February is kicking my ass.........

Yes, it's the weather.  Yes, it's the crazy work schedules.  Yes, it's the crazy schedules in general. Yes, there was a busted water pipe while we were on what was supposed to be a lovely, relaxing Valentine's weekend.

We had just ordered a lovely bottle of Malbec to sip as we watched the snow fall.  Then, my phone rang.  Pipe busted.  Water everywhere.  Call a plumber. 

 Yes, there was that incredible unexpected ice and snow storm on said lovely relaxing Valentine's weekend.

Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. 

 Yes, there was that big mess to deal with from that busted water pipe which, yes, uncovered some confusing and worrisome problem with some electrical wiring in our basement.  Yes, it's the weather.  Yes, there's my everyday responsibilities and commitments that I've been doing a lousy job meeting .  Yes, it was that little bout with a stomach virus on one of the most inconvenient days possible.  Yes, there was also that little issue with the main bathroom toilet. Yes, it's Carmen's cranky mood.  Yes, yes and yes. 
Yes, there were some good times. 

Our annual Chef's Dinner with Chef Len.  Yes, it was amazing. 

Wonderful friends.  Good food. Perfect wine pairings....

Yes, this was a delicious ending to a wonderful meal with wonderful friends and wonderful wine.....

But, I have to be honest.....there have not been enough good times to cancel out the shitfuck times. 
But, there were some good times.
And, I am so thankful for those good time.
So very thankful.  

Making the most of it in Judiland.....

Today, I am forcing in a good time.....yes, I'm in the kitchen.....
I'm doing something completely crazy.....I am making 3 recipes that I have never tried before.
Never. Ever.  Never.
And, I am serving them to people.
I mean....really?
So, I hesitate to share them with you until I can tell you a little more about them.
But, I figured I needed to shake things up a bit. 
So, I decided to go back to some recipes that I said I was going to try but never got around to it.
Life just got too busy or I wanted to play it safe or I forgot or whatever.  But, I never tried them.
But, today I am going to be brave.
They say you should do one thing a day that frightens you.
Well, today I choose this.....

 The Unknown Menu....

trying to kick February's Ass....

Texas Caviar

Rosemary Chicken Lasagna

Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower

 

Rosemary Chicken Lasagna

by Sylvia Fountaine, Feasting at Home  January-5-2013

A flavorful and comforting recipe, that is easy to make, using egg roll wrappers.

Ingredients:

Filling:
1 1/2 lbs chicken breast, cut into bite size, 1/2 inch pieces ( or replace with 1 lb wild mushrooms)
8 oz sliced mushrooms (optional- or replace with 8 oz more chicken)
1/2 red onion- diced
8 cloves garlic -chopped
1 T fresh rosemary- chopped
1/2 tsp kosher salt -plus two generous pinches for chicken
cracked pepper
1-2 C packed, chopped fresh spinach ( or arugula)
2 T olive oil
---
12 oz fresh mozzarella, cut into 1/2 inch pieces, divided -saving 4 oz for béchamel
15 oz whole milk ricotta
3/4 C Parmesan
lemon zest 1T
1 package egg roll wrappers, or fresh pasta sheets

Bechamel Ingredients:
4 T butter ( or olive oil)
4 T flour
1 T fresh rosemary, chopped
3 C hot whole milk
1 1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp white pepper

Truffle oil- optional

Note: Kosher salt is less salty than table salt. If using regular table salt you will need less.

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400F
1. Cut chicken into 1/2 inch, bite size pieces. Season with 2 generous three finger pinches of kosher salt and cracked pepper. Saute in a skillet, on medium heat, with 1-2 T oil until golden brown, and cooked through. Place chicken in a bowl and set aside. In the same pan, saute diced onion until tender, on med high heat, about 5 min. You may need to add a little more oil. Add garlic, lower heat to medium, saute 2 minutes. Add rosemary, mushrooms, 1/2 tsp kosher salt and lower heat to med low, and saute until mushrooms release liquid and are tender, about 10 minutes. Add chopped spinach, stir until wilted and add chicken. Set aside.

2. Make Bechamel Sauce:
In a small pot, melt butter on med low heat. Add flour and stir for five minutes on med heat until flour is golden. Whisk in a cup of hot milk at a time. Add Rosemary and bring to a boil, do not leave unattended, stirring constantly. Add 4 oz. mozzarella and stir until melted and thickened. Add salt, nutmeg and white pepper. Simmer for a few minutes,  then set aside.

3. Assemble Lasagna. Use fresh pasta sheets if possible. If not available, substitute large egg roll wrappers. Butter or grease a 8x 12 in pan. Pour 1/2 C bechamel sauce in the bottom and spread out. Lay down one layer of fresh pasta sheet or egg roll wrappers. Using a teaspoon, place teaspoon sized dollops of ricotta, using up about half the container. Spread out the 1/2 of the chicken mushroom filling, Drizzle 1/2 C bechemal, sprinkle 1/4 C Parmesan, and 4 oz of the fresh mozzarella and half of the lemon zest. Repeat, adding another single layer of pasta, lightly pressing down. Add dollops of ricotta, the remainder of the chicken mushroom filling, 1/2 C bechamel, the remaining mozzarella, 1/4 C Parmesan and remaining lemon zest. At this point, you could drizzle with a little truffle oil. Top with the last layer of pasta ( or egg roll wrapper) pour the remainder of the bechamel, spreading evenly. Add the final 1/4 C of Parmesan. Sprinkle with a little rosemary.

4. Bake covered tightly with foil in a 400F oven for 40 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Remove foil and bake uncovered until top is golden, about 10 more minutes. Let rest out of the oven 10-15 minutes before cutting, so it sets up.

Yield: 8

- See more at: http://www.feastingathome.com/2013/01/rosemary-chicken-lasagna.html#sthash.NpRsefY2.dpuf

Rosemary Chicken Lasagna

by Sylvia Fountaine, Feasting at Home  January-5-2013

A flavorful and comforting recipe, that is easy to make, using egg roll wrappers.

Ingredients:

Filling:
1 1/2 lbs chicken breast, cut into bite size, 1/2 inch pieces ( or replace with 1 lb wild mushrooms)
8 oz sliced mushrooms (optional- or replace with 8 oz more chicken)
1/2 red onion- diced
8 cloves garlic -chopped
1 T fresh rosemary- chopped
1/2 tsp kosher salt -plus two generous pinches for chicken
cracked pepper
1-2 C packed, chopped fresh spinach ( or arugula)
2 T olive oil
---
12 oz fresh mozzarella, cut into 1/2 inch pieces, divided -saving 4 oz for béchamel
15 oz whole milk ricotta
3/4 C Parmesan
lemon zest 1T
1 package egg roll wrappers, or fresh pasta sheets

Bechamel Ingredients:
4 T butter ( or olive oil)
4 T flour
1 T fresh rosemary, chopped
3 C hot whole milk
1 1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp white pepper

Truffle oil- optional

Note: Kosher salt is less salty than table salt. If using regular table salt you will need less.

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400F
1. Cut chicken into 1/2 inch, bite size pieces. Season with 2 generous three finger pinches of kosher salt and cracked pepper. Saute in a skillet, on medium heat, with 1-2 T oil until golden brown, and cooked through. Place chicken in a bowl and set aside. In the same pan, saute diced onion until tender, on med high heat, about 5 min. You may need to add a little more oil. Add garlic, lower heat to medium, saute 2 minutes. Add rosemary, mushrooms, 1/2 tsp kosher salt and lower heat to med low, and saute until mushrooms release liquid and are tender, about 10 minutes. Add chopped spinach, stir until wilted and add chicken. Set aside.

2. Make Bechamel Sauce:
In a small pot, melt butter on med low heat. Add flour and stir for five minutes on med heat until flour is golden. Whisk in a cup of hot milk at a time. Add Rosemary and bring to a boil, do not leave unattended, stirring constantly. Add 4 oz. mozzarella and stir until melted and thickened. Add salt, nutmeg and white pepper. Simmer for a few minutes,  then set aside.

