Tag Archives: girlfriends

Dec24
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‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.

A quiet and peaceful pre-holiday weekend indeed. No last-minute gift shopping, no endless hours in the kitchen (OK, maybe just a couple :) ), no worrying about how your “perfect” holiday would actually turn out. I was blissfully happy to have moved away from the “commercial” side of Christmas but have retained the spirit and the traditions that really matter, like spending time with the ones you love, making foods while you actually enjoy the process rather than just rushing to put everything together to “feed a crowd”, putting thought into wrapping up small gifts and not the ones that would definitely impress but won’t necessarily be meaningful.

It seemed I had time for everything, visit my parents, sleep in, have several leisurely meals, read, make blueberry-lemon heart cakes for Christmas Eve dinner, watch a marathon of cheesy Christmas movies on Lifetime… It seemed like the time has stopped.

When did we all become so engulfed into creating a “perfect” holiday that we forgot what perfection really means?! And do we even need all going “nice and straight”?! I bet you remember the holiday when the turkey got burned, and you all had Chinese, or pizza. Just because it was so “imperfect” and unpredictable, and probably full of laughs (after the initial anger and frustration settled in) and more shared conversations than all the previous family gatherings before. You remember the holiday spirit and what you felt inside days or maybe even years after it all ended, not the elaborate meals, expensive gifts or the hours you spent wrapping and decorating only to have a whole day being just a blur because you were so tired and probably too worried about all the little details to actually enjoy it.

My most fondest memory of Christmas comes from a day many would say was lacking “excitement” yet it created the most memorable experience and warm feelings of remembrance of a blissfully happy little boy having all the time in the world to play with his new toys rather than being rushed into a car to make a trip to attend a family gathering. And then eagerly chomping on a knish and a hot dog for lunch at a local Jewish deli. And being led by his equally delighted parents on a walking tour to see the Christmas lights in the neighborhood followed by a movie and more playing untill he is fast asleep clutching one of the new toy trains, happy, exhausted and completely filled with love…

I’m yet to top this day among all other occasions, Christmas or not, with a complete fulfillment of what a “perfect” holiday should be.

What’s Cooking This Week

To me Christmas Eve meal is always structured around seafood. That’s one day a year when lobsters, shrimp, scallops and such are on the menu no matter the price. The more typical menu this eve would probably be shrimp scampi or lobster Fra Diavolo. This dish however is a nice diversion while still maintaining the traditional seafood theme.

Provencal Seafood Stew

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1 lb of any fish cubes (I used salmon, tuna and tilapia)

1/2 lb of medium shrimp, tails removed

8 little neck clams

16 oz of fish stock

1/2 cup of white wine

1/2 cup of chopped tomatoes with juice

1 Tbspoons of lemon juice

3 large sweet potatoes

3 large carrots

2 shallots

1 tspoon of French herbs blend

1/2 tspoon of lemon peel

1/2 tspoon of garlic powder

salt, pepper, olive oil

chopped chives for garnish

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In a large dutch oven, heat up some olive oil, thinly slice shallots and saute them for about a minute, then add cut sweet potatoes and saute for several minutes until them start to soften. Add to the pot fish stock, chopped tomatoes with juice, wine and lemon juice, cover it and slowly bring it all to the boil. Season with salt, pepper, lemon peel, garlic powder and spices.

Add chopped carrots and clams, cook for about 10 minutes. Then add shrimp and fish cubes, cook until clams begin to open and the rest of the shrimp and fish look done.

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Here I’m serving it with fresh herbs and mozzarella biscuits.

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Enjoy!

And Merry Christmas to all!

Nov29
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Or at least it should be every weekend! :)

Especially if birthday cake is involved!

Since my birthday fell on the weekend when the kid and I were in Boston attending to his MIT activities, I felt kind of cheated that I didn’t have any celebration and all the fuss you get when it’s your birthday.

OK, who am I kidding?! I just wanted cake, and then some more cake! No matter the occasion. And since it was kind of un-Godly to eat the whole thing by myself, I invited some people to sit at the table with me and pretend they were happy to be there. I actually paid them, with the aforementioned cake and some sushi. And it actually worked, they loved the cake. :)

So five adults and one child did a number on the cake that only a small piece was left. Did I mention they were all females, and the cake was chocolate?! That would probably explain it all.

