUT OF DE-ICER! Can you imagine?

The first available flight to Hawaii is on Xmas Eve, so we are still going. Instead of 2 islands, we will do one; instead of 8 nights, we will do 5. We will still see the sunshine, and see some of Hawaii. I've done a lot of traveling, and have never experienced anything like this. Wow!

Here is an article about the fun conditions of good old SEA TAC
Karen Ducey / P-I
By MOISES MENDOZA
P-I REPORTER

Hundreds of tired travelers lined up at ticket gates Sunday at Sea-Tac Airport hoping to find flights and leave the airport, where many had been stranded for more than a day.

Crosswinds at the airport led to the cancellation or delay of dozens of flights Saturday night and Sunday morning, leaving thousands of people with nowhere to go.

The cancellations hit Alaska Airlines particularly hard, and may continue into Monday. Alaska and Horizon Air canceled all flights at Seattle-Tacoma International and Portland International airports as of 2:45 p.m., in part because of a lack of de-icing fluid. Passengers with local residences were told to go home for the evening, and others were told to make their own hotel arrangements.

A port spokesman said the airlines are responsible for keeping their own planes de-iced, which is why some planes were still making it out of the airport on Sunday. Two runways remained open.

"It's kind of a perfect storm," port spokesman Perry Cooper said. "I've had people here for 20 years and they have never seen anything like this."

While a lack of de-icing fluid made the situation worse, Horizon spokeswoman Jen Boyer said the stretch of bad weather had exhausted the airlines' crews and equipment during the holiday rush.

"We've just been playing catch-up with the weather. ... We're running out of fresh crews and running into maintenance deadlines for the aircraft," Boyer said. "We still have three days to get everyone home for Christmas, and we're trying to get everyone there."

Passengers booked on a canceled flight may rebook on the next available flight without penalty or apply for a full refund of the unused portion of their ticket.

Akiko Onuma, a 21-year-old Scripps College student from California, flew into Sea-Tac on Saturday night from Ontario, Calif. She had a 9 p.m. Saturday connection to Lewiston, Idaho, on Horizon that was canceled.

"There were hordes of people -- literally hundreds of people -- trying to figure out what to do," Onuma said.

By the time Onuma got her bag at midnight Saturday, all the hotels were booked, she said, so she spent the night at the airport.

Onuma is now hoping to get out Monday morning on a flight to Walla Walla.

Terry Haybert of Tacoma was at the airport with his wife and 5-year-old daughter. He had a 1 p.m. flight to Portland on Sunday, which was canceled.

"This was the biggest mistake ever. We should've just driven," Haybert said of his holiday plans.

Joseph Gudall from Blairstown, N.J., flew from Newark to Seattle, hoping to get to Fairbanks, Alaska, on a 9 p.m. Saturday flight. The departure time kept getting pushed back until the flight was canceled at 1 a.m. Sunday, he said.

"It was a sheer disaster," Gudall said. "I never thought this could happen."

Gudall was booked on a 9 p.m. Sunday flight to Fairbanks. He was heading to Alaska to visit his daughter.

Alaska Airlines spokesman Paul McElroy said cancellations may continue into Monday if the weather doesn't improve.

"Since we're dealing with Mother Nature, it's really uncertain," he said. "We're hopeful that we can resume our schedule Monday, but we'll have to see."

On Sunday afternoon, airport staff handed out blankets and pillows to travelers, who were sprawled out over any available space.

Passengers should contact their carriers for flight status before heading to the airport, spokeswoman Terri-Ann Betancourt said.

Passengers whose flights are scheduled to leave Monday should allow extra time to get to the airport and they should expect long lines once they arrive.

People whose flights are canceled should rebook from home, Betancourt said.

Cooper said heavy winds had died down by early Sunday. But poor weather at airports in the Northwest and around the country remained a problem, he said.

"It's that systemwide domino effect," he said.

While airport restaurants and stores did not receive their deliveries Saturday, trucks were able to drop off goods on Sunday morning, Betancourt said.

"We should be OK with concessions," she said

Hawaii Here We Come!

2008-12-15T20:31:00.002-09:00

Well, this is the week to get ready for our trip. I really only have 2 nights to get ready - Thursday and Friday. The rest of the nights I have late meetings this week (wouldn't you know). Wish me luck. It will come together, it always does!

So, off to the land of warmth, sunshine, and tropical showers.

Aloha!

Weekend in Chicago!

2008-12-10T20:42:00.005-09:00

Well, we had a great weekend in the windy city... The weekend served 2 purposes; first was for me to see the cardiologist for a check up (clean bill of health); and the second was to enjoy Larry's birthday.

We got there on Saturday afternoon to light snow and high 20's. Weather was comfortable, and we headed out to walk Michigan Avenue - the Magnificent Mile. Oh my - how extremely busy was that street and every store on it. Wow! I compare the crowds to that at Disneyland in December after a parade. Can you picture it?

Saturday night we went to a jazz club - very fun experience. We heard a sax player named Frank Catalano. He was awesome! Yes, we bought a CD.

Sunday was shopping day. The weather had cooled... it was 6-8 degrees and windy. Brrr! The crowds of Saturday were gone, and it actually was the perfect day to shop. The cold weather kept most people indoors. However, if you were dressed for the weather, you were fine. We did our share of ducking in and out of stores and were fine.

Sunday night we went to one of our favorite hang outs - Banderas. Such yummy food - and they have an appetizer called Queso Appetizer that is to die for.

Monday was the appointment, then it was a lingering lunch at the Melting Pot; a little more shopping and then off to the airport. A whirlwind trip in a whirlwind of a city!

So, one quick trip and lots of fun!

Smoked Turkey - Great turkey repeated!

2008-11-28T09:26:00.004-09:00

Well, we did our smoked turkey yesterday complete with cajun injection. Wow - it was great. Even my son ( who doesn't really like turkey) said it was the best turkey he has ever had! The secret ingredient is Tony's Creole Injection. I used TWO BOTTLES and injected the turkey until it was very "full" (oozing out full). Then, buttered the turkey and used lots of granulated garlic, lemon pepper, and Emeril's Essence to season. I stuffed the cavity with onlons and garlic cloves, and basted it every hour.

It was wonderful. I think we have a winner!! I was going to take a picture, but wouldn't you know - my camera batteries were both dead... story of my life :)

Thanksgiving Poem

2008-11-28T09:22:00.002-09:00

Be Thankful
Author Unknown

Be thankful that you don't already have everything you desire.
If you did, what would there be to look forward to?
Be thankful when you don't know something,
for it gives you the opportunity to learn.