3. Assemble Lasagna. Use fresh pasta sheets if possible. If not available, substitute large egg roll wrappers. Butter or grease a 8x 12 in pan. Pour 1/2 C bechamel sauce in the bottom and spread out. Lay down one layer of fresh pasta sheet or egg roll wrappers. Using a teaspoon, place teaspoon sized dollops of ricotta, using up about half the container. Spread out the 1/2 of the chicken mushroom filling, Drizzle 1/2 C bechemal, sprinkle 1/4 C Parmesan, and 4 oz of the fresh mozzarella and half of the lemon zest. Repeat, adding another single layer of pasta, lightly pressing down. Add dollops of ricotta, the remainder of the chicken mushroom filling, 1/2 C bechamel, the remaining mozzarella, 1/4 C Parmesan and remaining lemon zest. At this point, you could drizzle with a little truffle oil. Top with the last layer of pasta ( or egg roll wrapper) pour the remainder of the bechamel, spreading evenly. Add the final 1/4 C of Parmesan. Sprinkle with a little rosemary.

4. Bake covered tightly with foil in a 400F oven for 40 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Remove foil and bake uncovered until top is golden, about 10 more minutes. Let rest out of the oven 10-15 minutes before cutting, so it sets up.

Yield: 8

- See more at: http://www.feastingathome.com/2013/01/rosemary-chicken-lasagna.html#sthash.NpRsefY2.dpuf

Rosemary Chicken Lasagna

by Sylvia Fountaine, Feasting at Home  January-5-2013

A flavorful and comforting recipe, that is easy to make, using egg roll wrappers.

Ingredients:

Filling:
1 1/2 lbs chicken breast, cut into bite size, 1/2 inch pieces ( or replace with 1 lb wild mushrooms)
8 oz sliced mushrooms (optional- or replace with 8 oz more chicken)
1/2 red onion- diced
8 cloves garlic -chopped
1 T fresh rosemary- chopped
1/2 tsp kosher salt -plus two generous pinches for chicken
cracked pepper
1-2 C packed, chopped fresh spinach ( or arugula)
2 T olive oil
---
12 oz fresh mozzarella, cut into 1/2 inch pieces, divided -saving 4 oz for béchamel
15 oz whole milk ricotta
3/4 C Parmesan
lemon zest 1T
1 package egg roll wrappers, or fresh pasta sheets

Bechamel Ingredients:
4 T butter ( or olive oil)
4 T flour
1 T fresh rosemary, chopped
3 C hot whole milk
1 1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp white pepper

Truffle oil- optional

Note: Kosher salt is less salty than table salt. If using regular table salt you will need less.

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400F
1. Cut chicken into 1/2 inch, bite size pieces. Season with 2 generous three finger pinches of kosher salt and cracked pepper. Saute in a skillet, on medium heat, with 1-2 T oil until golden brown, and cooked through. Place chicken in a bowl and set aside. In the same pan, saute diced onion until tender, on med high heat, about 5 min. You may need to add a little more oil. Add garlic, lower heat to medium, saute 2 minutes. Add rosemary, mushrooms, 1/2 tsp kosher salt and lower heat to med low, and saute until mushrooms release liquid and are tender, about 10 minutes. Add chopped spinach, stir until wilted and add chicken. Set aside.

2. Make Bechamel Sauce:
In a small pot, melt butter on med low heat. Add flour and stir for five minutes on med heat until flour is golden. Whisk in a cup of hot milk at a time. Add Rosemary and bring to a boil, do not leave unattended, stirring constantly. Add 4 oz. mozzarella and stir until melted and thickened. Add salt, nutmeg and white pepper. Simmer for a few minutes,  then set aside.

3. Assemble Lasagna. Use fresh pasta sheets if possible. If not available, substitute large egg roll wrappers. Butter or grease a 8x 12 in pan. Pour 1/2 C bechamel sauce in the bottom and spread out. Lay down one layer of fresh pasta sheet or egg roll wrappers. Using a teaspoon, place teaspoon sized dollops of ricotta, using up about half the container. Spread out the 1/2 of the chicken mushroom filling, Drizzle 1/2 C bechemal, sprinkle 1/4 C Parmesan, and 4 oz of the fresh mozzarella and half of the lemon zest. Repeat, adding another single layer of pasta, lightly pressing down. Add dollops of ricotta, the remainder of the chicken mushroom filling, 1/2 C bechamel, the remaining mozzarella, 1/4 C Parmesan and remaining lemon zest. At this point, you could drizzle with a little truffle oil. Top with the last layer of pasta ( or egg roll wrapper) pour the remainder of the bechamel, spreading evenly. Add the final 1/4 C of Parmesan. Sprinkle with a little rosemary.

4. Bake covered tightly with foil in a 400F oven for 40 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Remove foil and bake uncovered until top is golden, about 10 more minutes. Let rest out of the oven 10-15 minutes before cutting, so it sets up.

Yield: 8

- See more at: http://www.feastingathome.com/2013/01/rosemary-chicken-lasagna.html#sthash.NpRsefY2.dpuf

Rosemary Chicken Lasagna

by Sylvia Fountaine, Feasting at Home  January-5-2013

A flavorful and comforting recipe, that is easy to make, using egg roll wrappers.

Ingredients:

Filling:
1 1/2 lbs chicken breast, cut into bite size, 1/2 inch pieces ( or replace with 1 lb wild mushrooms)
8 oz sliced mushrooms (optional- or replace with 8 oz more chicken)
1/2 red onion- diced
8 cloves garlic -chopped
1 T fresh rosemary- chopped
1/2 tsp kosher salt -plus two generous pinches for chicken
cracked pepper
1-2 C packed, chopped fresh spinach ( or arugula)
2 T olive oil
---
12 oz fresh mozzarella, cut into 1/2 inch pieces, divided -saving 4 oz for béchamel
15 oz whole milk ricotta
3/4 C Parmesan
lemon zest 1T
1 package egg roll wrappers, or fresh pasta sheets

Bechamel Ingredients:
4 T butter ( or olive oil)
4 T flour
1 T fresh rosemary, chopped
3 C hot whole milk
1 1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp white pepper

Truffle oil- optional

Note: Kosher salt is less salty than table salt. If using regular table salt you will need less.

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400F
1. Cut chicken into 1/2 inch, bite size pieces. Season with 2 generous three finger pinches of kosher salt and cracked pepper. Saute in a skillet, on medium heat, with 1-2 T oil until golden brown, and cooked through. Place chicken in a bowl and set aside. In the same pan, saute diced onion until tender, on med high heat, about 5 min. You may need to add a little more oil. Add garlic, lower heat to medium, saute 2 minutes. Add rosemary, mushrooms, 1/2 tsp kosher salt and lower heat to med low, and saute until mushrooms release liquid and are tender, about 10 minutes. Add chopped spinach, stir until wilted and add chicken. Set aside.

2. Make Bechamel Sauce:
In a small pot, melt butter on med low heat. Add flour and stir for five minutes on med heat until flour is golden. Whisk in a cup of hot milk at a time. Add Rosemary and bring to a boil, do not leave unattended, stirring constantly. Add 4 oz. mozzarella and stir until melted and thickened. Add salt, nutmeg and white pepper. Simmer for a few minutes,  then set aside.

3. Assemble Lasagna. Use fresh pasta sheets if possible. If not available, substitute large egg roll wrappers. Butter or grease a 8x 12 in pan. Pour 1/2 C bechamel sauce in the bottom and spread out. Lay down one layer of fresh pasta sheet or egg roll wrappers. Using a teaspoon, place teaspoon sized dollops of ricotta, using up about half the container. Spread out the 1/2 of the chicken mushroom filling, Drizzle 1/2 C bechemal, sprinkle 1/4 C Parmesan, and 4 oz of the fresh mozzarella and half of the lemon zest. Repeat, adding another single layer of pasta, lightly pressing down. Add dollops of ricotta, the remainder of the chicken mushroom filling, 1/2 C bechamel, the remaining mozzarella, 1/4 C Parmesan and remaining lemon zest. At this point, you could drizzle with a little truffle oil. Top with the last layer of pasta ( or egg roll wrapper) pour the remainder of the bechamel, spreading evenly. Add the final 1/4 C of Parmesan. Sprinkle with a little rosemary.

4. Bake covered tightly with foil in a 400F oven for 40 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Remove foil and bake uncovered until top is golden, about 10 more minutes. Let rest out of the oven 10-15 minutes before cutting, so it sets up.

