3rd Annual Masters Champions Dinner...Spanish Style

It's springtime and you know what that means...The Masters!  This year Sergio Garcia hosted The Masters Dinner at Augusta...Spanish Themed!

I look forward every year to hear and see what the previous winner's traditional dinner is going to be.  I think I am more excited than a child at Christmas, breathlessly waiting for the announcement.

For our what is now becoming an annual event with our friends, we decided to have it at their house.  I planned the menu (well in actuality, I guess Sergio planned the menu), and I assigned everyone their course.  Bless their heart, they recorded the final day's game and played it during the entire evening while we dined, drank, laughed and enjoyed a wonderful evening.

We started our evening off sampling some wonderful Spanish wines that paired beautifully with the menu.

My husband talked me into taking the evening one step further....personalized menus at everyone's table setting.  I have to admit, they did turn out quite fun and everyone loved them.

One of our couple friends took on the challenge to make the empanadas from scratch!

I have never tasted anything so delicious!  I would have been perfectly happy to sit down and eat their entire platter of these beauties...and not apologize for it!

Bird's eye view of our Masters table setting.

Every last detail accounted for.

Paella with Seafood, Chicken, and Chorizo

Adapted from Tyler Florence

2 chicken thighs

2 chicken legs

1 tsp dried oregano

2 Tbl sweet paprika

salt

freshly ground pepper

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 Spanish chorizo sausage

4 garlic cloves, crushed

1 Spanish onion, diced

1 (16 ounce) can whole tomatoes, drained and hand-crushed

1 cup Spanish rice, short to medium grain

1 tsp saffron threads

3 cups warm water

4 jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails off

2 lobster tails, split

1/2 cup sweet peas, frozen and thawed

Fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

Lemon wedges for serving

Rinse the chicken pieces and pat them dry.  Mix the oregano and paprika with some salt and pepper in a small bowl.  Rub the spice mixture all over the pieces of chicken; marinate for 30 minutes.

Heat the olive oil in a paella pan or wide shallow skillet over medium-high heat.  Place the chicken in the pan, skin side down and brown on all sides, turning with tongs.  Add the chorizo and continue to cook until the oil is a vibrant red color.  Remove the chicken and sausage to a platter lined with paper towels.

Return the pan to the stove and lower the heat to medium.  Make a sofrito by sauteing the garlic, onion, and tomatoes; cook until the mixture caramelizes a bit and the flavors meld; season with salt and pepper.  Fold in the rice, stirring to coat the grains  Stir the saffron into the rice.  Pour in the water and simmer for 10 minutes, gently moving the pan around so the rice cooks evenly and absorbs the liquid.  Do not cover or constantly stir like risotto.

Add the shrimp, lobster, the reserved chicken, and the chorizo.  Give the paela a couple of good stirs to tuck in all the pieces and just let it simmer, without stirring, until the rice is al dente, about 15 minutes.  Scatter the peas on top and continue to cook for 5 minutes, until the paella looks fluffy and moist.  Allow to rest, off the heat for 5 minutes and garnish with parsley.  Serve with lemon wedges.

One Year Ago: Creamy Rosemary Potatoes
Two Years Ago: Torta Rustica
Three Years Ago: Cambozola Platter
Four Years Ago: The Masters Pimento Cheese Sandwich

White Trash Cookies

This month we are having to say good-bye to one of our co-workers.  He has decided to go back home to his roots and start a new career.  We are very sad to see him leave, but completely understand.

I tried these cookies out a couple months ago to see what they would be like.  I divided the completed batch into three.  1 bag for the house, 1 bag for my husband's office and 1 bag for my office.  It had unanimous results across the board...all three bags were gone by the end of the day.   Yes, they are that amazing!

A few days after I delivered the first batch to my office, I was having a conversation with another co-worker.  She was sharing with me all the planning that was going into her daughter's upcoming Quinceanera later on this summer.  I thought last year's high school graduation event was big...nothing compared to the months and months of preparation that goes into these.  It's really quite remarkable all the details that go into the planning.

