Palmabella's Passions

Thought you'd like to see our wild New Year's Eve!

Now you've seen two things that you will NEVER see again: Palma with skinny arms and Brad in sneakers!

We spent a lovely evening out to dinner with friends and good food on New Year's Eve at The Chop House.

I began the evening with a Pomegranite "Martini".

My appetizer was a delicious plate of escargot!

I was able to eat half of my rack of lamb entree!

Brad polished off his WHOLE veal chop and the mushroom risotto!

I passed on the chocolate dessert shared by the table. (I don't do chocolate!) But I do love those square plates!

Here are Brad and Betsy:

Les and Palma:

I apologize to Mike and Jan, but trust me, you would NOT have wanted your picture posted!

We toasted to a Happy and Healthy 2008 with a luscious bottle of Veuve Clicquot.

We are looking forward to a great 2008!

With only hours left in 2007, I tried a new recipe on December 30, that was my absolute favorite dessert of the year.

Salted Caramel Cheesecake (from Food and Wine)

Cheesecake:
1/2 lb. cream cheese (room temp)
1/2 c. sugar
3 large eggs (room temp)
1/2 c. sour cream

Caramel:
6 T. light corn syrup
1/2 c. plus 2 T. sugar
3 T. unsalted butter
1/2 c. heavy cream
Fleur de sel

Make cheesecake: Preheat oven to 325. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar at medium speed until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, then beat in sour cream. Pour batter into 5 ramekins or custard cups.

Set the ramekins in a pan (I used a roasting pan) in center of oven. Add enough hot water to reach half way up sides of the ramekins. Bake cheesecakes for 10 minutes, until edges are set, but still jiggly in center. Turn off oven and leave cheesecakes in for 1 hour. Transfer ramekins to a rack and cool completely.

Meanwhile, make caramel. In a heavy medium saucepan, heat corn syrup. Stir in sugar and cook over moderately high heat, undisturbed, until a deep amber caramel forms (about 9 min.). Take off heat, and carefully stir in butter until melted. Stir in cream in a thin stream. Transfer caramel to a heatproof pitcher and let cool. Stir in 3/4 t. of fleur de sel.

Pour 1 1/2 T. of caramel over each cheesecake and swirl to coat tops. (If caramel is too thick, microwave at 10 second intervals.) Chill 3 hours. Sprinkle with a little fleur de sel just before serving.

*Can be made up to 2 days ahead.

I don't like New Year's Resolutions becuase mine always start out with "lose weight".
It seems like a set up for guilt. Of course there is always hope, and the annual soup diet!

This year I decided to just write the three things I KNOW I want to do:

1. Go on as many trips as possible.
2. Drink more wine (I am a lightweight.).
3. Bake more bread and pretty cakes.

I have a good start on #1.
January: Las Vegas
February: Slow Bowl in Paso Robles
March: Arizona weekend with Roxanne
April: Savannah Gathering
May: Rome and Montisi
September: Three more weeks in Italy (Liguria, Piemonte, Lake Como and Bologna)
November: Thanksgiving in San Francisco

I love being home in June, July and August when it is very hot. I mostly live in the pool, and can be rested and relaxed for Italy. October I'll be busy with the THIRD ANNUAL Desert GTG, and December is always busy with holiday fun. I just need a break from Christmas trees right now!

I hope everyone has a healthy, exciting and memorable 2008!

January has always been my least favorite month of the year. It is COLD. The bustle and company of holidays and celebrations is over. Spring is a distant wish. I often get bored.

This year, there will be no chance for either boredom or that mild winter depression. I am feeling pretty good about January. I have many fun "duties, tasks, and responsibilities" that need to get done for the Savannah Gathering to keep me occupied.

We are looking forward to a great weekend with Ida and Bill in Las Vegas later this month. The Slow Bowl is just a few weeks away! Italy is just a few months away!

January is traditionally a time for reflection. Yesterday, I spent quite a while pondering life and counting my blessings. I have so many blessings!

I have a loving, supportive spouse who puts up with my flaws and encourages my strengths.

