Category: Recipes

Newport

We had two glorious weekend days, perfect weather for doing anything outside. We decided to hop in the truck with two of our four kiddos and head over to Newport, Rhode Island.  What comes to mind for most people when they hear that destination are the famous mansions on Bellevue Avenue, also know as  Mansion Row.  Over the years we’ve taken a tour of many of them, including the Breakers, Rosecliff, Marble House and the estate of the eccentric Doris Duke.  They are something to behold if you’re ever in the area.

On this trip, we went for the food, the shopping, and in search of a possible mantle for the kids future home.  We didn’t find one that was reasonably priced or in great condition, but we had plenty of fun on the hunt.  See the alligator statue in the pool?

The kids loved this table – it’s bigger than it looks in this photo.  Each of those teak chairs were $450., so… you can imagine what the table goes for.

 

These benches were so comfortable and unique, I’d love to have one on the farm perhaps in the back yard near the garden, or down at Stella by the sea. The price tag put a squash on that idea – around $3,500.

We pulled out of that parking lot with a truck bed devoid of new furnishings, and headed downtown for a delicious meal and drinks at The Red Parrot.

It’s a beautiful thing when your kids bring into the fold another person who becomes a loved family member.  The  chocolate monkey  drink is another beautiful thing on a warm summer day.

After a savory lunch of Sexy Steak Salad (that’s what they call it!)  we walked out into the crowds and browsed the shops.   Those fun buggies can be rented to cruise the area, but the traffic is so heavy I’d be nervous in such a small craft.

After the little bit of shopping  ( we came away with a few bars of soap, how’s that for constraint) we appeased the menfolk with a tour of the car museum located near the Tennis Hall of Fame.

They don’t make them like they used to, the detail on these early autos is just stunning.

We stopped by the water just briefly so I could stick my feet in the water and soak up a little  Vitamin Sea, and then we drove  home in the expected summer traffic down I-95.    It was a very good day indeed 🍹⚓🌞

A quick easy fun recipe to share with you, from a friends fb page… I made them yesterday, delish! Perfect summer dessert.  I used a red Cabernet and red seedless grapes.

 

I hope all is well in your world, thank you for stopping by –

 

Gentle Ben

 

You know those really fun pictures that are shared sometimes … the little boy with the puppy..  accompanied by the next photo of the  grown young man with the very same now-ancient dog?

 

Well let me tall ya,  It ain’t so fun when it’s not just the dog who’s gotten OLD.  BOY,  what a difference 10 years makes.  *sigh.

About dear Ben, our 11 year old Dane – according to the Vet, he’s ancient for a dog of his size. He used to be 190-ish on a chubby day, now around 150 with atrophy and a more careful diet.  His heart is crapping out, but five pills a day are keeping it ticking for now. The hind end, though.. is what is betraying him mightily.  We’ve built a ramp for him to use to get up into the house from the side porch steps and he spends more time sleeping than anything else.  The vet assures us he’s not in pain, just extremely weak in the hind end due to some sort of failing nerve and muscle situation that is common in the large breed dogs in older age.  He explained it well, but my half-assed hearing didn’t catch most of it and I didn’t want him to have to repeat himself.

PS… You can’t go into a bathroom up here in this old house without expecting you’ll have an audience when you come out, wondering what you were doing in there and why weren’t they invited?!   This was the scene in front of the master bath after my shower this morning.

On occasion Ben looks like he’s ready to hang it up, and we all gather round with heavy hearts and tear streaked faces pondering what we should do next.  And then he perks up again and we say… Not Today.  

We take each day as it comes, and the vet says we’ll just know when it’s his time to leave us.  So hard to watch them deteriorate, and then to lose these members of our family,  well…most of you know the woe.  The love and companionship they provide is immeasurable, and the heartache equally so.  I can’t imagine my life without my animals in it, though, so it’s a price I’ll continue to pay for the bonds we share.

 

We’ve got a horse show in Massachusetts for the next four days – thankfully the weather won’t be GodAwful hot or freezing rain.  In closing, here’s a drink recipe  that looks particularly scrumptious that I plan to make on a cottage day this summer.

 

Coconut Cream and Lime Margarita  

 Ingredients 

  • Kosher salt, grated lime zest and sugar for rimming glass  
  • 2 lime wedges 
  • 2 oz. (60 ml) coconut cream or cream of coconut  
  • 1 1/2 oz (45 ml) blanco tequila  
  • 1 oz. (30 ml) fresh lime juice 
  • 1/2 oz. (15 ml) Cointreau  
  • 1/4 oz. (7 ml) simple syrup

Directions

1. On a small plate, combine equal parts salt, lime zest and sugar and spread in an even layer. Gently rub 1 of the lime wedges around the rim of a rocks glass. Holding the base of the glass, dip the rim into the salt mixture. Place in the refrigerator until ready to use.  

 2. Just before serving, fill the glass with ice. In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine the coconut cream, tequila, lime juice, Cointreau and simple syrup. Cover, shake vigorously and strain into the ice-filled glass. Garnish with the remaining lime wedge. Serves 1. 