Be thankful for the difficult times.
During those times you grow.
Be thankful for your limitations,
because they give you opportunities for improvement.
Be thankful for each new challenge,
because it will build your strength and character.

Be thankful for your mistakes. They will teach you valuable lessons.
Be thankful when you're tired and weary,
because it means you've made a difference.

It's easy to be thankful for the good things.
A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who
are also thankful for the setbacks.
Gratitude can turn a negative into a positive.
Find a way to be thankful for your troubles,
and they can become your blessings.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! Ours is a quiet holiday. Grant is here for a "short" visit (leaves Saturday afternoon). Larry is working today...

Hawaiian Christmas falling into place

2008-11-22T21:02:00.003-09:00

Well, our plans are coming along... We have our 2 full days on Oahu figured out. We arrive on Sunday afternoon, so will have Monday and Tuesday as our full days to explore. On Monday, we will spend the day at Pearl Harbor. Everyone says this is a must do experience, and can take much of the day. Our second day, Tuesday, we are taking "The Surf Bus" to the north shore of the island where the big waves are, and the cute little surfer towns. We will have a few hours on a beach to kayak and play. So, we will experience the big city in Waikiki, and the quaint villages of the north shore.

On Wednesday, we fly to Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii. We will have a rental car while on Hawaii. Since we are going to our condo, we need to stop at the market and pick up provisions for our 5 days. I've already ordered our prime rib for Christmas dinner! Christmas Eve we are eating out (and already have our reservations).

So, plans are falling into place, and in less than one month we will once again feel the warmth of the tropics!

Do Ahead Turkey Gravy

2008-11-22T20:49:00.003-09:00

As Thanksgiving approaches it is time to shop for the big cooking day! I saw last week that Costco had turkey gravy, and had decided that I would just got the easy way this year. Well, not going to happen as Costco is now out! So plan B goes into effect.

Last year I ran across this wonderful recipe for make ahead turkey gravy. It is a bit of work, but very tasty and I LOVE having gravy done ahead of time! I have never been a gravy maker - never seems to turn out, so usually resort to having someone else do it, or a jar. This gravy is wonderful and now I know I can make gravy! I hope this can help you too...

Make-Ahead Turkey Gravy
from Alrecipes.com
Makes 8 cups

This can be made ahead of time. You can even freeze it in an airtight container - it will keep for 3 months!

Ingredients:
6 turkey wings
2 medium onions, peeled and quartered
1 cup water
2 quarts chicken broth, divided
3/4 cup chopped carrot
1/2 tsp dried thyme
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp butter
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Arrange a single layer of the turkey wings in a large roasting pan. Scatter onioins over the top of the wings. Roast in preheated oven for 1.24 hours, or until wings are browned.
2. Place browned wings and onions in a 5 quart stockpot. Add water to roasting pan and stir, scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Pour the water from the pan into the stockpot. Stir in 6 cups broth, carrot, and thyme. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and summer uncovered for 1.5 hours.
3. Remove wings from the pot and place on a cutting board. When the wings are cool, pull of the skin and meat. Discard the skin and save the meat for another use. Strain contents of stockpot through a large strainer into a 3 quart saucepan. Press on the vegetables to extract any remaining liquid. Discard the veggies and skim off the fat. Bring the contents of the pot to a gentle boil.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk flour into the remaining 2 cups chicken broth until smooth. Gradually whisk the flour mixture into the simmering turkey broth; simmer 3-4 minutes or until the gravy has thickened. Stir in the butter and pepper. Serve immediately, or pour into containers and refrigerate or freeze.

Prime Rib - new recipe

2008-11-16T16:11:00.007-09:00

Well, I'm in the planning stages for cooking a Christmas dinner in Hawaii. It is always hard to cook a big meal in someone elses kitchen, much less a condo we have never been to before. So, we will see how this goes! I found a new recipe for a "foolproof" way to cook a prime rib. So, today is testing day - I'm testing out the new recipe to see how it works. It goes something like this...

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees for 10 minutes.
Step 2: Season the roast with a mixture of seasoning salt, garlic salt; Emeril's Essence; and onion powder; (equal parts). Press the spices into the roast.
Step 3: Put roast on a rack in a roasting pan. Put it in the oven.
Step 4: Set timer for COOKING TIME... To figure your cooking time, it is time to multiply the weight of the roast by one of these numbers (dependent on the amount of done-ness you want). 5 (very rare); 6 (rare); 7.5 (medium rare); 8 (medium). For example, your roast is 5.0 lbs, and you want it rare. You would multiply 5.0 (weight) x 6 (rare) = 30 minutes cooking time.
Step 5: Once your "cooking time" is over, turn OFF the oven - DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN DOOR!!!!! Set your timer for TWO HOURS.
Step 6: When the two hours is up, and timer has gone off, turn on your oven at 375 degrees for 15 more minutes. STILL, DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN DOOR.
Step 7: When the timer goes off, this time it means your prime rib is done! You may open the oven door, take the roast out and wrap in foil to keep it warm.
Step 8: Do all your last minute preparations, call everyone to dinner - you are ready to eat!

My roast is almost done resting (12 more minutes), close to turn on the oven time (Step 6). Salad is ready; asparagus is ready to steam and horseradish is made! I'll let you know how it turns out. This has been incredibly easy, so I hope it is good. If so, it will be a great holiday dinner away from home kind of meal! I made enough to have leftovers - prime rib tostadas!

The results: The prime rib turned out great. I choose rare for cooking time, and next time I will choose medium rare (it was quite rare). Delicious, easy and a great way to cook a prime rib.

Broccoli Au Gratin

2008-11-11T11:05:00.003-09:00

Well, our pretend/practice Thanksgiving turned out great. I mentioned Kalyn's Broccoli dish in my earlier post - and oh it was YUMMY! You have to give it a try. Here is the recipe (adapted slightly from Kalyn)...

5 cups broccoli florettes
4 oz. grated swiss cheese
About 6 Tbsp of mayo (you can use a mix of light + regular; all I had was regular)
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp. dijon mustard
Ground black pepper to taste (I used quite a bit)
3 Tbsp chopped green onions (very finely chopped)
Parmesan-reggiano cheese (to top the casserole - I probably used 4-5 Tbsp)

Preheat your oven to 375. Trim your broccoli into florettes (bite size pieces). I did not use much stem at all, mostly all florettes. Boil large pot of water. When water is boiling, put in your broccoli and cook 1-2 minutes, until they turn BRIGHT GREEN. Drain in a colander well.