We are both in relatively good health.

I have FABULOUS close friends who are like family.

I have a job that doen't feel like working, and I have amazing clients and eager interns to supervise.

I have people in my life who "get" how Italy fills my soul, and we will have not one, but TWO "fixes" this year!

I have a sweet, loving, dog, who at 15, still thinks he is a puppy.

I live in a safe, comfortable home that I am able to share with friends.

I have good food available to me, and MANY new recipes to try in 2008.

I have values that allow me to like and respect myself, my honesty, and my integrity.

I continue to work on eliminating a few things from my life: negativity, those who are judgemental, those who put down others to make themselves feel better, and those who misrepresent themselves. I cherish people who know they can just be REAL, and are not afraid to do so. I continue to work on "not sweating the small stuff".

I have learned as a therapist, that (though this is a HUGE generalization), most people's greatest fears are being abandoned, or being vulernable. Sure, there are many other fears in life, but most fall into one or the other of these biggies.

This weekend I am very grateful for my sorority sisters/old college roomates. We have stayed close for 38 years. One of our close knit "family" lost her father in December. We will all gather in Fresno to support our friend, and to celebrate her father's life at a memorial service tomorrow. We will then gather over food and wine, and give Tammy's dad a wonderful send-off. We will cry, and I'm sure, laugh together, as we have done with each other for 38 years. We are all so blessed to come together in happy and sad times.

I think January 2008 will be just fine!

It seems strange to say that is was "uplifting" to go to a Memorial service for my friend, Tammy's dad, but it was such a lovely celebration of his life!

As we entered the funeral home, we were given a red, white and green "Italian Ribbon" to wear.

Pete loved fast cars and boats. A family friend had flowers made into a sports car.

He loved music, and a few of his favorites were played throughout the service:
"Fly Me to the Moon", "Natural Man" by Lou Rawls, and the service ended with Sinatra singing "My Way". A fantastic slide show was put to music and made into a video with photos from Pete's life with his family and friends. We laughed and we cried at the beautiful tribute.

A few years ago, I made our close group of sorority sisters a photo bracelet with six tiny photos of us circling each wrist. Connie wore hers and , though we were right behind the family at the service, she put it on Tammy's wrist to remind her, we were right there with her, enbracing her with our love and support.

After the service, Tammy's mom and family welcomed all those who attended to a fabulous lunch reception at a favorite Fresno restaurant. There were huge platters of antipasti, salad, fruit, pasta, chicken, zucchini, and Italian sausage. There were dolci and plenty of red wine.

Tammy's mom, Ann, was beautiful and gracious. Her parents had been married for 58 years. The day was a truly wonderful tribute to Tammy's dad. Here we are with Tammy.

Peter Sciaroni has been well-loved, and will be missed by many.

1 yellow onion, finely chopped
1/4 c. butter
6 large zucchini, grated
3 c. chicken broth
3/4 t. sea salt
1/2 t. black pepper
1/2 t. nutmeg
1 c. cream or half and half
3 oz. cream cheese

Saute chopped onion in butter until soft. Add grated zucchini and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, and then turn down heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Add salt, pepper, nutmeg. Return soup to processor or blender and blend until smooth, or use an immersion blender. (If making ahead, stop here.) Before serving, add cream or half & half, and cream cheese. Heat until cream cheese is melted and soup is smooth.

I finally made my first recipe from Gina DePalma's Dolce Italiano.
I have an overload of Meyer Lemons, so I decided to try using half regular lemons, and half Meyer in the recipe. You use EVERY part of the lemons, so Gina recommends using ones without too thick a rind. I used two smaller tart pans, from one batch of pasta froglia and one recipe of filling. The result was one tart for us, and one for a friend.
Tangy and delicious!

See the little chunks of orange-colored Meyer Lemon rind?

Delicious with whipped cream:

In November, I blogged about the "5 Minute Bread". In the book, Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day, by Jeff Hertzberg and Zoë François (Thomas Dunne Books, 2007), there is a very similar recipe for pizza dough. This dough (which takes no more than five minutes plus resting and baking time) is SO easy! You can make pizza, foccacia, and stuffed breads or calzone.