Yield: 8

- See more at: http://www.feastingathome.com/2013/01/rosemary-chicken-lasagna.html#sthash.NpRsefY2.dpuf

Rosemary Chicken Lasagna

by Sylvia Fountaine, Feasting at Home  January-5-2013

A flavorful and comforting recipe, that is easy to make, using egg roll wrappers.

Ingredients:

Filling:
1 1/2 lbs chicken breast, cut into bite size, 1/2 inch pieces ( or replace with 1 lb wild mushrooms)
8 oz sliced mushrooms (optional- or replace with 8 oz more chicken)
1/2 red onion- diced
8 cloves garlic -chopped
1 T fresh rosemary- chopped
1/2 tsp kosher salt -plus two generous pinches for chicken
cracked pepper
1-2 C packed, chopped fresh spinach ( or arugula)
2 T olive oil
---
12 oz fresh mozzarella, cut into 1/2 inch pieces, divided -saving 4 oz for béchamel
15 oz whole milk ricotta
3/4 C Parmesan
lemon zest 1T
1 package egg roll wrappers, or fresh pasta sheets

Bechamel Ingredients:
4 T butter ( or olive oil)
4 T flour
1 T fresh rosemary, chopped
3 C hot whole milk
1 1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp white pepper

Truffle oil- optional

Note: Kosher salt is less salty than table salt. If using regular table salt you will need less.

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400F
1. Cut chicken into 1/2 inch, bite size pieces. Season with 2 generous three finger pinches of kosher salt and cracked pepper. Saute in a skillet, on medium heat, with 1-2 T oil until golden brown, and cooked through. Place chicken in a bowl and set aside. In the same pan, saute diced onion until tender, on med high heat, about 5 min. You may need to add a little more oil. Add garlic, lower heat to medium, saute 2 minutes. Add rosemary, mushrooms, 1/2 tsp kosher salt and lower heat to med low, and saute until mushrooms release liquid and are tender, about 10 minutes. Add chopped spinach, stir until wilted and add chicken. Set aside.

2. Make Bechamel Sauce:
In a small pot, melt butter on med low heat. Add flour and stir for five minutes on med heat until flour is golden. Whisk in a cup of hot milk at a time. Add Rosemary and bring to a boil, do not leave unattended, stirring constantly. Add 4 oz. mozzarella and stir until melted and thickened. Add salt, nutmeg and white pepper. Simmer for a few minutes,  then set aside.

3. Assemble Lasagna. Use fresh pasta sheets if possible. If not available, substitute large egg roll wrappers. Butter or grease a 8x 12 in pan. Pour 1/2 C bechamel sauce in the bottom and spread out. Lay down one layer of fresh pasta sheet or egg roll wrappers. Using a teaspoon, place teaspoon sized dollops of ricotta, using up about half the container. Spread out the 1/2 of the chicken mushroom filling, Drizzle 1/2 C bechemal, sprinkle 1/4 C Parmesan, and 4 oz of the fresh mozzarella and half of the lemon zest. Repeat, adding another single layer of pasta, lightly pressing down. Add dollops of ricotta, the remainder of the chicken mushroom filling, 1/2 C bechamel, the remaining mozzarella, 1/4 C Parmesan and remaining lemon zest. At this point, you could drizzle with a little truffle oil. Top with the last layer of pasta ( or egg roll wrapper) pour the remainder of the bechamel, spreading evenly. Add the final 1/4 C of Parmesan. Sprinkle with a little rosemary.

4. Bake covered tightly with foil in a 400F oven for 40 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Remove foil and bake uncovered until top is golden, about 10 more minutes. Let rest out of the oven 10-15 minutes before cutting, so it sets up.

Yield: 8

- See more at: http://www.feastingathome.com/2013/01/rosemary-chicken-lasagna.html#sthash.NpRsefY2.dpuf

Rosemary Chicken Lasagna

by Sylvia Fountaine, Feasting at Home  January-5-2013

A flavorful and comforting recipe, that is easy to make, using egg roll wrappers.

Ingredients:

Filling:
1 1/2 lbs chicken breast, cut into bite size, 1/2 inch pieces ( or replace with 1 lb wild mushrooms)
8 oz sliced mushrooms (optional- or replace with 8 oz more chicken)
1/2 red onion- diced
8 cloves garlic -chopped
1 T fresh rosemary- chopped
1/2 tsp kosher salt -plus two generous pinches for chicken
cracked pepper
1-2 C packed, chopped fresh spinach ( or arugula)
2 T olive oil
---
12 oz fresh mozzarella, cut into 1/2 inch pieces, divided -saving 4 oz for béchamel
15 oz whole milk ricotta
3/4 C Parmesan
lemon zest 1T
1 package egg roll wrappers, or fresh pasta sheets

Bechamel Ingredients:
4 T butter ( or olive oil)
4 T flour
1 T fresh rosemary, chopped
3 C hot whole milk
1 1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp white pepper

Truffle oil- optional

Note: Kosher salt is less salty than table salt. If using regular table salt you will need less.

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400F
1. Cut chicken into 1/2 inch, bite size pieces. Season with 2 generous three finger pinches of kosher salt and cracked pepper. Saute in a skillet, on medium heat, with 1-2 T oil until golden brown, and cooked through. Place chicken in a bowl and set aside. In the same pan, saute diced onion until tender, on med high heat, about 5 min. You may need to add a little more oil. Add garlic, lower heat to medium, saute 2 minutes. Add rosemary, mushrooms, 1/2 tsp kosher salt and lower heat to med low, and saute until mushrooms release liquid and are tender, about 10 minutes. Add chopped spinach, stir until wilted and add chicken. Set aside.

2. Make Bechamel Sauce:
In a small pot, melt butter on med low heat. Add flour and stir for five minutes on med heat until flour is golden. Whisk in a cup of hot milk at a time. Add Rosemary and bring to a boil, do not leave unattended, stirring constantly. Add 4 oz. mozzarella and stir until melted and thickened. Add salt, nutmeg and white pepper. Simmer for a few minutes,  then set aside.

3. Assemble Lasagna. Use fresh pasta sheets if possible. If not available, substitute large egg roll wrappers. Butter or grease a 8x 12 in pan. Pour 1/2 C bechamel sauce in the bottom and spread out. Lay down one layer of fresh pasta sheet or egg roll wrappers. Using a teaspoon, place teaspoon sized dollops of ricotta, using up about half the container. Spread out the 1/2 of the chicken mushroom filling, Drizzle 1/2 C bechemal, sprinkle 1/4 C Parmesan, and 4 oz of the fresh mozzarella and half of the lemon zest. Repeat, adding another single layer of pasta, lightly pressing down. Add dollops of ricotta, the remainder of the chicken mushroom filling, 1/2 C bechamel, the remaining mozzarella, 1/4 C Parmesan and remaining lemon zest. At this point, you could drizzle with a little truffle oil. Top with the last layer of pasta ( or egg roll wrapper) pour the remainder of the bechamel, spreading evenly. Add the final 1/4 C of Parmesan. Sprinkle with a little rosemary.

4. Bake covered tightly with foil in a 400F oven for 40 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Remove foil and bake uncovered until top is golden, about 10 more minutes. Let rest out of the oven 10-15 minutes before cutting, so it sets up.

Yield: 8

- See more at: http://www.feastingathome.com/2013/01/rosemary-chicken-lasagna.html#sthash.NpRsefY2.dpuf

Nothing to do on Valentine's Day?

This looks like it might be kinda fun.....

Well, it was just a thought!

Happy Valentine's Day! 

 I hope your day is filled with fun and love.  

as for me, I'm taking my fun and love on a little road trip......

You just gotta get up every morning with a smile on your face.....

and......that's been a bit of a problem lately.....

It's been one helluva winter.......

So, I'm just not going to talk about that.  
However, speaking of the things you gotta do when you get up every morning....I figured I'd share this little story with you....

Even though I said I wasn't going to talk about winter....I have to set the scene for my little story....

