by Krista | Aug 26, 2010 | Plucky Thursday
This week we’re partying aplenty as we celebrate my beloved Mum’s birthday.
I’m so grateful to have a mother who is not only my Mum but my dear friend. I can’t imagine life without her hugs, compassion, and avid interest in anything her kids are up to. Happy Birthday, Mums!! I love you!
We tend to stretch out birthday celebrating in our family. We’ve had Kansas City bbq, great times with friends, movie nights, thrift store shopping, and who knows what we’ll get up to in the next couple of days. 🙂
When I asked Mums what sort of birthday cake she’d like, she asked for a fruit tart instead. I was delighted to oblige!
I nipped off to the market and found gorgeously plump strawberries that I thought would pair beautifully with almond cream and a sweet almond crust. Mmm, mmm! It turned out scrumptiously and Mums was a happy birthday girl.
What is your favorite birthday dessert?
I’m excited to have a new guest post up at The Travel Belles today! 🙂 Click here to read about Germany’s beautiful outdoor museum in Detmold. I’d love to hear what you think! 🙂
Strawberry Almond Tart
1 pint strawberries, washed and halved
1 package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup almond milk
1 Tbsp agave
1 tsp almond extract
1 Tbsp maple syrup
For the Crust:
1 cup whole grain flour
1 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp almond extract
1/2 cup butter, melted
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 375 F.
- Blend cream cheese, almond milk, agave and almond extract until smooth. Set aside but do not chill.
- Mix all crust ingredients, add a little flour if too soft. Press evenly into 9-inch tart pan and bake for 20-25 minutes until crust is golden brown.
- Let crust cool, then spread cream mixture in the bottom and top with fruit. Drizzle with maple syrup. Chill until ready to serve.
by Krista | Aug 25, 2010 | Compatriot Wednesday
I know I’ve said it before, but I absolutely love evenings spent around the campfire with friends or family. This Monday our cooking group chose Campfire Food as our theme and it was so much fun!
Jenny, our resident ex-camp counselor, decided that we should do Hobos. So we passed around great shiny sheets of aluminum foil, folded them into envelopes and filled them with all sorts of splendid things.
I brought onions and bell peppers in a marinade of soy sauce, sesame oil and fresh ginger and Jenny showed us the “proper” way to add raw potato to a hobo: bite off small chunks and spit it into the bag. Apparently at her camp they weren’t allowed to have knives and their incisors did the trick nicely. 🙂
We also had fresh green and purple beans, Kielbasa, salmon, and spicy sausages.
Everyone fixed their own hobo and due to our unconventional potato adding method, folks kept a beady eye on their packet so as not to get it mixed up with anyone else’s. 🙂
While the packets cooked on the grill, we clustered round the fire and bit into juicy, flame-roasted corn on the cob. Oh my! So sweet and smoky it didn’t even need butter. Mmm, mmm!
By the time dinner was over night had fallen and the stars were out. We pulled on cardigans and sweatshirts, refilled our wine glasses, and edged our chairs closer to the fire. Jon pulled out his guitar and we took turns joining in on the songs we knew.
We roasted marshmallows for s’mores made decadent with Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and dark chocolate with cherries and almonds. Then Selwyn showed us how to make our second dessert: fire-roasted bananas stuffed with chocolate, toffee, mini-marshmallows and pecans. Oh. My. Word. Twas pure campfire bliss.
Do you like camp food? What is your favorite meal?
Hobos
Ingredients:
meat – chicken, salmon, kielbasa, beef, sausage, etc
vegetables – potatoes, peppers, onion, green beans, corn, etc
sauce – Asian, Italian dressing, pesto, etc
Aluminum foil
Roaring fire
Directions:
- Using two sheets of aluminum foil, make an envelope and fold the edges to seal.
- Add your choice of meat, vegetables and sauce. Fold to seal.
- Place on grate above fire or directly in the coals.
- Cook 15-30 minutes. Test potatoes for doneness. Eat hot.
Fire-Roasted Bananas
Ingredients:
bananas
Toppings – chopped nuts, mini chocolate chips, toffee bits, mini marshmallows, raisins, coconut, etc
Aluminum foil
Roaring fire
Directions:
- Peel back one strip of banana peel, but do not remove.
- Cut a trench down exposed portion of banana. Fill with toppings of choice.
- Replace banana skin over filling and wrap tightly with aluminum foil.
- Toss into hot coals and cook for ten minutes, turning halfway through. Eat hot.
by Krista | Aug 24, 2010 | Gulliver Tuesday
For centuries Dubrovnik was an affluent and powerful place, her coffers filled with the wealth of her prosperous sea faring trade.