The recipe is exactly like the bread recipe, EXCEPT, substitute 1/4 c. of the flour with olive oil, and add a T. of sugar. I decided to try a stuffed bread on my first try with it.

I made the dough the day before, and left it sitting in my fridge. Then I took about a third of the dough, spread it into a rectangle on a large cookie sheet (with some cornmeal...I used polenta on the bottom), and covered the dough with 3 oz. of prosciutto.

Then I added a thin layer of fig-pear preserves, and 5 oz. of St. Andre cheese.

I rolled up the dough, with seam side down, formed it into a circle, then cut slits half way through. I brushed the top with olive oil and added some sprigs of rosemary.

Here it is after baking for 30 min. at 400 degrees. (Next time I would line the baking sheet with parchment, as a little jam oozed out.) Makes 8 servings. (6 are now in the freezer!)

YUM!

I have an aversion to tomato-based sauces (except my ragu, or a Bolognese sauce), so I am always happy to try a new recipe for ribs that has no tomato products. This was based on a recipe from February, 2008 Food and Wine.

Preheat oven to 300. Line a roasting pan with foil. Remove membrane from bone side of a rack of ribs with a sharp knife.

Combine the following, and rub on ribs:
sea salt
chopped garlic
paprika
black pepper
Mesquite smoke spice blend

Bake, covered with foil for 1 1/2 hours. Pour pan juices into a small saucepan and return ribs (covered) to oven for another 30 minutes. Again pour off any additional pan juices. Add 4 oz. of apricot preserves to saucepan, and reduce, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes. Glaze ribs with apricot mixture, and bake another 30 minutes (basting again with apricot sauce half way through) OR broil for 10 min. on each side with apricot sauce.

We also had artichokes and white cheddar stuffed potatoes.

Several blogs I read have recently posted "100 Things About Me". A first I thought it would be very difficult to think of that many things. It has taken me a couple of days to complete my list, (and they were BUSY days) but here we go:

1. I was born on my father's 65th birthday.
2. I am an only child.
3. I grew up in Fresno, CA
4. I was in drama and on the debate team in high school.
5. I majored in Child Development at CSUFresno.
6. I am an Alpha Xi Delta (alumnae).
7. My favorite color is green.
8. I am passionate about Italy (and all things Italian).
9. My first car was a '68 Camero.
10. I taught 4th and 8th grade, and was a Vice-principal.
11. I currently drive a green '97 Seabring convertible.
12. I met Brad in 1997 at a beach party GTG with a group from an AOL Divorce chat
room.
13. We dated for 3 years, and married in 2000.
14. I love to cook and bake, because
15. I love to EAT! (Obsessed with food is more accurate.)
16. I live in a "Tuscan" looking house in Palm Desert.
17. I make beaded jewelry.
18. I enjoy scrapbooking our trips and GTGs
19. I hate most exercise except swimming, shopping (hey, it's a sport...), and I walk
A LOT in Italy. When I force myself to exercise, I do feel virtuous afterwards.
20. I am in a book club (and love to read).
21. I like oldies, pop, classical and smooth jazz.
22. I have a 15 year old cockapoo dog named Ego. I miss his brother, Id.
23. I love to dress up, but live in my jeans or capris at home.
24. My favorite places are Umbria, Piemonte, and the Amalfi coast.
25. Favorite Italian cities are Rome, Bologna, Venice, and Florence (in that order)
26. Favorite smaller towns in Italy are Pienza, Montefalco, and Acqui Terme (soon to
add Montisi)
27. Favorite U.S. cities are Palm Desert, San Francisco, San Diego, Santa Barbara, and
Scottsdale, AZ (Guess I need to explore farther east!)
28. I have always lived in California.
29. My favorite comfort food is Mac and Cheese (mine).
30. I wear yellow gold jewelry.
31. I'm pretty much a girly-girl.
32. I watch very little TV, but DO watch the following: 24, American Idol, Top Chef,
Grey's Anatomy, Desparate Housewives, The Practice, the Food Network, Project
Runway, and the Travel Channel and PBS.
33. I love to entertain.
34. I like jigsaw puzzles.
35. My shower/hair/makeup routine takes me 15 minutes, and I hate to primp.
36. My favorite holidays are Christmas and Easter.
37. I change my dining room table settings at least once a month.
38. I have a Masters degree in Counseling Psychology.
39. As a licensed therapist, I specialize in working with couples.
40. I have great vision, lousy teeth, and bad feet.
41. I hate cauliflower, beets and all beans except green beans.
42. I love any cheese.
43. I drink only white wine: mostly Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc and am hooked on
Brachetto di Acqui. I am a lightweight, and don't drink very often.
44. I get up early, stay up late, and love naps.
45. If I can't be in Italy, I love the beach and warm weather destinations.
46. I have never been on ice skates, skis, roller skates, a skateboard, or rollerblades.
47. I have been to the following states: Arizona, Nevada, Oregon, Washington,
Colorado, Louisiana, North Carolina, Florida, New York, New Jersey, Conneticut,
Massachusets, Pennsylvania, Alaska and Hawaii.
48. I drink LOTS of coffee.
49. I own a beachfront condo in Maui with my ex-husband.
50. I've never eaten a pickle, chili beans, or an avocado.
51. I love to sing!
52. I am tender-headed, and my feet are ticklish.
53. I will spend a total of 37 days in Italy this year.
54. I am an extrovert, but sometimes shy.
55. I have always struggled with my weight.
56. I don't like chocolate.
57. My favorite desserts are panna cotta, caramel things, lemon things and gelato.
58. I love snorkeling, especially with turtles.
59. I have never had a massage (except by spouse), pedicure, or facial.
60. I love to play board or card games.
61. My current favorite is "Catchphrase" (regular, or musical version)
62. In Las Vegas, I play 25 cent video poker...for hours!
63. My favorite places to shop for chothes are Nordstrom, Chicos, and a small local
boutique called "Complements".
64. My favorite children's book is Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No
Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst.
65. I love mysteries and psycological thrillers. Every once in a while I read a "girl
book".
66. I loved the Harry Potter books, and the Chronicles of
Narnia.
67. Some of my other favorite authors are: James Patterson, Janet Evanovich, Jodi
Picoult, David Baldacci, Steven King, Dean Koontz, and oh so many more!
68. Pet peeves: People who are inconsiderate, very negative, or judgemental.
69. I cry at sappy movies or even commercials.
70. Once I taught a water aerobics class.
71. I have two phobias: rodents and falling. (not heights, as I love scary rides, tall
buildings, and airplanes, but don't like balance beams, standing on ladders, or
climbing rocks. I like to be IN SOMETHING if I am more than a foot off the ground.
72. My favorite flowers are daffodils, tupips, and Casablanca lilies.
73. I don't like RED roses. I really like coral, yellow, and leonidas (our wedding) are
my favorite.
74. My favorite junk food is Cheetos or Hawaiian chips.
75. I would rather have NO popcorn, than popcorn without butter.
76. My only surgery or stay in the hospital was when I had my tonsils out at age 12.
77. I can hit a golf ball straight, but not very far.
78. Unfortunately (at times), my motto is: "If it's worth doing, it's worth overdoing."
79. I love Merry-go-rounds.
80. Sometimes life is like a Merry-go-round!
81. I am organized about things I like: parties, Christmas, trip planning, my closet,
my house. But I hate paperwork, and I have no idea where last month's phone bill
is (maybe in that stack on the desk?).
82. I have been told I am very flexible.
83. I love surprises!
84. I collect Italian ceramics, and I have WAY too many sets of dishes. I like them.
85. One of my favorite charities is Gilda's Club (support for cancer patients and their
families).
86. Once I LITERALLY bumped into Candice Bergen walking down the street in San
Francisco.
87. I love to read on a raft in my pool (with sunscreen).
88. As a child I had crushes on Spin and Marty (Micky Mouse Club), David McCallum
(Man from U.N.C.L.E.), "Jeff" on Donna Reed, and I pretended Annette Funicello
lived in my room. I also had an imaginary dog named "Buster".
89. I display unusual martini glasses on our bar.
90. I have 41 evening bags.
91. My birthday is May 12 and Brad's is May 10.
92. I grew up and lived in Fresno until age 33, spent 18 years in the Bay Area, and
have lived in the desert since May, 2000.
93. I have always lived in a suburban neighborhood.
94. There was a time when I loved cruises. (That time is over.) I've been on 19.
95. I've lived in 7 houses (and two apartments, and a sorority house) in my 55 years.
96. I've worn Shalimar scent for 35 years.
97. I like watching basketball. I can do without football.
98. I speak Italian enough to get by, and keep getting better.
99. I've only seen snow (close enough to touch), 5 times in my life.
100. A perfect day would include: a warm sunny day in the Italian countryside,
overlooking a vineyard, a picnic with Brad, and some paint supplies. Later there
would be pasta.

