A perfect summer salad or light lunch. But don’t wait for warm weather to begin enjoying this delicious recipe. While zucchinis are available in local markets and backyard gardens, it’s been our fall go-to side dish. Initially, I used ...
SAVORY SHRIMP CILANTRO AVOCADO SALAD
Far from the mayo-laden dish of the ’80s, this far lighter shrimp salad is still super flavorful. The salad is brightened it with red onion, jalapeno, fresh cilantro and a light lime/olive oil dressing. Spoon your salad into a romaine ...
Jenn’s Granola Gone Nuts!
I follow a low carb/Keto style diet so this variation on a popular breakfast/snack theme is a perfect fit for me. It’s packed with nuts and seeds and is grain-and sugar-free with only a hint of honey as the perfect sweetener. Beware: it’s easy to ...
Zucchini Lattice Lasagne
Our zucchini production has peaked but you may be lucky enough to have more than you need. Lots left at local/farmer’s markets which I used for the following recipe. I adore lasagne but when made traditionally, it tends to be notoriously ...
SLOW ROASTED TOMATOES
Are you finding that you have far more homegrown tomatoes than you know what to do with? Or simply want to stash away summer’s finest flavors to enjoy during the winter months? Move Over, Sun-Dried Tomatoes! This a far, far more flavorful ...
CUBA! CUBA! CUBA!
“There are more than 11 million reasons to visit Cuba – its people! Cubans are welcoming, proud, resilient, gracious, industrious, and always happy to share a story with a visitor. Cuba’s people are its greatest asset and the most fascinating part of ...
TOUGH TO TOP THIS TOMATO TART!
They are at their peak. Or close to it. Eating ripe, juicy tomatoes is truly a terrific summertime treat, right? Set yourself apart from the pack with this super simple six-ingredient recipe. Tomatoes, Basil. Cheese. Pesto. Store-bought Puff ...
Fresh Figs with Ricotta, Pistachios and Honey
Raising the Bar on Heavenly. Do not miss this truly delicious/super simple/spectacularly beautiful dessert! Many thanks to Nacole for sharing both the dish as well as the recipe. Note that there are only five ingredients. The focus is simply ...
RATATOUILLE: a Summer Stunner!
RATATOUILLE. Not the popular Pixar picture but the soul-satisfying mix of summer vegetables. And for me, it’s a reminder to possibly pair this fun film with my menu. Ratatouille is a perfect complement to other main courses like chicken, salmon or ...
DO NOT MISS THIS INTERVIEW.
Professor Kimberly Prather, PhD, Distinguished Chair in Atmospheric Chemistry at UC San Diego shares the science behind aerosols and the related advice associated with COVID-19. Very well done. Possibly some new info for you, too. Worth sharing with ...
Adventures in Africa
How best to summarize my many trips to Africa? Impossible. Each was a distinctly different and unique adventure. Africa is a land where expectations are consistently exceeded. Every experience, exceptional – trip to trip, day to day, hour to hour, ...
Better Than a Bouquet?
How are florists faring during our pandemic? Sadly, like so many other small businesses, not well. Most local flower shops, considered nonessential businesses, are closed. The virus has disrupted supply chains and forced florists to miss out on ...
Helping Your Garden Grow (almost anywhere)
OK, so you're a gardener or thinking about becoming one. Now that the weather is finally warming up, you can't wait to get out into your garden. Except that you may or may not actually have ground to cultivate. And/or very little ...
Yellowstone: A Winter Wonderland
DON’T MISS THE SHORT VIDEO AT THE END OF THE TEXT! This two million-acre National Park is a must see stop any time of year, but in winter Yellowstone becomes an epic immersive experience. I came to photograph the animals known to mass in lower ...
January in Japan
This would be my last trip before travel came to a screeching halt in January. Who knew that lockdown would be imminent? And I’m extraordinarily happy that I had another opportunity to immerse myself in so much that is quintessential Japan. I came ...
Cruising Along Croatia’s Coastline
DON’T MISS THE SHORT VIDEO AT THE END OF THE TEXT! Ten thousand islands, one thousand miles of coastline on the Adriatic Sea, crystal clear waters, stunningly beautiful scenery, eight National Parks, and ten UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Not bad ...
