Monday, May 30, 2016

Organic Tomato, Onion and Mushroom Sauce


You are
FRESH
says
Big Nana!
When Big Nana said this she meant 
you were being sassy or feisty! 
So this recipe is just that!
FRESH
It isn't complicated nor time consuming 
but instead easy and quick.

While on a family vacation in San Diego the girls and I cooked up quite a few new recipes to share. The house we rented had a beautiful kitchen with the most amazing light from it's cute antique windows overlooking a quaint garden full of roses and visiting hummingbirds.
Instead of eating out we decided to stay in and take advantage of our special kitchen.

Below are just a few photos I took of the house and of course of my grown babies.
If you get bored just scroll down really fast 
to the bottom until you see STOP to get the recipe! ;)


My kitchen for the week!



View from my kitchen window!
One of my grown babies sitting on the patio reading a book!


That cute country green door
is right off the kitchen!


 Flowers from my hubby!


Oh how I love these windows!
Fresh ocean air coming flooding in early in the morning.



Upstairs dreamy window letting light into the bedroom.



Another grown baby perched in the kitchen window.



A rose from the backyard garden.


I forgot to mention the LEMONS growing in the front yard!




Oh how I love the sea glass.




Me feeling artsy!


Each night we made it down to the beach to view the magic.







My Boy!


 The Sutton House in all it's glory!


STOP!

And now for the recipe!
As my three kids would say.....

Land the plane mama!
LAND THE PLANE!


FRESH Organic Pasta Sauce


3 large organic tomatoes 
1 small organic red onion 
1 and 1/2 cups of organic mushrooms of your choice 
3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup of red wine
sea salt and crushed pepper to taste
2 large cloves of garlic

Grab your favorite cutting board and your best knife.  Chop up the onion into small but not fine pieces. Cut the mushrooms in quarters. Cut the tomatoes in half and then into quarters. Dice up the garlic as well. In your best saucepan add the olive oil and heat it up under a medium heat just until hot. Throw in the onion first. Sure the onion for a few minutes but stirring often so it doesn't turn brown or burn. Once the onions start to cook add the tomatoes and the mushrooms. Once the heat comes up again the tomatoes will start to break down and the mushrooms will soften. Continue to heat on medium heat covered for about 4 minutes.
Next add the garlic,wine, salt and pepper to the sauce, stir and cover.  Turn the heat down to low and simmer for about 5 minutes or until desired consistency. Serve it over your favorite pasta, garlic toast, and or grilled chicken. I like to serve it over rigatoni and garnish it with fresh basil and shaved parmesan. This is so FRESH and healthy. It is easy and fast! 
Enjoy! 




Friday, May 27, 2016

Feeling Tropical


It is a little chilly here in Colorado this week.
I am pining for some sun so we 
can go hike in the mountains.
So I decided to warm things up a bit here on the blog.
My daughter's latest painting!
Oil on Canvas
You can visit her website to view more of her work.

A few months ago we visited the islands
of St. John and St. Thomas.
We stayed 5 days at the amazing
Caneel Bay Resort.
It was so beautiful and WARM!

Here are a few of the photos I took.
SIGH

This property had SIX private beaches! 



View from our porch!



This flower was so intriguing.
So bright and beautiful!


Feeling Artsy






Look at the clever way they kept my
Cosmo perky and cold!
STOP!
I couldn't even stand it!
And such friendly portions!
Seconds without even asking for it!

We stayed at the beautiful Caneel Bay!
I highly recommend it!





Not Your Fancy Chicken Salad


Sometimes recipes do not have to be 
FANCY
nor
COMPLICATED
to be delicious!
This one is neither.
The photo is pretty uneventful as well.
Such is life!
So here ya go.
Grill, fry, bake or buy some boneless, skinless chicken breasts.
In a small bowl throw a DOLLOP of mayo in.
I like that word, dollop!
Maybe DOLLOP 2 big old tablespoons of your 
favorite mayo from your frig.
Then you add a SPLASH of your favorite Italian Salad Dressing.
I had some Olive Garden Dressing 
in my frig so I grabbed it right away.
Mix it up and then SPILL it over the chicken in a pretty bowl.
I added about 1 tablespoon of diced celery to give 
it a little crunch.
You may also add onions and or nuts for a little crunch 
if you so need too.
STIR
then 
SERVE it up!
There ya go!
So easy yet so yummy!
Leave me a comment with your favorite 
not so FANCY
NONCOMPLICATED
recipe! Please!