Spray a 9x13 pan with olive oil Pam. Put the broccoli into the bottom of your casserole, spreading into a single layer.

Stir together mayo, lemon juice, Dijon, pepper, green onion, swiss cheese. I used a spatula to smear this mixture of the broccoli. It won't cover it completely, just cover as much as you can spreading it out evenly. Last step is to sprinkle the top with parmesan - reggiano.

Bake 20-25 minutes, uncovered. You want the cheese to be melted slightly and nicely browned.

Very yummy! This will be our Thanksgiving veggie. For pictures and more suggestions about healthy Thanksgiving, visit Kalyn's website. BROCCOLI GRATIN WITH SWISS & PARMESAN

Practice Thanksgiving!

2008-11-09T18:04:00.002-09:00

Well, today turned out to be a practice Thanksgiving. I injected a turkey with a cajun spicy mixture (store bought), and then we smoked it in our little smoker. We are going to smoke our turkey this Thanksgiving and are trying to perfect the process. This time, I injected the bird with Tony's Cajun Flavor Injection. I had a 12 lb bird, and used 1 and 1/2 bottles! I then melted a stick of butter and made sure the turkey was covered well. I filled the cavity with onions and garlic. And finished it off with Emeril's seasoning (BAM!), granulated garlic and lemon pepper. I poured a bit of chicken stock in the bottom of the roasting pan to mix with the butter (for basting purposes). We basted the bird every hour.

I also made a wonderful veggie casserole: Broccoli AuGratin. This recipe came from Kalyn's Kitchen. You blanch broccoli; spread it out in a 9x13 casserole dish. Mix 6 Tbsp of mayo (Kalyn recommended to use part low fat; and part regular... I had no low fat, so used all regular mayo); ground pepper; sliced green onions (very thin) and grated swiss cheese (I used about 4 oz). Using a spatula, you smear the creamy mixture on top of the broccoli. On top of the broccoli mixture, you top with shredded parmesan cheese and bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. Kalyn gives lots of tips, so here is her link:
Broccoli Au Gratin ala Kalyn

The turkey is done, and in the process of being carved right now. VERY YUMMY! I think we found a winning combination. Even the white meat is juicy and tender, and the cajun flavor is just the right spice. Now if we can only recreate it on Thanksgiving Day!

A Hawaiian Christmas!

2008-11-05T22:54:00.004-09:00

Well, we finally figured out our plans for Christmas... Hawaii! We will be lucky enough to see 2 islands, Oahu and Hawaii. We lucked out on some air fare (big sale), and have condos for the three of us at the Hilton Grand Vacation Club. Should be very fun!

A new blog find!

2008-10-26T08:45:00.004-08:00

I was browsing the net this morning (as I made my shopping list for this week) and found a blog that is GREAT! It is called A Veggie Venture, and filled with wonderful sounding recipes (more than just veggies!). I will be a frequent visitor here to be sure. She even has a section for weight watchers and low-carb cooking. If you are in the market for some new recipes, check it out!

A VEGGIE VENTURE

First Snow!

2008-10-25T11:40:00.004-08:00

Well, I knew it would come eventually, but was surprised it came so soon... Yes, yesterday we had our first snow of the season. Some hail started mid-day, the kids thought it was snow. During our staff development time, hail again began - but before long, the bouncy hail turned to soft light snowflakes. It was short lived, and was gone quite quickly. By the end of our Fall Festival, about 9pm, it was snow and it was sticking. I got half way home, it turned to heavy snow, several inches already on the ground, slowing traffic down to about 25mph! It is beautiful though, I just want it to melt fast as I'm not wanting to shovel snow... Isn't this a pretty picture? This is the gorgeous view today after our night of snow...

Bunco Tonight... Not Sagna for dinner

2008-10-18T08:25:00.004-08:00

Well, school has formed a bunco group - our first get together is tonight at my house. I'm serving a favorite recipe - quick, easy and yummy too! This is a recipe I've adapted from Rachael Ray, and is an easy version of lasagna (without all the work). I use Dreamfields pasta brand, as this brand has a low glycemic index; but if you were being true to South Beach, you would use whole wheat pasta.

"Not" - Sagna
based on Rachael Ray's recipe
I've tried to make it South Beach friendly

1 # pasta (I use Dreamfields penne - or whole wheat short pasta)
Sea Salt
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 # lean ground beef
6 cloves garlic (smooshed)
1 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. allspice
2 tsp. Worscesteshire
1/2 cup red wine
1/2 cup beef stock
28 oz can Organic Crushed Tomatoes
12 oz low fat ricotta
1 cup fresh basil (about 20 leaves) - cut up into small pieces
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Shredded Parmesan to top

Boil water for pasta, add sea salt, add pasta and cook. You will want to save a ladle full of the pasta water for the sauce!

Heat your evoo in a large nonstick skillet. Add your meat and break it up as you brown. Add garlic, onions and red pepper flakes. Add salt, pepper, allspice & Worcestershire. You will want to cook about 5 minutes. Then, add your wine - cook a minute or two, then add your beef stock. Add the tomatoes last, bring to a the boiling point, then reduce heat to medium and simmer about 5 minutes.

Get your pasta bowl ready. Put ricotta in the bottom of the bowl. Add a ladleful of your boiling starchy water from the pasta pot. Stir to combine your ricotta and water. Add your 1/2 cup of parmigiano-reggiano cheese and mix.

Drain pasta. Toss hot pasta with the cheeses. Add half of the meat sauce to the pasta/cheese mixture. Toss. Add the torn basil. Toss. Salt and pepper to taste.

To serve, put pasta on plate, top with a spoonful of meat sauce, and top with parmesan cheese. Yum!

Birthdays...

2008-10-17T20:58:00.005-08:00

I guess we all have to have birthdays... beats the alternative as they say. But, it is so funny comparing how we feel about birthdays now vs. how children think of birthdays. Remember as a child how exciting birthdays were? Well, this week was my birthday. My students at have been so excited - it is quite funny. I've had a variety of birthday songs being sung by different groups of students; my door is plastered with cheerful birthday cards, class books and greetings; for days they cheerfully wish me a happy birthday (even though my birthday was Tuesday), I still continue to have birthday wishes. I wonder if we adults should take on the attitude of children when it comes to celebrating birthdays! It is quite fun I must say...

