My Cup...Day 30

Halfway through this year's posts!

My cup...as usual in the evening, is full of wine...can't help it!  Working on a paper for a class, but distracted remembering a great night last night was, we who usually go up to bed at 8:30 or 9 and lay and talk sat on the newly refurbished deck until 10 just talking, listening to music, enjoying the ambiance...and a constantly running over cup of wine...a good start to the week!

March- Day 1- "Verdant"

Yes, I had to start by looking it up; I figured from the "ver" that it had something to do with green, but checked anyway...and found the definition to be a bit ironic and timely in my world...

ver·dant

  [vur-dnt] 

adjective

1.

green with vegetation; covered with growing plants or grass: a verdant oasis.

2.

of the color green: a verdant lawn.

3.

inexperienced; unsophisticated: verdant college freshmen.

So, here is a photo that emulates all three uses of the word...and it happens to be one of my favorite photos, my only regret is that I didn't have my new lens yet and I am now learning to use it/play with it.  This was shot at Nassau Valley Vineyard near Rehoboth Beach, DE, a very beautiful winery with good wine too (trust me, I bought enough so that no one minded us using their grounds, but I don't think they minded anyway).  I will see if I can find as many opportunities to use this new word this month (see, this 365 thing is increasing my vocabulary!)!

My verdant daughter surrounded by verdant ivy growing up a verdant trellis!

Weight Watching What??!!???

Yesterday proved to be a big 'ol challenge because I made those banana muffins so of course I ate one at 5 WW+ pts apiece!  I really am trying to stay in the points range for the day, and I also was making my first Semolina Bread (pictured on right, was more of a cornbread style, not bad, but not what I was going for, but I have 15 more lbs. of Semolina Flour to practice with, thanks to amazon!)...it of course has points too.  I found a recipe for a Tuscan style sauce which was perfect.  In one pot I put a can of diced tomatoes and- get this- a can of Ro-Tel (I only had one can of regular, so I pulled out a bunch of the jalapenos and went with it), and 8 oz of tomato sauce.  Some salt and pepper (1/2 t. each give or take) and some Italian Seasoning (2-3 t.) and let it simmer.  Meanwhile, in another pan, I sautéed half of an onion, some chopped garlic, sliced mushrooms and zucchini.  Once both were finished I mixed them together and was finished- too easy!  Served with spaghetti so that was the only real points, I used minimal olive oil in sautéing.  I added sausage for the meat (I put the sauce right on the bread).  I had to forego red wine with it, the price for eating the muffin, which is unfortunate, because I have several bottles from Nassau Valley Winery sitting here waiting (a must visit if you are in the Rehoboth area- & fabulous for a photo shoot too)!   I posted a few of our pictures I took there below.   There is always the weekend though!

Another Serendipitous Saturday...

We were headed to Kent Island for the night, and had planned to spend time at one of the more well known places for a night of food and fun...but not long before we left it occurred to me that we would be arriving at prime time and there could be waits to eat dinner, and I am not one that likes to wait...fast forward to Trip Advisor, and I found Bridges Restaurant, which takes reservations online.  What a fortunate discovery!  Three hour meal that was more romantic than what I thought it would be; the only negative was they were sold out of pizzas (?!?!?!?)...apparently with prom they had an overwhelming influx of high school students earlier in the evening. I guess that just gives me a reason to go back! The Flat Iron Steak was divine, the Cream of Crab Soup yummy, and the tapenade they serve with their bread was unique in a good way!  I also like that they have the wine lists but also have an "Under $30" wine list.  We were able to sit outside on the upper deck and it was perfect, it did seem as if it could get loud inside.  I hope next time you are headed to "that place everyone goes" that you think twice and check out what is next door...you might be serendipitously suprised!



Orange you glad it is a rainy Sunday?

Hokey joke (in our family we call those John and Linda jokes...)...but seriously, was one of those days where I had the luxury of taking a shower and putting on clean pajamas, and that doesn't happen too often!  Watched "Sarah's Key" (good movie!), getting ready to drink some wine and steam some shrimp with some Old Bay and homemade cocktail sauce, roast some veggies, and hang out with my love.  But then there is dessert, thus the reference to "orange..."- a heavenly and light orange pound cake- you can see the flecks of orange zest in the cake, and the ricotta makes it super moist.  Just one of those things that makes me smile!  Try it yourself!
Giada's Orange Ricotta Pound Cake Recipe from Food Network