Ok, I admit, I have always been somewhat Francophobic. It must be genetic. I respect all cultures, but France is NOT a place I have ever yearned to visit. I have NO desire to ever see Paris, and I'm afraid if I ever went to Provence (and I'd probably love it), I would be wishing I was in Italy instead. French food is good. Italian food is wonderful. My friends who love to travel to France insist I need to give it a try. The language, though many think is the most beautiful romance language in the world, makes my skin crawl, and I don't think I could stand a visit for that reason alone. If Brad wants to REALLY bug me, he can scrape his nails on a blackboard, or speak a few words in French. The result is the same. I do give the French credit for good bread, cheese, and croissants.

Here I am in Las Vegas. I am actually feeling very French-friendly. This is good, because we are at the Paris Hotel! Our corner room (can't beat the $57 deal we got) is really lovely, and the view is wonderful. This is what we can see from our bed:

The other window:

We slept with all the drapes open, so this was the first sight I saw when I opened my eyes today:

I've been a Caesar's Palace girl for over 30 years. We have also frequented the Venetian, when we had enough points for a comp room. I love the Bellagio. The Italian -like surroundings, while done in "overdone" and sometimes even tacky Vegas style, work for me. So do the Forum Shops.

The gambling at Paris has allowed me to play for a long time and stay within my daily budget. That is always good! The shopping was weak, at best, but I did manage to find two pair of sandals. This month my book club got me to read a mystery set in the Jewish ghetto of Paris. (Murder in the Marais by Cara Black) I enjoyed the book. Maybe some champagne will help adjust my no-France attitude?

Nah...there's always Prosecco.

I took this photo, as it is not likely that I will ever see the REAL DEAL.

We've been to Vegas several times since the Wynn opened it's doors, but had never seen the hotel (We often stay hermetically sealed inside Caesar's Palace). Steve Wynn (who conceived and executed the Bellagio, Mirage/Treasure Island) sold these properties, and built his own dream palace, The Wynn, in 2005. For more about Steve Wynn, read about his fascinating life here.

Steve Wynn became a billionaire in 2004, and has one of the finest art collections in the world (many pieces scattered throughout the hotel). Unfortunately, Mr. Wynn suffers from an eye disease, retenitis pigmentosa, and is losing his site. In 1993, his daughter was kidnapped, but safely returned for a 1.45 million dollar ransom. The kidnappers were apprehended when they attempted to buy a Ferrari for cash in Newport Beach. Interestingly enough, there is now a Ferrari dealership attatched to the Wynn Hotel!

When you enter the hotel, it is like entering a stunning fairyland of trees draped in white lights. At first glace, it does NOT look, sound, or smell like a smoky casino.
Steve Wynn's artistic sense, using lots of color and light, gives you a calm sense of beauty, and is magical.

The marble floor is embedded with bright, colorful glass tile mosiacs. They are cheerful and match the carpeting throughout the casino areas. Sort of like "the yellow brick road", they made me want to follow, follow, follow... to the shops and restaurants!

After breakfast, and a gambling fix, I will post more Las Vegas fun!