As she was telling me about the various dessert tables, before I knew it I had just volunteered to make 1,000 of these cookies for her guests table favors.  Yes, you read that correctly and it was not a typo...1,000 cookies.

I think I'm going to need to brush up on my math skills to figure out how much of everything to buy!

White Trash Cookies

Adapted from www.plainchicken.com

2/3 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup white sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

2 eggs

2-3/4 cup Bisquick

2 tsp vanilla

2/3 cup white chocolate chips

1/2 cup toffee bits

1/2 cup chopped pretzels

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together brown sugar, white sugar and butter until fluffy.

Mix in egg, one at a time.  Add Bisquick and vanilla.

Stir in white chocolate chips, toffee bits and pretzels.

Using a 1" cookie scoop, scoop dough onto baking sheets.

Bake 9-1/2 to 10 minutes.  Cool on wire rack.

Our co-worker loved these so much, I thought they would make the perfect care package.

All wrapped up in a little bow.  Safe journeys and Godspeed.

One Year Ago:  Bobotie

Two Years Ago: Mastering The Art of Desserts

Three Years Ago: BBQ Chicken Fiesta Salad

Four Years Ago: Mushroom Soup

Eating My Words...Part 2...Cheese & Crack

Once again, I opened my mouth one too many times...

You know the whole click list shopping and they bring it directly to your car.  Well, I was never on board nor understood it.  I am so old school to a fault.  Saturday mornings I figure out meals for the week, make my shopping list and off I go.  Who would actually shop for groceries on your computer and then drive to the store, which you have do to anyway just to have some person deliver to your car.

Recently one weekend, we were snowed in.  More snow than I wanted to deal with.  I was much more interested in having a movie marathon in my pajamas than go out in the blizzard for groceries.  Well, Monday came around and I realized that we were not in good shape for dinner.  I had a Bunco game scheduled for that night and I wouldn't arrive back home on my bus until 15 minutes before game time.  That in addition, I still needed to wrap my Bunco gift and get dinner started.

So, there I found myself on my lunch break at work...thinking.  I needed to get groceries fast and before I got home.  I caved.  I ate my words once again and caved!  I got online and ordered my groceries.  Husband picked me up at my bus stop, we drove to the store, groceries were in our vehicle within 10 minutes. 

I recently saw a story about a place in Portland, OR called "Cheese & Crack Snack Shop".  They are taking the food world by storm in Portland and known for their small plates...and they do a Brie Brulee!!!  I decided to recreate their "Our Favorites Sampler Plate".

Our little platter included olives, pepperoni, salame, fig jam, dijon mustard, Cambozola cheese,  green olive tapenade, Porter cheese, honey, Feta cheese, fresh baked baguette, and yes, I even bruleed my brie!!

One Year Ago: 20-Minute Skillet Tuscan Tortellini
Two Years Ago:  Baked Shrimp Scampi
Three Years Ago: Blarney Bark
Four Years Ago: Green Eggs and Ham

Eating My Words...Part 1 and Cheesy Country Ham Dip

There are many things that I love to eat...my words, however, are not one of them.

As you recall, I was recently not very sympathetic to my husband's aches, pains and ailments.  I may have even been a little mean.  Okay, let's be honest, I sent my compassion out on vacation for a few weeks.

Well, there's one thing that I always tell my daughters, be careful what you do and say because karma will come back and get you.

For a few months my shoulder and upper chest area was hurting.  I thought I just slept on it wrong or one of the dogs gave it too hard of a tug during one of our walks.  It was sore for a few days, then for a few weeks.  It got to the point if I sneezed, I had to grab my upper shoulder because it hurt so bad...bad to the point I had to break down and go see my doctor.