One frigid, icey morning last week when it was imperative that I arrive at the office at some ungodly hour of the morning--there just so happened to be a main water line break on the exact road that I needed to take to drive to work.  Even though I had planned on driving.....knowing that a good portion of  the road would be closed and being a bit concerned about the treacherous morning commute before the plows and salt trucks got to the roads, I decided it was best to take the trolley.   Unfortunately, no sooner did I make that decision....the early morning newscaster announced that the ice had brought down the trolley lines.   So, if I didn't want to drive-- I would be relegated to taking a bus.   But, that left me with quite a conundrum--the bus has to travel at least part of the road that was closed due to the main water line break.   The good news was that the bus doesn't have to travel the entire route to the tunnels since it has a special bus lane that takes it around the tunnels.   So, in the end, I figured that the bus was a better option than the car.
Thankfully, the bus stop is about 100 yards from my house.  And, even with the cold and ice, the bus was only a few minutes late.  I tucked myself in beside a neighbor and off we went...exchanging a few pleasantries and chit chat as we drove through the dark and icey streets.   Things were going pretty well until we hit an unexpected traffic detour caused by the waterline break.  The driver announced that he would have to radio in to figure out where he was to go.  So, he pulled off to the side of the road and the wait began..... 
The only thing left to do was to either answer work emails or surf through Facebook on my phone or enter into a chat session with my neighbor who I was sharing a seat with.  After about 20 minutes of doing the online stuff, my neighbor lifted her head from her book and sighed "This is definitely going to ruin my diet today!"    "I hear you!"  I said with understanding.  "I can't stop thinking about going to Dunkin' Donuts as soon as I get off this damn bus!"  she said with some measure of disgust.  "I might come with you!"  I laughed a bit.  "How does anyone stay on a diet?  How can I keep off the 5 pounds I lost since January 1 if I want to eat 5 pounds of donuts?"  she asked me--half joking, half serious.  "It's tough," commiserated.  "You know, I have to ask you---I know you lost a lot of weight since I met you.  How do you keep it off?"  she asked rather sheepishly.  I wasn't sure if I wanted to tell her my Lap band story but I didn't want to NOT say something helpful.  I thought for a minute about what I could possibly say that was truthful and helpful.   Then, I remembered one of the most important and long lasting piece of my success---and it has nothing to do with what I eat or don't eat.  "You know, it's the first thing I thing about when I get up the morning--keeping this weight off has to be part of my life--every single day--from the minute I wake up until when my day ends."  I told her with conviction.   I was being truthful....except I didn't mention that my Lap band is part of my first morning thought and many of my thoughts throughout the day until I lay my head down to sleep.  Some days I am successful in doing what I need to do and other days....notsomuch.  But....as long as I wake up with that as my first thought and keep it with me, I feel empowered.   She thought about it for a moment..."You know, I never thought of that..." she mused a bit.  "Yeah, I think that's been a big part of how I've been able to keep this weight off.  And, it was just as important when I was losing the weight too,"  I shared with her.  As I heard myself say these things, I realized that this was the best advice I could give anyone to help them be successful in losing weight or keeping it off or in making any major change in their lives.  We don't have to be perfect....we just have to make it a priority commitment--every single day.  "You know, I know that sounds hard but trust me, once you do it for awhile and you see results, it becomes a habit !"  I encouraged her.   "Thanks.  I am glad you didn't tell me that I'd have to follow some crazy diet!"  she said.  "Nope.  It's not always about the food....." I told her, my voice trailing off  in wonderment at my own words and wondering if someone would have given me this advice many years ago if I would have been able to do it.  I guess I'll never know.  
I may not be waking every morning with a smile but I am waking up every morning knowing what's important that day....and every day.   Hopefully, my neighbor can do the same.
Somewhere deep inside of me, I was thankful for that water main break.  It allowed me to once again realize just how my Lap band has changed my life....

Winter can stop now. 

Get the SKINNY......

I heard there's SKINNY news in Judiland! 

Yes, blog friends....there's incredibly exciting SKINNY news here in Judiland. 
In fact, I am in SKINNY heaven and I can't wait to share with all of you. 
I just hope you are as excited and over the moon as I am about it all. 
First, I must apologize for being away from Stories from the Road for so long.  I wish I could tell you that I was just dancing all over Judiland celebrating my SKINNY news but that would be a bold faced lie.   I might have been fantasizing about dancing and celebrating while I was fighting the elements of winter while I was eating, drinking and sleeping work, work, work.   But, I'm pretty sure I was fantasizing about winning the lottery and moving to a Caribbean island.....

Without further adieu......
I bring you the most exciting  SKINNY news in the JEANS and PASTA category of the past 7 years!!!
Trust me, it might sound like minor news but I assure you friends, this news ranks up there with finding a new gin to love.  That's not minor!   Because, you know that I do lots of research and testing when I am on a mission to uncover the little necessary luxuries in life.  
My research and testing on two very necessary luxuries in life--- PASTA and JEANS---has led me to two fabulous finds that have rocked my world.   And, I mean ROCKED MY WORLD. 

First, let's talk SKINNY JEANS.......
Finding the best SKINNY JEANS is not an easy task.  It takes a very determined woman with a little disposable income and some shopping time on her hands to make it happen.  You have to kiss a lot of frogs try on and purchase a lot of jeans and  scream a lot endure a lot of heartache while conducting this quest.  But---if you are patient enough and willing to suffer for SKINNY JEAN LOVE....it's worth it when you finally find that one amazing pair that just works like they were made for you and only you!   That's what happened for me when I came in contact with these beautiful, perfectly wonderful fabulastic RELAXED SKINNY JEANS .  They are boyfriend jeans and skinny jeans rolled into one.  Why didn't someone think of this sooner?   And, if they did....why didn't they tell me about it?   I love, love boyfriend jeans and I love skinny jeans.   Sometimes I am not crazy about how either of them look on me but I love the look of both.   Putting them both together--to give me more room in the hips but that slender look on the legs.....woo-hoo.  I mean WOO-HOO!!!   These are an amazing pair of jeans.  Thank you LOFT!   But...here's the best part and the reason why I just had to share this with you---these SKINNY JEANS are not just made for me.   No. No. No.  I sent a total of 4 gal pals to check them out---all of them with quite different bodies and ranging in age between 42 and 63.   And, guess what?  They are all living in SKINNY JEAN heaven too.  
Pretty great SKINNY news, don't you think?

Okay, now, let's talk SKINNY PASTA.  
I might have mentioned it once or twice or a gadzillion times that I am married to a full Italian, my mother and her entire family is full Italian and I was raised on amazing Italian food cooked by wonderful Italian women and that I love, love, love to cook Italian food.  As a matter of fact--much of my weight gain over the years can be directly attributed to pasta.  Pounds and pounds of every shape and size of pasta.  I adored it covered in red sauces, garlic sauces, white sauces, green sauces....oh any kind of sauce....you name it!!!  Trust me on that...
However, I gladly gave pasta up when my Lap band came into the picture.  My Lap band and pasta did not have a friendly relationship.  Trust me....I tried.  Oh, how I tried. 
Since then, I've searched high and low for a substitute to quench my pasta love.  Granted, I found many wonderful alternatives to slather in good Italian sauces such as polenta and zucchini that I would slice into strands.  I even found a nice locally handmade pasta that I could purchase that I could indulge in a tiny helping every once in awhile.  And, I was content.  Perfectly content.
Every once in awhile, I'd try out something but either it was too much of a chore to make and it just didn't work for me.  You see, one of the nice things about pasta is that it could be the basis for  quick yet delicious dinner.  The perfect work night meal.   I missed the convenience of being able to throw together a quick sauce and ladle it over pasta and making everyone happy.  Yes, I missed those days.
Then....
Enter this little gadget and I'm going ga-ga over the things I can make. Think "zucchini pasta" spirals in 2 minutes, sweet potato ribbons, strands of butternut squash....
Funny thing is that they were doing a demo on this  at one of my favorite cooking stores on the very same day at the very same mall where I experienced  my  RELAXED SKINNY JEANS thrill.  Can you imagine?  What a RED LETTER DAY!   The moon and the starts either aligned perfectly that day or God was blessing me especially graciously or perhaps it was just my beautiful payback for having to deal with less-than wonderful holiday moments. Whatever good karma was happening to me that day, I am eternally grateful. 
Although I do try to be very careful to resist the urge to buy every gadget that promises to solve every problem, I was drawn to this thing.   I have a bad habit of finding myself in gadget heaven for fleeting moments--only to be left with another thing that I have to find a place to store. I have to work hard to restrain myself.   So...after really interrogating the poor sales woman who was demonstrating this tool and trying my hand at it myself and finding that it was so easy to use, I scooped it up and it was mine!!!   Since then, I have been having a fun time coming up with ways to use it.  My french fry loving nephew went crazy over my Cajun curly fries,  my daughter and I gobbled up my skinny onion straws,  and last but not least.....my Italian engineer hubby and I have been in pasta heaven----zucchini pasta spirals covered in a quick sauce made of quartered canned artichokes sauteed in garlic, butter and olive oil with with a bit of white wine and lemon and covered in Pecorino Romano one day, zucchini ribbons covered in a beautiful creamy pesto sauce another day and strands of butternut squash slathered in a super quick sauce made of  olive oil, garlic, toasted walnuts and dried cranberries then topped with crumbled goat cheese on yet another day.  The key is to lightly blanch the veggies after they are cut--they will take on an "al-dente"  texture.....much like pasta.   My Lap band and I are lovin' in......