We had breakfast Saturday at the Terrace Restaurant over looking the pool at the Wynn.
Those sunny yellow cups are a great way to start the day. Ok, obviously, since I was dressed and walking, it was my FOURTH cup of coffee.

Then we had a great breakfast.

After breakfast we walked around by the pool.

We threw away $20 each into the video poker machines, and I went shopping. In 10 minutes, I had a VERY cute new bathing suit in a Wynn shopping bag.

Then we found the "Parasol Lounge". Giant parasols hang from the ceiling, but the view looks through a three-story glass to a lake with a huge marble wall of water cascading into it. The picture doesn't do it justice.

We discovered Rosemary's restaurant about eight years ago on a weekend visit to Las Vegas. I was there for a therapy conference during the week, and Brad flew in from Oakland on a Friday. He read an article about up and coming chefs in the Southwest Airlines' magazine. We decided we'd check out Michael and Wendy Jordan's restaurant, far off the strip on Sahara Blvd. We had such an outstanding meal, we were hooked, and have returned every year since. Check out their website here.

We began with a cocktail.

We were brought a tiny appetizer of asparagas bread pudding with balsamic reduction.

For our first course, we shared an appetizer of barbequed shrimp over Maytag blue cheese slaw. (You can also order the delicious slaw as a veggie side dish.)

Hugo’s Texas BBQ Shrimp with Maytag Blue Cheese Slaw
Serves 6

Ingredients:
36 each shrimp peeled and deveined
2 cups shrimp poaching liquid, well seasoned
2 cups Hugo’s Texas BBQ Sauce *recipe follows
½ head green cabbage, shredded thin
1 cup mayonnaise
½ cup Maytag Blue Cheese (plus ¼ cup for garnish)
3 each green onions, shaved thin
To taste fresh ground black pepper and kosher salt

Method:

In a shallow baking dish, combine the shrimp and poaching liquid. Place in the freezer and every 15-30 minutes gently break up the poaching liquid as it begins to freeze. When all the liquid is frozen place the contents into your vacuum bag, remove all the air and seal. Meanwhile set up your steamer and turn heat to low. Place your packet of shrimp into the steamer basket and cover. Cook until done, about 7-15 minutes. In a large bowl combine the cabbage, mayonnaise, blue cheese, ½ the green onions and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper and taste. When the shrimp are ready, cut open the bag and drain well. On large plates put the slaw down first. Place 6 shrimp per plate around the slaw with one on top. Sauce each shrimp with the BBQ and garnish with a little more blue cheese, green onions and black pepper on the rim.

Hugo’s Texas BBQ Sauce
Makes 1 quart

Ingredients:

10 oz Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce
10 oz Kikkoman soy sauce
1 each lemon, juiced/strained
10 oz Hunts tomato puree
4 TBSP dark brown sugar
2 cups heavy whipping cream

Method:

Combine the first 5 ingredients in a small saucepan and on medium heat stir to dissolve the sugar (this is the base). Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes, remove from heat. In a large saucepan heat the cream and simmer just until it begins to coat a spoon. Stir in some of the BBQ base until you like the flavor, usually about equal parts. Bring mixture back to a boil and simmer again until it coats a spoon. Strain through a fine mesh strainer. Hold warm until needed.

Our entrees were a bone-in ribeye with cippolini onions, mushrooms in an amazing apricot reduction sauce, and seared sea scallops on a bed of parsnip-potato puree, with an apple cider beurre blanc, crispy prosciutto, and fried parsnip strips. Fabulous!

We were too full for dessert, but were served a plate of dolci for two (with lemon bars, peanutbutter balls and chocolate bites) with our coffee.

We really enjoyed Tony, our interesting and top notch waiter, who made my evening even more perfect by speaking to me in Italian. Another top notch meal at Rosemary's!

When in a casino, I ONLY play video poker. I have my own "system" and rules for myself.

1. I have a $100 limit (per day in Las Vegas), or per evening when we go to a local casino, and I do NOT go over this. We go to Las Vegas once or twice a year, and to local casinos 3 or 4 times a year.