What’s Cooking This Week

Birthday cake of course! It’s light and not overly sweet, which probably also explains why massive quantities were inhaled, but it doesn’t leave you with that heavy feeling, in your stomach and in your “guilt center” even if you had a second helping. I encourage you to use Healthy Top by Mimic Cream, which is a cashew cream blend, instead of heavy whipping cream as it brings lighter calories and a healthier version, and dare I say a quite delicious taste? You try!

Chocolate Amaretto Cake with Espresso Buttercream

Cake (makes 2 9-inch layers):

1 3/4 cups of flour (I used Cup4Cup gluten free flour mix)

2 cups of sugar

4 oz dark, 70-90%, chocolate, broken into pieces

1/4 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tspoons of baking powder

1 tspoon of baking soda

1/2 tspoon of salt

1/2 cup of canola oil

1 cup of almond milk (or regular milk)

1/2 cup of Amaretto

2 eggs

2 tspoons of vanilla

Frosting:

6 Tbspoons of espresso, brewed and cooled off

2 sticks of butter

1- 1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar

3 cups of whipped Healthy Top (or regular whipped cream plus more sugar if needed)

Start by pouring some Amaretto for you to try, the process after that goes much smoother. :)

Melt the chocolate over a low heat, set it aside to cool off. In a bowl, combine together all the dry ingredients and also set it aside. In a large measuring cup, combine together milk, oil and Amaretto, set it aside.

Whisk together eggs and sugar until light and fluffy, then gradually add the melted chocolate and vanilla and whip it together.

Start alternatively adding dry and wet ingredients into the chocolate mixture and combine well. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degress and oil 2 9-inch cake pans. Divide the batter evenly between the pans. Bake for about 35 minutes, then let them cool off before removing from the pans.

In a mean while, make the buttercream. If using Healthy Top, place the carton, mixer blades and a metal bowl you’ll be using in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, as per their directions. Then whip it for a couple of minutes (please note that Healthy Top is already lightly pre-sweetened), once whipped, gradually add brewed espresso and whip until well combined.

In a separate bowl, whip softened butter and then gradually add powdered sugar until it’s fluffy. Start adding the whipped cream mixture and continue whipping until everything is incorporated. You can adjust the amount of powdered sugar if you feel you need more, but given that Healthy Top was already pre-sweetened, and I wanted to taste more espresso than sugar, I felt just 1 cup was enough. The result is a light and delicious frosting that you can’t help but taste and taste in-between your frosting endeavours.

Place a bottom cake layer on a cake stand or a flat plate, spread some frosting on top. Cover it with the top layer and spread more frosting on it too. Then turning the cake, start spreading the frosting on the sides of the cake until all is covered. Put the rest of the frosting in a decorating bag and pipe as desired all around. I also used some chocolate frosting and cherries for garnish, you may skip or use crushed almonds  or chocolate pieces on top.

Three servings like that dissappeared just from my plate that night. Yeah, it was good!

Enjoy it too!

Oct22
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I hope you have certain people in your life who you can rely on no matter what. Probably they’re your parents, children, siblings or some other close family members. I do also hope though you have at least one friend who has your back no questions asked.

I’ve been so lucky that I have just the person, one of my closest girlfriends who’s been with me through surgeries, chemo, ER visits and all the family and friends gatherings you can ever imagine. We met when we were both 9 years old at a summer resort, and through the 35 years of friendship, we’ve seen it all, the good, the bad, the very ugly and all the great. And after so many years, you don’t always remember how you met the person, you just think they are your family, by blood or not, it doesn’t matter at this point.

I’m incredibly lucky that we both live nearby so I know if something happens, good or bad, she’ll be right there, to share a laugh, or to wipe a tear or to care for me if I feel sick. As an only child, I don’t know how it feels to have a sister, but our relationship comes pretty darn close if you ask me!

So today as my friend celebrates her birthday, like every year, we’re gathering together at her parents’ house for dinner, chat, some music and a few drinks. I just feel so incredibly blessed for having her in my life and being able to celebrate with her all the milestones. And years from now, when we’re old and surrounded by our own grandchildren, we’ll look back and remember family gatherings at her parents’ as one of the best times in our lives.

Happy Birthday Alena! You’re the best!