Now that I've done my good deed for the day and shared my SKINNY news, perhaps I will be rewarded again.    This might be a good day to play the lottery.....

Ground Hogs and Footballs......

Happy Ground Hog Super Bowl Sunday! 

  Are you cooking up a STORM for this holiday or just KICKING BACK and enjoying the show? 

I'm doing something in between.  
With my husband's current maniacal work schedule plus the fact that the house is still not fully recovered from the holidays and my hard wood floors have taken a massive beating from the weather of the past 2 weeks  AND I am right up against one of the busiest weeks of my year at the office.....this is not the time to throw a mega party.....no matter what that darn Ground Hog says or how exciting this football game is supposed to be. 
But, since I don't like to let an occasion come and go without some kitchen fanfare, I decided to pull out some recipes that were yummy but embarrassingly easy, open a bottle of this perfect winter wine (I received 3 bottles of this as a gift from my winey friend), and use up the remainder of my football-themed paper plates, napkins and plastic cutlery (yes, I know it's all Black and Gold but hey I live in Pittsburgh....!) and call it a SUPER HOG HOLIDAY.  
So, I'm hosting a few folks that don't care about my floors or the fact that my china is not back in the china closet or that I still have 2 huge tubs of Christmas decor sitting in the corner of my little office off of the kitchen.  And, as they hoot and holler and watch the game,  I'm curling up on the couch with my magazines and only break from my magazine reading to nibble some of the yummy food, sip my yummy wine or watch the yummy commercials..... because I'm pretty sure that's what you are supposed to do on a SUPER HOG HOLIDAY....

If you haven't decided on what you might be throwing together today....check out the recipes  below that I have chosen.  They might not really fit together from a menu standpoint but that's the beauty of this holiday...it's all about easy yumminess with no regard for gourmet correctness. 
Hey, it's not called a SUPER HOG HOLIDAY for nothing...
 And, since I have used all of these recipes before, I can tell you that they are exactly what should be on the table for a SUPER HOG HOLIDAY......


Seven Layer Salad
Sweet Onion Parmesean Dip
Taco Pie
Crunchy Peanut Butter Mix (I add popcorn instead of cereal)
 and I sure hope someone brings some chips and salsa.......

Love your HEART......

Of all the gifts my Lap band gave to me, the gift of a healthier heart is the one gift that I never set out to get. 
It wasn't even on my wish list .
I was vain like that....
February 2007.....the month that I made the decision to have Lap Band surgery.
And, it wasn't because I looking to improve my heart health.
Nope, it was because I was getting ready for a Valentine Dinner party and I had nothing to wear and a Lap Band commercial came on the TV just as I was about to fling myself in a heap of tears and wails on my bed on top of the pile of clothes I had just tried on....
The rest is history.  

Happy American Heart Month!!! 

Fabulously frozen......

here in Judiland! 

Searching for my lost shaker of salt!!!  

Here's hoping you are  finding FABULOUS ways to stay warm......

This is 55.......

Before a Friday night celebrating being 55 with my spirited gal pals....

So, when is this old enough to know better kick in? 

Because,  I  really do know that the third martini is not a good idea.

It's my PARTY!!!!

 

Today, I am 55.

Yesterday, I was 54.  

What an interesting thing.....

With the swoop of just 24 hours, I have arrived at a brand new age.  

 

Remember how I got a Lap band and lost a lot of weight?
Well, if you somehow forgot about that, just visit this 48 year old girl and it will jog your memory.
I mention this tid bit today for two reasons.....
#1....This blog started because of my Lap Band and this blog has been an integral part of my journey to not only lose the weight but to keep it off
and
#2.....Losing the weight has transformed each and every day....especially my birthDAY!!!  


I am not going to gush and gush about my Lap band.  
It's my birthday and I am going to talk about something else that is near and dear to my heart and my soul:

 And, I'm going to do talk about it without a hint of guilt or embarrassment.
I am now older and wiser and more confident in myself and my passions and I have finally found it in me to acknowledge that the joy that my love of fashion has brought me is a part of me and something that has given me more than I could have ever dreamed....

If truth be told, I was always in love with fashion.   Even during my 200lb+ days, I found joy in looking good through fashion.  So, my weight loss didn't really ignite my love for fashion....
it just set it on fire!!! 
Over the years, I know that many people saw my preoccupation with all things fashion and my love of clothing and shopping as being pretty materialistic and somewhat selfish and possibly even wrong. Listen, I would cut back on groceries if I wanted something that spoke to me.  Was I wrong?  Perhaps in the eyes of some of those folks who didn't care about the same things.  But, for me, it was my art, my way of expressing myself and my way of entering the world.  It was my way of making my days feel brighter and happier....even if they weren't always that way.  Some days, it was all about what I was going to wear.   There were times when the only thing that got me out of bed was the awesome outfit I was going to put on or the chance to focus on something other than the mundane or more painful aspects of life.  What I wear is something I can control.  In a world of things that I cannot control....it was good to have something that I can control.  And, if it makes me look better...it's a win.   A pretty control.....and I lived for it. 
Many times, I found myself embarrassed that I cared so much about dressing well and spending so much energy and resources on accessorizing and styling.   I kept that part of me....in the closet (no pun intended but I find that particular thought very interesting....).  Yet, I'm sure people knew.....it's hard to hide all the shoes and clothes and accessories and my penchant for styling looks for each day.  It was out there for all to see.    
Everyone got to see just how fabulous I looked....is that such a bad thing?   
Fast forward to the present and I am at complete peace with how much fashion has and continues to be a big part of my life.   My weight loss enhanced that feeling.  You see, as such as I know that fashion can be a part of anyone's life no matter how big or how small they are, I didn't quite feel that way about myself.  Losing this weight with the help of my beloved Lap Band has given me the courage to be bold in my fashion choices and to follow my heart when I'm looking for just that right outfit.  And, I can look in the mirror and feel pleased with how that outfit looks on me.  That makes me happy.  Walking into a room and knowing that I feel good about how I look somehow transcends into how I interact with others and how others interact with me.  By dressing well and using fashion as a way of presenting myself, I am telling others that I care---not just about myself but about them too.   At a meeting--my clothing signifies my respect of it's importance.  At a party--it tells the host that I care about being there.  When I am lunching with a friend or having a date night, it conveys how much I care about being with that person.   When I am with my children--it lets them know that I care about how I look for them and I want to be my best for them.  And,I want them to be proud of me and proud of being with me.  The way I do this is through fashion and by taking care of me.
The power is fashion is more powerful than I would have ever imagined.  I now embrace it with pride and joy and pray that I always find myself ensconced in the clothes and the styles and the feelings that I truly love.....

"It's not an overstatement to say that style teaches me over and over again how to live in my skin. It helps me find courage and confidence and control when I feel I have none. While I was drawn to the world of fashion as a little girl because of its sparkle, I love the world of style now because I understand its transformative power."

Stacey London....style expert

 

And, just as importantly, I am now filled with pride with how fashion has influenced the path of my own daughter's life.   She is now happily living her dream of following a career in fashion.  And, not only that---fashion is her passion.....she lives it each and everyday without a hint of that embarrassment that I felt for so long.   She knows the joy of being our best selves through looking good and feeling good about how we look.  And, she knows that it takes a little extra styling and resources to give us those feelings. And, she truly has an eye for it.  A career in helping others find their style and their fashion is what she was born to do!    It's a good feeling to know that through my example, she has found a place of happiness and success.  And, yes, I take complete credit for it.....



