Palmabella's Passions

Today, February 1st, "National Wear Red Day", is the kickoff of American Heart Month.
We can help build awareness that women are at-risk for heart disease, BUT we can take steps to live healthier lives, and learn more about reducing the risks of heart disease.

The Red Dress is the national symbol for women and heart disease awareness. The National Heart Lung and Blood Institute is sponsering all kinds of events this month.

Wear something RED today!
Take a walk.
Eat some oatmeal.
Read this free booklet:

Here is a great reference, the Healthy Heart Handbook for Women.

Here is a quote I liked from the Handbook:
"The Heart Truth means taking care of yourself and your heart-inside and out. It is a long-term committment and goal to live a healthy life, one that is harmonious."
-Orlinda

My work deals more with the "broken heart", the "lonley heart", and sometimes the
"cold hearted", "chicken hearted", or life's "heartaches".
While you are being "heart smart" by watching cholesterol levels, and eating good food, it is also important to remember to take care of our mental health and "have a heart".

Call a friend you miss and tell them you miss them.
Say "I love you" all the people you want to know that.
Make 5 people smile today.
Tell someone why you appreciate them.
Hug yourself and at least three others.
Say "I'm sorry" to anyone you think should hear that from you.
Thank You for reading my blog!

Last night we kicked off the Paso Robles SLOWBOWL 2008 with vino, friends, and a "Mac and Cheese Smackdown".

We had three yummy Mac and cheese baked versions (by Marcia, Stephanie, and Palma), and even Dave's fried Mac&Cheese cubes! Appetizers, Kim's chili, Wendy's salad, and Colleen's Matzo Crunch rounded out our feast. 34 of us partied, and Deborah served every flavor of liquore imaginable (and some you wouldn't have imagined)!

Here is Shannon with our hostess gift:

For some reason, I've had trouble uploading some photos this morning....and I've tried two wireless places. I know where I can find several MODS to find out why. If I drink ONE more Starbucks Venti, I may die!

Jerry and Paul are in the room next door at the Melody Ranch. I met Jerry at 6:30 AM in my jammies and robe in the parking lot, (out to the car for a freezing smoke), on his way to the first coffee run of the day. There was ICE on the cars, but the sun is shining now.

We had breakfast with Jerry and Paul at the Cowgirl Cafe, so we are ready to hit the wineries. I will check in later...

After everyone was caffinated, or breakfasted, we met at the cottage, or Melody Ranch for the carpools and trolley to begin the wine tasting.

Our first stop as a group was Castoro winery. We had a fabulous lunch, provided by Wendy, Rob, Jerry and Paul and Shannon: lots of cheeses, snacks, condiments, and sandwiches to go with our wine.
What a happy group, AND I was able to "herd" them together for a group photo!

From there, we split into groups to visit either Tablas Creek, Halter Ranch, or Pasolivio (for olive oil tasting and buying). Since I am more of a cook than a drinker, I went for the olive oil, and was delighted to bring home the Olio Nuovo, Lime oil, and Tangerine oil. Yummy recipes to create soon...

We were fading by 3:30, so everyone had a couple of hours of "down time". There was a book enchange, and several shopped or napped. Believe it or not, I was a napper.

We gathered at the cottage by 6 for another amazing array of appetizers, lots of wine, and a wonderful dinner. SLow Travel cooks and bakers really go all out! There was so much good stuff, but MY favorites were Charity's brie with fig preserves, Judy's gorgonzola-fontina polenta with tomato sauce, several yummy chicken-tortilla casseroles, Marci's mushroom ravioli, shrimp and rice bake, Marcia's antipasti salad, and Krista's chocolate decadance. I am leaving so many out, but it was all delicious!

Here are 5 of our MODS together after wine:

Krista made Gina's lemony semolina cookies, so Gina, this photo I took of all the bakers in your fan club, is just for you!

We're off to brunch! More later!

There is something very festive about a group of friends together on a trolley!
This was a great way to travel between wineries. Only Charlie, our driver, had to watch for cars. The rest of us could eat, drink, chatter, sing, take photos, and mostly: LAUGH!
The sun was shining, the sky was blue, and we traveled through the oak tree studded hills passing picturesque vineyards and wineries.

"Clang, clang, clang goes the bell..."

This topic could take DAYS, as I took photos of everyone's food!

We met on Sunday morning for brunch at 10. Going through wine withdrawal, many of us began with their version of peach bellinis.