Sailing Trip, June 2009

2008-10-12T18:08:00.005-08:00

After playing in the land of the rich and famous, Mustique, it will be time to set sail for a favorite area - the Tobago Cays. One of the cays, Petit Tabac, is also called Jack Sparrow's Island. Remember the scene where Jack Sparrow and Elizabeth Swann were marooned on a tiny deserted island? They spent their time sitting on a perfect beach drinking rum! Sounds like the perfect Caribbean vacation, doesn't it? That is where we will be in eight months! Time flies, it will be here before we know it!

The whole island group is now a protected marine national park. The last time I was there it was not protected. I understand the snorkeling in the area is now much improved. I'm hoping to see lots of turtles here. Also, with this being a deserted area, there will be no light pollution, meaning we might have a great night of stargazing!

SEARED SCALLOPS WITH WINE BRAISED LEEKS - New Recipe Search...

2008-10-11T08:29:00.008-08:00

Well, it is Saturday morning and time to build a menu for the week, as well as a shopping list. So, I've been on the prowl for a new recipe or two. Requirements: South Beach Friendly!

SEARED SCALLOPS WITH WINE-BRAISED LEEKS
(adapted from stephencooks.com - trying to make it a bit more South Beach friendly)
http://www.stephencooks.com/2006/01/seared_scallops.html

1 lb. scallops (about 12)
1 large leek (white and pale green parts only)
1 cup dry white wine
1 chicken boullion cube
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup fat free cream
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp fresh tarragon, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
whole wheat pastry flour for dredging
salt, hot sauce, lemon juice (all to taste)

Check out the website listed above for the directions, and a picture of this creamy dish. I am substituting olive oil for butter; whole wheat flour for flour; fat free cream for whole cream and added a little more garlic - as we LOVE garlic! I have not made this yet - but it sounds wonderful and will be on our menu this week! I will let you know how it is.

Pumpkin Bread Recipe - healthy of course

2008-10-07T19:40:00.006-08:00

I took some of my pumpkin bread to school today for a series of meetings. One person suggested I post this recipe on my blog... so here you go! (Well - not exactly South Beach, but it is pretty healthy anyway...)

1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree
4 eggs
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
2/3 cup water
1 cup Splenda/Sugar blend
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 1/2 cups flour
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp vanilla
3 tsp pumpkin pie spice
Nuts and mini chocolate chips, optional

Preheat oven to 350. Grease (I used Pam) and flour 3 loaf pans. Using the mixer, mix together pumpkin puree, oil, eggs, vanilla, water and sugars until well blended. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, pumpkin pie spice. Spoon the dry ingredients into the mixing bowl/pumpkin mixture until blended. Stir in the nuts and chocolate chips (or whatever else you decide to add) if you are adding them at the very end. Pour into the prepared pans.

Bake about 50 minutes in the preheated oven. Loaves are done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. I had to bake them about 7 more minutes for the loaves to be done.

Delicious! Makes wonderful gifts as well... You can even poke holes in the top of the loaves, melt butter, mix with sugar & cinnamon and pour over the top. Very tasty - but of course doing this would take the semi-healthy label away completely...

It is smoked PRIME RIB day!

2008-10-05T09:59:00.008-08:00

Well, hubby bought a beautiful prime rib at the store yesterday. We are going to smoke it in our little smoker for dinner tonight. We will have enough leftover to make our tostadas for dinner later in the week, and me to have some yummy lunches at school!

Here is our recipe:
1 bottle of kitchen bouquet
2 cups of kosher salt
2 Tbsp vinegar
Lots of granulated garlic

Mix together the above ingredients, and coat the outside of the roast. We are going to get the smoker to 225, and smoke the meat (apple, cherry or oak is best) until the temperature comes to 128 (rare in the center). We bought a thermometer that is great - a probe with a wire running to a main unit, which beeps at us from a remote unit we keep by us in the house! We can "watch" the roast from the comfort of inside the house... We will take it off at that point, wrap the roast in foil, then wrap in a large towel and put in a small ice chest for about 30 minutes. The whole process should take about 2.5 hours from start to being ready to eat.

It will then be time to knock off the salt crust, slice and eat! Yum...

We are having my favorite side dish - twice baked cauliflower, a little horseradish and a salad. Can't wait for my leftover lunches this week!

First day on the sailboat...

2008-10-04T14:07:00.006-08:00

Once we leave the peaceful island of Bequia, we will most likely sail to the island of Mustique (home of the rich and famous). Mustique is a 1400 acre private island owned by shareholders of the Mustique Company. The island has 100 private residences, and 72 villas which are available for rental. We have been there before, but never have taken an island tour. This trip, we will absolutely tour the island! We can do a little shopping, walk up the hill to the Firefly for drinks and perhaps lunch, have a swim at Macaroni Beach, and finish our island exploration with happy hour at Basil's Bar. We will then head back out to our catamaran for a wonderful dinner...

How many days?

Spaghetti with Italian Sausage & Arugula

2008-10-04T11:08:00.002-08:00

Comes from my favorite website: Kalyn's Kitchen (Thanks Kalyn!)
Makes 2-3 servings

2 links Hot Italian Sausage (can use chicken or turkey)
2 tsp olive oil
1/4 box Dreamfields Spaghetti
3 oz arugula
1/2 cup pasta cooking water
2 Tbsp lemon juice
Parmesan Cheese (for tossing with the pasta and to top at table)

In nonstick frying pan, heat olive oil, and cook the sausage (squeeze out of casing). Brown well, breaking into pieces. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook spaghetti 8-9 minutes, or until barely done (al dente).

Pur arugula into large bowl. When sausage is browned, drain well. Pour sausage over arugula. Put pan back on stove, turn heat to low, add garlic and saute about 30 seconds. Add 1/4 cup pasta cooking water and lemon juice. Heat two minutes.

When spaghetti seems done, scoop out 1/4 cup of pasta water (in case you need it. Drain pasta, put in bowl with arugula and sausage. Let sit 2 minute to wilt arugula. Then, add water/lemon juice/garlic mixture from pan. Throw in some parmesan cheese and toss.

Serve hot, with parmesan sprinkled on top if desired.

Trip planning continues...