  And, now as I ready myself to step out on this my 55th Birthday......I look forward to styling this body that has been through 55 years of life in a way that honors each and every one of the 220,075 days that I have lived......

Happy Birthday to ME!

Is WINTER getting to you like WINTER is getting to me?

..... West Coasters need not respond......

It appears that our latest winter storm has a name!!!

I mean, I think it's this winter weather that has me kinda out of sorts and feeling like life is just too darn hard.  If it's not the weather then I definitely don't want to know what it might be.  I'm not good with the deeper stuff.....
 I'm just going with it being....the weather.  
Because, you know....this weather has been nastier than nasty.  Cold. Snow. Ice. Snow. Cold. Ice.  Ice. Cold. Snow.  
If I have to hear the phrase wind chill  one. more. time., you might feel the wrath of STORM JUDI. 


Ugh.
January.  
Good Bye 54......you've been an okay year.  
Well, you might have been a pretty good year.  But, at the moment, I'm cranky.  So, I am feeling a little less than positive about everything.......

Hopefully things will look brighter when I'm 55......

I finally figured out why some people are so cranky.......

because they know too much.......they got it all figured out. And, they just don't feel like playing THAT game anymore.....

And, they are not afraid to let you know.....

When I was younger, I was pretty sure that older people were just cranky because....well....they were older.   Well, if truth be told....I was pretty sure that it was because....well..... they were OLD. 
I've come to figure out that it has nothing to do with age at all. 
It has to do with  experience.  
We older and  wiser folks know that all the hullabaloo and bitching and moaning and moving and shaking is just a bunch of bull shit.   Yes, bull shit.  
When it gets right down it---being a good, decent, kind person that lives with purpose and acts out of love is what's important.   It's not about any of that other bull shit like getting ahead in life or making a point, or getting back for a past hurt or trying to be the best or the prettiest or whatever the hell you think you or others think you need to be doing.  It's truly about not causing hurt or pain and knowing when to get out when the hurt and the pain is inflicted upon you.  It's about laughing at the absurd behavior of people trying to make a name for themselves or to prove a point or to try and get their own way.  It's about recognizing that we don't have to put up with things that hurt us or hurt the people we love just because someone else says that we have to or it would look bad if we didn't.    It's about using your time, energy and resources for things that make you feel good about yourself and make you happy and at peace.  It's about surrounding yourself with positive energy and love and not with those people who make you feel less than great or don't appreciate the person you are.  It's about staying clear of selfish people and giving them nothing but  pity for their selfishness.  It's about having your own brand of selfishness during those moments when you need to think of yourself and your feelings and your path.   
 It's about knowing that you deserve to live this way. 
We learn these things as we live our lives.
We learn these things after we have spent years trying very hard to be everything to everybody and not to make waves and to do things for the good of everything else.  And, even when we get tired and feel hurt, we still do it.   And do it and do it.  Because that's what we think we need to do. 
Well, guess what?
We don't need to do it. 
The only rule is that you have to very nice when you say....."I'm not dealing with this bullshit anymore.....". 

No, there's nothing going on in Judiland. 
It's just some things I am thinking as I inch closer to being 55. 

GOOD BYE TO CHRISTMAS IN JUDILAND......

I can't say I'm sorry to see you go........

Taking a DiSaronna break from the kitchen on Christmas Day.....

I guess I NEVER told you........

But, today, I will.....

10 Things You Never Knew About Me......

(just in case you were wondering)

I love hats and martinis....but you already knew that......

After more than 6 years of blogging, you would think I would have spilled it all by now. 
But, NO.
I still have my secrets.   I am, after all, a woman of mystery.....
But, I also have a few things I thought you might like to know......just in case you might like to know them....
UM....yeah....

• I do not know my right from my left.  I use my rings as my guide.  My sisters don't know their right from their left either.   My dad doesn't either.   And, my dad's brother never did either.  

•    In college, I took a fencing class.   They made me drop out.   They said I didn't show any  promise.  I was a fencing failure.  

•     I did not get my drivers' license until after I was married at age 23.   The day that Carmen refused to do his husbandly duty and take me to the mall, I decided it was time to drive.  He taught me how.  We had the  first fight of our married lives when I failed the first time I took the test (my failing the test was completely his fault but he blamed me and told me that no one in HIS family ever failed a driving test.....).  It is still a sore subject.  

•    I am a lifetime member of Weight Watchers.  In 1985-86, I lost 82 pounds.  In 1991-92, I lost 91 pounds.  

•     My mother named me after St. Jude--Patron Saint of the Hopeless.  

•   I absolutely hate  The Wizard of Oz. 

•   I have not drank beer since the second week of my freshman year in college.  Blame it on the Theta Zi's.  Use your imagination on this one....

•  I have 8 step brothers and 2 step sisters.  

•  My left ear lobe is completely split.  When my son the doctor was about a year old, he decided he liked my big 80's earrings.  So, he yanked one of them out...splitting me ear!  I had surgery to repair it.  But, I was so vain that I could not go without big earrings for too long.  Thus, another "pretty earring" episode with my little aspiring doctor.   I've lived with this abnormality ever since......

• I have never tasted coffee.  

 
Now you know. 

TGIF!

Just askin'.......

How bored would you be if I talked about how much I love my Lap Band again?
Since I've only mentioned it six gadzillion times, I am sure you would be quite bored.
But, because  I NEED to remind myself of it's wonderfulness and love-deservednes, I'm gushing again!
And, of course, since I do care about the universe....I'm also sharing my Lap band love one.more.time. with the hope that there's someone reading this who just needs to hear me gush. 
With those two things in mind,  I decided ohwhatthehell, I'm gonna throw caution to the wind and be obnoxiously wild in the early morning hours....I'm just gonna do it.  
I LOVE MY LAP BAND. 
And, in a few minutes I am going to tell you why I love it today.....
And, while I'm at it, I'm also gonna bore you with just one more pic of me and my cute guitar-strumming, workaholic engineer husband drinking martinis......if only because it fits right into this blog posting! 
Why?  
Because I have my Lap Band to thank for my devotion to martinis. 
Why?
Because I was a gin and tonic lover for years and years.  When my Lap band forced me to ban fizzy stuff....no more tonic for me.  Enter martinis.   And really good gin.   It was love at first sip.....

Celebrating Carmen's birthday with a lunch time martini at our all-time favorite bar.....  Ironically, it was this very bar where I was introduced to my all time favorite gin......making me love the place even more.  If that's possible. 

Okay, let me dig into why my Lap band is precious to me today.....
please stay....you might be surprised! 


So, I gained a few pounds.....well....more than a few.....about 12.....since November 1.
I deserved to gain them.  I can't even say I had a great time gaining them.  Which is somewhat sad to admit.   When I look back, I can't think of a moment that I was completely joyous about what I was eating while I was gaining those 12 pounds.  I did not feel victorious at any time for defying my Lap Band by finding ways to eat gobs of foods that go right through it.
There were no moments of rapture.  There should be rapture.....
Let's just say that if I was able to eat anything I wanted and as much of it as I wanted for 8 solid weeks.....things like instant mashed potatoes with romano cheese, Hershey kisses, caramal popcorn,
cheese curls and rice cakes smeared with peanut butter would NOT make my Top Ten List.   
Yet, those were the things (plus a few other things that might make my Top Ten List) that I have overindulged in that significantly contributed to my 12 pound weight gain.
It's the reality I am left with.  
Now, I will admit that I am not in a panic about these 12 pounds. 
I don't like them.
I am ready to be rid of them.
But, am I feeling like I am on a one way trip to 250 pounds?
No.  
My Lap Band has taught me  that I can and I will be able to deal with these 12 pesky pounds and get back on track.  
It has given the confidence that with this tool and the knowledge that I've gained and the deep desire that it has fueled within me to not be miserable by weighing 250 pounds and being unhealthy and unhappy, I have what it takes to overcome what's standing in between me and fitting comfortably into my pants....
That's why I love my Lap Band today!  
Martinis all around.....


 

Let's get real......

And, I mean really real......