24 attended brunch, but there were spots for 23 at the table. We originally arrived a little before 10, didn't see many cars, and Brad decided to hit the ATM around the corner. When we got back, right at 10, the table was full, so we sat NEXT to the large group, at "the Naughty Table". If you know Brad and I well, this is very funny, because I am ALWAYS early, and he always gets everywhere "in the nick of time". It turned out fine, as our wonderful friends at the big table, included us in conversations, and we could see everyone, take photos easily, and hear everything that was going on. We were definitely not left out!

The food was amazing: Brad enjoyed his "Shrimp and Grits". I tasted it, in order to prepare for Savannah. It was spicier and yummier and saucier than I was imagining.

I ordered the Crab Cakes Benedict. The two fat crab cakes on top of puff pastry, with eggs and hollandaise were delicious. I really liked the idea of the little puffs of pastry instead of large, filling English muffins. (Remember, I see bread as a VEHICLE for protein or fat.)

Tomorrow I will post more tempting Artisan brunch creations! It was a lovely way to end our weekend before our long drive home. We had great weather until San Bernadino, then hit really ugly rain, very heavy sheets of it, and it was difficult to see the road. The last leg, we were in two cars, as I had left mine in Pasadena on Friday when I picked Brad up at work. We made it home safely, had a quick nap, and saw the exciting end of the Superbowl.

Slow Travelers are not slouches when food is concerned. We have a group of great cooks and good eaters!

After bellinis, part of the group began with an appetizer of "Smoked Gouda and Porter Fondue, garlic toast, andouille sausage, and broccolini". (no photo)

Here are a few more selections of entrees from the Artisan Brunch menu:
"Bananas Foster Malted Waffles, Vermont Maple syrup, Meyers Rum, walnuts, housemage sausages"

"Ranch style eggs, blue corn tortilla chips, Spanish chorizo, avocado, spicy ancho chili gravy"

"Wild mushroom omlet, sweet cream, Cypress Grove Goat Milk Cheddar, pancetta potato cakes"

"Duck Confit Enchiladas, wild mushrooms, tomatillo, lime creme fraiche, black bean gratin"

"Kentucky Hot Brown, house roasted turkey, grilled tomatoes, bacon, cheddar mornay"

Can you see why we were happy and full campers? By the way, the COFFEE was great!

I hopped off the wine Trolley to join others at Pasolivo for the olive oil tasting and tour, and was so glad I did. Brad happily went on to Tablas Creek winery without me, where we joined up a little later.

First we had a brief tour of the processing process, which was brief and informative

Next we entered the tasting room. Though I was full from lunch, that bread dipped in tangerine oil and honey was wonderful! So was the lime oil, and the December '07 green, peppery, "Olio Nuovo".

I was happy with my purchases!

Tomorrow ...my first tangerine oil creation!

I was dying to try my new Tangerine olive oil. I had chicken breasts in the freezer, fresh oranges, and risotto in the pantry. This is what I came up with:

Tangerine-Orange Risotto with Chicken
3 T. Tangerine olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic, chopped
1 1/2 c. arborio (or carnoroli) rice
3 1/2 c. fat-free chicken broth
1/2 can frozen orange juice concentrate
zest from one orange (divided)
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese

2 T. tangerine olive oil
3 chicken breasts
some of the orange zest
salt and pepper to taste

Cook onion and garlic in tangerine olive oil til soft. Add rice, and cook, but do not brown. Stir orange juice concentrate into hot chicken broth, and add to rice in batches, letting each addition soak up liquid before adding more, and stirring between additions.
While risotto is cooking, saute chicken in tangerine oil with salt, pepper, a spoon of orange juice concentrate, and orange zest until browned on both sides. Remove from heat and cut into smaller (bite-sized) chunks. When risotto is finished, stir in orange zest and parmesan cheese. Serve chicken over risotto.

We enjoyed the citrus flavor of the risotto and the chicken.

Easy, and just the way Mom made it!

The key is GOOD CHEDDAR! Depending on where you live, use the best you can get. I like Wisconsin (and I have a source), but NY, Vermont, or Tillamook from Oregon will do.

1. I use TWO POUNDS of cheddar per pan. Yes, I said 2 pounds. If you are worried, don't make this. If you make it, use the cheese. Cut cheese into 1" x1" slices. I counted. I had about 180 slices...not too thick.

2. Make a white sauce (bechamel). I use 3T. of butter, 3T of flour, 1/4 t. salt for each cup of milk. For this batch of 1.5 lbs of penne, I used 4 c. of milk. Melt butter, flour and salt. I also add pepper. Add milk and stir until it boils and thickens. Remove from heat.
*Do NOT use skim milk (I used 2%), but skim milk is what we drink and use in coffee or on cereal. I made myself remember to buy a quart of what we call "real milk"
(While it is cooking, boil your pasta.)