What’s Cooking This Week

Alena along with my mom were the two people who took care of me during my cancer treatment. I was surrounded by their love and now feel I want to give some love back, especially when a birthday dessert comes into play. :)

Pink Series: Recipe # 7

Cherry Donuts

Donuts (makes 12):

1/2 cup of unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup of sugar

1 1/2 cup of flour (I used Cup4Cup gluten free blend)

2 eggs

1/2 cup of cherry juice

zest from 1 lemon

1 tspoon of baking powder

1 tspoon of salt

Cream together butter, sugar and lemon zest until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, and then mix in cherry juice until all is well incorporated. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the flour mixture into the wet ingredients and incorporate until all is smooth. The batter will be kind of thick.

Butter the donuts pans and pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees. Using a pastry or disposable frosting bag, fill the donuts holes with batter. I decided to use the heart-shaped donuts pans, and I actually covered the holes (as when you’re talking about close friendships, the relationship is always intact and no holes can break it :) ).

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the tops are golden and spring back when touched. Cool off completely before glazing.

Cherry glaze:

3 Tbspoons of cherry juice

3 Tbspoons of lemon juice

1-2 cups of powdered sugar

Mix together lemon and cherry juices, then gradually start adding powdered sugar constantly stirring. Make sure the glaze is not too runny, add more powdered sugar if necessary. Dip each donut into the glaze and swirl it around a couple of times making the glaze cover the tops evenly, decorate with sprinkles if desired,  let them dry for about an hour.

The donuts taste just like cherry lemonade, full of tangy and sweet flavor. If you don’t make them now, they are awesome for Valentine’s Day. :)

Enjoy!

Aug9
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Do you love gifts? Who wouldn’t right?! Especially the unexpected ones. They are just a tad sweeter to receive as the person was clearly thinking of you and thought you were so awesome that you deserved a gift :) .

At the last girls-night-in dinner I hosted, my friend Anna showed up with a beautiful gift. No, not the flower gift.

But it was definitely purple. And beautiful.

Yep, a gorgeous purple cabbage, straight from her husband’s Michigan farm. Firm and fragrant, smelling of the earth and country rain, having traveled that far to adorn my kitchen and satisfy my palate.

Am I special or what?! :)

The cabbage may’ve looked like a “strange” gift, but not to me. Receiving something like a power tool or even garden gloves (as apparently my fingers are skilled at cooking but not growing or fixing anything else) would surely look strange and totally unuseful to me. But you can’t beat a precious gift of food or anything related to cooking. That’s where I come out to play.

And you just can’t have too many shovels and buckets when you get out to play in the sandbox.

 

 

 

What’s Cooking This Week

Beautiful purple cabbage of course. As the gift hand-off was accompanied by a “let’s see what you can do with it” remark. A challenge? :) Love that! My self-imposed challenge bonus was to only use ingredients already in the house, plus to keep it vegan. But if I wasn’t I’d totally mix in some bacon pieces with it. Yum, with or without!

Apple Ginger Cabbage Ragu

1/2 of medium cabbage head

1 onion

1 carrot

1 red pepper

4 medium potatoes

1 apple (sweet or tart, as per your taste)

8 oz of apple sauce (I used organic unsweetened)

4 Tbspoons of apple cider vinegar

2 Tbspoons of fresh grated ginger

1 tspoon each of dried marjoram and oregano

1 Tbspoon of brown or raw sugar (optional)

salt, pepper to taste

olive oil

Shred the cabbage, dice and cut the rest of the veggies. Pour some oil in a big pan and saute ginger and onions till golden brown. Add the cabbage and cook for a couple of minutes, then add potatoes and the veggies and cook till about half done.

Pour apple cider vinegar in and season the ragu, let it cook a little more. Cut the apple in small cubes and add in along with apple sauce and sugar (if you prefer it  a bit sweeter). Cook until everything is done but take care so the veggies won’t become overly soft, you need just a tad of crunch in the cabbage.

Serve along with garlic bread slices for a perfect lunch.

Enjoy!

Thank you Anna! :)

Aug6
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Maybe our girlfriends are our soul mates, and guys are just people to have fun with.

– Sex and the City

As the week drew to a close, nine fabulous New York girls gathered together to escape from heat and weekday responsibilities for a girls night in. The conversations were going, and the liquor was flowing, and everybody had a great time.