The first thing they did was hook me up to an EKG to check my heart (didn't see that coming)...breast exam was fine.  She finally said to lift my arm and I thought I was going to pass out.  She said, "I think you may have a torn rotator cuff."  A what??...definitely did not see that one coming.  "You need to see an orthopedic specialist".

Well, to make a long story short, after x-rays, MRI, yes...I do have a torn rotator cuff, with a side order of tendinitis and some degeneration.  After all that, we are starting with cortisone shots and physical therapy.  Stay tuned...I guess I should be a little nicer to my family from now on.

When I'm not eating my words, I did really enjoy eating this dip.  We had a lot of leftover Easter ham, some pecans in the freezer and plenty of the other ingredients on hand.  Warning though, once you start eating this, you can't stop!

Cheesy Country Ham Dip
Courtesy of Trisha Yearwood

One 10-ounce package sliced country ham
two 8-ounce blocks cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp garlic powder
1 large shallot, grated (about 1/3 cup)
freshly ground black pepper
1 cup pecans, chopped
1 Tbl unsalted butter, melted
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
butter crackers, corn tortilla chips or sliced celery, for serving

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Place the ham slices on a microwave safe dish lined with paper towels.  Cover the ham with a damp paper towel and microwave on low heat until the ham is slightly crisp on the edges, 2 to 3 minutes.

Remove the ham from the microwave and discard the paper towels.  Using two forks, shred the ham into small bite size pieces.  Place the ham in a large mixing bowl.

Add the cream cheese, cheddar, sour cream, garlic powder, shallot and t teaspoon black pepper to the mixing bowl and stir to combine.  Spread the ham and cheese mixture in a 9-inch pie plate.  Set aside.

In a small mixing bowl, combine the pecans, butter and Worcestershire sauce.  Sprinkle the seasoned pecans over the ham and cheese dip.

Bake the dip until hot and bubbly around the edges, 25 to 30 minutes.  Serve warm with butter crackers, corn tortilla chips and celery.

One Year Ago: Nicoise Salad
Two Years Ago: Prosciutto-Wrapped Chicken
Three Years Ago: Spicy Asian Beef
Four Years Ago: Priceless

Creamy Penne Pesto Chicken and Personal Genetic Service

As I have another birthday waiting for me around the corner, I am realizing in my ripe old age that there is only one thing that you really need...family.  

You can have everything that money can buy...but what happens when those things are no longer there, or you have lost them, then what do you really have?  Nothing.   Family is the only thing that you cannot purchase, but it will always be there for you.

Quite a few years ago, our nieces were working on a family tree project for school.  As my husband is the youngest of 9 children, with now 19 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren...if I am remembering correctly...and within all of those family members, there are three sets of twins.  So you can imagine, we're not talking a family tree the size of a bonsai...more like the size of a cypress tree.

At any rate, the nieces hit a road block when it came to their Nana (my mother-in-law) and her family.  It wasn't long after Nana passed away that we all learned she had been adopted...and she never knew it.

It breaks my heart that she went her entire life and never knew who her real family was.  My sense is that's why she was blessed her whole life with such a large family, because she really didn't know her true family growing up.  

We can only speculate, but here is my theory...  She was born around the time of the Great Depression.  My feeling is that she was born a twin (as there is no other family history of twins anywhere in the family or extended family...yet we have three sets of twins).  Given the difficult economical times back then, I think that the twins were separated and given up for adoption.  I guess now, only she and God know the truth.  In an case, whatever the truth is...I think my version would make for a wonderful Hallmark Channel movie, don't you?

For my husband's monumental birthday, this past December I really struggled what to get him....as this was before I purchased Alexa.  We kept seeing ads for the 23 and me DNA service.  Every time he saw the ad, he would say "I really want to do that".  So, it's not a sexy gift, but definitely an interesting one.  Given what he learned about his adopted mom, he is really curious about his family ancestry.  Stay tuned.....

