by Krista | Oct 13, 2010 | Compatriot Wednesday
It truly felt like Autumn Monday night as my friends and I came in out of the cold and bustled about the kitchen stirring pots of simmering soups. Don shared bottles of his beloved “Two Buck Chuck” wine from Trader Joe’s, and it paired beautifully with Darren’s spread of savory sausage and Drunken Goat cheese.
As the last pot came to a boil, we set down three bubbling concoctions for folks to choose from.
I made Split Pea Soup with Prosciutto topped with Danish Crispy Fried Onions.
Cameron and Robin made a wonderful Rooibos Broth with Kale, Corn and Onions.
Toby made a deliciously cheesy batch of Potato Leek Chowder.
Jon rounded things off with the best twice-baked potatoes I’ve ever had stuffed with cheese, jalapenos, sun-dried tomatoes and sauteed sweet onions.
It was comfort food at its best. 🙂
What is your favorite thing to eat on a cold evening?
Toby’s Potato Leek Chowder
Jon’s Twice Baked Potatoes
Ingredients:
12 baby red potatoes
3/4 cup sour cream
3-4 Tbsp butter
1/2-1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 jalapeno, chopped and seeded
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
1/2 tsp granulated garlic
1/2 tsp chopped dried basil
1 sweet onion, chopped and sauteed
1-2 Tbsp Parmesan, grated
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Cut a small slit cut across the top of each potato and bake 20-30 minutes.
- Remove potatoes from oven, carefully cut a wedge out of the top and gently scoop out the innards, leaving just enough ‘meat’ to keep the shape of the potato.
- Combine potato innards with sour cream, butter, cheddar cheese, jalapeno, sun dried tomatoes, sea salt, black pepper, garlic, basil, and onion.
- Stuff mixture into the potato skins and continue baking at 375 for about 15 minutes, or until cheese is sufficiently melted.
- Remove, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and return to oven until cheese is melted.
Krista’s Split Pea Soup with Prosciutto and Danish Crispy Fried Onions
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 onions, chopped
3-4 stalks celery, chopped
1 package (six slices) prosciutto, chopped
1 bag dried split peas
8 cups water
4 cups beef stock
1/2-1 cup Danish Crispy Fried Onions
Directions:
- In saucepan heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onions and celery and saute until soft.
- Add remaining ingredients and bring to boil. Simmer uncovered over medium heat for 1 hour 20 minutes, or until peas are mushy and soup has thickened.
- Add salt and pepper as needed.
- Pour into bowls and top with Danish Crispy Fried Onions.
by Krista | Oct 12, 2010 | Gulliver Tuesday
It’s feeling particularly Fall-ish this evening with brooding skies and dried leaves skittering across the pavement. It’s the sort of night that makes me long to bundle up in sweater, scarf and sassy boots and visit England. That’s just what I plan to do March 26-27, 2011 during the Travel Bloggers Unite (TBU’11) conference in Manchester.
It’s been a lifelong dream of mine to visit England, and I’m so excited that my first trip there will be with a whole slew of fabulous writers, photographers, and travelers gathered to learn from stellar experts in areas such as podcasting, creating videos, and becoming savvy in business and public relations.
Early this year I started reading the Simply Zesty blog and have learned so much from their posts and delightfully informative videos. I’m so thrilled that Niall and Lauren will be coming in from Ireland to speak.
I’m also really looking forward to learning about podcasting from Kelvin Newman and affiliate marketing from Kevin Brown.
TBU’11 is the brainchild of my friend and travel expert Oliver Gradwell. A very funny guy and super hard worker, Oliver has done a fabulous job organizing a first class event that is not only going to be great fun, but highly informative and beneficial to both beginner and experienced bloggers.
For more information visit the TBU’11 website, follow them on Twitter @tbloggersunite using hashtag #TBU11, or visit them on Facebook. I’d love to see you there! 🙂
As our beautiful Indian Summer is replaced by crisp Autumn mornings, rainy afternoons and blustery nights, my imagination turns once again to hot, sunny mornings in Cancun, Mexico. While I loved nearly all the food on this trip, one of my favorite things was breakfast. Every morning we were treated to a dizzying selection of freshly baked breads and pastries, ripe fruits, beautiful vegetables and cold cuts, and an array of hot dishes, from ratatouille and Mexican-style chard to build-your-own omelets and crispy fried potatoes.
I’m afraid I stuffed myself rather happily during my 4-day stay, and loved every moment of it. 🙂
What is your favorite breakfast while on vacation?
(If you’d like to know more about this resort in Cancun, it is the Cancun Caribe Park Royal Grand. I spent four days there last month courtesy of Royal Holiday.)
by Krista | Oct 11, 2010 | Bootstrap Monday
I’ve now been sick for a week with a ghastly cold/flu combo that’s hanging on for dear life. Grrr. 🙂
So I’m taking a deep breath, sipping umpteen cups of tea, and dreaming of happier moments in sun-drenched Mexico. Care to join me? I’ll get the fruity drinks, you grab the towels and I’ll meet you on the beach. 🙂
Perhaps mid-afternoon we could dust the sand off our feet, don a fetching cover-up of some sort, and pop into the beach side cafe for dessert. Would you rather have the Mango Strawberry Tart or the Chocolate Brownie?
Thanks for taking a little vicarious trip with me. I feel better already! 🙂
If you could be whisked off on vacation anywhere today, where would you go?
(If you’d like to know more about this lovely spot in Cancun, it is the Cancun Caribe Park Royal Grand. I spent four days there last month courtesy of Royal Holiday.)
by Krista | Oct 8, 2010 | Fabulous Friday
Last week I was delighted beyond measure to be invited on a 4-day trip to Cancun with four other bloggers courtesy of Royal Holiday. They were truly lovely people, bending over backwards to make sure we were safe and happy during our stay at their beautiful Cancun Caribe Park Royal Grand all-inclusive resort.
It was my first trip to Cancun and I loved it. The weather was hot and mostly sunny with a few tropical rain showers to keep things interesting. I can’t wait to tell you about the delicious food, Mayan ruins, and the underground river I swam, but they will have to wait for another day.
Today I have two things to tell you about. Here on my blog I’m sharing a few photos of the exquisite flowers I saw on my journey, and if you click here, you can see my article on The Travel Belles where you’ll find pictures of the exquisite beaches and gorgeous turquoise ocean. I hope you enjoy them! 🙂
What is your favorite flower?
by Krista | Oct 7, 2010 | Plucky Thursday
Good morning, dear ones. 🙂 I’m writing to you sitting close to the heater, a cup of Moroccan Mint tea at hand to soothe my sore throat. I’m still fighting this flu/cold/thingamajig but have high hopes that I’m almost on the mend now. 🙂
I had such fun revisiting my trip to Amsterdam with you yesterday, that I decided to share the rest of our lovely meal with you today. 🙂
When I thought of European food growing up, especially in the colder northern countries like Holland, Germany, etc, I mostly thought of potatoes, wild game, thick stews, hearty noodle dishes, and lots of seafood. I did not, however, think of salads, organic produce, healthy whole grain sandwiches. How wrong I was!
It is in Paris, Amsterdam and Denmark that I have had the most scrumptious salads piled high with luscious ingredients, divine sandwiches layered atop the best bread I’ve ever tasted, and vibrant produce straight from the garden. Our Amsterdam lunch was no exception.
I was so inspired and have been tracking down the best breads, cheeses and fresh veggies I can find to replicate these amazing yet simple lunches.
It was the perfect start to our exploration of a new city: Haarlem.
Have you been surprised by foods you’ve encountered on your travels?
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