Go HERE for FANCY!





Thursday, March 24, 2016

Cheese Please! Pepperoni Bundt Cake!



I was fortunate to have some visitors from the 
SOUTH!
My cousins from Texas and Alabama
came up for a visit!
This sweet baby girl has an adorable way of 
CHEESING it up for the camera!

How stinking cute is that?
I seriously can't even stand it!
Sharing this CHEESY recipe 
in honor of my sweet, adorable and 
CHEESY COUSINS
from the SOUTH!


Pepperoni Bundt Cake
OH MY!



So this is AMAZINGLY delicious!
and more importantly
AMAZINGLY EASY!

Pepperoni Bundt Cake

2 cans of regular biscuits
2 Cups of  Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
1 Cup of Grated Parmesan Cheese
1 Tablespoon of dried basil
1/2  Tablespoon of  dried parsley
1/2 Teaspoon of oregano
1/4 Teaspoon of dried red pepper flakes
1/3 Cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1  - 8 ounce package of pepperoni cut in quarters
1 Teaspoon of  fresh minced garlic

Preheat the oven to 375. Cut the dough into quarters and throw in a large mixing bowl.
Add all of the remaining ingredients to the bowl and toss well. Spray the inside of a bundt pan well.
Transfer the ingredients to the bundt pan and bake for 40 minutes and then check to see if the dough is cooked by inserting a knife. If it is still needs more time then put in the oven and check every 10 minutes until the dough is done. Remove form the oven and let it rest for about 5 minutes and then flip the pizza cake onto a plate. Serve immediately with your favorite marinara sauce!




This is addicting!
It is soon good!
ENJOY!


How stinking cute is she????



Wednesday, January 27, 2016

Capturing the IT photo!

So here's the deal.
I love taking photos.
I especially love photographing people.
I like capturing moments, emotions and 
feelings if that is really possible.
When I am photographing a subject 
my only goal
is to try to capture their soul. 
I am not greedy or selfish.
I only want for that one photo.
That one photo that stops you in your tracks,
draws you in, pulls at your heart,
and causes you to say, 
OH MY GOODNESS
ARE YOU KIDDING ME?
YEP THAT'S THE PHOTO I'M TALKING ABOUT.
All the mamas out there know
what I am talking about.
The photo that you say, "That is my child!"

The ONE photo that I call IT!
IT is magical!
IT takes your breath away!
IT is truly beautiful!

It is not easy capturing the IT photo.

You need to be patient really patient.
You will need to be funny, silly, serious, quick, 
quirky, spontaneous, premeditated and clever 
all at the same time especially with children.
As a photographer you have to have many tricks up your sleeve
or lots of smarty candies, goldfish or gummy bears.
Whatever it takes right?

It means stooping as low as using potty talk
with teenagers! The kind of potty talk that
enthralls a 3rd grader at recess.
Things like,
"Does Santa toot or poop?"
Super intelligent stuff like that really gets a
17 year old to break out in laughter
not because you are funny but because
they think you are legit crazy!
It's the shock value you are looking for.
Be ready to click away as soon as
you release the crazy talk.
It is your only shot!
It releases all inhibitions for about 5 seconds
and then you go to the other tricks
up your stuffed sleeve. Yes you do have to stoop
to a new low but trust me
when I say that it will be worth it
when you hit the editing room!

I decided to do this post and share 
some of my IT photos 
of some of the beautiful souls 
I have been privileged to capture and spend time
with even for a little while.
























































May your days be blessed with many
IT
Moments!