Like my husband's gift, this dish is not sexy, but really, really good and comforting.  During one of our family dinner nights, we made homemade wood fired naan pizzas and had a good amount of leftover ingredients...so, I re-purposed and made a round 2 dinner with everything.

Creamy Penne Pesto Chicken

cooked, penne pasta
sauteed mushrooms
cooked chicken breast
1/2 container, Barilla pesto sauce
1/2 container, Barilla alfredo sauce
fresh mozzarella ball, cut in slices

In a saucepan, combine the pesto and alfredo sauces until warm and well blended. Toss with the cooked penne pasta.

Plate the pasta and add the chicken breast, a slice of mozzarella cheese and sauteed mushrooms.  Enjoy!

One Year Ago: Champagne Margaritas
Two Years Ago: The Birthday Flirtini
Three Years Ago: Raspberry-Lemon Dump Cake
Four Years Ago: Chocolate Layered Pudding

Our beautiful wood fired pizzas before they got re-purposed.

Apple-Cinnamon Monkey Bread and The Bionic Man

As you know from reading my blog, I grew up in the 70's.  One of my brother's and mine favorite shows growing up was The Six Million Dollar Man (aka Bionic Man), and The Bionic Woman.

We would pretend and do our slow motion running with complete sound effects of course. 

I once saw Lindsey Wagner (aka The Bionic Woman) at a country market in Big Bear, California.  I was standing right next to her as we were both perusing the shelves.  I didn't even know it was her until I heard gawkers whispering...and I was quite certain they weren't gawking at me.   She was so nice, and I was so proud of myself not going "girl fan geek" on her.

Well fast forward, I am now married to the bionic man.  My poor husband has been in the hospital now three times in the past 18 months.

It started a year ago in December when he had to get a hernia fixed.  He had a tear in is abdomen that made his belly button stick out and was quite painful.  We called it getting his turkey popper fixed.  Now everything is tucked back in nicely.

Then on midnight of Mother's Day, he wakes up in the middle of the night with a kidney stone and gallstone episode.  So, five hours later in the ER, he was on his way.

Two weeks ago, after six months of knee pain, x-rays, MRI, icing, knee brace and acupuncture, he had his knee operated on from what he finally learned was a torn meniscus. 

Then, last week, he needed to get new eye glasses for computer and reading.

So, with his new turkey button, cleaned out kidney, fixed knee and new eyes....he is officially the new Six Million Dollar Man now.

Meanwhile, I am trying to food prep as much as I can in preparation for the next surprise ER/hospital visit.

Apple-Cinnamon Monkey Bread
Courtesy of Pillsbury.com

2 cans (17.5 oz each) Pillsbury Grands! Flaky refrigerated cinnamon rolls with icing
1 medium tart apple, peeled, chopped
1/2 cup sugar
1-1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 cup butter, melted

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease 12-cup fluted tube cake pan with shortening or cooking spray.

Set aside icing tubs from cinnamon rolls.  Separate each can of dough into 5 rolls;  cut into quarters.

Place chopped apples in small bowl.  In another small bowl, mix sugar and cinnamon.  Add 1/4 cup sugar mixture to apples; toss to coat.  Sprinkle half of apple pieces in pan.  Roll half of dough pieces in sugar mixture; place on apples in pan.

Sprinkle with remaining apple pieces.  Roll remaining dough pieces in sugar mixture; place on apples.

Pour melted butter over top.  Bake 40 to 45 minutes or  until golden brown across top.  Cool 10 minutes; run knife around edge of pan to loosen.  Place heat proof serving plate over pan and turn over; remove pan.  Cool 10 minutes longer.

Drizzle reserved icing over top of bread, allowing some to drizzle down sides.  Pull apart or cut in slices to serve; serve warm.