India: Top of My Travel List
DON’T MISS THE SHORT VIDEO AT THE END OF THE TEXT! Traveling in India is an assault Traveling in India is an assault on all the senses. In a wonderfully expansive way. The chaos is immediate and overwhelming. Everyday sights, sounds and smells ...
Memories of Morocco
If you’re someone who loves color, pattern, texture, architecture, stepping back in time and history, super-welcoming women, a wide variety of landscapes, enjoying some of the world’s more exotic and delicious cuisines, getting lost while shopping ...
Mother’s Day Memories
A flurry of flowers: when too much is just enough! Looking back and enjoying other Mother’s Days while appreciating the ongoing gift that motherhood brings. Being a mom has been and continues to be beyond expectations. And I’m so proud of/delighted ...
Summer Rolls, Streamlined
Summer rolls are surprisingly easy to make once you realize this important fact: There are no rules in the world of Summer/Spring rolls! In this post we’re focusing on rice paper wrappers rolled around fresh crunchy ...
Endless Scents and Sizes!
Imagine a happy flower that loves to grow, drama free. For me, that would be one of the many David Austin roses. They have, for the most part, performed reliably, had vigorous growth, and were disease-resistant with a prolific season-long ...
Navigating The Pandemic as a Parent
Covid-19 has upended family life around the world. Amid coronavirus fears, school closures and shelter-in-place mandates, millions of moms and dads have started spending a lot more time with their kids, in new roles. And it’s NOT ...
An American Classic
Made sooooo much easier with Joe Gitter’s video! I’m definitely onboard today to deal with the dozen eggs cooked and peeled to perfection. An ideal bite between meals or a meal in itself. Do you have a favorite Deviled Eggs recipe? I don’t, so ...
DIY Dinners
I’m a huge fan of participatory meals. People either help with the prep, the cooking or simply assembling the meal. AND I found what I think is a brilliant article that addresses just this subject with lots of terrific concrete, easy-to-assemble, ...
Roasted Chicken with Spicy Herbed Olivada
When your mind, body and soul crave the cozy comfort and the familiar smell of a chicken roasting in the oven, this dish could hit the spot, particularly if you’re a big fan of olives. This one of our family favorites. Super moist and flavorful, I ...
Make Mine a Misaka
This stunning early-blooming peony is one of my all-time favorite spring-blooming flowers. If/when nurseries are able to open in your area, (maybe soon?) you might find this or another equally wonderful peony. Access Monrovia growers here, enter your ...
Bella’s Beet Hummus
Mmmmmmm...magenta! I was introduced to this wildly wonderful pink hummus at a food styling/photography workshop lead by Bella Karragiannidis. This hummus is a vibrant, healthy snack or appetizer. Pair it with vegetables of your choice. Dip in ...
Let’s Celebrate Something!
Let’s celebrate ANYTHING. If Sparkling wine is your go-to beverage on celebratory occasions, you need to know about this gadget. Trust me, I’ve tried them all. NOTHING works as well as this Champagne Opener. Give it as a gift. Or stash several for ...
Banana Walnut Bread
They can be found at your grocery store all year long, are easily stored and come in their own yellow carrying case when you’re on the go! Walnuts star in this easy-to-make, super moist Banana Walnut Bread but feel free to swap those for another ...
Minced in Minutes
If you love garlic as much as I do, your search for speedy dicing is over. This easy-to-use, simple-to-clean device dices peeled garlic into a fine or coarse mince in seconds. All while keeping your counter clean. It’s tough to find in stores but, of ...
Flattening the Curve
“Never let a serious crisis go to waste, they say, so I’m using this time to create a new series, Covid Blues (Art for the Quarantined Soul). Inspired by Picasso during his Blue Period, the 14-day visual diary uses repurposed materials found around ...
Judi Saves the Day!
The sewing machine is on the desk behind me. And it’s now going back into the cabinet. For many reasons: My sewing skills, a wonderful gift of many, many masks (thank you, Mariya) AND this absolutely insane video sent by Judi: Kay’s tutorial on ...
Delete the Duds?
Not so fast! By now you may have exhausted every other shelter-in-place/organize-your-home, option--quite possibly leaving the worst ‘til last. For me, that’s photos. I have boxes and bins as well as online albums and files on numerous, now-defunct ...