According to Carrie Bradshaw, in New York, you’re always looking for an apartment, a job, or a boyfriend. And if you have two out of three, you consider yourself successful. I think she also meant to add that if you don’t have your girls behind your back, none of those three are going to matter much.

The most important thing in life is your family. There are days you love them, and others you don’t, but in the end they are the people you always come home to. Sometimes it’s the family you’re born into, and sometimes it’s the one you make for yourself.

– Sex and the City

No topic was left untouched that Saturday evening, and no bottle was left unopened. From kids to men, from recipes to fashion, from gossip to childhood memories, along with splashes of wine and bourbon (and a whole lot of food), the good, the bad,  the ugly blessings in disguise and the heartbreaks turned into triumphs.

Maybe mistakes are what makes our fate…without them what would shape our lives? Maybe if we had never veered off course, we wouldn’t fall in love, have babies, or be who we are. After all, things change, so do cities, people come into your life and they go. But it’s comforting to know that the ones you love are always in your heart…

– Sex and the City

And no matter what each of us has gone through in life, we’re still juicy, sassy, full of colors, dreams and ideas. None of us are from Georgia, but we’re definitely peachy :) So the night was hot, hot, hot, and it wasn’t because of the weather!

What’s Cooking This Week

What else is juicy, sassy, full of color and taste? Summer peaches of course. Drunken peaches that is. Especially topped with whipped cream and chocolate. If your peaches feel kind of bored and unmotivated to become anything but a quick fruit snack, give them a bath in bourbon and whip up a fabulous “dress” for them. And if you eat dairy free like me, use this amazing vegan whipped cream Healthy Top by Mimiccream for a nice mix of healthy nuts protein and coconut oil.

Bourbon Peaches With Vegan Whipped Cream

6 peaches

4 Tbspoons brown or raw sugar

6 Tbspoons of water

6 Tbspoons of bourbon

4 Tbspoons of chopped roasted pecans

dash of cinnamon

1 carton of Healthy Top by Mimiccream

1 oz of dark chocolate for shavings

As per Healthy Top directions, place a carton along with mixer blades and a bowl (preferably metal one) in a fridge for 30 minutes.

Cut the peaches in quarters, combine with water, sugar and bourbon and cook until they are soft.

Sprinkle a dash of cinnamon and lay out the peach slices in a pie dish, pour over the remaining sauce and add chopped pecans on top.

Set them aside to cool off. Meanwhile make a whipped topping. Take the carton, bowl and mixer blades out of the fridge, pour Healthy Top in a bowl (it will be thick) and whip on high power for 2-4 minutes. It tastes just like a regular whipped cream with a wonderful hint of almonds and vanilla. With only 50 calories and 3 grams of fat (and healthy one) per 1 Tbspoon, it’s a great alternative to a dairy cream or chemicals-ladden whipped toppings. Put the cream on top of peaches and top with chocolate shavings.

Goes splendidly with the leftovers of bourbon :) . Even sophisticated “New York Peaches” were impressed.

They say nothing lasts forever, dreams change, trends come and go, but friendships never go out of style.

– Sex and the City

Enjoy!

Jul30
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 Summer in the city is full of outdoor concerts, street fairs and of course my favorite Lincoln Center Festival.

For a month of July various theater, dance and music production companies come from all over the world to showcase their work and delight  summer New York crowds with local and world-known masterpieces.

This year I was drawn to the Sydney Theater Company adaptation of Anton Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya. Yes, it did help that it was a Russian play, not that often you can catch one even in eclectic New York (unless a Russian theater is visiting). And you can’t get more classic theater than Chekhov. It did also help that Cate Blanchett was in the play, I think she is a marvelous actress. So, the choice was made, the tickets were purchased, and the day has come.

This year I was joined by my friend Anna, a fellow bookworm and a quite sophisticated New Yorker (with a Russian spirit :) ) And what do you get when you combine two bookworms? Yep, lots of dissecting, some criticism and a whole ton of two heads in the clouds (or books in this case).

The evening could’ve started with a “wrong place, wrong time” fiasco as apparently the play was 30 minutes earlier and 10 blocks South from the actual Lincoln Center, luckily one bookworm caught it just on time to re-adjust the schedule :)  But in case you’re wondering, we still managed to turn the wrong block. How two New Yorkers could get lost in the city where literary every block has been walked through at least 100 times before is a mystery to me! I blame it on the heat, and heads in the clouds (and Russian books I guess). We dropped on our seats not with a second to spare before the play started.