In 8 days I will be 55 years old.
FIFTY FIVE.
I suppose that means I'm all grown up.
Why don't I feel like it?
 And, more importantly---is  the fact that I don't feel like I'm all grown up a good thing or a bad thing? 

Please, someone, take my chocolate.......

before I grow out of my pants.......

I know, I know...it's hard to believe that I NOW have another 2 boxes of this stuff !   I just can't pass up a sale...especially an after-holidays sale!!!!!  As of yesterday, I think I have officially spent $200 on this stuff.  I could have bought a mighty fine pair of shoes with that cash.  Instead, I'm just applying it to my belly!   I have to eat it up fast so that I am done with it.   I can't continue these nights with a tin of Peppermint Bark.   I must finish it up as soon as possible.  That is the right thing to do....isn't it????

By the way....I really didn't mean it when I said I wanted someone to come and take my chocolate.
Sometimes we have to say those things......

And, on the TENTH day.......

 Christmas has not left the building......

And it's gonna stay just a wee bit longer.....

Seriously folks, I am ready to be done with the holidays.  So ready. 
Just 2 days ago, I formulated a fabulastic plan to rid the house of the holidays and get Judiland back to some semblance of order. 
I didn't set my expectations too high or too low.  
I told myself that I was going to just try to get it done.  
I was even looking forward to it....well....sort of.  

That was before the call came last night.....
 It just so happens that a dear, dear friend planned a last minute trip to Pittsburgh....arriving early tomorrow morning.  
And, not only that....she's taking me up on my offer that anytime she is in Pittsburgh...she's got a place to stay.   That would be my house.  

"Fair warning.....it's still Christmas at my house..."  I warned her.
"Even better!  I can see everything in person for the first time in years!!  We can even have a little Christmas party!"  she excitedly replied. 

Okay then......not only am I not getting rid of Christmas....I am going to be working on making Christmas look fresh.....because it's looking pretty droopy right now.    



 

Setting the stage for party time....once more. 

So, this morning, I came up with a plan....
 I'm making this cocktail  and this appetizer (to use the William Sonoma fig jam I purchased during the holidays but never used!)  for our little Christmas Party.....then we are heading to one of my favorite little local places for some wine, pizza and girl talk......   

So, really....who cares if  the stockings are still hung by the chimney with care and the trees are still twinkling and there's Christmas everywhere?  

BRAIN THAW!

Finally, the wind has died down, the temperatures are on the rise and Judiland is thawing up just a wee bit. 
The past few days have been more than I can handle. 
At this stage of my life, I really don't like all this inconvenience.  
This was not the time to be completely out of Williams Sonoma Peppermint Bark, letmetellyou!   
Thankfully, we had a nice stock pile of Malbec to keep me company.....
There's nothing like a friendly red wine to keep your sanity intact amid the insanity.
Although, I must tell you that the jury is still out on whether my sanity is intact. 
Anyway....
I would tell you all about our frozen pipes, our dead batteries, when we lost the electricity for a few hours,  my frigidly painful commutes, my husband's ridiculous work schedule, my battle with mid-year budget spreadsheets, my daily hat hair issues and all that jazz but I will spare you the details.  You don't have all day.....
Instead, I will just entertain you with this picture of my hometown--where the 3 rivers meet--it should give you a bit of an inkling what Pittsburgh has been like these past few days.....

Frozen waves on the river......

 Since I do watch the national news and read lots of stuff about the goings on around the world, I know that we here in Judiland have not been alone in our deep freeze.  It seems the entire nation was dealing with something called an arctic vortex.   We were all plagued with it to one degree or another.  There were some absolutely horrifying stories out there....making my strife seem rather benign.
But, still....
And, from what I hear--there are some folks who are still dealing with it. 
So....to anyone who is still getting arcticly votexed......I am sending you some warming vibes and a suggestion to get yourself some Malbec...


Since I know you missed me (because damn I missed you!), I will share with you....BULLET STYLE....what I've been wanting to tell you all about this week....if I would have had the energy and a warm brain.....

• I've said it before  so there's no need to repeat myself.  Just pisses me off.  Yep. 

The most recent issue of PEOPLE.....

• I asked Santa for a Clarisonic and he happily obliged.   My facialist suggested it to me about a year ago but I just never got around to getting one.  So...on December 24, when I  was forced into making my Santa list (because Santa must have a list in Judiland!).....I remembered her recommendation.   Since it was the only thing on the list, I got it (along with lots of gift cards for all those things I love to do.....not very creative but  hey.....).  I am madly in love with it.  My skin has never felt this radiant day-after-day.  Sure, when I have facials, I feel this way.... but not for the long haul.   My facialist might have a little less business from me.....I wonder if she knew that!   If you're looking for a beauty tip ladies....here it is---GET YOURSELF A CLARISONIC!  The bonus is that you don't have to use the Clarisonic facial cleaning products with it.  You can use the brand that you always use......the tool just makes your stuff work harder!  At this point of my life--I don't want to work  harder....I want things to work harder for ME!  This does just that.  And, it makes my skin feel clean and sparkley and amazing.  And, maybe even younger....
  

• Have you ever heard of Apple TV?   My son the doctor thought we needed it for Christmas.  When he told me about it, I envisioned him hauling  another big screen TV into the house that was so techy I couldn't use it.  I just hate those big screen TVs and worrying about HDTV and all those stations and remotes and yadda, yadda, yadda. He assured me that wasn't the case and tried to explain to me what it was.  He was positive we would love it.  It made no sense to me but I didn't want to dim his spirit.  So, I said...bring it on.    Well, no wonder my son has a PhD.  Apple TV is the best thing since wine and gin.  Apple TV (and the Malbec) got me through the arctic vortex.  I am back together with my friends from the West Wing .......oh how I've missed them!  I just sit there and watch episode after episode...wrapped in a blanket with a  glass of Malbec.  Why can't Jed Bartlet run for President in 2016? The dialogue is so utterly wonderful and smart  and the stories are so engaging and governmenty (is that a word?) that I feel more intelligent and patriotic just watching it!  And...I've also had a few lovely visits with my favorite mob family.....The Soprano's.   I'm slowly going through the seasons....savoring each moment....recalling each story and paying homage to my man Tony Soprano.     In his honor, I even made Soprano's Sunday Gravy from one of my favorite cookbooks....  Badda-bing....comforting perfection to slather on my polenta!!! 
  
  Yes, Apple TV is getting me through the rough spots and reconnecting me with my inner Americano mobster! 

•  And, one more thing before I go......if you get a chance to break free from the grips of your own arctic vortex....I would suggest heading to the mall to do a little bit of shopping.  If you can't break free, I'd suggest that you might want to shop online.   Here's the thing....the deals right now on party clothes are more than amazing.  And, since most of us still have a few parties and nights-on-the-town this winter--you will definitely wear them!   I could kick myself for buying a few party outfits before Christmas....they are a fraction of the price now.   Yes, I know I needed them.....ummmm....well...that's my story and I am sticking to it!     If I really could organize myself to buy all of my party clothes after the holidays then I would be all set for the next year's holidays.  But, then I wonder--would that really happen?   There's always something new to catch my fancy!  Anyway, I did restrain myself a little.  When my daughter's car broke down and she had to go to work.....I had to drive her.  And, since she works at my new all-time favorite local mall...it only made sense that if I was going to drive that far, I might as well make it worth my while.  I'm very practical like that.  I now have a few new things to add to my party wardrobe. With the way the prices were reduced....I could have bought a carload more.  But....I did restrain myself.  In any case.... I could use a good party night right about now to wear my new party clothes.  Why do the holidays seem like they are so long ago? (For the record---it's still Christmas at my house....it's still decked out in it's Christmas splendor......but we won't talk about that...)

• Oh, and one more thing.....I gotta get back to Lap Band basics.  RIGHT. NOW.  

Contemplating a new year......

WARNING:  That's what I am doing this morning. 

I don't have to tell you that the end of a year and the beginning of a new year brings with it many emotions and thoughts and reflections and the typical heeing-and-hawing of whether to make new year resolutions or not.....

