by Krista | Aug 27, 2010 | Fabulous Friday
It is such an amazing thing to feel good, really, really good, for the first time in almost two years. I am quite overwhelmed with gratefulness. 🙂
Last weekend I celebrated such things with much jollity, feasting and convivial adventures with my siblings and friends and loved it! But this weekend I’m happily staying home, cozy in my own little apartment, excited to do sorting and organizing, all those big projects that I just couldn’t get to when I was unwell. I can’t wait!!
I don’t know about you, but I love getting decluttered and organized. My fingers are itching to open dusty boxes and mystery bags that have been hibernating in my parent’s garage for entirely too long. Books, dishes, clothes – who knows what is hiding in there!
It won’t be all work, mind you, I have every intention of taking little breaks for grainy millet bread dipped in seasoned olive oil…
…most definitely a linger around the campfire…
…and a few slices of this deliciously decadent Flourless Dark Chocolate Almond Pecan Torte (it’s gluten-free!!). I love this cake because it is rich and flavorful without being too heavy, relying on ground nuts and dark chocolate to provide depth and texture. And for a dessert, it’s pretty darn healthy! No flour, only a little sugar and we’ll just not mention the melted butter holding everything together. 😉
What are your plans for this weekend? Wherever they take you, I wish you a beautiful weekend and will see you first thing Monday morning. 🙂
Dark Chocolate Almond Pecan Torte
Ingredients:
1 cup whole almonds
1/2 cup pecans
8 oz.dark chocolate, chopped
1 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup sugar
6 large eggs, separated.
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Butter 8″ round springform pan and cover bottom with round piece of buttered wax paper.
- Add nuts to food processor and blend until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Add chocolate pieces and blend until mixture again resembles coarse crumbs.
- Cream butter and sugar until fluffy and light. Add egg yolks one at a time, mixing well with each yolk.
- Stir in nut mixture until well combined.
- In separate bowl, beat egg white until soft peaks form.
- Using spatula gently fold in 1/3 of egg whites into nut mixture. Repeat until all egg whites are mixed in.
- Pour into pan and bake 45 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out clean.
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.
by Krista | Aug 13, 2010 | Fabulous Friday
Happy Friday, dear folks!!
It’s a gloriously sunny day in Washington and my windows are open catching cooling morning air before the scorching afternoon hits.
I’m SO excited about this weekend because my brother and sis-in-law, Dana and Rachel, are coming to visit!!! HOORAY! HOORAY!
(Photo by our friend and fab photog Justin Pearson)
Marvelous and hilarious rellies are the best medicine. I may be confined to the couch, but I’m going to enjoy every minute of our talks, British murder mystery watching, and Mum’s delicious food. I sure love my family. 🙂
In the meantime I’m tucked up in bed looking out at a brilliant blue sky, sun-dappled trees and a flowering overgrown meadow. What a perfectly gorgeous summer morning.
Earlier this week my friend Val at More Than Burnt Toast inspired me with a peach bellini as part of her delightful Eat Pray Love Food Challenge. Since I can’t have alcohol until after I’m better, I decided to make a Virgin White Nectarine Bellini.
It’s simple as can be, especially since I don’t remove the nectarine skin because I think the little red bits look pretty floating about. Just blend 1 white nectarine with a Tbsp of seltzer water until smooth, pour it in a glass, add 1/2 to 1 cup more chilled seltzer water, stir and sip.
It is light, refreshing and the perfect way to start off a beautiful weekend. It is also my contribution to Myscha’s Happy Hour Friday.
What beautiful things are you looking forward to this weekend?
Virgin White Nectarine Bellini
Ingredients:
1 chilled white nectarine, washed, pitted and sliced
1 cup chilled cup seltzer water
Directions:
- Puree nectarine with a bit of seltzer water until smooth.
- Pour into glass, add remaining seltzer water, stir and garnish with nectarine slice and mint leaf. Serve cold.
by Krista | Jul 30, 2010 | Fabulous Friday
Good morning, dear ones!! I am so excited for this beautiful weekend to start!
Last night I got to indulge in one of my favorite rituals. Every few weeks my friends Art and Donna join me, Mums and Dad at our favorite Mexican restaurant where we all order the same thing, the waiters greet us like old friends and, when the boss is in, bring us free after dinner drinks to warm our bones. Then Dad heads home (he gets up obscenely early for work) and the rest of us adjourn to Art and Donna’s place for British murder mysteries like Foyle’s War or Inspector Lewis and dessert. This week they introduced us to the irascible Doc Martin set in oh-s0-gorgeous Cornwall and served us these beeyootiful plates of cream-filled chocolate cake to go with our rose-scented tea. Bliss.
This morning I awoke to a misty wonderland and just had to shuffle out through the dew-covered grass to capture it.
I do love mornings like this when the fog shrouds everything in cozy quietness. Reminds me I need to track down some firewood for my fireplace before fall arrives. I’ve never had my very own fireplace before, but it’s something I’ve always longed for so I’m thrilled to bits. I can’t wait for cold misty mornings this fall when I get to snuggle in by the fire with my tea in one hand and a ripping good book in the other.
What are your plans for this weekend, my friend? Will you be relaxing and puttering or dashing about from one fun thing to the next?
I cleaned my house like mad this week, so now I get to enjoy it and tackle sorting through the boxes of papers I hid in my closet when my aunts came over. 😉
Tonight I get to join my friends for dinner and a movie. I love watching movies at their place. They have a massive screen and the comfiest couches and we all pile in and eat popcorn made on the stove and have a marvy time. I don’t know what we’re having for dinner yet, but I’ve got dessert all ready to go: Rainier Cherry Tart with Maple Cream and a Gluten-Free Maple Crust. My whole apartment smells absolutely divine and I can’t wait to dig in!