3. Pour half of drained penne into baking dish (9x13). Toss with half of bechamel. Top with 1/3 of cheese. Stir remaining drained pasta into pan of sauce to coat well. Spread in pan. CRAM in the rest of the cheese. Use it all.
It looks like this unbaked:

Bake at 350 for 35-40 min.

I know this is "old news", but we had such a wonderful time at the Slow Bowl, I wanted to give everyone there a bunch of flowers, so here they are, from my yard. I appreciate every one of my Slow Bowl buddies, and here are some of the reasons why:

Shannon: REAL, funny, crazy, and so utterly herself and comfortable in her own skin, it is always refreshing! Besides her talents of organization, and gracious party hostess, Shannon is in the dictionary next to the word COOL (without trying to be).

Deborah: What a delightful treat to meet (again) Deborah's infectious laughter, generosity, and warmth is unparalleled. The "hootch" and gifts were frosting on the party cake. A St Louis GTG will be a must!

Sue and Dave: My "outdoor buds" and always a delight! Dave inspired me to make eggplant parm after 30 years of not eating any of my mom's. Keep cooking! The duckfat fried Mac & cheese, was a kick, (but I only got a bite, because I SHARED the last piece!).

Jill: I am really enjoying Jill's blog, and look forward to introducing her to some of my southern Slow Travel friends in Savannah!

Eden: My pre-ST friend, you are inspiring, encouraging, and always fun to see!

Judy and Bill: I love Judy's wit, dry humor, and I LOVE it when she speaks to me in Italian!!! Bill is just a sweetheart!

Wendy&Rob: The camera twins! Enthusiasm doesn't begin to cover it! I was touched on the ride home from the wineries, at how Wendy spent a good deal of time explaining the Slow Travel community to our trolley driver, Charlie. Friendly and welcoming!

Jerry& Paul: What can I say? I love my nutty bro! He brought me lattes at ungodly morning hours, shared treats and sweets, and it was a pleasure to meet gentle Paul, a wonderful balance to my "naughty twin".

Marcia and Dave: Always fun to know if I'm at a GTG, there will be time to relax and hang out with constant, easy-going friends! We will never run out of stuff to talk about!

Kim & Chris: WooHoo! I finally met Kim and Chris. Some people, though you have just "met", you feel you've known a long time. I enjoy Kim's quick retorts, enthusiasm for fun, and ability to be at ease with anyone. I also enjoyed a late night chat with Chris about the desert, and possible places to live.

Sharon: I love Sharon's smile. It gets even bigger and cuter with wine! She is also a fabulous cook, and we can count on amazing things coming from the kitchen when Sharon is around!

Gloria and Alex: If I was ever feeling lousy about myself, Gloria is who I would call. She ALWAYS makes me feel like a million bucks! It was nice to have Alex join the crowd this year.

Marcie and Pete: Fun, friendly, helpful, (Pete, I saw you do that sink full of dishes!), and I had the treat of seeing the darling cherub-faced kids in the parking lot of Melody Ranch!

Joan and Fred: I love to watch the way Joan and Fred are with each other. They are such a great example of a healthy, loving marriage. We should all watch their easy, calm, thoughtful attention to each other. We will have more fun together at the Gathering!

Colleen: She is SO thoughtful. (I will share on another blog the perfect little gift she brought me!) Fun, tactful, open, and empathetic...all perfect for a Mod!

Beth: Enthusiastic and so happy to be out and about with this group, and a real Slow Travel fan!

Marian:Our Slow Travel Matriarch: I enjoyed having more time to get to visit with Marian this year and also our time at Pasolivo. Thanks for the great cheeses.

Chris and Frank: I enjoy Chris's constant smile and calmness (and of course her yummy baked goods!) I had more of a chance to enjoy Frank and learn about his joy of reading in a discussion of favorite books and authors. I LOVE how he keeps track of books he has read!

Cathy T: What a delight for Brad to find that he and Cathy were classmates from the same high school in Daly City in 19__, well...enough said! We both enjoyed the walk through memory lane with Cathy!

Angie: Great to see you again with your charming guy!

Marta: Friendly, calm, easy Marta. She is always helpful and kind! I love counting on seeing her at the Slowbowl. Marta knows a lot about a LOT of things! I missed George this year.

Luisa and Rose: My closest "neighbor", so why do we only see each other at GTGs? I really enjoyed sipping wine and "hoarding the chair" with Louisa and Rose during our before-dinner chat!