2008-09-28T04:51:00.003-08:00

Well, June just won't get here fast enough. I wrote on September 20th about our plans to fly into Grenada, fly to St Vincent, and then ferry over to Bequia. I guess we could call that part one of our adventure in paradise, as it is an adventure - much like the movie Planes, Trains and Automobiles with Steve Martin (a classic).

Once we are in Bequia, we will probably spend the night at the same small, cute inn - The Sugarapple Inn, that we did last year. It is still early though, so we haven't booked. After a day and a half exploring this cute small island, it will be time to board our sailboat for the week and begin sailing the Grenadines!

This will be our first time sailing on a catamaran, and I think it will make the perfect home for our little motley group. So far, we have a couple of friends and my son coming along. It will be so much fun!

Pizza on South Beach? You bet!

2008-09-27T09:56:00.004-08:00

I absolutely love this pizza! Easy, tasty and good for you too. This recipe comes from Kalyn's Kitchen, http://kalynskitchen.blogspot.com/2005/10/kalyn-makes-tonys-low-carb-pizza.html , and Tony's, http://tonyskitchen.blogspot.com/2005/10/mini-low-carb-pizza.html ...
Here is what we do to make individual pizzas...

Toast whole wheat flour tortillas in a hot oven. Put tortillas on a piece of foil in the hot oven. Bake until most of moisture is gone, and it starts to turn a light brown. The ends will begin to curl up. Seems to work well cooking 5 minutes on one side, then flipping it for another 5 minutes on the other side. However, you want to watch it carefully - as they do burn rather quickly. I know from experience!

When the "crust" is crispy, blend a can of organic pizza sauce, one cup of sun dried tomatoes, dried basil and dried oregano. I use the food processor.

Spread this in a thin layer on each "crust" (tortilla), then top with cheese and pepperoni, onions, and sliced olives or whatever you would like to use to top your pizza. You can even let people make their own, since you are making individual pizzas! Bake at 450 degrees for about 15 minutes, till everything is crispy and slightly browned.

Just make a salad to accompany this healthy pizza and wah-la... you are all set with a great and healthy dinner! Thanks to Kalyn's Kitchen for the recipe idea! I flipped back and forth many times between Kalyn's two recipes, and Tony's before we got this down... Now it is our Friday night dinner!

Ok, well healthy doesn't always work!

2008-09-24T19:44:00.005-08:00

So, sometimes when we cook we have a flop, right? Last night was one of them. I found a great sounding recipe for Macaroni and Cheese - a healthy version made with some pureed squash! I thought it would be a great way to hide veggies. My hubby went on a mission looking for "winter squash". He followed the recipe exactly as written pureeing the squash and adding it to the milk to make a cheese sauce, (well added a little more cheese - yum we both thought). This was the very first time ever that I had a only one SMALL serving of mac and cheese (as did hubby), and we threw the rest away. Never has that happened before. So, guess our healthy dinner won't be made again - at least not in this house. Good try though!

Time to plan a trip!

2008-09-20T10:52:00.006-08:00

I just love the beginning stages of trip planning. It is time to dream - dream about what you want to do, where you want to go, and about the exciting places you will experience! So, after a very rainy summer here in Alaska where you could probably count the number of times the sun actually appeared on one hand, it is time to start the initial stages of planning an exotic, tropical adventure to take place next June.

Sailing... we are excited to be planning this sailing charter in the Grenadines. We seem to be stuck on the Southern Caribbean, don't we? Quiet, relaxing, peaceful are words that come to mind. There are no mega resorts, no all inclusives, just plain old Caribbean like it used to be probably 30 years ago.

Our trip will begin flying into Grenada for just one night. Thanks to American Airlines beginning a new route to Grenada from Miami (direct jet service), as opposed to flying into San Juan to take a turbo prop, we were able to take advantage of a great sale price for air fare. Awesome deal!

From Grenada, our journey to Bequia will begin. Journeying to Bequia is a fun experience all on its own. We will fly in a small plane from Grenada to St. Vincent - viewing the beautiful islands of the Grenadines along the way. Once in St. Vincent, a short taxi ride to the ferry terminal - and you are off on the hour long ferry ride across a usually rough patch of ocean to the tiny island of Bequia (population 6,000). Bequia truly has a magical charm about it - and I can't wait to get back to the most friendly place I have ever been!

Yummy breakfast for dinner!

2008-09-14T14:18:00.003-08:00

Here was one of the great dinners we enjoyed last week. It was a very busy week, and breakfast for dinner always tastes so wonderful! (I still lost 1.5 lbs!)

Egg Burritos To Die For
(Makes 10-12 burritos, recipe created by Kalyn many years ago and made over and over at Lake Powell. Kalyn's Kitchen is my favorite cooking website! Great ideas, and healthy meals...)

1 dozen eggs
1 red bell pepper, chopped in 1/2 inch pieces
1 green, yellow, or orange pepper, chopped in 1/2 inch pieces
1 can diced green chiles (4 oz. can, these are Anaheim chiles, which are relatively mild)
2 T olive oil (more or less, depending on your pan)
2 tsp. Spike seasoning (optional, but recommended)
12 whole wheat tortillas (see recommendations below)
1-2 cups grated cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese (I used four cheese Mexican blend)
light sour cream, for serving
Salsa, for serving (I used a yummy fresh salsa from the deli - mango/peach.)

(If you're making burritos for a crowd, you can wrap tortillas tightly in foil and warm them in the oven while you cook the eggs.)

Use a good nonstick frying pan for this recipe. Heat small amount of olive oil in pan, then add diced peppers and saute until slightly soft, about 3-4 minutes. Add green chiles and Spike seasoning and saute about 2 minutes more.

While peppers are cooking, break eggs into mixing bowl and wisk until whites and yolks are completely combined. Add a little more olive oil to frying pan, add beaten eggs, and immediately lower heat and cook until eggs are barely set, gently stirring and scraping side of pan with rubber scraper or turner the entire time, about 8 minutes. They should still be slightly wet-looking when you turn off heat.

To make burritos to eat immediately: Inside each warmed tortilla put a line of egg mixture, top with cheese, sour cream, and salsa, fold together and enjoy.

Pasta with Cauliflower, Walnuts & Feta

2008-09-06T18:14:00.006-08:00

(SERVES 6) This made for yummy leftover lunches! Excellent taste & healthy too... Thanks to the Smitten Kitten blog for this wonderful recipe. It has become a favorite!