Uncle Vanya, along with Seagull and Cherry Orchid, completes a trio of the most famous Chekhov’s plays, and probably even the most recognizable Russian theater productions period. Sydney Theater’s adaptation was directed by Cate Blanchett’s husband Andrew Upton and has been playing in Australia with much success since 2010. I don’t know how well the play was received in the Russian Australian community, but a few Russians among the New York audience (at least the ones I overheard) had the same mixed emotions as we both did.

Technically the play was done correctly, however, it failed to connect the audience (and actors themselves) to the “Russian Spirit”, that emotional place so masterfully depicted in writings of Chekhov and Dostoevsky, full of contradictory on-the-brink-of-death drama and a mix of dark humor and vulnerability. It just wasn’t there. It is always difficult to correctly portrait a character of a different ethnicity, and it is probably not the actors’ fault this time around, the director (as per the playbill description) paid a lot of attention to translation, but he somehow forgot that tapping into true emotional state of each character is of the utmost value too.

I was also very irked to see how little research into the era and the culture itself has been done before the production. The play depicted Russian life at the turn of the 20th century, the music that accompanied it was from the 1920s-30s, some of the props ranged from early 20th century well into 1950s, and the costumes were a wild mix of correct attire and 1920s-40s dresses. That definitely added to the confusion and mixed feelings left after this outing.

All in all, we did have a good time, the evening was still good, and my companion was still wonderful :) . But let’s just say we saw a “Chekhovian variations” play rather than a play written by Anton Chekhov.

What’s Cooking This Week

Speaking of summer, cherry orchids and authentic Russian Spirit. I found this recipe in the book of Old Russia offerings my family brought with us 20 years ago when we left our native country for good. It reminds me of summer months spent at a countryside and that “sugar and spice” spark so familiar to all Russian people.

Old Russian Summer Compote

1 apple

3 peaches

1 cup of cherries

1/2 cup of brown or raw sugar

2 Tbspoons of lemon juice

lemon peel from 1/2 lemon, cut

1 cup of dessert white wine

4 cups of water

mint leaves for garnish

Combine wine and water in a pot and gradually bring it to a boil. Cut the apple and peaches into bite size pieces and mix in with cherries and lemon peel.

Add fruits, sugar and lemon juice into the boiling liquid and cook until they become soft but not over-boiled.

Cover and let it stand for 15-20 minutes so the flavors would mix in. Chill in the fridge for a couple of hours and serve with some fresh mint leaves.

What you do with the rest of that wine, by the way, is entirely up to you :)

Enjoy!

Jul18
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Do you like guests?

Well, who doesn’t, right?!

It’s a chance to show off your talents as a hostess/host and spend a day away enjoying food, conversation and a great company

But do you like unexpected guests?

Depends on a person you might say. To welcome some, you need to spend a couple of hours cleaning and cooking to feel like you’re up to par. And others come with “be as you are” attitude.

Hopefully your close family and friends belong to the 2nd category, they don’t care if you have no make-up on, or your pony tail has not been touched by a brush since morning (or maybe even yesterday). They come to see YOU, not the latest fashion and home organizing trends. And in turn, you should not care if their 7 year-old is doing cartwheels in your living room, just cheer on her latest gymnastics accomplishments :)

Yes, you may not have an uninterrupted adult conversation for more than 2 minutes at a time (due to the mentioned 7 year-old just being her usual “motor-in-the-butt” self :)  ), but you will enjoy the company, unexpected as it is, it’s more of a gift than a nuisance to carve out time in two busy lives to see your friend.

And of course, you’d want to share a nice meal with your loved ones (even if her 7 year-old is settling down just for rice and a ham sandwich, and your 15 year-old suddenly becomes a hermit, but hey, you can then, maybe, have that quick adult conversation). Oh, and peddle away the food of course!

What’s Cooking This Week

Even though you may have unexpected guests, you’d still want to show off your culinary skills and enjoy a leisurely weekend dinner rather than having some 30-minute meal you may’ve cooked on a rushed weekday evening. I think this recipe fits the bill to be quick yet absolutely amazing. Your guests will think you slaved for hours in the kitchen (or ordered the dish from a fancy restaurant). Only you did not.