Krista & Steve: Can it be that we met only one year ago at the SlowBowl 1??? They sure FEEL like old easy friends. Krista is a fabulous baker, a helpful friend, and Brad and I love to spend time hanging out with these two friendly "tech savvy" STers!

Darci:Funny, easy-going, and a contagious good mood!

Nancy and Joanne: Sweet, soft-spoken, thoughtful Nancy and Joanne brought me a delicious bottle of fig syrup. The apple salad was the BEST batch ever (and I've sampled three).

Cheryl: I love to listen to Cheryl talk...especially about Italy! Her natural warmth is always evident, from a hug hello, to a quiet conversation.

Charity & Bill: Interesting, curious, and great mixers! I was amazed I was able to resist taking that whole dish of brie and fig preserves to "disappear" into a bedroom somewhere. YUM!

Kathy (Teachick): Our zany "Yoga-Guatemala Girl" always has an adventure to share, a man in pursuit, and is guaranteed to entertain us.

Susa:It was fun to hear about Sue's recent Puglia adventure, and sneak outside in the rain on Saturday.

Stephanie and Greg:Brad and I both were able to enjoy a nice amount of time with Stephanie and Greg, in fun conversation. How cute are their dogs? We'd HAVE to get together when they are in the desert!

I will be blogging about Valentine's Foods all week. Brad assures me, that since we are blogging everyday in February, that he is eating better than usual!

We started things off yesterday with heart-shaped raspberry scones with Jerry's homemade black raspberry preserves. I used my favorite scone mix (hey, I was busy baking bread...), and crammed the dough into a heart cookie cutter on the baking sheet. Repeat.

For lunch: Turkey, bacon, brie panini!

This is a pretty pink-swirled cake for Valentine's Day (especially if there are any other non-chocolate lovers out there).

I used THIS recipe from Williams-Sonoma. I don't have that cute little rose cupcake pan, so I made it in a heart-shaped springform pan. You could dust the top with powdered sugar, and serve it with berries. Berries AND whipped cream...MY favorite! You could be "good", and just have the berries for dessert, and take the cake to work or to a lucky Valentine friend!

A favorite recipe gets a new shape! I posted this LAST February when I fixed this for a book club lunch. This year, I gave it a new shape in my heart-shaped tart pan. This peppery dough makes one of the tastiest savory crusts I've ever had! It really does melt in your mouth, and no mixer or other equipment is necessary.

TART CRUST
The crust can be made ahead and don't forget to chill the dough TWICE (the dough before rolling out, and again in the tart pan).

The filling is quick and easy! I just zapped the asparagus for 3 min. in the microwave.
I may have used a wee bit more than the listed 1 cup of gruyere too (where is that guilty face emoticon?)

FILLING

I had enough dough and filling for an extra mini tart to bake and freeze (and take to work for lunch on a LONG Monday).

We enjoyed half of our tart for a quick dinner with a citrus salad.

I tried this recipe I found on the Williams-Sonoma website. Of course, THERE, they are called CHOCOLATE-Amaretti Heartbreakers. Yes, I deleted the dark chocolate and the coco powder, and doubled the amaretti! No syrup necessary. They are great with just powdered sugar and fruit. The amaretti gives them a very subtle crunch.

Ingredients:
3 large double amaretti (or 6 amaretti from 3
paper-wrapped packets)
2 oz. high-quality bittersweet chocolate
5 Tbs. unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. double-acting baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
Pinch of salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup cocoa, preferably Dutch process
1 1/2 cups milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. almond extract
2 eggs
Confectioners’ sugar, sweetened whipped
cream, ice cream and/or hot fudge sauce for
serving (optional)
Directions:
Place the amaretti and bittersweet chocolate in the work bowl of a food processor or in a blender and process until pulverized; set aside.

Preheat a waffle iron. If you’d like to serve the waffles warm, preheat an oven to 350°F.

Melt the butter; set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, granulated sugar and cocoa. In another bowl, whisk together the milk, vanilla, almond extract and eggs until well blended. Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients and stir with the whisk to combine. Fold in the amaretti-chocolate mixture and the melted butter.

Lightly butter or spray the grids of the waffle iron, if needed. Brush or spray the grids again only if subsequent waffles stick.

