I Can Eat One Potato Chip....

....but I absolutely cannot limit myself to just one spoonful of Double Dark Chocolate Gelato.  As I sit here on the lanai enjoying the beautiful breeze....down a bit from the windy conditions today....and listen to the boats slapping around in their berths while the palm trees sway in unison, I'm indulging in this decadent creation studded with dark chocolate chips.  This is almost perfect............except for these two fur faces, who I'm missing terribly!

Necessity Being the Mother of Invention

Every now and then I get the urge for Stacy's "Simply Naked" Pita Chips.  They satisty that urge to crunch and with the addition of sea salt, have just the right amount of flavor. 

While deciding on what to do with my Orange Roughy filets...rather, filet....for dinner tonight, I thought that "crunch" might be great on the fish.  So I crushed a few chips, dipped the filet in beaten egg, coated it with the crumbs, and sauteed in a little olive oil and butter.  When just about cooked through and nicely browned on both sides, I squeezed a slice of fresh lemon juice over the fish and poured about a tablespoon or two of Pinot Grigio to deglaze the pan. 

What to accompany said filets?  Oven baked sweet potato fries and sauteed Brussels sprouts with just a hint of butter and minced garlic.  The Roughy flaked beautifully...it remained moist, and the outside crunchy coating was a delicious and interesting contrast.

I ended the yummy meal with an oversized scoop of Haagen-Dazs Toasted Coconut Sesame Brittle ice cream.  That's a post in itself.  Wow....is that ever a delicious flavor combination. 

Need to bake

Since I've been in Marco Island for the past couple of weeks, I've not picked up a measuring cup or spoon except when I visited Williams-Sonoma to browse.  I actually contemplated collecting some of my favorite baking tools to purchase in order to supplement this condo kitchen which is sufficiently stocked with saucepans, broiler pans, and few baking supplies, rudimentary as they are, but certainly no where near what I consider essentials in my own home kitchen.  However, if I wanted to juice a grapefruit or two, whip up a pitcher of frozen margaritas, or French press some coffee (my own bring-along), I could do so.  So, life is pretty good here, don't get me wrong. 

But, I do miss baking.  I derive great satisfaction from producing a successful result, but the process alone is therapeutic, as I've mentioned in the past.  Now that the weather is rising to Florida-like temperatures, I'll be spending more time sitting/walking in the sunshine and probably less thinking about baking. 

When I get home, however, I see a decadent chocolate cake in my future.  I've got a few girlfriends who I know won't turn down the invitation. 

One sure can't complain about the sunset.

Plum Sweets and Pinot Grigio

Dinner of champions, I say. 

Somehow, this seems an appropriate meal when one is contemplating life and the sunset in Southwest Florida.  It was a gorgeous day here, when for the past week, folks actually feared they'd see a snowflake or two.  People actually stared at my feet in bug-eyed disbelief as I sported flip-flops instead of closed-in shoes to beat the frigid 50ish temps.  I'm on vacation, darn it, and my toes are ready to be set free from the boots I was wearing in NJ on a regular basis.  I don't care how chilly it is. 

But, the Marco Island sun gods smiled down upon us today and gave us a day to toss those jackets and gloves aside while jockeying for a position by the pool where we could soak in those rays.  Mid-to upper 60's felt glorious.

Life is good. 

But, back to dinner.  Alright, truth be told, I did prepare a spinach salad with sliced avocado, cranberries, nuts, grape tomatoes, and crumbled blue cheese; all drizzled with olive oil and raspberry balsamic vinegar.  The Sunsweet Chocolate Covered Plum Sweets were dessert.  Along with another glass of Pinot Grigio. 

New Beginnings

2010 is upon us; 2009 can be put to bed. For those of you who have suffered, I wish you peace in the new year. For those of you who have thrived, I wish you another year of riches. For those of you who are hoping for new beginnings, I wish for those ladybugs to appear. For those of you blessed with the love of family and friends, may those bonds remain strong.

Will you make a New Year’s resolution…..will you stick to it? I think I’ll continue to resolve not to make any resolutions, since they’re so easily broken. Call it lack of will power, or perhaps it’s just human nature. I will do my utmost to be the best person I can be, but not just for others….more importantly, for myself.


Those of us who are givers—whether it be in the tangible or intangible form—sometimes forget that in order to be strong for others, we need to be strong for ourselves. Listen to those inner voices reminding us that it really is okay to say “no.” It’s not a weakness to say, “I’d love to help, but I just cannot at this time.” No explanations needed. True friends will understand. We all have limits. Even the most giving of people need down time, or that candle we burn at both ends finally reaches the center…..and then…..it is extinguished.

So, to all of you out there: Be good to others…..but be especially good to yourselves.  I wish you peace, health, and happiness.

Happy New Year!

Holiday Cheesecake Torte

As if cheesecake isn't rich enough, sandwich it between two chocolate cake layers spread with apricot jam, and cover the entire dessert with a delicious buttercream frosting...with a hint of raspberry liqueur.  Sprinkle a few crushed pistachios on top; arrange a few marzipan kumquats and cranberries dipped in egg white and dusted with sugar, and I'll bet the cholesterol police will be at your door.  But, I guarantee they'll have a piece before carting you away to the land of sensible eating.

Merry Christmas! 

Buche de Noel and Struffoli

Buche de Noel with Struffoli in the background

Reading the above title, one might get the impression that I have both French and Italian roots.  My only connection to France is my four years of high school French.........and my Buche de Noel.  Ok, I can still sing most of La Marseillaise when I've had perhaps tee too many martinis.  But, I digress. 

I believe it was Julia Child who was on television preparing a Buche de Noel, and I thought it was just the neatest dessert.  I had to make it for my family.  Eric was four months old that Christmas, and I've been serving it every year since then.  28 years.  Since I assemble the whole thing on Christmas Eve, and I wanted to post a photo prior to Christmas, this is one from a prior year.  I'll be making the meringue mushrooms later today.  Perhaps I'll even make a few snails.  They always look appropriate sitting on and around the log.  I've added sugar-coated cranberries, marzipan cranberries, holly, or have just left it in its simplest form:  The log and the meringue mushrooms.  Sometimes less is more. 

As for the Struffoli, no self-respecting Italian...or at least Neopolitan....Christmas dessert table would be complete without them.  Little balls of dough that are deep fried, drained, coated in honey, lemon, and orange zest.  They're then stacked and covered with colored sprinkles.  They are positively addictive. 

I wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Lucky Ducky

Copyright Loew's Incorporated, 1956

When I think back to my childhood.....as I do quite often at this time of year and on this blog.....memories of my mother flash vividly in my mind.  And, interestingly, every year I dig out the Tom and Jerry cookie cutters.  Do I use them?  No.  Why?  Well, for one thing, they have nothing to do with Christmas, but primarily because they're not as convenient as cookie cutters made post that "era."  That era being 1956, when these were produced, and from what I understand, sold for a whopping 25 cents.  Alright, so I'm not an antique, but I guess I am inching closer. 

Tom & Jerry, Tuffy, Droopy Dog, Barney Bear, and Lucky Ducky sit atop my counter, making their annual appearance so that I can say, "Oh!  Remember these?"  Heads nod, a smile adorns my face, and yes....even a tear is shed as I think lovingly about my mom who always showed the patience of a saint as she poked the cut-out-dough through the cutter's "convenient" little holes.  As the title indicates, I was quite lucky to have Ann as my mother. 

Now I'm sure you won't cry when you look at the photo of these treasured kitchen items from my past, but I hope you enjoyed another walk down that lane we like to call, nostalgia.