Pan Seared Scallops In Lemony-Butternut Sauce

1 lb of scallops

2 cups of cut butternut squash

2 + 1 Tbspoons of Earth Balance coconut or oil spread (or butter)

1 Tbspoon of fresh lemon juice

1 tspoon garlic powder

seasoned salt and pepper to taste

fresh chives, chopped

fresh rosemary for garnish

oil for frying

Cook the butternut first but take care as not to over-boil, it will only take about 10 minutes.

Drain and let it cool off for a couple of minutes, then transfer it to a blender. Add 2 Tbspoons of oil spread, garlic powder and spices and blend it all together till everything is smooth.

Rinse and dry scallops on a paper towel.

Heat up a frying pan on a high heat, add some olive oil and sear the scallops a few minutes on each side. While scallops are cooking, warm up the butternut sauce in a pan, add more oil spread, lemon juice and chopped chives, mix everything well.

Serve scallops with rice and a side of greens, garnish with fresh rosemary, the sauce will compliment both the seafood and the rice.

You can also make this dish with any white “buttery” fish instead of scallops, either flounder, lemon sole, butterfish or even catfish will go nicely with the sauce.

And in case you’re wondering what we had for dessert, these were on a menu, chocolate cupcakes with fresh strawberry icing, made earlier in the day, just because life is definitely sweeter with cupcakes around :)

Enjoy!

Jul10
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When asked about her “signature” song, Adele described it as a “kiss-off” to her unfaithful boyfriend. Adele wrote this in three hours the day after she broke up with him. Arriving upset at the studio the day after they split, she wanted to write a lovelorn ballad. Producer Paul Epworth persuaded her to write a more feisty song. “We Could Have Had It All” might’ve been a more typical title for this song, however, Adele wanted to show her strength and to make a bit of a statement that she was never a weak person, not when being  in a relationship in which she was blindsided, not when leaving it yet still undefeated.

“Rolling In The Deep” is a catchy song phrase, however, there’s a cultural history behind it too. Adele described it to Rolling Stone as an “adaptation of a kind of slang, slur phrase in the UK called ‘roll deep,’ which means to have someone, always have someone who has your back, and you’re never on your own, if you’re ever in trouble you’ve always got someone who’s going to come and help you fight it or whatever like that. And that’s how I felt in the relationship that the record’s about, especially ‘Rolling in the Deep.’ That’s how I felt, you know, I thought that’s what I was always going to have, and um, it ended up not being the case.”

I think we can all related to this in one way or another, no?! And even if you were so lucky that nobody ever broke your heart, I can almost guarantee that there were some people in your life whom you trusted and who later disappointed you and betrayed your trust. Hopefully you “kissed-off” those people goodbye (if not always being able to physically distance yourself but at least minimizing the chances they affect you emotionally). And I do sincerely hope you have your buddies, your “gang” with whom to “roll deep”, who will never disappoint, who will always catch you, even if you’re rolling on a floor from tears and grief.

To my “gang”! You know who you are! Let’s roll!

What’s Cooking This Week

I can’t even count all the meanings and connections this recipe has to the song and  the”roll deep” concept. Well, first, you need to do a lot of stirring and rolling to produce the expected result. And second, third, fourth, … it’s chocolate! It never disappoints, it’s always loyal, could be your best friend, your Valium, and a great lover if you desire so :) It’s something that helps you get over any kind of heartbreak or life predicament. And it’s something you share with your “gang” to appreciate all their “rolling deep” efforts. And it’s nice to share simply because you love them!

Chocolate Covered Granola Clusters

12 oz granola (I used Udi’s gluten free)

3 oz melted unsalted butter, coconut oil  or oil spread (which I used)

8 oz melted dark chocolate

a pinch of sea salt

Empty granola in a bowl and break up any clusters it may have. Pour over melted butter/oil spread or coconut oil and mix well.

Add melted chocolate and a pinch of sea salt, mix everything untill all is well-incorporated.

Line a baking sheet with a parchment paper and drop spoonfuls of mixture onto the tray.

Chill them in the fridge, for about an hour or untill chocolate is harden. Remove from the sheet and store  them in a fridge in a container.

Who needs expensive chocolate candy when you have these?!