Spoon out 1/3 cup of batter (or the amount recommended by the manufacturer’s instructions) onto the hot iron. Use a metal spatula or wooden spoon to spread the batter evenly over the grids. Close the lid and bake until just set. Bake these slightly less than you do other waffles because chocolate has a tendency to burn easily. There’s no need to worry, but you do want to keep an eye on these. Transfer the finished waffles to a cooling rack while you make the rest. If desired, just before serving, warm the waffles briefly, about 2 minutes, in the oven. They’re good at room temperature, too.

Serving: You can present a full five-of-hearts to each person, shaking a dusting of confectioners’ sugar over the entire waffle and then scooping some whipped cream or ice cream onto the center. Hot fudge sauce is both luscious and luxurious over these. Broken into individual hearts and filled with ice cream, these make fabulous sandwiches. Makes about 10 full five-of-hearts or about six 6 1/2-inch round waffles.

Adapted from Waffles from Morning to Midnight, by Dorie Greenspan (Weldon Owen, 2001).

You guessed it...we go all out around our house for this day. In reality, I feel like every day is Valentine's Day. Brad and I have learned to show our love for each other in a way that keeps us constantly aware of how we complete each other, and we both appreciate how special that is and how lucky we are.

It's not ALL luck. Sure, we have our spats, disagreements, tired or irritable moods, and occasional hurt feelings. We handle them pretty well, and we learn from them. We were both blessed with families where we felt loved as children, and learned a lot about what a healthy relationship looked like from our parents' marriages. We weren't ALWAYS this "love smart", but we WERE both in long term first marriages that ended, and we learned what DOESN'T work.

What I teach my couples in therapy about healthy relationships is what we try to live each day. (THAT is at least a weeks worth of blog topics for sometime...) In a nutshell, I believe that there are three key areas in a great marriage:
1. Having a solid friendship: common goals and values, laughing and having fun together, enjoying some of the same things (and respecting different interests or passions), appreciating each other's strengths and accepting each other's limitations, easy companionship and joy of being together.
2. Passion and Romance: Attraction, romantic love, sex, playfulness
3. Intimacy: Trust, respect, communication, being able to feel safe - even when most vulnerable. Intimacy is knowing that you get to be completely yourself (the good, the bad and the ugly), and your partner will still love you, and vice versa.

*In contrast, what will KILL a relationship is criticism, contemptuous looks, blame, control, manipulation, disrespect, dishonesty, lack of responsibility, mistrust, withdrawing attention and affection, and avoiding difficult issues.

Nurture your love. Pay attention to each other. Think about what is good for the "us".
Love yourself. Appreciate. Share feelings. Air problems in a respectful way. "Fight" fairly. Take responsibility. It's really easy!

So lets get back to Valentine's Day festivities!
We give each other numerous cards, with beautiful, "mushy", heartfelt love notes written inside. We exchange a gift. We eat a lovely dinner. We are affectionate. I'll leave the rest to the imagination.

We had our "Valentine Dinner last night, as Brad is home on Wednesdays. I will post photos and recipes of it tomorrow. I promised Valentine food all week, so here is a preview of dessert:

Have a wonderful Valentine's Day!

Our menu was geared for something special, that I could also pull off on a long work day (10 to 6:30 with two 1 hour breaks between clients).

Filet mignon with gorgonzola and balsamic reduction sauce
Polenta hearts with mozzarella and marinara
Broccolini with almonds, bacon and raisins
Chocolate tart

The steaks were all last minute. Sear meat for two minutes per side. Top with crumbled gorgonzola. Bake for 15 minutes in a 450 oven (for medium rare).

I made the polenta in the morning, and left it in a sprayed 9x9 cake pan to chill. While the steaks were searing, I cut hearts and topped them with mozzarella. I baked them right along with the filets and added the microwaved marinara at the last second.

While those steaks and polenta hearts were baking, I sauteed broccolini in a drizzle of oilve oil, adding almonds, raisins, and bacon (that was already cooked).

I made the balsamic reduction during an afternoon break and reheated it. This is my standard recipe:
1 c. balsamic
1/2 c. port wine
3 T. brown sugar
Bring these three ingredients to a boil, and reduce to 1/2 cup. Remove from heat and stir in 2 T. butter until butter melts.

I made the tart crust and filling in the morning before work, then added the chocolate and decorated it during an afternoon break. I used the old standard fruit tart recipe, substituting tempered chocolate for fruit. (I think the chocolate ruins it, but Brad was a happy camper, and this saves me lots of extra calories!)

This is the first BOMB recipe of 2008. It looked good, smelled great, and tasted fine, but the texture was NOT as advertised. I won't bother sharing the recipe (from a bread cookbook).

Brad "Kneaded" a workout.

I was still hopeful.