One Year Ago: One Year Older
Two Years Ago: Mexican Grilled Shrimp Caesar Salad
Three Years Ago: Sweet Dreams Cake
Four Years Ago: Ham and Cheese Biscuit Bake

Crock Pot Breakfast and The Poppy Plate

When we lived in Alaska, our friend Toni one night invited us over for dinner.  She served one of her amazing meals on the most beautiful plates...my husband even commented how neat looking they were.  I casually asked where she got them...and then I ran out the next morning to copy compliment her...and I have a terrible addiction to dishes, as we all know.

I bought out all the plates and bowls they had.  Toni had already scored both of the beautiful platters that were also in the dish line.  I was disappointed, but you know how it goes, first girl that scouts the store wins the platters.  I think I even had a toddler's temper tantrum moment that my husband had to talk me down from.

Later that year, we traveled 3,000 miles in a U-Haul to our new home.  The Poppy dishes made it perfectly.  Then two years later one night, husband hand washes dishes (because they are too fancy for the dishwasher) and breaks plate...he was devastated, beyond explanation...I mean to tell you, devastated!

I looked high and low and everywhere in between on Google to find another plate.  His birthday was approaching last month and I remembered my mom finding one of her china pieces at Replacements, Ltd..  I went to their website and put the pattern description in their search bar.  It brought up all the pieces immediately in photos.

I couldn't believe it, I was so excited....then I see the small print "out of stock".  Then, I see you can be put on a waiting list.  I have never been so obsessed trying to find a $6.99 plate.  A couple weeks later I get an email..."In Stock".  I ordered it and it arrived in time for his birthday.  I think he even shed a little tear when he opened the box.

I was so excited when I took Felicia to Dabble Pain & Sip during her visit.  I wandered into a room off the back corner (because I am curiously nosy like that) and found dozens and dozens of paintings.  They explained that they take the paintings from the instructors during each class and sell them.  I saw a painting of my poppies!  Score! It looks beautiful in our dining room with our plates.

We love using our Poppy dishes for breakfast, they are just so cheerful, happy and colorful in the morning.

Crock Pot Breakfast

Courtesy of tomatohero.com

1 bag 26 oz. frozen hash browns

12 eggs

1 cup milk

1 Tbl ground mustard

1 (16 oz) roll breakfast sausage

salt

pepper 

1 (16 oz) bag shredded cheddar cheese

Spray crock pot and evenly spread hash browns at the bottom.

Crack 12 eggs in a large bowl.  Mix well using a whisk. Add the milk.

Sprinkle in the ground mustard, salt and pepper.  Mix and set aside.

Cook the sausage on medium-high heat in a skillet, drain and set aside.

Add the cooked sausage to the crock pot on top of the hash browns.  Add the bag of cheese.  Mix all three well.

Pour the egg mixture over everything in the crock pot.  

Using a wood spoon, even everything out.

Turn crock pot on low for 6-8 hours.  

Enjoy with a side of fruit (for your vitamins), and of course, a little sweet pastry!

One Year Ago: One Year Older

Two Years Ago: Mexican Grilled Shrimp Caesar Salad

Three Years Ago: "Sweet" 16

Four Years Ago: Hungarian Goulash

Slow Cooker Pork Loin and...Another Woman

If you have been following this blog for any amount of time, you know that we have had four women in our house...me, two daughters and Princess Brinkley, our 18 month old Labrador....and now...Alexa!

This year for Christmas I got my girls and husband all their own Alexa.  I knew the girls could use theirs as a speaker in their rooms.  I got one for my husband because quite honestly I could not think of one more golf item that he "needed".  If you asked him though, there are plenty of golf items that he "needed", that I could have gotten him.  I thought he could use a friend to talk to in the house...and get to play his music...and ask a million questions...about everything!

I am actually starting to feel sorry for my husband.  It hasn't been bad enough that four women in the house (including Brinkley) don't listen to him, but now even Alexa doesn't listen to him.  He will ask her a question....silence.  He asks again....silence.  He then gets me to ask...and of course she answers me.  I keep telling him he doesn't know how to talk to her (or any of the other women in our house).