2 HEADS CAULIFLOWER (I used one)
1 MEDIUM ONION
4 CLOVES GARLIC
1 POUND WHOLE WHEAT PASTA (or use Dreamfields Pasta - low carb)
EXTRA-VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
SALT & PEPPER
1 PINCH RED PEPPER FLAKES
WHITE WINE VINEGAR
1/2 LEMON
1/2 CUP TOASTED WALNUTS
4 OZS FETA CHEESE

PUT A LARGE POT OF WATER ON TO BOIL. CUT THE CAULIFLOWER INTO SMALL FLORETS. SLICE ONION VERY THIN. PEEL AND FINELY CHOP THE GARLIC. PUT PASTA ON TO COOK.

SAUTE THE CAULIFLOWER IN OLIVE OIL IN A LARGE SAUTE PAN. WHEN THE CAULIFLOWER BEGINS TO SOFTEN, SEASON WITH SALT AND PEPPER AND ADD THE SLICED ONION AND RED PEPPER FLAKES. SAUTE OVER MEDIUM TO HIGH HEAT UNTIL THE VEGETABLES ARE BROWN AND TENDER. THE CAULIFLOWER SHOULD STILL BE SLIGHTLY CRUNCHY AND SHOULD NOT TASTE STEAMED. ADD THE GARLIC AND REMOVE FROM HEAT, TOSSING AND STIRRING SO THE GARLIC DOESN'T BURN; IF IT STARTS TO BROWN, ADD A SPLASH OF WATER. ADD A FEW DROPS EACH OF VINEGAR AND LEMON JUICE AND THE TOASTED WALNUTS. TASTE AND CORRECT THE SEASONING. WHEN THE PASTA IS DONE, DRAIN AND ADD TO THE CAULIFLOWER, ADDING ENOUGH EXTRA OLIVE OIL TO COAT THE PASTA THOROUGHLY, TOSS TOGETHER AND SERVE, WITH THE CHEESE CRUMBLED OVER THE DISH.

First week blues...

2008-09-06T17:41:00.004-08:00

Well, the first week of school has ended. Phew! What a fast paced week it was. We made it through very smoothly I must say. Our only little glitch is our new lunch program. The food is great, the kids love it and are eating healthier than ever before - so that is great news! However, we still don't have the necessary equipment and have been serving off Costco tables until the hot and cold tables arrive. Day one - I did the cooking! Yes, for the entire school. No food service employee arrived, so a team of us sprang into action - cooked the pizzas; found the food and set up a buffet line all in time for the first class to arrive. I was impressed at our ingenuity! The rest of the week we did have an employee thankfully, so no chef hat for me. But, serving spoons every day to help the kiddos make it through the buffet line.

Here are a couple cafeteria jokes...

Did you hear about the mean cook?
She beat the eggs and whipped the cream!

What's worse than finding a caterpillar in your lettuce?
Finding half a caterpillar!

Ha, ha... enjoy your day!

School Starts Tomorrow!

2008-09-01T08:18:00.002-08:00

Well, I'm going in again today to make certain everything is ready to go for our young children who will come back to school tomorrow. Tonight will be a night of restless sleep for many... for kids who are nervous as well as for teachers! Yes, it even happens for teachers.

While teachers are anxious about the uncertainties of the first day (did I remember everything?), parents will be doing the happy dance shown in this cartoon! I saw this and thought it was a funny one.

Wish us all luck!

Best Deviled Eggs Ever!

2008-08-30T07:26:00.005-08:00

I was looking for a yummy snack the other day and came across a wonderful recipe on the All-Recipes website. It is easy enough to modify and make it South Beach friendly. VERY YUMMY! "Try it, you'll like it!", as the old commercial would say...

Ingredients:
12 hard boiled eggs
1/2 cup mayo (I used low fat & I used less than 1/2 cup - sounded like a LOT!)
4 slices of bacon (I microwaved till crisp and blotted very well; you could use turkey bacon here)
2 Tbsp shredded Cheddar Cheese
1 Tbsp mustard (I used Dijon, and probably more than 1 Tbsp)

Directions:
Crumble well drained and blotted bacon. Set aside. Peel the hard boiled eggs and cut in half. Remove the yolks to a small bowl. Mash yolks with mayo, crumbled bacon & cheese. Stir in mustard. Fill the egg white halves with the yolk mixture; refrigerate until serving. YUMMY!

School is heating up!!!

2008-08-24T07:28:00.004-08:00

Well, as always this time of year I'm swamped. Back to working seven days a week; lots of hours every day; and exhaustion... My body is craving comfort food, hot baths and sleep!

Larry is so great! He made a batch of my Favorite Breakfast Muffins so I'd be set for the week, as well as a big pot of homemade turkey soup yesterday! What a great dinner last night - true comfort food, which is just what I need right now.

So, off to get ready and go in again today. New teachers come in tomorrow for an orientation, and tomorrow night the school will be flooded with incoming kindergarteners for our Kinder Kick Off! Woo-hoo...

My Favorite Breakfast Muffins

2008-08-23T08:16:00.002-08:00

Cottage Cheese & Egg Breakfast Muffins with Bacon & Green Onions

Adapted from Kalyn's Kitchen

(makes 9 muffins)

2/3 cup low fat cottage cheese

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour

2/3 cup almond meal (I have only found Bob's Red Mill brand in health food sections - sometimes it takes some searching)

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

3 Tbsp water

4 eggs, beaten

4 strips bacon (cooked in microwave till crisp; blot with paper towel to get off as much grease as possible; crumble)

1/4 cup sliced green onions

Shredded Cheddar Cheese for topping

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In mixing bowl, mix cottage cheese, parmesan, flour, almond meal, salt, water, and beaten egg. Mix well. Mix in bacon and green onions.

Spray silicone muffin tin with nonstick spray. This works really well - and you won't go back! Fill cups about 3/4 full, top with a pinch of cheddar cheese. Bake 25-30 minutes until muffins are firm and lightly browned.

I made a batch of these on the weekend for a quick breakfast during the weekdays of work. My routine is a to throw a muffin on a plate, stick it in the microwave for about 30 seconds, and pour a V-8. I eat this just before I walk out the door. Great healthy South Beach breakfast! Yum. I need to make these up for the very busy week ahead.

