Home * Sweet * Home

Hello everyone...I have returned to Front Range Fork and Cork once again...I have missed you.  It has been five months to the day, since my last post and story.  For several reasons, I also shut down all my social media sites and some of you have wondered what has happened to me.  I also wasn't going to continue my blog, but with the encouragement of my husband and daughter, here I am.  It has been a very...and I mean very, interesting five months to say the least.  So, sit back, pour yourself a cup of whatever fancies you and welcome back to my life of twists, turns, laughs and tears...and where a new adventure always awaits.

It has been nearly a year since we put a deposit down on a lot to build our new home.  After 8 years of a long journey and rebuilding our life again, we have been blessed to be homeowners once again.  Last November we took a leap of faith and found a new town and place to call home...and we told no one.

You cannot imagine how difficult it is to keep a secret like this for eight months!  To be picking out finishes, colors, going over floorplans and not being able to share it with anyone.  We made an agreement, because as we have unfortunately learned from our past...the house is never yours until those keys are put into your hands.  We had to stop inviting friends over for dinner because in the final months leading up to what we prayed would be our moving day, we were floor to ceiling and wall to wall in cardboard boxes...and we kept praying.

Finally at the end of June our prayers were answered, we were handed our keys and moved into our house.  This move did not go without being bittersweet though.

Three days before our move, our girls moved out.  They are now out into the big world and living together in their own apartment, on their own, full-time work and college...and we have never been so proud of them.  In the past four months though, I have learned that I don't do empty nesting very well...at all.  More on that another day.

Missing "my guy" Theo.

Five days before our move, we had to say good-bye to my sweet boy.  Liver cancer took him as fast as it came and we miss him so much every single day.  He is the fourth Labrador we have had to say good-bye to and it never gets any easier. 

We have a new vet here and they treated our time with such kindness and graciousness like I have never experienced.  There is a candle and sign on their front desk and it states "If you see this candle lit, please respect as someone is saying good-bye to their loved one right now".  Tears still come to my eyes when I think about that candle and sign.

Our new home is straight out of The Andy Griffith Show.  It is small town USA and is full of character and charm.  (I will share with you another day about me registering our dogs with the Town Hall).  Down the street from us next to our neighborhood is a county protected bird sanctuary full of trails, bridges and benches where you can sit and ponder.  It is such a beautiful walk at sunrise and sunset.  There is a farm on the other side of the sanctuary whose cows have much to say every morning.  In the evening we can hear a very curious large owl somewhere in those trees.

Princess Brinkley positively loves her new home...of course, she also thinks she rules her street!

Well that's everything for today.  I will be sharing more about our moving and remodeling adventures...yes, we did move into a brand new house and yes, true to my husband's and my nature, we were remodeling before the first cardboard box made it in.  Stay tuned for more.

Two Years Ago: Pluot Crostada

Three Years Ago: BLT Macaroni Salad

Four Years Ago: Spaetzle with Gruyere and Carmelized Onions

Five Years Ago: Greek Salsa Chicken

Rosemary-Parmesan-Garlic Popcorn and Childhood Memories

I have had my children over nineteen years now and they still never cease to amaze and shock me!

The other night my husband and I arrived home at the same time from work.  We both walked in together and see both daughters completely stretched out on each end of the couch (under my favorite blanket, of course), binge watching their latest Netflix addiction.

I looked over and saw they were snacking on popcorn in our wooden salad bowls that had been stored up on a shelf.   I asked them "Why are the wood bowls out?".  Their response in unison..."Because we've always had our popcorn in these bowls"...I shed a tear right then and there.  Here's the story about our wooden bowls....

Back before we were married, my mom sent us a wonderful full set of hand-made round knotty birch wooden bowls from The Great Alaskan Bowl Company  It was a marvelous gift set complete with the large serving salad bowl and 6 individual bowls, along with their famous brownie and muffin mixes.

When our kids were little, I would make them my mom's homemade popcorn.  She can make popcorn like no other...always finds the perfect balance of oil, butter and salt...so, so good...way before microwave popcorn was around!  I don't remember when or why, but I started serving the kids their popcorn in these individual wood bowls.  Maybe I was feeling fancy one night and thought they should step it up from their usual Tupperware neon colored plastic bowls.

Well, who knew that those memories would stick.  All those years of Saturday nights, tucked into our bed, watching some movie on Disney channel in their pajamas, having homemade popcorn in their special wooden bowls.

This popcorn is more of an adult version of our childhood favorite.  It is very savory and a delicacy with intense flavors.  So, put on your favorite movie, throw on some pajamas and enjoy!

Rosemary-Garlic-Parmesan Popcorn

4 Tbl butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp fresh rosemary, minced
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
salt, to taste

In a small saucepan, melt the butter over low heat.  Stir in the garlic and rosemary.  Cook for about 2 minutes until the garlic is lightly browned.  Remove from heat and set aside.

Make your popcorn.  (there are so many different ways you all enjoy popcorn now, just do whichever version you are comfortable with...scratch with oil, air pop, microwave, etc).