The one time though that she does actually listen to him, I just about fell off my chair.  Here's how it went down....

(Husband) "Alexa, do you know how to fart?"

(Alexa) Proceeds to make the loudest, longest farting noise I have ever heard.

(Husband) "Alexa, what does a fart sound like?"

(Alexa) Again proceeds with a newer, louder, different tone of a farting noise.

(Daughter) "Oh my gosh dad, how did you get her to do that?"

(Wife) "Because he is a five year old, that's how"

Next Christmas...golf gear!

This dish comes from Trisha Yearwood.  I was trying to watch her show one morning (while my husband was getting Alexa to make noises)! Trisha would be welcomed to come over and cook with me and dine at our table any day...of course, I would have to unplug Alexa (and my husband) before she came over!  I give this meal five stars...it was beyond awesome!

Slow Cooker Pork Loin
Courtesy of Trisha Yearwood

(1) 3-1/2 to 4 pound pork loin
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp dried thyme
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbl cooking oil
2 cust chicken broth
2 Tbl fresh lemon juice
1 Tbl soy cause
3 Tbl cornstarch

In a small bowl, combine the garlic powder, ginger, thyme and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.  Rub the spice mixture over the entire surface of the loin.

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium to medium-high heat and brown the loin slowly on all sides.  Drain off the fat.  Transfer the loin to the slow cooker.  Combine the chicken broth, lemon juice and soy sauce in a small bowl;  pour over the loin.  Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours.  When the roast is done, transfer the meat to a serving platter and cover to keep warm.

To make the gravy, pour the juices from the slow cooker into a glass measuring cup.  Skim off the fat.  Measure 2 cups of liquid, adding water to the juices if necessary to make 2 cups.  Transfer the juices to a saucepan, reserving 1/2 cup.  Stir the cornstarch in the reserved 1/2 cup of juices until dissolved, then stir into the juices in the saucepan.  Heat over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the gravy is thickened and bubbly, 2 to 3 minutes.  Cook and stir 2 minutes more.  Season the gravy to taste with salt and pepper.  Slice the roast and serve it with gravy.

Serve with Trisha's Mushroom, Asparagus and Pea Risotto ...amazing!

One Year Ago: One Year Older
Two Years Ago: Mexican Grilled Shrimp Caesar Salad
Three Years Ago: Lemon Drop Martini
Four Years Ago: Marinara Meatball Sliders

Princess Brinkley

Yes, (because I know you are asking yourself this)...my husband also asks Alexa to bark like a dog, because it drives Brinkley nuts.

New Year, New You...and a Potato, Bacon, Mushroom and Gorgonzola Pizzette

Happy New Year to you and yours....and yes, I am still here.

I know....it's been three months since you heard from me.  Thank you so much to my very sweet friends and family who have reached out asking, "Are you okay, I haven't seen anything on your blog for awhile".  One very dear friend said, "I've missed your blog, it was almost like getting to visit with you for a minute".  That touched my heart more than she will ever know.

So, that being said...we have a lot to catch up on.  Sit back, get comfortable and pour yourself a hot cup of tea (or glass of wine, whichever moves you)....here's what's been happening at Front Range Fork and Cork.

When we last "visited", it was the end of September.  After I recuperated from my whirlwind weekend with Felicia I received a great surprise.  My other very dear friend from Alaska, Toni (from A Taste of Alaska) was traveling for business and stopped in town to visit and have dinner with me.  It was so good to see her again, even for just those few hours.  It was like old home week for me in September getting to revisit with dear friends again.

After my visiting schedule settled down, I noticed how very quiet my life got.  My girls became so busy with their college, careers and club volleyball coaching, that I started seeing less and less of them.  It was starting to happen....Last year a few months before the girls graduated high school I made the mistake of reading too much.  I found myself getting drawn into these post high school websites and blogs for parents who were about to become "empty nesters".

