Category — Random

Ah, the joy of seedless watermelons!  It may be fun to eat a slice of watermelon outside in the summer sun and spit out the seeds, even having contests to see whose seeds will “go the distance”… but cooking with watermelons with all those mature black seeds, is no fun at all!  Seedless watermelons were developed some 40 to 50 years ago, but it’s only been in the last decade or so that they have become a staple in the grocery stores. Seedless watermelons still have white seed coats, which is where the seed did not mature and are fine to swallow while eating. For a more in-depth description and scientific look at seedless watermelons and to answer the question everyone asks, “how do they grow seedless watermelons without a seed?” go to this link – very interesting and informative.  While you’re reading and learning, enjoy this refreshing melon salad for lunch (or dinner). The “lunch and learn” in the title is a happy memory of when I was a room mom in my kids’ grade school days and parents would come in at lunchtime and read to the kids in small groups while we all ate out sack lunches… good times!

[Read more →]

Key To The Cure 2009

In October 2006, I co-chaired Key To The Cure. It is an event that is near and dear to my heart. The proceeds benefit women’s cancer charities. This year, two of my darling friends, Kathy Brown and Cathy Keenan are co-chairing.

You may recall that last week I was making dishes for an addressing brunch, those were for this very event. A picture of the buffet is below. Remember, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, so fight back by being mindful of your own breast health, donating to a breast cancer organization, or walking in the Race for the Cure. There is so much we can do, even if it is just being grateful for those in our lives who are survivors by telling them how much we love them or remembering those who have passed. And thank you Kathy and Cathy for taking on this wonderful event! xoxo

Key to the Cure Addressing Brunch Buffet

[Read more →]

This is Tanqueray, our loving 13-year-old Keeshond. His picture is my post for the day. I’ve spent the past 6 hours updating and improving this site for you (OK, for me too!) and now my back, neck, eyes, and head all hurt. As a result and currently unbeknownst to him, my husband will be picking up pizza and salad from Sauce on his way home from work tonight! Sauce is our ‘go-to’ spot for quick and wonderful take-out (or eat-in) pizzas, salads, and sandwiches, check it out, if you haven’t already, and then thank me later!

You ask, “How did you improve the site?” Well, I’ve added both a recipe and a tip index… you can check them out over to the left under PAGES, and then please let me know what you think, if you find them helpful and useful, etc.

[Read more →]

Photo courtesy of Jim Striebich of i’mjustsayin on flickr
[Read more →]

Happy Labor Day

Photo taken at the Phoenix Botanical Gardens by Linda Hopkins

I am saddened by the news of the passing of Sheila Lukins on Sunday, August 30, 2009. The last time I saw Shelia was when she came to teach at Les Gourmettes Cooking School and promote her newest cookbook, Ten, in December 2008.  She was a dynamo and she will be sadly missed.  Shelia’s most famous cookbook and still one of the best cookbooks 25 years later is The Silver Palate Cookbook she co-wrote with Julee Rosso.  It came out in 1979, the same year I graduated from high school, and it was one of the first cookbooks I owned.  A couple of my favorite recipes from it were, and still, are, Strawberry Chocolate Tart and Tarragon Chicken Salad (recipe below).  I love that book to this day and it reminds me that I wanted to put up my list of cookbooks you should own… please post comments about cookbooks that are on your “must-have” list!
[Read more →]