Enjoy! And share with your “gang”!

Jun27
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 Do you have a word or a phrase you often share with a friend or a loved one that only you two can understand?

It’s like a code that when you say it, the other person knows exactly what you’re talking about.

It would not work with somebody who only has a tangential connection to you, you have to maintain a special bond to know that just two words can hold a conversation-worth of meaning and care.

For my best friend and I those two words would be “white porch”. And we share just the exact connection I described along with frequent telepathy, finishing each other’s sentences (or thoughts) and caring deeply for each other. We share a bond based on a spiritual background and placing the utmost value on personal integrity and maturity that has helped us remain completely argument-free, non-judgemental and understanding  since we met 19 year ago despite a vast difference in personalities and some life circumstances.

And isn’t it what a true friendship should be about?! Mutual respect, care and “having each other’s back” no matter what life throws at you.

And we’ve both had our share of rocks thrown at us, some the same and some very much different. I know no matter what I do or decide to explore in my life, she’ll be a “mountain” behind my back and a “ground” under my feet. And I hope she knows I’d do the same for her! This is the same unconditional love notion I try to instill in my son always telling him “I can never stop loving you, I may just hate the bad things you’ve done, and I will always support you in your endeavours even though I may not like the direction”.

Isn’t the unconditional love is all about it? None of the “if” and “because” and just “do”?!

Through thick and thin, two busy lives, and joys of children being born, and all the losses, and all the triumphs, through all the past (and future) heartbreaks, and all the laughs (and cups of tea) … We are still here!

And when life gets hard (and it does almost every day), we dream of peace, and quiet time, and tranquility, that all happens so rarely in this Earth life. We dream of Heaven and the other side in all its beauty and comfort of feeling that you’re Home, and all the struggles have finally ended, and there is nothing to do but rest and chat sitting on a White Porch of our real home.

No, we’re not morbid, and we’re definitely not suicidal (4 kids are at stake), but this is our anchor, and the literal “light at the end of the tunnel” to know that a white porch is waiting for us when we’ve finally completed this Earth round. To fully be in this life and accomplish everything that’s thrown at, swims by, rolls under and is falling on our heads, we need to think that a reward is waiting when we’re no longer here.

And as we sit on the white porch, sipping our tea and reminiscent about the days just finished, the memories will be there but the emotional connections are broken. We’ll wave to our children getting on with their lives, facing their own struggles and revel in their milestones that we helped to achieve. We’ll see the men we loved passing by, and all the heartaches would finally be released and forgotten. We’ll see the ones we’ve somehow wronged, and the old regrets will be dissolved and unnecessary. And the parents walk by welcoming us Home, and we will understand how it was to be in their spot.

One day this life will finally make sense.

Happy Birthday, Girl, and “meet me on the white porch”!

What’s Cooking This Week

Is it a surprise that dessert comes to mind when a birthday party is coming up?! Especially if chocolate is involved. And coffee. What more can two girls wish for?! Pink icing of course! Oh, and a surprise!

“Surprise Birthday” Cupcakes

For 12 cupcakes:

1 1/2 cup flour (or gluten free flour mix plus 3/4 tspoon of xanthan gum, I recommend Authentic Foods or Cup4Cup by Williams-Sonoma)

1 cup of sugar

1/3 cup of baking cocoa

1/2 cup cold brewed coffee

1/2 cup canola or melted coconut oil

2 eggs

3 tspoon apple cider vinegar

3 tspoons vanilla extract

1 tspoon baking soda

1/3 tspoon sea salt

12 small fresh strawberries, whole but stems cut off

Icing

1 cup of firm butter (or Spectrum Organic shortening for dairy free)

1 1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/2 tspoon vanilla extract

1-3 Tbspoons of pureed fresh strawberries or seedless jam

sliced fresh strawberries for garnish

rainbow sprinkles

food coloring (optional)

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl beat together sugar and the eggs, then add all the remaining liquid ingredients, beat until all is well incorporated. Combine the flour (or the gluten free flour mix and xanthan gum) with the rest of the dry ingredients. Gradually beat the coffee mixture into the dry mix until all is blended.

Line the muffins pan with cupcake liners and fill 3/4 of each with batter. Bake for about 20 minutes, remove from pan and cool off completely.