Here we are 3 days into this new year and I am filled with those emotions and thoughts and reflections and yes, I am still heeing-and-hawing about those new year resolutions.
I'm not embarrassed to tell you that I meet a new year with a bit of trepidation.  It's with a mixture of anxiety, fear and sadness that I usher out one year and begin to live in the new one.   Each year, I am always perplexed as to why I feel this way.  Typically, I am a ridiculously naive optimist.
 Last year, I started seeing the light---I came to the conclusion that I get this way because the end of a year not only signifies the end of an entire year, it also marks the end of a sweeping 2 month time frame of preparing to celebrate then celebrating (and all the work that goes along with it!).  Come December 31, I am tired.  Dead tired.  I hit the ground hard come November 1 and I continue the maniacal pace for 8 weeks straight.  During that time, my mind is consumed by everything that goes along with making the holidays perfect and lovely and fun and memorable for the ones I love.  Sure, I go to work and deal with the day-to-day stuff but hey, I'm busy making the world a more merry place and that takes every ounce of energy and brain power that I can possibly muster.  Then, all of a sudden--December 31 hits and all that's left are the remnants of a bountiful holiday......and me exhausted and feeling blue.  I look around at the massive amount of decorating that I do and all I see is the work it will take to get it all put away and to get my home back to some sense of order and declutter.  It's work that I feel too tired to tackle. 
And, I look back at the moments of the holidays and I realize that all wasn't perfect.....I somehow managed to make it NOT perfect for everyone (including myself).  So, naturally, I am saddened and feeling a bit deflated---after all that work and energy and it wasn't all sugar plums and ho ho hos???
Considering that I figured out what the issue was last year, why didn't I do something about it this year? You ask....
Well, I forgot. 
I conveniently forgot. 
Honestly, I did.
Until now.
It wasn't the best year to have a lapse in memory.  
So, now that all the Peppermint Bark is gone.....I have nothing left to sooth myself and deal with these first few days of 2014. 
I'm just left to my own devices.
So, here I am.....armed only with my thoughts and words.   
Having no Peppermint Bark to eat and coming off a holiday season that had it's share of notsoperfect moments, I've had to come face-to-face with this new year thing without the comfort of chocolate, mint and preoccupation.  
Sure, I could drain the remainder of the wine in the opened bottles and I could dig into those 3 bottles of Hendrick's that I got for Christmas to help me out but I prefer to keep those things for celebratory moments.....
Instead, I have decided to give into how I am feeling. 
Several weeks ago, on one of the blogs that I adore and read regularly, the blogger shared a piece of wisdom that I somehow forgot until the clock struck 2014. 
She said that those of us who have high expectations of ourselves, often end up unhappy. 
The cure seems simple enough....just cut down on the things we do and lower our expectations.
But, we who are those people know that's not the answer.  
We are deeper than that.   
We are so deep that we KNOW it takes so much more.  
We are so afraid of doing less.  We are afraid that we will lose ourselves because that is how we define ourselves.  Right or wrong....it doesn't matter.  It's who we are. 
We are so afraid of falling apart.  Because we need to be there for everyone else.  
Her wisdom--don't be afraid!  We need to let the hurt and pain in so that we can can experience the joy when it comes.  
Therein lies the true challenge for those of us who are so busy making other people's lives joyous---we run away from the hurt and the pain so that we have the emotional energy to make others happy.    We don't let the pain in.....

And one more thing.... we need to be grateful when the joy comes.
Yet, another challenge for those of us who will do anything to bring joy to those around us--we are so focused on finding ways to be appreciated that we can't even see the things we should be grateful for.
Pretty deep stuff. 
But, it makes so much sense to me......
I hope there's someone out there reading this that it makes sense to them too. 
I'm going to let the hurt and pain in.....just watch me. 

And, I am going to work really hard at being grateful until it becomes natural. 
Because I want to feel the joy. 

 But, I don't want to lose Judi......

Hello 2014......

LIFE IS A PARTY.........

Dress like it! 

Don't put away your party clothes just because the holidays are over!

The party is not over yet..... 

Good bye Tasty Tuesday 2013!

 So, I guess you've been wondering where I have been.....or not.
Hopefully, you were way too busy making merry to wonder where I have been. 
Please accept my deep apology for not wishing you a very Merry Christmas.
Here in Judiland, we made the best of it all.
My dear father was brought into the hospital with some critical health issues the Monday before Christmas.  So, needless to say, the past week or so has been spent dealing with those things.
There I was--frantically trying to finish up my shopping at the mall when the call came.  All of a sudden, finishing up my shopping was the least of my concerns.  The menus, the gifts, the wrapping and everything else fell by the waist side as I high tailed it out of the mall and headed to the hospital.  Without going into any major details--let me just say that we are all hanging in there.   We are all a little tattered and torn and extremely exhausted.  But, I am thankful that amid all of that, we did manage to find ways to celebrate the love of family and the true meaning of the season.  And, yes, we even had some fun.  And, yes, gifts appeared under the tree and food appeared on the table.  This year, more than any other year, having that fun and getting those gifts under the tree and that food on the table took more than physical effort--it took some major emotional effort.  And, it also took some serious scheduling to make sure that Christmas and all the merry-making happened.   In very unJudilike fashion, I decided to back off all the holiday parties and just focus on my father and my own little family.  My house was full and I needed that comfort.
As I look back, it all seems like a blur.  And, it wasn't because of the martinis....(but they sure helped!)
Although I entered the holidays a bit saddened by some hurts, those hurts took a back seat when my father took ill.  Funny how we can find ourselves in one place one moment and then in an entirely different place when the really important things happen.   
As I close out 2013, I have a brand new appreciation for what is important to me and how truly human I am.  I can't be everything to everyone, I can't change people and I certainly can't expect others to appreciate who I am.  In many ways, it's a freeing feeling.  In other ways, I am saddened.
I don't expect you to understand what I am talking about.....just to know that I was deeply hurt and that even though I felt completely devastated by that hurt, it became much less important when the call came about my father....
In the spirit of renewal and to welcome the new year, I am going to take hold of these feelings and go forth in a way that honors these moments.  Sometimes life has a way of slapping us upside the head when we really need slapped upside the head.  I am not making any sweeping new year resolutions....I'm just saying that I heard the message that the universe was sending me and I'm hoping that I really heard it this time.....
But, that's not what I am here to talk about.....just thought I'd mention it. 
However, it does provide a good segway into the recipe I am about to share with you on this last day of 2013.  It's a recipe that smacks of make-do-in-the-midst-of-being-slapped-upside-the-head.
As you know, I am all about planning menus and figuring out recipes way before they have to hit the table.  Unfortunately, I never plan for life getting in the way.  I'm silly like that.... 
Today, I am sharing a recipe that just happened because it needed to happen and it turned out so phenomenal that I should trademark it.  But, I don't have the time.  Instead, I'm sharing it with you as my way of telling you that you don't have to plan menus or have perfectly taste tested recipes to put together a meal that is truly astounding.  Like life---sometimes recipes just happen.....

Pantry and Fridge Pasta with Artichokes, Lemon and Other Stuff

This recipe came completely from what I had in my pantry and fridge. 

1 pound of thinly sliced chicken breasts, shaken in a bag with flour, pecorino cheese, some garlic powder, salt and pepper --- lightly sautee in butter and olive oil then set aside (use a deep pan...not a pot!)...about 3-5 minutes on each side
In the same pan---after removing the chicken--put 1 jar of Williams Sonoma Artichoke and Pecorino Saute Simmer Sauce   (I bought this stuff a few months ago on a whim....what an ingenious whim that was!)
Add--a can of artichoke quarters (drained), juice of one lemon, some lemon zest, 2 nice size dollops of whole milk ricotta, a handful of pecorino, about 4 oz of white wine, about 4 oz of chicken stock......at this point, I recommend you drink rest of the wine in the bottle....
Simmer it all for about 10 minutes
In the meantime, boil water for some good pasta (about 1/2 pound)....al dente 
Dice up the chicken into bite size pieces
Add chicken to pan with sauce and throw in some juilienned basil
Cover and simmer for about 5-8 minutes
When pasta is done....drain it and throw it in the pan with the sauce and chicken and toss very  to coat.
Throw in some more pecorino and serve.
Then, open another bottle of wine.  


I am not sure what 2014 holds for me.  But, one thing is for certain---I am going to make this more often!  

All the best to all of you for a delicious ending to 2013!

Thank You for sharing my journey......


Did I mention that I have another round of house guests arriving in about 6 hours?
Anyone have  a few good recipes for my pity party?