#flowertherapy might be right up there with #water #flowertherapy might be right up there with #watertherapy.  Love passing the time in secret wildflower patches. As you do. 🌸
I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon was on the way home tonight, and my friend pulled over right away so I could grab a photo. That’s when someone really knows you! It was just too beautiful to resist. 🌙
Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ C Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ 
Context: 1/ picture perfect weekend, 2/ threw together a quick meal w udon noodles, steak and broccoli, so good, 3/ the sun reflections on this painting struck me today, looked like a cross 4/ it takes all afternoon but nothing like Sunday Gravy, 5/ six months old, 6/ when he wants some serious zzzz’s, he covers his eye with his ears, the cutest, 7/ breakfast pastries at @coniglios
I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New Jersey banned the plastic ones last year. But when I spied this beauty for a buck, how could I resist? It just is so darn happy, which makes me happy. The little things aren’t so little. 💛
Cheers to the weekend! This may look like a staged Cheers to the weekend! This may look like a staged photo, but Lola just has ZERO boundaries and Clifford is exceptionally patient. 😂
I’ve been on a smoked salmon kick lately (it’s I’ve been on a smoked salmon kick lately (it’s so good for you), so when I saw that a local patisserie has a smoked salmon croissant available (weekends only), I added it to my list of things to seek out. I popped into @chocolatinenj early on Mother’s Day and was rewarded with this deliciousness. Layers of soft flaky croissant dough, tender smoked salmon, light whipped cream, thinly sliced red and green onion slivers and dotted with capers… it was every bit as amazing as you’d imagine it would be. If you’re local, don’t sleep on this one. 😋
Weekend photos in review, the belated edition. 1/ Weekend photos in review, the belated edition.

1/ hit up a few yard sales and snagged this beautiful pasta dish from Italy with my favorite color for a buck, 2/ and one of these printer trays came home with me too, 3/ pre Mother’s Day celebrations with 30 local moms, 4/ finished the weekend supervising furniture assembly
Today would have been my friend Cathy’s 53rd bir Today would have been my friend Cathy’s 53rd birthday. Unfortunately she’s not here to celebrate because she died suddenly at age 49. I think of her often … every Mother’s Day because we spent most of them together since her husband worked weekends … when I discover a new food adventure (we once did a day long donut crawl) … when I’m sharing a special time with my kids knowing that her then-11 year old is growing up without her. Before she passed, I always appreciated every day, but since then, even more so. You never know what the next day can bring, so relish in the sunshine, surprise rainstorms, making wishes over railroad tracks and all the wonderful randomness life can throw your way. Don’t waste a single second, say yes, live on the outskirts of your comfort zone, laugh often, tell people you love them, give eight second hugs, and squeeze every ounce of joy you can out of life. Do it for the people who can’t. ✨
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Sweetnicks

Food and Life

Oprah Rocks!

November 27, 2005 · Narrative

The Neighbor and I caught an episode of Oprah last week where Rachael Ray was on, giving all sorts of time-saving tips on throwing a party. Oprah played bartender for the party and revealed her newest favorite cocktail, Oprah’s Pomegranate Martinis, and in Rachael Ray-speak – Yum-O! I think I have found our cocktail for the upcoming Christmas Eve festivities, and the drink for our December Supper Club.

I’ve gotten The Neighbor hooked on paninis and she invited us over tonight for dinner. She made Turkey, Prosciutto and Cheddar Paninis (delish) and Nachos.

I added some leftover Cranberry Broccoli Salad, leftover dessert (hey, the leftovers have to be eaten sometime and we can’t get through them all ourselves!) and we kicked off the evening with Oprah’s Pomegranate Martinis. I was expecting them to be on the tart side, but they’re not at all, sliding down real easily, almost like a light fruit punch. Read: you have to watch carefully otherwise the alcohol might sneak up on you! All in all, a nice evening.

We’ve already planned the menu for tomorrow night’s The Neighbors Dine Over Sunday, and even better than that, I’ve already planned 3 dinners for the week, the treats for Treats to the Office Monday AND ordered all my groceries for delivery tomorrow. Not too shabby.

And not to be outdone in the “getting ahead of ourselves” game, The Husband spent a lot of time today getting our Christmas decorations out and put up. Just a few more things, including buying the tree, and we’re actually ready ahead of time … for once.

Tune in tomorrow to find out what hits the table for dinner. In the meantime, I’ll leave you with the recipe for the Potatoes Au Gratin that we had for Thanksgiving, Oprah’s recipe and a picture from last night’s Friday Night Date Night. Don’t forget to send in your pup pics. Until then…

OK, a seriously mixed-up pair. Nicholas is wearing a pair of my shoes, albeit on the wrong feet, and The Girlfriend is wearing a pair of Nicholas’ flip-flops (perfect for 25 degree weather), but although they’re on the right feet, they’re from 2 different pairs. These two were definitely made for each other. :)

Potatoes Au Gratin
2 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
salt to taste

Wash potatoes and slice very thin or cut into small cubes. Whisk together cream, garlic, white pepper and salt. Add potatoes and stir, making sure each one is coated. Generously grease a casserole dish. Using a slotted spoon, lift the potatoes out of the cream mixture into the casserole dish. Pour the cream over the potatoes. Bake at 350 for an hour, or until the potatoes are fork tender. Serve steaming hot.