Happiest of weekends to you, dear folks, and I’ll see you Monday morning!!
Rainier Cherry Tart with Maple Cream and a Gluten-Free Maple Crust
Ingredients:
2 cups cherries, pitted and halved
1/4 cup blueberries
1 package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup coconut milk
2 Tbsp maple syrup
1/2 tsp maple extract
For the Crust:
1 cup gluten-free all-purpose baking flour
1 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp maple extract
1/2 cup butter, melted
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 375 F.
- Blend cream cheese, coconut milk, maple syrup and maple 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. Chill until ready to serve.
by Krista | Jul 23, 2010 | Fabulous Friday
There are many things that make me happy in this life: dark chocolate, Cary Grant movies, and cousins. Especially cousins. I have heaps of cousins and I love them to bits. We are scattered across Canada, the US and Europe, but whenever we get together there is much hilarity, great story telling, and that feeling of connectedness that transcends friendship. I feel very lucky to have such great rellies.
Last night I got to drive to the beach and spend the evening with my cousin Cindy, her hubby Lee, and their two hilarious kids, Hayley and Ben. I love these guys because I can totally be myself with them. They make me laugh so hard and I always feel comfortable and welcome.
And boy oh boy can Lee ever cook!!
I arrived as he was hustling back and forth between the oven and the grill, carrying trays laden with all sorts of fabulous things like grilled lemon slices layered with sweet onion.
…salmon cooked beautifully with dill, cream and more sweet onions.
From the oven he brought out these delectable cheese-filled mushrooms…
…and to-die-for twice baked potatoes filled and topped with cheeses.
Then he followed all that deliciousness with a gorgeous Greek salad of cherry tomatoes, brightly colored peppers, red onion, and loads of feta cheese. Absolutely fantastic!!
Their 2-year-old Ben watched with interest as I photographed each dish in the waning evening light, and promptly insisted that his own food be photographed. So here for your viewing pleasure is Ben’s bowl.
After dinner we eased back in our chairs and talked, catching up on the years we lived apart. When the kids were tucked in bed Cindy and I pulled on sweaters and headed down to the beach. We found comfy perches atop a large piece of driftwood and talked for ages as we watched the sunset, not budging until our backsides were numb and our limbs shivering. It was wonderful.
It’s been a good week and I have much to anticipate this weekend: Classic Movie night with my cooking group, a jolly picnic with friends, and Brit murder mysteries with my folks.
What are you looking forward to this weekend?
by Krista | Jul 16, 2010 | Fabulous Friday
Good morning, dear folks. 🙂 I actually awoke without an alarm clock this morning! That always makes me happy.
How was your week? Were you busy as all get out? On vacation? Just taking it easy? I hope it’s been good no matter what you’ve been up to.
It’s been a week of good changes for me, clearing out projects and responsibilities that were weighing me down and keeping me from the work I’m really good at and love. I’ve been studying Time Management over the past few weeks and although I’ve only been implementing one little thing at a time, I feel like great, heavy burdens have been lifted. What is your favorite time management tip that helps you get your most important things done?
I’ve taken on some new responsibilities too, fun and interesting ones that let me be creative and innovative and stretch me quite scarily at times. I love it!
I’ve been a bit of a hermit this week, taking time to rest and go for walks, sit outside and read in the sun, have good chats with my brothers and family, it’s been a good week. My frazzled, overwhelmed self is feeling settled, focused, loved and loving, and it feels good.
As I wrote yesterday, I’ve been eating leftovers a LOT this week! I don’t mind a bit because they’ve been so delish, like this Red Potato Salad with Mint, Goat Cheese and Toasted Pine Nuts. I had made it years ago and liked it so much, so I pulled out all my recipe files and rifled through them until I found it. Hooray! It tastes just as good a day or two down the road as the first day, and that suits my schedule just dandy.
Last night I was one tired lassie, so I sat out on the grass with this lovely Cherry Lime Cooler and sipped until the sun disappeared. Then I retired to my favorite comfy chair and finished it off. Such a light and refreshing thing to have at the end of a piping hot day.
Tonight I head down to Seattle to have dinner with dear friends up from California – it will be so good to see them! Then I get to stay with my youngest bro and sis-in-law and have jolly chats and hearty laughs before heading home again. I’m so excited!!!
Wishing you a beautiful weekend with people you love and who love you back. 🙂
This is my contribution to Myscha’s Happy Hour Friday.
Red Potatoes with Goat Cheese, Pine Nuts and Mint
Ingredients:
2 pounds red potatoes, diced into 1/2″ chunks
2 tsp kosher salt
1/3 cup olive oil
ground pepper
3/4 cup crumbled goat cheese
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced or scallions, thinly sliced
3 Tbsp julinned mint leaves
Directions:
- Add potatoes to pot and cover with 2-inches water. Add salt and bring to boil. Simmer covered for 15 minutes or until tender.
- Drain and place in bowl. Immediately add olive oil, salt and pepper, toss to coat. Let cool.
- Add remaining ingredients and toss gently. Serve at room temperature.
Cherry Lime Cooler
(Serves 1)
Ingredients:
1/2 cup Riesling, chilled
1 cup seltzer water, chilled
6 fresh Rainier cherries, pitted and mashed but still intact
1/2 lime, juiced
Directions:
- Combine all ingredients, pour into glass and serve immediately on a hot summer’s eve.