When your popcorn is cooked and ready, pour the butter, rosemary, garlic mixture over the popcorn and gently toss.  Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the warm popcorn.  Season with salt, to taste.

One Year Ago: Italian Sausage Surprise
Two Years Ago: One Pan Sour Cream Enchilada Skillet
Three Years Ago: Pan Fried Goat Cheese and Balsamic Strawberry Salad
Four Years Ago: Kentucky Derby Menu

Waborita and Cabo Wabo Shrimp Quesadillas

Happy Cinco de Mayo to everyone!  I hope you are getting ready to enjoy this Saturday and weekend...responsibly of course.

In keeping with my Sammy Hagar Cabo Wabo theme this week, I tried out another drink and meal.  The Waborita was so beautifully photographed in his cookbook that I had to try it out (plus it matched my outdoor charger plates perfectly).  My husband says I need to change my blog site name to "Designer Chef", because I obsess over colors matching my food stories.

I had some leftover shrimp from my Sammy's Wabo Shrimp so I thought it would make the perfect compliment to a quesadilla.  I cut up the shrimp into small bites and seared them with a few pieces of diced leftover bacon from breakfast.  Included with that I added some pepper jack shredded cheese and a little salsa.  The shrimp and bacon combination flavor took me right back to one of my favorite meals I used to have in Pasadena, CA at "La Nueva Posada" restaurant.  Wow! One of the best quesadillas I have ever had!

Waborita

Courtesy of Sammy Hagar

2 ounces premium tequila preferably a blanco

1 ounce Cointreau

1 ounce lime juice, plus a little more for the rim of the glass

Salt

A splash of Curacao liqueur

Mix all of the ingredients except for the salt and curacao in a cocktail shaker filled with ice.  Rub lime juice over half the rim of a glass and turn the glass upside down into salt, so that the salt sticks.  Shake and strain into the glass.  Add the splash of curacao, and watch that drink turn a pretty ocean blue.

** Blogger's Warning - Do not plan on leaving the house after one of these Waboritas...and definitely don't drink more than one.  They are a very pretty drink, but also very potent!  Prepare for a nap instead.  Enjoy responsibly and sleep tight...

One Year Ago:  Italian Sausage Surprise

Two Years Ago:  One Pan Sour Cream Enchilada Skillet

Three Years Ago:  Lemon Pound Cake with Citrus Glaze

Four Years Ago:  Kentucky Derby Menu

I thought it would be a perfect time to bring out the patio furniture and enjoy my quesadilla in the beautiful sunny afternoon.  It is May after all and beautiful springtime, right?  The next morning...this happens.  My life!

Sammy's Wabo Shrimp

Are your weekends as crazy as mine?  I don't know what happens to me....I close my eyes on Friday night and wake up Monday morning.  Somewhere in between, I go on a path of crazy twists and turns.

This past Saturday morning, I had everything planned out to start my spring cleaning.  I had my list of cleaning supplies to purchase, arranged my boxes for Goodwill...I had my game plan in order (or so I thought).

I started with taking our gigantor mattress cover to the laun-dro-mat (so I don't break my washer by over stuffing it...again).  I started up the commercial washer and saw it was going to take 30 minutes.  So, what could I do for 30 minutes?  I knew I needed to purchase some gift wrapping paper and other household essentials, so I drove across the street to the "Dollar Tree" discount store.

I grabbed my wrapping paper and then did what I knew I shouldn't do...start wandering down the aisles.  I stopped at the books.  I just finished my last book on the bus and needed some new reading material.  A very colorful book caught my eye...a cookbook by Sammy Hagar!  My first thought was "when did Sammy Hagar write a cookbook?"  I glanced through the book and was mesmerized. He had recipes from his times in Cabo, Hawaii and California, all in their own chapters.

My time was running out for the washer and I needed to get going.  I grabbed the book...it was only $1.00, why not?

I retrieved my now clean mattress pad and headed to my favorite salon for a little mani-pedi and quiet mommy time.  I sat there for the next hour reading my new cookbook from cover to cover and couldn't believe what a great book this was.  My passion to cook was ignited again with a whole new excitement.  More so, I was incredibly impressed at what a "foodie" Sammy is...I had no idea.  

He tells amazing stories from the road, his music career, his homes and his family history.

The only drawback was many of his recipes needed various alcohol, liqueurs, and spirits that I don't normally purchase....I'm just a simple Pinot Noir girl here.

Well, long story short...I ditched my spring cleaning "to do" list and cooked his recipes all weekend...and I had the best time.  Of course, when I hit the liquor store, I had to buy his "Cabo Wabo Tequila", it's the least I could do since I only spent $1.00 on his cookbook.  To be perfectly honest, I ended up spending $97.00 there to make some of the dishes.  My daughter came home, opened the cabinet and said "when did you have a party?"....Best cooking weekend ever, priceless!

This shrimp dish is so, so good!!  I served it over my Mexican sour cream-cheesy rice.  Cheers!