2. I never drink alcohol when gambling. I nurse a diet Pepsi, or I would get sleepy and stupid.

3. I can usually play at LEAST 2-3 hours on this limit.

4. If I lose my money, I leave, or go do something else until Brad is done.

5. I always place the maximum bet. I play 25 cent machines, so it costs $1.25 per deal.

6. I play in casinos where I will get "points" for future stays, comps, or other "deals".

7. Brad and I both play under one name. For example, at the local casinos, we both play as Brad. In Las Vegas, when at Caesar's Palace(or any casino in the now Harrah's conglomerate), we both play as Palma. At the Venetian, we are both Brad. This allows a couple to combine their play for points.

8. I play for 4 of a kind, I almost never hold cards for a straight, unless I get a "feeling". I am often dealt a straight. I always go for 4 towards a flush. I expect to get 2-4 Four of a KInds in an evening.

9. Now we get to the part that is irrational, and has no logic, except "Palma logic".
If $100 is my limit for the day, I expect, and am prepared to lose it by the end of the evening without disappointment. However, if at the end of the evening, I then have $150, (in reality I have WON $50), I feel like I have WON $150 (having $150 more than I planned). Now $150 goes into the category of "free shopping money"!

10. Brad and I have a deal. We can individually win up to $100. If we win over $100, we split our winnings with our spouse. Two chances to win big. The first time I proposed this, was an Easter Sunday a couple of years ago. We had a nice brunch, and then went to a casino. I proposed the 50% split, and Brad said, "No, let's do 25%."
I won $2000 that day with a beautiful royal flush in hearts. I laughed as I handed him five $100 bills. Then we changed it to 50% for the future!.

On another visit to Las Vegas, we were gambling at Caesar's Palace. Brad won $700 at a machine right behind me. He handed me $350. I pulled my card out of my machine, cashed out, chugged my diet Coke, and grabbed my purse. He asked where I was going. He barely heard me say, "Duh....the Forum Shops, and I know EXACTLY what I'm getting." I was back in 10 minutes with my beautiful Stuart Weitzeman gold sandals (and change).

On a serious note, I am a responsible gambler, but understand the "rush" of winning. Gambling can be a serious addiction. It is quite a problem here in the desert. There are 6 Native American casinos close by. There are lots of retired seniors. Buses pick them up and take them to the casinos. It can be quite a compulsion, leading to financial ruin. Gamblers Anonymous has 20 question "test" to determine is someone's gambling is an addiction. Here is the link.
Other info and how to get help for compulsive gambling is available on their website here.

The new "Palazzo" Hotel opened in Las Vegas last Friday, and we visited it on Saturday. It is the newest luxury property on the Strip, next to it's sister property, the Venetian Hotel and Casino. We apparantly missed the VIP Grand Opening extravaganza, complete with star-studded events, music, fireworks, light show and a concert hosted by Wayne Brady, with performances by Seal, Andy Garcia, the Cineson All-Stars, the cast of Jersey Boys (permenantly playing in the theater) and a performance by Diana Ross. Our invitation must have been lost in the mail.

The hotel is designed to resemble an Italian palace. European ambience and luxury amenities are featured in the spacious suites. There is a stunning atrium, a two-story waterfall, a three-story Barneys New York, and 20 upscale shops and stores (connecting to the existing Venetion Canal Shoppes).

While I have no delusions of paying to STAY there, the restaurant choices are quite spectacular. Featured restaurants include CarneVino by Mario Batali, CUT by Wolfgang Puck, Table 10 by Emeril Lagasse, and Restaurant Charlie by Charlie Trotter!

The Palazzo also has the world's largest Canyon Ranch SpaClub, Jay-Z's signature 40/40 Club, and even the Strip's first Lamborghini dealership.

Rates for two nights in May in a room with a view would run around $900. The cost of a weekend would buy us several nights at a lovely accomodation in Italy. It is a beautiful property, but a no-brainer for our travel budget.