Cuban Flank Steak

2008-08-21T06:16:00.002-08:00

Tonight we are going to grill flank steak for dinner. I found this recipe on Kalyn's Kitchen (my favorite website). It sounds quite tasty!

1 large piece of flank steak (2-3 lbs)

Marinade:

1/3 cup fresh lime juice

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic powder

1 Tbsp soy sauce

1/2 tsp ground chipotle chile powder (or your favorite hot sauce - I used Chalula's)

2 tsp lime zest (optional)

Marinate meat up to 24 hours. Take meat out of fridge, and let come to room temp before grilling. Preheat grill to medium high. Grill meat to desired doneness, approximately 4-5 minutes per side for rare to medium rare; or 6-7 minutes for medium to medium-well. Time will depend on the thickness of your steak. Remove meat from grill and let it rest about 5 minutes covering with foil to keep warm. Slice across the grain and serve warm with salsa.

TOP 10 Beaches...

2008-08-20T06:50:00.008-08:00

Well, I just found the Weather Channel's Top 10 Beaches. Looking at their list (and the pictures that go with it) I think I need to add these to my list of possible vacation destinations!

1. Anse Source d'Argent, Seychelles

2. Grace Bay, Turks and Caicos

3. Ipanema, Brazil

4. Lanikai Beach, Hawaii

5. Manly Beach, Australia

6. Paradise Beach, Greece

7. Plage Malendure, St. Kitts and Nevis

8. Plage de Tahiti, France

9. Trunk Bay, St. John, US Virgin Islands

10. Tulum Beach, Mexico

Well, out of this list (there are many), I have been to two of the beaches. Looks like we have a number of beautiful beaches on this planet!

Turkey Results...

2008-08-18T05:53:00.002-08:00

Well, the Best Ever Turkey was great. However, for some reason it did not taste like the first one we made, but I'm beginning to think it is all in my head! I believe I have probably exaggerated that first smoked turkey to the point that nothing will be like it - ever! This turkey was delicious, moist and had lots of flavor. I do highly recommend giving it a try. As for our next turkey experiment, I think we will be trying to brine our turkey and see what that does.

Our Best Turkey Ever!

2008-08-17T06:04:00.006-08:00

Today, in the midst of our foggy dreary day, we are planning to smoke a turkey. The second time we smoked a turkey, we stumbled upon this combination of ingredients. It was truly THE best turkey either of us have ever had (and I'm not usually a huge fan of turkey). So, today we are going to attempt to recreate this delicious meal!

Injection Ingredients:

1 can chicken broth

1 Tbsp salt

Garlic Powder (LOTS)

3 Tbsp Worcestershire

Turkey:

Turkey (we have an 10 pounder)

1 stick butter

Seasoning salt

Herbed pepper

Emeril's Essence Seasoning

2 onions

3 cloves garlic

Chicken broth

Apple wood for smoker

Start by injecting the turkey. Do the night before if possible.

Put turkey in the water pan from the smoker. Ours fit perfectly. Melt one stick butter, rub it all over turkey. Use it all. (OK, not South Beach here!) Sprinkle with seasoning salt and herbed/seasoned pepper. Sprinkle Emeril's Essence over the bird. Be generous. Cut up 2 medium onions, add 3 cloves of garlic, and place inside the turkey cavity. Add a little chicken broth to the inside of the cavity, and pour about 1/2 cup into the pan that the turkey is sitting.

Baste using the juices from the bird about once an hour. Add more chicken broth if it becomes dry.

We used apple wood in the smoker. Make sure you keep the smoker above 220 degrees. Cook until turkey reaches 180 degrees.

I'm making twice baked cauliflower, and a recipe I found for whole wheat double mushroom stuffing that sounds quite tasty (and is South Beach legal). I'm hoping that this turkey turns out just as well the second time around...

Blackened Tuna Steaks

2008-08-16T06:03:00.005-08:00

Want to make a delicious dinner that is super easy? Well, here is a simple recipe that you will love... Enjoy.

Blackened Tuna Steaks

Marinade

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp lime juice

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 tuna steaks

1 Jar of Mango Salsa (or make your own)

Rub for tuna

2 Tbsp paprika

1 Tbsp cayenne pepper (we only used 1 1/2 tsp and it was quite spicy)

1 Tbsp onion powder

2 Tsp salt

1 Tsp pepper

1 Tsp thyme

1 Tsp basil

1 Tsp oregano

1 Tbsp garlic powder

4 Tbsp olive oil

1. Whisk together the marinade ingredients. Rub the tuna steaks with the mixture. Marinate for 3 hours.

2. Stir together the rub ingredients. Remove tuna from fridge; gently rinse with water, then dip each side of each steak in the spice mixture to coat.

3. Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Gently lay the tuna in the hot oil. Cook for 3 minutes on one side; remove to plate. Pour the remaining 2 Tbsp olive oil in the pan, heat till oil is hot. Lay the tuna uncooked side down into the skillet and cook another 3 minutes; remove from heat immediately. Do not overcook.

4. Spoon about 1/2 cup mango salsa onto each of 4 plates. Lay the tuna steak on top of salsa. Serve immediately.

Sunny Isles Beach, Florida

2008-08-15T06:21:00.004-08:00

Our trip ended with a stay at the Le Meredian Resort in Sunny Isles Beach. We arrived from the ship early, and our room was not ready (sound familiar?). Well, we had quite a different experience waiting for our room this time. They suggested we change into our swimsuits and enjoy the beach - which we gladly did. The beach attendants set up chaise lounges and a nice large umbrella for us. We immediately got in the water - it was warm and clear, hard to believe that this was the Atlantic Ocean! We had a lovely day at the resort.

The next day was my shopping day! The Aventura Mall is a large two story mall with wonderful major department stores, and many upscale smaller stores. We enjoyed the cool indoors (as outdoors was quite hot, humid and complete with thunderstorms). We shopped and had lunch, I bought a baby gift (the cutest little girl outfit) and a new first day of school outfit, all on sale I might add. After lunch, we headed back to the resort with the plan of enjoying the beach again. Thunderstorms started up again however, so much for another beach day. We found a wonderful Italian restaurant within walking distance for dinner - which was the perfect end to a perfect trip.

Our flight was at 7am the next day, so lots of flying and our Miami trip seems a world away. We wanted to turn around and go back to the warmth, the pampering, the sightseeing and that beautiful, warm clear ocean!

Hi Ho, Hi Ho, It's Off to Work I Go!