They all kept chanting the same thing...now that your children have left the nest, what are you going to do?  Do you remember who you were before you had children?  What are you going to do with yourself now that you children no longer need you in their everyday lives?....and I had never been so depressed.  I don't know if I was in denial or if I just couldn't take reading about it and the reminder of it everyday.  I came to my senses and "unsubscribed" to the sites, literally and figuratively.  I was so proud of both of them and everything they were accomplishing.  They were doing and experiencing more than I ever could have imagined when I was their age.  Enough of feeling sorry for myself, I had to get it together and figure out what I was going to do now with this new life and times..."a new you", I figured.

October came and I started up the month long assisting for an annual fundraiser I help with (Dancing With The Silver Creek Stars), for the girls former high school.  Super fun event full of amazing prizes, dinner, and entertainment.  I look forward to it every year.  Our house always looks like a wedding shower with more cellophane wrapped baskets that I can count, when I am working on the silent auction items.

October also brought a few major changes in my life.  After over twenty years in the residential design/construction industry it was time to take a hard look at my future and I knew a career change was inevitable.  So after much reflection, prayer and thought, I took a leap of faith.  Not the kind of leap that takes you over a small puddle, but more of a leap out of an airplane....praying that your chute is going to open at the correct time.  Like they say....timing is everything.

The opportunity presented itself at absolutely the perfect time.  I am now working in the world of law.  It is like nothing I can explain or have ever experienced.  It has brought me to new avenues and challenges me everyday more than I could have ever prepared for.  It is fast paced and stressful at times...not like a I am going to lose my mind stress....more of a high energy exhilarating kind of stress.  When one of the partners called me for the offer, she said not to bring my lunch on my first day.  They have a tradition at their firm...her philosophy is, "everyone always remembers their first day of work".  In that tradition, the new person picks what they want for lunch (on their first day), they have it catered in for the whole staff and everyone eats together your first day, so you can all get to know each other.  I have never heard of a company doing this, and she was right....I will never forget that first day.

So, now I had a new job and you know what that meant...new hair!

I grew my hair out for over a year and now needed a "new you change".  Once again I have learned a life lesson, just because I can do something, doesn't mean I should.  I just cannot pull of the long hair like others my age.  It works beautifully for some, but not this girl, and I am okay with that.  I referred to my style mentor Kathrine Banning (a.k.a. Renee Russo from Thomas Crowne Affair) and told my new best friend Selena at Inspire Salon, "let's do this"!

The downside of Katherine Banning is now I have an addiction of Michael Kors and Calvin Klein.  All I can say is thank God for vintage clothiers and discount retail stores (you know me, never pay full price for fabulous)!....and speaking of shopping, is it me, or has Old Navy completely stepped up their game, super cute styles there now.  As I was shopping on Black Friday for the girls' Christmas gifts, I ended up walking out of there with more clothes for me, than them (for my new work wardrobe, of course).  Sorry girls...(not sorry).

In November, I had a very special opportunity present itself .  At Mass one Sunday, I was reading their bulletin.  There was an announcement looking for Adoration volunteers for one hour every week.  It said, "It will be the best hour of your week you will look forward to".  I thought, I certainly have an hour, one night a week to give.  I signed up.  They were so right....I look forward to this one hour every single week.  I plan my schedules around it.  It is one hour of complete silence, reflection, mediation and prayer.  There are no distractions, electronics or conversation...just you, your thoughts and special quiet time.

As my new job has a bit of a commute for me, I discovered the RTD bus line.  On those days I don't need my car at work, I am now a bus commuter...and I love it.  It is so relaxing in the morning to do reading or creative writing and the rides home, gives me 45 minutes of down time to regenerate.  Last year I read an article "10 books you must read before they hit the big screen".  I have already read 3 of them during my commutes and now have become a fan of reading again.