We first saw this one-man Broadway hit, by Rob Becker, ten or eleven years ago in San Francisco, when free tickets were given to all Marriage Family Therapists for a premiere performance. The theme is male-female differences. My jaw hurt from laughing. I went back and saw it again with friends.

We attended a Sunday matinee performance last weekend in Las Vegas, and it is still very funny. The Las Vegas production is performed by comedian, Kevin Burke.

The show has been updated, but is still a "feel good" hour and a half of humor, pointing out some of the reasons men and women have been different since the time of the "hunters and gatherers". You will see couples in the audience poking their spouses and looking at each other like, "Yeah, that's us!" Kevin, while following the script, still interacts with audience members. The description of a couple shopping always has me howling.

Though of course this is a comedy, it may hit very close to home for many couples, allowing us to laugh about gender differences, chuckle at the over-generalizations, and appreciate both our own gender and the opposite sex more than when you walked into the theater! The show is traveling around the country. Go with your spouse, partner, or a group of same-gender friends!

Happy Monday! This is a busy week...four work days, then we are off to the SlowBowl weekend in Paso Robles. For anyone living where it is stormy, cold, wet, or snowy, here is a little sign of spring and sunshine! Brad often runs Saturday errands, coming home with a non-caloric "treat" for me. He says it's "Just 'cause you deserve them!"

I needed to make dinner AND work until 8:45PM. Luckily, I see my clients footsteps from my kitchen, so I could prep everything before 5:00, preheat the oven as my 5:30 client drove up, and run in the house before my 7 PM client to put the pork roast in the oven.

Brad got home at 8, and put in the prepared potatoes and carrots. I was done with clients at 8:45, and we ate at 8:50.

We had pork roast, Cheddar-Sage potatoes, and Jerry's Honey Roasted Carrots.

Cheddar-Sage Potatoes:

3 large russet potatoes, sliced thinly and boiled until tender, drained
1 T. butter
8-10 sage leaves, chopped
1 c. cream (I used half and half)
3 oz. cheddar cheese
3 oz. white cheddar
salt and pepper to taste

Cook sliced potatoes until tender. Saute sage leaves in butter. Layer half the potatoes, half the cheese in a greased 3 quart baking dish. Sprinkle with half the sage, salt and pepper. Repeat with remaining potatoes, cheese, sage, salt and pepper. Pour cream over top. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

I was asked to bring a dessert to a dinner party. I didn't know who all the guests would be, so I decided to bake something I would like, and hope for the best. Of course, there are a NUMBER of recipes I've been wanting to try from Gina DePalma's Dolce Italiano.

I took the liberty of combining a couple recipes into a "custom edition"! I was thinking of a cheese filled tart, and was hooked by the "Three Cheese Tart (with Chocolate and Orange)", combining cream cheese, marcapone, and ricotta. But this recipe called for a chocolate crust, and a chocolate-orange topping, and Palmabella doesn't like chocolate (unless it is overpowered by caramel).

I used Gina's "pasta frolla", a sweet pastry crust I have made before. I "blind baked" it for 25 minutes before adding the cheese filling, then followed the recipe. When cooled, I topped the tart with a VERY SPECIAL jar of Jerry's "Blueberry-meyer lemon preserves" . Perfeto! This creamy (and easy) filling will become a favorite keeper.
I can see it tooped with all kinds of fresh summer fruits or berries in the future!

Last weekend we had a wonderful evening with our friends Fiona and Steve. Also at dinner were Richard and Ted. Some of you may have seen Richard the past two seasons on American Inventor. Richard designed and marketed his product, My Therapy Buddy, a theraputic doll that hugs you and says, "Everything is going to be alright."

Fiona always sets a spectacular table. She used black linens, gold cherubs, TONS of red candles, and a Valentine's theme. Notice the placecards, "crackers", and party favors at each placesetting. After appetizers, we began dinner with a heart-shaped plate of salad with raisins and goat cheese.

Our entree was rice and chicken curry.

I brought dessert, Gina's three cheese tart, with Jerry's Meyer Lemon-Blueberry preserves, that I made that morning. The wine flowed. The conversation and a "party mixer game" were lots of fun!