We each tasted a small slice when it was cooled. The rest went into the trash. But I promised a week's worth of "heart foods", and this is the end of it! Out with the red, and in with the GREEN!

This is what I threw together to try out my new lime olive oil from Pasolivo:
I sauteed some garlic and green onions in 2 T. of the lime oil, then cooked scallops, and added some red chili flakes, lime zest, and salt and pepper. I served it with a spicy chili sauce (mix mayo with a generous pour of Szechwan chili sauce).

We also had a limey orzo salad:
3 c. cooked orzo
zest from one large lime
2 zucchini, grated (raw)
8 oz. grated pepper jack cheese
toss with a little lime olive oil

Another easy, quick dinner!

Last weekend, we went out to dinner with our friends, Fiona and Steve. We tried a new, upscale Italian restaurant in Palm Desert called "La Spiga". The building itself is beautiful, and looks like a lovely Tuscan villa.

We started with a cocktail in the comfortable lounge near the cozy fireplace. They made a great pomegranate martini.

We were seated for dinner on the terrace. It was quite comfortable, as the daytime high was 77 that day, and there were heaters on the patio as it cooled off. The restaurant has a huge "back yard", complete with Italian fountain, covered "smoking area" by an outdoor fireplace for cigar lovers and diehard smokers, and a large herb garden and lawn.

Brad and I shared an appetizer of the "house" homemade Italian sausage. It was spicy, and quite good. (Sorry about the blurry photo, but that was right after the martini and a glass of wine.)

Brad had the seabass, and enjoyed the preparation.

My veal medallions, topped with prawns, topped with mozzarella were fabulous!

Price per couple with a drink, wine and tip: $156.

We gathered just last month at another father's funeral. Yesterday we were in Oakland to say good-bye to Kim's dad.

Kim has been my friend since 1971. We were sorority sisters, roommates after college, and I was maid of honor in Kim and Ed's wedding 28 years ago. During our college years, and later, I often visited Kim's parents' home in Orinda. Kim's dad was always a joy to be around. He was bigger than life, a handsome businessman and ex-FBI agent, who welcomed Kim's friends and always had good stories to share. I have very fond memories of visits to Kim's family's home.

I was looking forward to a "mostly" day off yesterday. I booked just a couple of clients since the agency where I work on Mondays had the President's Day holiday. When I learned the funeral would be on Monday, it only took a few phone calls to rearrange the day. I booked flights in and out of Ontario to Oakland, cancelled clients, and called my other "sisters" to arrange pick-up and drop-off at the Oakland airport.

It was a long day. I left my house at 5:15 AM, drove to Ontario, and flew to Oakland. Joy picked me up at the airport, and we met the rest of the gang at the church. After the service, there was a very nice buffet lunch, and we had some time with Kim. I was back at the Oakland airport by 2:45, and got a 4 PM plane back to Ontario. I was home in the desert by 7.

I am SO glad I was able to be there for Kim. Our presence meant a lot to her. She was very close to her dad, and always a wonderful daughter to him. After a long illness, he is at peace and at rest. Our loyal group of sorority sisters are "the family we have chosen". We are there when one of us needs support or has an occasion to celebrate!

I was hooked completely after reading the first paragraph of Lori Lansen's book, The Girls:

"I have never looked into my sister's eyes. I have never bathed alone. I have never stood stood in the grass at night and raised my arms to a beguiling moon. I've never used an airplane bathroom. Or worn a hat. Or been kissed like that. I've never driven a car. Or slept through the night. Never a private talk. or a solo walk. I've never climbed a tree. Or faded into a crowd. So many things I've never done, but oh, how I've been loved. And, if such things were to be, I'd live a thousand lives as me, to be lived so exponentially."

The Girls was recommended to me by a friend. All I knew was that it was a story of twenty-nine year old conjoined twin women. I bought the book, but I was reading something else, and I like to read only one book at a time. I "snuck a peak" at the first page, and wanted to fling the book I WAS reading out the window, and read The Girls cover to cover!

This is the bittersweet story of the amazing relationship of twin sisters joined at the head. As I quickly finished my bookclub's mystery so I could get back to The Girls, I kept trying to imagine all the physical limitations this would create. How would their individual personalities and be effected by this genetic rarity? I found that the physical issues, while fascinating to imagine, were NOT what was so compelling about the story.

Ruby and Rose's relationship was unique and as close as any two individuals could physically or emotionally be. Their childhood was at times, heartbreaking. They were raised in a very special family and encouraged to pursue their different interests, use each other's strengths, and always to love each other. They grew up to be remarkable young women.

