So good to be home.....

 

I love to get away for a bit but I am also so glad to get home. We were wined and dined on our cruise and did not have to lift a finger. Decisions were just about what to order off the menu or what to choose from the buffet. I know....sounds hard to take....but we are really homebodies. Part of the excitement of traveling is the food and the presentation of the food. However, the ideas I get now from fellow bloggers are just as wonderful. Martha from Lines from Linderhof was helpful as she shared her Panama Canal trip. Her leisurely Saturday Breakfast was just what we needed for our Sunday Breakfast this week. You can visit her here. Thank you, Martha. Anna Pump's recipe for Baked Eggs can be found here in an article about weekend entertaining.

I lightly buttered the ramekins and dusted them with grated Parmesan cheese. I used milk instead of the cream and then the eggs, more Parm and some salt and pepper. They cooked at 400 degrees for exactly 16 minutes and were perfect.

Fresh orange juice and an English muffin were the perfect companions. We used a dollop of caviar on top but I think until the budget will allow for "good" caviar I shall omit this step next time. 

Jack watched Meet the Press and I caught up on paperwork and email. A lovely day!

Hope you have a wonderful week!

A little time away......

We just got back from a lovely cruise to the Panama Canal and it was wonderful! The trip was most relaxing and I have been quite lazy about getting back into my routine.....

I took my knitting and found a comfortable chair in the most wonderful lounge. I could look at the sights and have wonderful coffee from the cafe and I met quite a few other knitters. 

The food on a cruise is quite good and there is something for everyone and we tried a lot of it!!! We are now having lots of grilled chicken and vegetables!!!!

There was a mushroom cappuccino that was wonderfully presented with a little frothed milk and chives as a garnish.

I am always fascinated with the textures and design on the ship and this cruise did not disappoint.

The ceilings and the floors - all in motion.

When we reached Panama, Jack took a train tour to the Pacific but I stayed on the ship and watched the process from our balcony. Just fascinating.

I am going to try to put together a slideshow of the pictures for my sidebar this weekend (or sometime soon!)

It is always wonderful to get away but we are happy to be back and away from the chocolates at the end of each meal!

Have a wonderful weekend!

A Valentine for you....

Wishing you a Happy Valentine's Day with lots of chocolate!

And maybe some pretty flowers!

The salad was just ducky......

I do not have much experience with duck - either cooking or eating. When I found the frozen duck breasts at the market, I decided the time had come. So Google and I did some research and came up with a salad of fresh greens topped with cherries, slivered almonds, blue cheese and a champagne wine vinaigrette. It was different and delicious. Thank you MyRecipes.com.

The cherries were pitted and halved.

The slivered almonds were toasted slightly over a low heat.

And the salad dressing was assembled.

2 Tablespoons olive oil, 2 Tablespoons Champagne wine vinegar,

1 Tablespoon honey, 1/2 teaspoon salt (I used less) and 1/8 teaspoon pepper were blended together. 

Years ago I bought a Bonjour Caffe Frother. This handy little tool not only will froth milk but helps in making a vinaigrette. The one I have is probably no longer made but the company makes a similar one today.

I set a very simple table.

The white dish is Apilco and the salad plates are Guy Buffet.

Ingredients were assembled. The duck was grilled on top of the stove. Next time was shall cook it outside on the grill so that more of the fat drips off.

And keeping with the cherry theme - what else but a chocolate covered cherry for dessert!

I am joining Beverly at How Sweet the Sound for another Pink Saturday. This week we can share how we show our love. Cooking is a way that we share our love.

Wishing you all a Happy Pink Saturday and a Happy Valentine's Day!

Hearts in a shadow box.....

I saw this idea on a blog and although I believe I bookmarked it, sadly I cannot find it. So, thank you somebody. I have had this shadow box for a long time - just sitting on a shelf. One day while just reading blogs, a woman had cut out lots of hearts and was was folding them and attaching them to a bag. So in the spirit of using up "stuff" I already have, I punched out a bunch of hearts with a heart punch that was still in the box. Because glue was involved I lined the box with card stock (from the shelf of paper).

The hearts were folded in half to create a little dimension and glued in place.

I will display this for Valentine's Day and then perhaps make another display for Mother's Day.

As Martha would say, "It's a good thing!" And I didn't go to the store!