Sammy's Wabo Shrimp

Courtesy of Sammy Hagar

24 large fresh shrimp, peeled

Juice of 3 limes

3 shots of tequila

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 jalapeno chiles, chopped

salt

pepper

2 Tbl peanut oil

Mix all ingredients except for peanut oil in a large bowl; cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

Heat the oil in a skillet or wok. Strain the shrimp and reserve the marinade.  Throw the shrimp into the hot pan and cook them fast, just until they start turning pink.  Remove the shrimp and set them aside.  Pour the marinade into the pan and simmer until the liquid reduces by half.  Return the shrimp to the pan and simmer until they're cooked through, about 3 minutes.  

One Year Ago: Lemon-Blueberry Buckle

Two Years Ago: Sweet Samoas Cake

Three Years Ago: Creamy Baja Avocado Pasta

Four Years Ago:  Taco (Tortilla Bowl) Salad

"The" Applebee's Oriental Chicken Salad and When In Rome

We are now at the end of April and someone please tell me how 4 months of this year have already gone by.  Summer is upon us (or trying to in Colorado that is).  Our weekend Farmer's Market has opened up and all the farms around us are blossoming with beautiful fresh fruits and vegetables.

On those weekends when we are snowed in, a good movie is always in order.  "When In Rome", has to be in my top ten list...I know, I have about 100 movies in "my top 10". 

When In Rome is positively hilarious.  Quick witted silliness that will have you laughing until you cry.  In the beginning of the movie there is a classic line from Kristin Bell..."when you broke up with me in the Applebee's".  Ever since we first saw this movie it stuck..."the" Applebee's.  You have to see the movie to appreciate the line.

At any rate, it reminded me how much I love "the Applebee's" Oriental Chicken Salad.  Our Applebee's closed here, but thanks to the magic of internet surfing, Epicurious did a beautiful take on recreating the copycat recipe. 

I love, love this salad, especially when I get to hit the farmer's markets and load it up with all fresh ingredients!  My daughter not only had a second helping for dinner one night, she made it again for her lunch the next day.

"The" Applebee's Oriental Chicken Salad

Adapted from Epicurious.com

Oriental Dressing:

1/2 cup honey

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

3/4 cup mayonnaise

1 Tbl dijon mustard

Salad:

3 cups chopped romaine lettuce

1 cup red cabbage

1 cup Napa cabbage

1/2 carrot, julienned or shredded

1 green onion

1 Tbl sliced almons

1/3 cup "Fresh Gourmet" wonton strips

Chicken:

Tyson Frozen Southern Breast Tenderloins, baked to package directions and diced

(you could make your own chicken from scratch, if you have the time and desire)

Blend together all the ingredients for dressing in a small bowl with an electric mixer.  Put dressing in refrigerator to chill while you prepare the salad.

In a very large bowl, prepare salad by tossing the chopped romaine with the chopped red cabbage, Napa cabbage, carrots, and diced cooked, green onions, and cooled chicken.  Toast almonds in a small skillet over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, or until light brown.  Sprinkle toasted almonds over the salad, and toss with prepared dressing.  Plate the salad and top with wonton strips.

Enjoy!

One Year Ago: Bundt Pan Chicken

Two Years Ago: Alabama White Barbecue Sauce

Three Years Ago: Mayan Chocolate Cookies

Four Years Ago: Pizzette and Soup

National Picnic Day with Loaded Baked Potato Salad

It's National Picnic Day...where do you like to picnic?

I have a "National Day" Calendar that has the most fun and unique, actual "National" days on them and I have had more fun with these themed days.

Since I have not been planning volleyball banquets or high school graduation parties this year, I have had some extra time on my hands.  This past year, I have been helping out some friends with their start-up company and photographing for them.  Their product is called The GaterTop.  One of the coolest, versatile outdoor tables!  You can check them out at www.thegatertop.com.

What is more outdoor than a picnic, so for National Picnic Day, I staged a picnic on their table to photograph for their website and social media.

Since I needed a potato salad for the shot, I thought it would be a perfect time to try out this new recipe...it was a win-win for the photo and dinner for us that night!

Loaded Baked Potato Salad Recipe

Courtesy of Taste of Home Magazine

5 pounds small unpeeled red potatoes, cubed

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

8 hard boiled eggs, chopped

1 pound sliced bacon, cooked and crumbled

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1 sweet onion, chopped

3 dill pickles, chopped

1-1/2 cup sour cream

1 cup mayonnaise

2 to 3 tsp prepared mustard

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Sprinkle potatoes with salt and pepper; bake uncovered in a greased 9  x 11 baking pan until tender, 40-45 minutes.  Cool in pan on a wire rack.

Combine potatoes with next five ingredients.  In another bowl, combine sour cream, mayonnaise and mustard; pour over potato mixture, tossing to coat.  Refrigerate until serving.  

One Year Ago: Bundt Pan Chicken
Two Years Ago: Pesto Cheesy Chicken
Three Years Ago: Lemon Orzo Shrimp and Asparagus
Four Years Ago: Mediterranean Meatballs

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