I laughed, I cried, I read parts aloud to Brad, and I was mesmerized by the amazing writing. I had to keep reminding myself that this was fiction, and NOT a memoir, yet the story was so believable, and so wonderful, you just FELT that it was based on real people. The balance of Rose and Ruby's "togetherness" and "individuality" was very well-done. Family members "Aunt Lovey" and "Uncle Stash" were also brought to life in their tiny farm community and on their stressful trip to Slovakia. The Girls was truly a novel about love, courage, incredible patience, acceptance and being "different". It is a book I will not forget.

Crust:

1/3 c. butter
1 c. flour
1/3 c. sugar
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. ginger powder

Heat oven to 350. Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat, stirring until it just begins to foam and turn golden. Remove from heat and stir in flour, sugar, cinnamon and ginger. Mix well with a fork, and press into bottom of an ungreased 9x9 baking pan.

Filling:
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 c. sugar
3/4 t. baking powder
1/4 c. flour
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. ginger powder
2 T. brown sugar
2 apples, peeled and sliced into small chunky cubes (slices cut in half)

Combine first 7 ingredients, then stir in apples to coat. Spread mixture over crust in pan.

Topping:

1/4 c. flour
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. oats
1/4 t. cinnamon
3 T. cold butter, cut into small cubes

Combine all ingredients in a bowl, blending in butter with a fork. Sprinkle crumble mixture over apple mixture in pan. Bake at 350 for 40 min. Cool on rack. Makes 9 servings.

It is raining today! It's a warm spring rain.

The flowers are happy.

It is such a rare event in the desert, that everyone gets very excited. People here (except those natives of the Pacific Northwest) seem to be clueless about how to drive when it is wet. We all have to figure out WHERE is that windsheild wiper knob thingy on the car? I put socks and closed-toed shoes on! (rarer than rain)

The flowers are REALLY happy! Spring is coming! I'm SO ready!

Weekend forecast. Rain gone and mid 70's. 80's by next weekend!

I THINK there is an umbrella somewhere in my hall closet. The last time I used it was sometime in 2003... (in Florence!)

We had a quick dinner. I worked late, and prepared a yummy baked fennel dish that Brad could pop into the oven for a half an hour. I had fresh shrimp cleaned and ready to go. He did the rest.

3 large fennel stalks, (white part cut off core and sliced)
splash of olive oil
1/2 c. cream
3 T. sour cream
1/2 c. grated parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese

Saute fennel in olive oil until tender and slightly browned on each side. Transfer to baking dish. Combine cream, sour cream and half of cheese. Pour over fennel. Top with remaining cheese and bake at 400 for 35 minutes until fennel is tender.

Brad made the shrimp. I saw oil, garlic, and a splash of white wine go into the pan.

We're going to an Oscar Night Party, and I'm bringing dessert!

I made the Mile High Chocolate Cake from January '08 Gourmet Magazine.

Hope dinner is good, as I KNOW I'm not interested in all that chocolate!

I've been "crazy busy" lately, and I'm embarrassed to say, we haven't seen even ONE movie in the last several months! My favorite part of the festivities is the red carpet fashion nonsense!

We attended a fun Oscar Night party last night. A group of about 16 gathered for a great pot luck dinner. We all filled out our ballots, voting for our favorites in each category. We began with wine and appetizers at 5 PM, but the hosts had the TV off (taping) during this period, in order to give guests time to chat, eat, and mingle. Dinner was served, and we began watching the awards without commercials.

I sat in "the peanut gallery", and we had a running commentary on EVERY outfit and actor or actress. I defended the women who were called "too fat to wear that dress", commented on the "poor emaciated skinny waifs" (thank goodness Nicole Kidman was pregnant this year, and looked slightly healthier than usual), the over-abundance of pukey grey dresses, the over or under use of jewelry, and worst outfits of the night. That award went hands down to Tilda Swinton!

Favorites were those is red gowns: the beautiful Anne Hathaway, stunning Katherine Heigl, darling Miley Cyrus, and regal Helen Mirren. I also loved Jessica Alba's gown.

We ate great food, and there were a few surprises. I have a list of movies I want to see. The BIGGEST surprise of the evening was that at 9:10, we had "caught up with the tape" in real time, but the hosts had set the timer until 9 PM, thinking it would be over by then, and Barbara Walters would be on. We were just about to hear who won "Best Actor", when the tape ended!!! We missed "Best Actor", "Best Director", and "Best Movie"!!! Our host quickly ran to the internet to announce somewhat (anticlimactically) who had won these last top categories. The crowd was NOT gracious!