What’s cookin

Do you have plans for Easter weekend?  We’ve been so busy we haven’t given it much thought.  Because I’m more of a spiritual soul, this weekend isn’t typically about a religious celebration here at this old house. For me it’s a time to celebrate the renewal that comes with Spring, and spoil my now-adult kids with a basket full of “stuff” – They will still find the big chocolate bunny  and a few fluffy marshmallow peeps – and some summer clothing items and a kitchen gadget or two for their apartments, and something fun to remind them they were once my littles.

Speaking of my littles – my littlest – just celebrated his 23rd birthday – how.. did that happen?  How time flies…

Me and my guys….

My favorite “peeps” in all the world right here….

   For this weekend’s family gathering I’ll  cook a meal for whomever in the family doesn’t have other places they need to be.  On the menu for sure are a spiral ham, my very popular Martha’s Vineyard Scalloped Potatoes, given that name because we discovered the magnificently rich smokey flavor while at The Atlantic restaurant in Edgartown on Martha’s Vineyard.  I asked the chef to please tell me the secret to these most divine scalloped potatoes – and the answer was quick – a little chicken broth, smoked gouda and gruyere cheese, heavy cream.  Slice the potatoes super thin.   I incorporated all those tips into a basic recipe and it’s been a staple on our Easter dinner table ever since.  The rest of my meal for this weekend has yet to be sorted out.

Two recipes I’ve tried in recent weeks were a big hit, so I’ll share them here with you.  Now that I’m on a no sugar no dairy diet, not eating some of what I cook for this weekend is going to be a real challenge.  I’m not big in the Willpower department, tis just my truth.

French Onion Chicken Meatballs –  these sound weird, but trust me…. they are THE BOMB.  Give them a go – fun to make, not complicated, and so freak’n delicious.  The recipe has been shared on many sites, I’m not sure who the original is to be acknowledged.

**I double the recipe, they’re good enough that you’ll wish you did too.  This is also my photo – I served them as a dinner with no extras, they’re hearty enough. Greens of your choice  on the side would be perfect.  You can of course serve wtih bread, pasta, or tuck them in a roll for a delicious meatball sandwich. 

Ingredients

For the Carmelized Onions

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 3 white onions (about 2 pounds), sliced 1/4″ thick
  • 1/4 dry white wine

For the Meatballs

  • 1/4 cup dried breadcrumbs
  • 1 teaspoon Herbes de Provence
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 egg
  • 1 pound ground chicken
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

For the Sauce

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
  • 1/2 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
  • 1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Caramelize the Onions

  1. Melt the butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced onions (the pan will be very full). Cook the onions, stirring them occasionally, for about an hour or until they have turned a light golden-blonde colored. At this point, turn the heat to medium-low and keep cooking them, stirring occasionally, until they are soft and a deep golden brown in color, approximately 30 to 40 minutes longer.
  2. Turn the heat back to medium and pour the wine into the pan with the onions. As it simmers, scrape up any browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Once the wine has cooked away transfer the onions to a clean plate.

Make the Meatballs

  1. In a large bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, herbs, salt, pepper, and egg. Add the ground chicken and, using a wooden spoon or your hands, mix it with the breadcrumb and egg mixture just until combined.
  2. Scoop approximately one ounce of the mixture to form the meatballs. You should be able to make 16 meatballs.
  3. Once the onions are ready and you’ve removed them from the pan, add the olive oil to that same pan. Heat it over medium heat. Place the meatballs in a single layer and cook them until they are browned on all sides. Transfer them to a clean plate.

Make the Sauce

  1. In the same skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk it with the butter until combined. Add about a 1/2 cup of the chicken stock and, whisking continuously, combine it with the butter and flour. As you whisk you should be scraping up any browned bits off the bottom of the pan.
  2. Whisking continuously, add the rest of the chicken stock. Bring the pan to a boil and cook the sauce for about five minutes, or until it starts to thicken. Add the caramelized onions and stir to combine. Lower the heat to maintain a simmer. Add the meatballs to the sauce and continue cooking the sauce until it’s glossy and thickened about five to ten minutes.
  3. At this point, you can sprinkle the cheese over the meatballs and either cover the pan to melt the cheese or stick the pan under the broiler for a couple of minutes. Garnish the meatballs with parsley, if using.

These lemon brownies are so lemony good – a perfect dessert selection for any Easter table.   *this is not my photo – again internet grab. 

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE LEMON BROWNIES:

  • 1/2 cup salted butter (softened)
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • zest of 1/2 lemon
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 3/4 cup flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon  baking powder

FOR THE GLAZE:

  • 3/4  cup powdered sugar
  • 1 1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • zest of 1/2 lemon

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Preheat the oven to 350. Prepare an 8 x 8 pan by spraying with cooking spray or lining with foil, and set aside.
  • In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the butter, sugar, and lemon zest until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition, then add the lemon juice. Add the flour and baking powder, and mix until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth into an even layer. Bake 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the brownies comes out clean. Let lemon brownies cool for 10-15 minutes.
  • To make the glaze, whisk together the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest, then pour over the brownies, spreading evenly to coat. Let lemon blondies cool completely before slicing and serving.

I hope you have an enjoyable Easter weekend  celebrating in the way that has most meaning for you –  I’m off to market once I’ve settled on the menu for the coming weekend.

Till soon –