Oprah’s Pomegranate Martini
Serves 2
1 1/2 cups pomegranate juice
2 oz. Absolute Citron vodka OR white tequila
1 oz. Cointreau liquor
Cup of ice
Optional: Splash of sparkling water
Optional: Squeeze of lemon

Shake ingredients in a shaker and put in chilled martini glasses. Put pomegranate fruit into glass as garnish.

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Posted In: Narrative

Comments

  1. farmgirl says

    November 28, 2005 at 12:47 am

    Well, shoot. Now look, it opens! (see my comment on post below this one). But this gives me a clue. Your site just finally finished downloading everything (I’m on dial up). Maybe the comments boxes won’t open until everything is downloaded?

    Or maybe people who ‘know’ me have blocked my ability to leave comments. Wouldn’t blame them! : )

    Reply
  2. farmgirl says

    November 28, 2005 at 12:48 am

    Oh, I just remembered one more thing. (Now are you starting to get why I think there might be blocks against me making comments? : )

    You mentioned problems with hello. Oh yeah. So many that I’ve started uploading photos directly through blogger. Seems they got most of the bugs out of that system. If you haven’t tried it, I recommend it. Anything to get those photos up! Okay, I promise no more comments. : )

    Reply

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#flowertherapy might be right up there with #water #flowertherapy might be right up there with #watertherapy.  Love passing the time in secret wildflower patches. As you do. 🌸
I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon was on the way home tonight, and my friend pulled over right away so I could grab a photo. That’s when someone really knows you! It was just too beautiful to resist. 🌙
Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ C Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ 
Context: 1/ picture perfect weekend, 2/ threw together a quick meal w udon noodles, steak and broccoli, so good, 3/ the sun reflections on this painting struck me today, looked like a cross 4/ it takes all afternoon but nothing like Sunday Gravy, 5/ six months old, 6/ when he wants some serious zzzz’s, he covers his eye with his ears, the cutest, 7/ breakfast pastries at @coniglios
I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New Jersey banned the plastic ones last year. But when I spied this beauty for a buck, how could I resist? It just is so darn happy, which makes me happy. The little things aren’t so little. 💛

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#flowertherapy might be right up there with #water #flowertherapy might be right up there with #watertherapy.  Love passing the time in secret wildflower patches. As you do. 🌸
I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon was on the way home tonight, and my friend pulled over right away so I could grab a photo. That’s when someone really knows you! It was just too beautiful to resist. 🌙
Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ C Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ 
Context: 1/ picture perfect weekend, 2/ threw together a quick meal w udon noodles, steak and broccoli, so good, 3/ the sun reflections on this painting struck me today, looked like a cross 4/ it takes all afternoon but nothing like Sunday Gravy, 5/ six months old, 6/ when he wants some serious zzzz’s, he covers his eye with his ears, the cutest, 7/ breakfast pastries at @coniglios
I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New Jersey banned the plastic ones last year. But when I spied this beauty for a buck, how could I resist? It just is so darn happy, which makes me happy. The little things aren’t so little. 💛
Cheers to the weekend! This may look like a staged Cheers to the weekend! This may look like a staged photo, but Lola just has ZERO boundaries and Clifford is exceptionally patient. 😂
I’ve been on a smoked salmon kick lately (it’s I’ve been on a smoked salmon kick lately (it’s so good for you), so when I saw that a local patisserie has a smoked salmon croissant available (weekends only), I added it to my list of things to seek out. I popped into @chocolatinenj early on Mother’s Day and was rewarded with this deliciousness. Layers of soft flaky croissant dough, tender smoked salmon, light whipped cream, thinly sliced red and green onion slivers and dotted with capers… it was every bit as amazing as you’d imagine it would be. If you’re local, don’t sleep on this one. 😋
Weekend photos in review, the belated edition. 1/ Weekend photos in review, the belated edition.

1/ hit up a few yard sales and snagged this beautiful pasta dish from Italy with my favorite color for a buck, 2/ and one of these printer trays came home with me too, 3/ pre Mother’s Day celebrations with 30 local moms, 4/ finished the weekend supervising furniture assembly
Today would have been my friend Cathy’s 53rd bir Today would have been my friend Cathy’s 53rd birthday. Unfortunately she’s not here to celebrate because she died suddenly at age 49. I think of her often … every Mother’s Day because we spent most of them together since her husband worked weekends … when I discover a new food adventure (we once did a day long donut crawl) … when I’m sharing a special time with my kids knowing that her then-11 year old is growing up without her. Before she passed, I always appreciated every day, but since then, even more so. You never know what the next day can bring, so relish in the sunshine, surprise rainstorms, making wishes over railroad tracks and all the wonderful randomness life can throw your way. Don’t waste a single second, say yes, live on the outskirts of your comfort zone, laugh often, tell people you love them, give eight second hugs, and squeeze every ounce of joy you can out of life. Do it for the people who can’t. ✨

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