Desserts were a hit at the party, and those who were disappointed by the "abrupt" ending, could have another piece of cake!

This blogging EVERY DAY in February is a challenge. I am out of ideas, and I haven't cooked anything for a couple of days! I did read several blogs last night, and loved this meme from Krista's blog In and Out of the Garden.

This meme was started by bookbabie, and is based on the book: Not Quite What I Was Expecting: Six Word Memoirs by Writers Famous and Obscure.

I didn't think for more than a minute. I wrote my six words impulsively:

"Loving, laughing, passionate, Italian traveler, Palma"

It works as: Loving, laughing, passionate Italian traveler, Palma
OR as: Loving, laughing, passionate, Italian, traveler: Palma
OR even: Loving, laughing, passionate Italian, traveler, Palma

Brad suggested: "A warm, witty, wise, wonderful woman". (He said that during our wedding vows.)

If you would like to try it, sum up YOUR life in exactly six words.
Post it on your blog, and link to the person you got it from as well as bookbabie.

Birthdays are for celebrating!

I celebrated my friend, Jan's birthday with a long leisurely lunch. We went to our "usual" lunch spot, Pacifica restaurant in Palm Desert.

Not only do we often go to the same restaurant, but when we go there, we ALWAYS have the same thing to eat: salad and shared calamari!

Today we chose a simple salad of mixed spring greens, gorgonzola, nuts, cranberries, and a maple vinigarette.

What would a birthday party be without gifts? I'm been saving this for Jan since last July: a ceramic baking dish from Orvieto.

Dessert? Of course! I helped Jan eat the ice cream!

I've been "forced" to endure chocolate desserts since before Valentine's Day! I have been a good girl and baked chocolate treats for others. I don't eat them! I've been craving a light, springy dessert that I will LIKE! I decided to make this for today's book club pot luck lunch (with a slight variation).

Meyer Lemon Cake with Lavender Cream

I followed the recipe using Meyer lemons for both the cake and filling. I also used some of my tangerine olive oil for part of the olive oil in the cake. It looks great.
I did omit the lavender, and used Italian lemon honey and Meyer lemon zest for the whipped cream. I can't wait to try it. I will let you know how it turned out!

Yesterday was this month's book club lunch. We had a great spread for lunch.

You may remember my post of the asparagus tart around Valentine's Day. This time I tried it with zucchini and crumbled Italian sausage.

This month we read a fascinating memoir. I am not terribly fond of most non-fiction (except cookbooks), but this is an amazing story of Greg Mortenson's campaign to educate the children of Pakistan.

David Oliver Relin writes the story of Greg Mortenson, an American mountain climber, on a trek to K2, the most difficult mountain peak in the world. Greg became lost in the Karakoram mountains, and was finally rescued and nursed back to health in the tiny village of Korphe. He wanted to repay the kindness and generosity of these very poor villagers, and saw a young child trying to educate herself by writing with a stick in the dirt. Greg Mortenson vowed to return to build a school for the children of this village.

The remainder of the book tells the incredible story of Greg returning to Berkley, CA, selling everything he owned, and finding a way to fulfill his promise. His mission went from one school to a new career of building more than 55 schools in areas of Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Mortenson's challenges were many! At first he deals with physically getting funding and building materials to this remote mountain village without bridges, transportation, through avalanches and freezing weather conditions. But these problems and the difficult terrain were the least of his challenges. He just wants to help these kids learn. He lived among the people of the region that gave birth to the Taliban and sanctuary to Al Queda. He was kidnapped and held hostage. He believed the road to peace was fighting ignorance and poverty through education for boys AND girls, one village at a time.

As his mission grew, and especially after 9/11, he met with negativity from many Americans for "helping the enemy". His relationships and endless cups of tea with Islamic village elders continued to build peace during a time when the U.S. talked of our "war on terrorism". Greg Mortenson fights the hatred and prejudice that are the causes terrorism by giving young Muslim children a chance to receive a balanced education rather than join an extremist group. He shows readers the spirit of the mass of peace-loving people in the Muslim world. He gives us a way to help too. Absolutely INSPIRATIONAL!

Greg Mortenson was in the desert a couple of weeks ago, and seveal of my book club friends attended his presentation at a local library. Someone in the audience challenged him by saying, "The suicide bombers in 9/11 were educated." Greg smiled and said, "Yes but their mother's weren't." He feels strongly about education for women, and how much influence the mothers have in the culture of these Muslim people. Check out more about Greg Mortenson and his projects!

By the way, dessert was a BIG hit!