Alas, after the devastating earthquake of 1667, the mighty Republic of Dubrovnik began to decline.
1n 1669 it sold two patches of land to the Ottomans as insurance against advancing Venetian forces. Today those patches belong to Bosnia-Herzegovina and are the only points of contact that country has with the Adriatic.
In the early 1800’s Russian-Montenegrin fleets besieged Dubrovnik, lobbing over 3000 cannonballs in the process. In 1806 Dubrovnik surrendered to Napoleon’s forces with the understanding that they simply needed free passage and weren’t interested in occupation. Sadly this was not the case. The French blockaded the harbor and soon Dubrovnik’s streets were filled with French soldiers.
On this day all flags and coats of arms above the city walls were painted black as a sign of mourning.
By 1808 the Republic was abolished, its land and people absorbed into Napoleon’s Kingdom of Italy.
Thankfully that’s not the end of the story. Before too long a certain group of Austrians arrived on the scene and things really started to get interesting.
In the meantime, I’m digging into a fabulous Croatian salad from Sopovo. It is like a milder, spicier Greek salad with tomatoes, green pepper, hot peppers, and feta cheese. The white wine vinaigrette is savory and light and sets off the fresh vegetables beautifully.
This is my contribution to Wanderfood Wednesday. Click here to see more dishes from around the world.
Sopovo Salad
Ingredients:
1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 Hot green pepper, minced
1/2 Green peppers, diced
2 Tbsp White wine vinegar
1 Garlic clove, minced
1 Tbsp Olive oil
1/4 tsp Salt
1/4 cup Feta, cubed
Parsley
Directions:
- Place tomatoes, peppers and green peppers in large bowl.
- In small bowl whisk together oil, vinegar, salt and garlic. Pour over vegetables and toss gently to coat.
- Top with feta and parsley.
by Krista | Aug 23, 2010 | Bootstrap Monday
Sometimes it’s the simplest things that make for a truly wonderful weekend. 🙂
Things like a brother who gives great hugs, teases the dickens out of me, and goes to watch Eat, Pray, Love with his wife and sister then makes us go watch The Expendables to make up for it.
And a sister-in-law who is more like a blood sister and best friend and spoils me rotten and makes me laugh until tears are streaming down my face.
And dear friends who bring peanut butter cup ice cream when they come to visit and love me just for me.
And heavenly cheeseburgers eaten on a red-checked tablecloth with shrieking gulls overhead and salty sea breezes sending flags flapping.
It’s weekends like this that make me feel like the luckiest girl in the world.
What is one thing that made your weekend wonderful?
by Krista | Aug 20, 2010 | Fabulous Friday
Good morning, dear ones! After a cold, cloudy day bits of sunshine are streaming through the clouds, brightening my world beautifully. 🙂 How are you?
I’m a happy camper because today is the BEST I’ve felt in three weeks!! HOORAY! Isn’t hope a lovely thing? It’s given me courage to press on another day with a big beamy smile.
Earlier this week my brother Dana took us all on a gorgeous Sunday drive. He’s one of those crazy, amazing fellows who runs and will be entering the Bellingham Bay Marathon in September. So he thought it would be fun to drive the course and see what madness he was getting himself into. It was very fun!!
The course wends along beautiful Bellingham Bay, starting at the Lummi Indian Reservation and curving along the waterfront. If I was a runner (no sirree!!) this is just where I’d love to run.
It was the perfect day for a drive, dry and hot as blazes. Warm inland winds mingled with cool sea breezes as the sun beat down on us, glistening on the gently lapping waves. The view was a bit hazy with smoke from the terrible fires burning in Canada, but we could still see Mount Baker and Lummi Island. I do so love Washington. 🙂
The heat inspired me to try another Virgin Bellini (I have to skip the alcohol for a bit while I get better, but substitute prosecco or sparkling wine for the seltzer water if you want the real deal). This time I blended ripe cherries and fresh lime juice with the seltzer water. Oh my! So fruity, zesty and delicious. The perfect cooling and refreshing drink on a piping hot summer afternoon.
What is your favorite hot weather drink?
I hope you have a beautiful weekend, dear folks! I’ll see you bright and early Monday morning. 🙂
This is my contribution to Myscha’s Happy Hour Friday. Click here to view other scrumptious summer drink ideas.
Virgin Cherry Lime Bellini
Ingredients:
1 cup cherries, pitted
Juice of one lime
1 cup chilled cup seltzer water (if you don’t want it virgin, add prosecco or sparkling white wine instead)
Directions:
- Puree cherries and lime juice with a bit of seltzer water until smooth.
- Pour into glass, add remaining seltzer water, stir and garnish with lime slice. Serve cold.
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