Smart Systems For All Sorts of Scenarios
If you’ve lived in earthquake country long enough, you’ve undoubtedly experienced how unnerving seismic shifts can be. We knew that nothing, short of a very large earthquake, could possibly move the several thousand pound stone mantle that Four ...
Good News For Granola Lovers!
It’s one of those foods that deliver impressive numbers in terms of fiber and iron, while nuts and seeds add heart-healthy unsaturated fats and protein. But you have to be a very savvy shopper to find the healthiest ones on the supermarket ...
Many Laugh-Out-Loud Moments
More good news from around the world with John Krasinski. This time John highlights stay-at-home sports and surprises some healthcare heroes as a thank you for their hard work and sacrifice. Made my day! I hope it does yours as well. ...
Great Work, Getty!
“Even though most of us are stuck at home during the quarantine and can’t go out and enjoy art in museums, that doesn’t mean that life has to be boring or uncultured. The Getty Museum in Los Angeles challenged art fans to post photos of themselves ...
Conduit For Craziness
Pretty proud of it, too! Let’s face it: It’s bad out there, but we’re all in this together. And while the spread of this virus is super scary, the world is using humor to curb its spread. How refreshing to see that even during ...
SNL Does It Again!
Nightly News anchor and author, Tom Brokaw coined the phrase. SNL took it to another level. The Amazon Echo Silver is specifically designed for the *greatest generation.” SNL returns social-distancing style – with an all-new at-home edition and ...
Your True Colors
A collective of talented musicians at the leading-edge of contemporary ensemble singing together in self-isolation. So well said and sung, Camden Voices: “In a time of physical isolation, we believe more than ever in creating new ways to stay ...
Bedtime Stories Read Aloud
Known to have once famously quipped, “It costs a lot to look this cheap," Dolly may be blonde but she is anything but dumb. Super savvy and beyond-talented, she reads "The Little Engine That Could" in the first video of her new read-aloud series, ...
Country Roads Take Me Home
You don’t have to be a Huge Country Music Fan to love this video, particularly in light of present-day events and the inability for many to be at home with family during these critical days. “Forever Country” features thirty CMA Award-winning acts ...
Easter From Italy’s Duomo Cathedral
A once-in-a-lifetime, not-to-be-missed, celebration in song and spirit. “On Easter Sunday at 6PM UK, by invitation of the City and of the Duomo Cathedral of Milan, Italian global music icon Andrea Bocelli will give a solo performance representing a ...
Today’s Travel Update
Beyond having enough food and supplies, self quarantine creates other issues. Like a bit boredom, a lot of Netflix and endless browsing the Internet. AND if you love traveling as much as I do, this is the pitts. Now you can take a virtual trip to a ...
Talented Twins Team Up During Lockdown
Twelve-Year-Old Dynamos, Mirko and Valerio, twins from Sicily, put on violin concerts from their living room while in quarantine. “For us, music is a source of relief, and we hope you guys can use it too. ‘Viva la Vida’ by Coldplay seemed ...
Closet Conversations
“California. Day 12 in quarantine. At first, it was OK. It was like a really nice long weekend. And then … madness. There’s too much togetherness…” It’s these laugh-out-loud pieces during difficult times that help keep us all afloat. With a ...
Low Carb Shepherd’s Pie
Many of us are in the mood for a savory comfort-food classic. When that’s the case, Shepherd’s Pie can be super satisfying. This shepherd's pie is a variation on the traditional recipe, with a mashed low carb cauliflower topping instead of ...
Perfectly Peeled Hard-boiled Eggs
There are a million and one tips out there for how to make a hard-boiled egg easier to peel. AND even more questions without answers that actually solve the problem/s. For example: How long does it take to hard boil an egg? How do you boil ...
Rustic Apple Tart
I adore autumn and apple tarts. Fortunately, you don’t have to wait until September to enjoy this super-easy sweet. It’s perfect with coffee in the morning or at the end of the day after dinner. During this unprecedented, stay-at-home event, this is ...
One Exceptionally Wild Ride
Years ago, at the very beginning of our old FP blog I was committed to creating original material to post. Nope, not now. I’m out of words. And many, many others are exceedingly better than I. So, as I find information that could be helpful, ...