While the cupcakes are cooling off, make the frosting, puree several strawberries in a food processor (or use jam), cut the stems off 12 small strawberries and prepare the sliced strawberries for garnish drizzling them lightly with powdered sugar.

For the icing, beat together butter (or Spectrum Organic shortening for the dairy free version), sugar and vanilla untill fluffy. Start adding 1-3 Tbspoons pureed strawberries or jam (if using fresh strawberries, add more/less depending how much liquid they have). I ended up adding about 2 Tbspoons of seedless jam and food coloring as I wanted a brighter pink color than what jam produced. For pink/magenta color, most food coloring instructions ask you to combine red and blue, so follow what the directions say and add drops gradually while mixing as to see how bright you want the icing to be.

When the cupcakes are completely cooled off, using a cupcake corer (or a knife if you don’t have it), make a hole inside each cupcake. Insert the corer as directed in the middle of the cupcake and twist to make a hole.

Remove the corer from the cupcake, you may leave the cake piece and cover with it later if you want.

Spoon some of the icing inside the hole and insert a small strawberry inside.

Spread some icing on top of each cupcake, garnish with rainbow sprinkles and sliced strawberries.

Voila! You got mocha strawberry cupcakes with a “surprise”. This is what it looks like if you cut the cupcake.

Now they are all ready to be transported to a birthday party. I don’t know what we’d want to have on our white porch, but these look pretty heavenly.

Happy Happy Joy Joy!

Happy birthday girl! Enjoy!

Jun18
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New York has been on a great weather stretch (except occasional much-needed rain), not too hot, nice cool breeze, right at the summer’s door when the days turn into hot and hazy mess. We’ve all been enjoying just being outdoors, soaking in the sun and saying goodbye to the last spring days.

This weekend was all about lazy afternoons, chats with friends and inevitable walks down the “memory lanes”, and that’s exactly why I cherish these kind of weekends. Some good food and a nice conversation are the best fertilizers that feed my soul. Yes, this is Food and Thought Peddler’s paradise in all its glory :)

An old childhood friend came over (I’m just so lucky to have her in my life and live nearby!), we’ve known each other for 35 years, since grade school, it’s scary to even say that! And even though we didn’t see each other much throughout the school year as kids, every summer we met at the same suburban resort and spent a whole month by the river, running through  meadows, roaming the woods and just building a friendship and creating childhood memories strong enough to still have a taste of those summer berries and a smell of water lilies in our hair.

The first childhood loves, the first disappointments and doubts were experienced and re-lived there, during those lazy summer days and fun-filled nights under the stars and among your circle of friends. Those are the best memories you can have from your childhood!

So down we went a very long “memory lane”, “bookmarking” the events that we want to re-visit over and over again and also hoping that our children will have their own experiences to remember and knowing that, as parents, we helped them create those lasting memories. And making a wish to remember this very day too, many years into the future, a late spring afternoon spent over wine, food and a chat with your good friend!

And on to create even more sweet memories!

What’s Cooking This Week

From some childhood memories and on to some made just last month, I was inspired to make a healthy zucchini salad I tried during my trip to Boston. It was light, refreshing and not time-consuming. Not a complicated recipe to begin with, it was more about the combination of the veggies flavor and a dressing. Here is my variation of this great summer dish.

Citrusy Zucchini – Carrot Salad

1 medium carrot

1 medium zucchini

1 Tbspoon olive oil

5 Tbspoons of orange juice

1 tspoon  fresh orange zest

1 tspoon fresh lemon juice

1/2 tspoon fresh lemon zest

1 tspoon chopped dried mint leaves

1/8 cup of toasted almonds, chopped or slivered

salt, pepper to taste

Grate both carrot and zucchini length-wise using a Julienne peeler creating thin strips.

                                           Mix together all the ingredients for the dressing.

Add chopped mint, salt, pepper (you may adjust any amount of dressing ingredients according to your taste).

Pour dressing over the veggies and let it all stand for a couple of minutes so all the flavors merge. Garnish with toasted almonds. This salad goes with just about anything. Here we are enjoying it with pepper-stuffed grilled chicken patties.

Thus was a glorious Saturday spent sitting on my balcony chatting, eating and drinking.  For dessert, we had almond mocha and more of the quick chocolate scones from this post Hunting For A Moderation.  But not before we killed that bottle of wine :)

Enjoy it too!