During these commutes and my off time, I am also working on other fun.  I have been volunteering for some friends with their start-up company "The GaterTop", with their creative department.  You have to check out this amazing outdoor, recreational table that goes anywhere and everywhere.  Super versatile and easy to use.  You can also check them out on Facebook and Twitter.

That brings us to December.  You all know how interesting December can be for me....husband's birthday, two weeks later Christmas, three days later, twins birthday, three days later New Years.  This year I hacked my husband's phone and threw him a surprise birthday party at our house with a few of his golf buddies and our neighbors.

I had to keep coming up with excuses why we couldn't decorate for Christmas and buy our tree.  (He didn't know that I needed that space for the birthday party drink bar).  He thought I had gone completely "Ba humbug" and was losing it.  Well, the downside to waiting so long to purchase our tree, was there wasn't much to choose from at that point.  It was so bad that I ended up finding one at one of the "big box stores" (without the top).  I negotiated them down on the price (you know me), and my husband had to "McGyver up" a piece of 2x4 to hold up our sweet angel, so she could watch over us.

The end of December I had to say good-bye to a very long tradition.  The past twelve years I have made a family calendar with all the goings on of our family's previous year.  It always had milestones, school portraits, Halloween costumes, and vacation photos.  Since the girls graduated this past May, there were no more "first day of school" pictures.  They made me promise not to take a picture of them on their first day of college, I understood and agreed.  So, no more family calendars (and no more feeling sorry for myself).  They are all great memories to look through and treasure for years to come.  Oh, don't worry, I am still taking pictures of them and driving them crazy though...I am still a mom, after all!

A lasting memory also came at the end of December.  After twenty-five years, I was reunited with a couple of my college friends.  Strange how things happen...out of nowhere, I find out one of them was in town for a couple days...then I found out two others live only 45 minutes from me.  At the last minute, we were able to coordinate and have dinner together.  Other than a few extra pounds and wrinkles I have acquired, it truly felt like not a day had passed...it was like we were back in the dorm halls one more time.  So much fun to visit with them, get caught up on their families and where their lives have taken them...and so many great laughs.  Truly, a great gift to end the year....thank you ladies!

One last measure with my new you attitude and time, I decided to start a Bunco group.  I played in a fundraiser last year and forgot how much fun the game was.  I was in a group about ten years ago and loved it.  I decided to reach out to some other ladies that I knew from the girls' friends and school and see where it goes.  Our first monthly get together is in a couple weeks and I am so excited.  Stay tuned for those stories and photos...it should be very interesting!  Women , wine, dice and prizes at stake...always makes for a great evening.

Well, that is the past three months...I'm sure there is more and when I remember them during one of my 2 am insomnia episodes or commuting bus rides, I will be sure to blog about it.  Until then, may you have a very blessed 2018 full of health and happiness...(and maybe even new hair for you too).  Cheers!


Potato, Bacon, Mushroom and Gorgonzola Pizzette
(Inspired by too many leftovers one weekend)

1 - Stonefire Artisan Flatbread
1 - 8 ounce container Aloutte, Spinach and Artichoke spread
8 sliced baby bella mushrooms
6 slices, cooked, crumbled bacon
1 cup of roasted red, yellow and purple fingerling potatoes, sliced
1 small shallot, thinly sliced and sauteed
1 - 4 ounce container, Gorgonzola cheese crumbles

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Schmear (yes, that is a technical term), the Aloutte spread all over the flatbread.

Add a layer of potatoes, shallot, mushrooms and bacon.  Sprinkle the crumbled Gorgonzola cheese all over.

Bake on a parchment lined cookies sheet for approximately 20 minutes (or until cheese starts to melt).  Cut into appetizer sized squares and enjoy with a chilled, buttery Chardonnay or Prosecco.

One Year Ago: One Year Older
Two Years Ago:Mexican Grilled Shrimp Caesar Salad
Three Years Ago: Crepes
Four Years Ago: Roasted Shrimp

  Maybe my new Bunco gals would like this one?