2008-08-14T05:04:00.004-08:00

Well, after a wonderful summer of travels, relaxation and fun, it is time to go back to work. Yesterday was my first day. I'm excited for the new school year, anxious to see all the staff and students again. It is always fun to see the new kindergartners as they experience school for the first time. They are so much fun. I know this year will be a busy, fun, productive and positive year! Wish me luck...

Back to the U.S. - Key West

2008-08-13T04:56:00.005-08:00

Thursday was a day completely packed with activities. After a very brief interaction with customs, Larry and I were one of the first to get off the ship in the morning. It was already incredibly hot and humid, little to no wind at all. We had an afternoon excursion planned, so only two hours to explore this colorful town. We took the advice of various frequent visitors and decided to take the Conch Train Tour - 90 minutes of seeing all the major sights in Key West. Those 90 minutes gave us a taste of Key West, enough of one that we want to return and spend some time exploring the Florida Keys. What a great area!

Our afternoon sail and snorkel was the perfect activity for a hot day - sail to a reef (well, not enough wind to sail, so motor to a reef) and snorkel (unfortunately it was with 100 other people - too crowded). However, most of the snorkelers stayed around the boat, so Larry and I swam away from the crowds and enjoyed seeing the beautiful, colorful fish!

Once we returned to the Majesty of the Seas, we spent a couple of hours sitting in the pool - drink in hand. How very relaxing! This was our last day on board the Majesty... just when we were getting into the swing of "cruising" it was already time to go. Proof that vacations are never long enough!

Our Own Private Island - Coco Cay

2008-08-12T07:41:00.004-08:00

Wednesday was a great day! We started out with our own private tour of the galley by the Executive Chef. It is quite amazing how they can prepare 15,000 meals a day in such a small area. There was a small group of chefs on duty, prepping items for the dinner menu. The chef said the key to making all these meals is "organization". You could see that was true just from spending one hour in the galley. Size is also important - they have HUGE soup pots, HUGE mixing bowls and mixers; HUGE ovens... So, when it comes to serving 4,000 passengers and crew three meals a day - size does matter!

After our galley tour, we went ashore to spend the day in the water floating. What a gorgeous beach. Once we arrived on the island, the first and only thing you could see were a massive amount of people! We actually thought about going back to the ship - it was that crowded. But, we followed a path to the right (as an internet source suggested) and the crowd started to thin out. We got our floating mats, and spent the afternoon in the beautiful warm water. Before we left for the day, we continued on this path to the right, and came upon THE most gorgeous uncrowded beach! We just had not gone far enough... next time we will know. This beach was pristine and everything you imagine when you think of the perfect Caribbean beach!

Majesty Of The Seas... Nassau

2008-08-11T05:52:00.005-08:00

We were able to slip onto the ship with ease thanks to the organization of Royal Caribbean's check-in process. This trip (since our trip was free) we decided to upgrade to a junior suite - a room with a balcony. Oh my - how nice was that! It will be difficult to go back now that we have had the luxury of an outdoor space to call our own.

Our first day was spent in Nassau. It was an extremely busy day in town with three big ships and a smaller ship in port. We took the ferry to the Atlantis Resort to meet our dolphin friends. What a gorgeous place! It is truly like another Disneyland (for adults and kids alike). We experienced two of the dolphins in a shallow water setting. They are amazing creatures and we enjoyed our time in the water with them.

Tip #1: If I were to do it again, I would sign up directly through the Atlantis Resort ahead of time (not through the cruise line) for their actual "Swim with the Dolphins" experience or their "Trainer for the Day" six hour program. Both of those give you many more interactions with these magical dolphins and would be amazingly fun! The cruise line does not offer either of these experiences as an option.

Tip #2: The resort is HUGE with many different ways to spend your time. However, the day was SO busy and crowded! I understand that there are days in Nassau with only one ship in port. I believe this would be the best day to actually experience all that Atlantis has to offer. So, before I do a cruise like this again, I will be doing a bit of research to find the least crowded ship day when I'm selecting my cruise date. It was very fun, but we spent much of our day trying to find a place to hang out that wasn't mobbed with people (which we finally did do at the very end of our day). It was a little overwhelming to say the least! You couldn't find a chair to put your things (all saved), you couldn't find a spot to relax that was not overly crowded. I bet by 4pm, the resort was a totally different experience as all the cruise shippers would have gone back to their various ships and the resort would have only had guests...

Art Deco in South Beach

2008-08-10T16:10:00.010-08:00

Well, we made it back to Juneau on time and are at home trying to stay awake. Our body clocks are still on east coast time + we got up very early to leave our warm weather beach getaway for Miami International Airport to catch our 7am flight.

Our first experience was the "interesting" South Beach. Wow - what a great place to people watch! We had to wander for about six hours, as taking a red eye flight and getting into Miami at 5:45am, our room was not ready at our hotel. So, we got in our fill of major heat, humidity and thunderstorms and showers. We also had time to look at all the beautiful art deco buildings in the area. Once we finally were able to check in to our hotel, I had three new blisters... That was wearing my comfortable shoes!

The best part of our SOBE stay was having a fabulous dinner at Emeril's Restaurant in South Beach. Wow! We decided to go all out and order from his "tasting menu", complete with wine pairings with each of the six courses. It was wonderful, and I wish I had kept notes of what we had. There was so much food I have already forgotten! You definitely want to go on an empty stomach...

Off to the Bahamas we go!!!

2008-08-02T08:10:00.005-08:00

Well, this will be my last post as we leave for our "free" trip this afternoon at 2pm. We are on the "red eye" to Miami out of Seattle, arriving in Miami at 6am.

I'm hoping our hotel has a room for us at that very early hour, but they may not and we may end up taking a very early morning walk. It would be good to stretch our legs I guess, but I think after our long overnight we would prefer to be in our air conditioned room!

LAST MINUTE CHECKS:
1. Packing - done
2. Reading Material - got it
3. Passports - check
4. Camera & charger - got them
5. Cruise Packet - got it
6. Bahamas weather report - High 90's; Low 74ish; Thunderstorms daily (doesn't sound like any big storms are coming)
7. Boarding Passes - printed and have them
8. How to care for Abby notes - printed and on counter
9. House - clean
10.Beds & Towels - switched & clean
11.Fridge - cleaned out

So, I'll post when we return on August 10th. And, to my Juneau friends - I'll try to bring some of that sunshine and heat back to town with me! We need it...