A Fun Twist on Pancakes

This past weekend, the Hubby and I made some pancakes for the twins on Saturday morning.

Before I get in too far, let me say that I have tried every pancake mix. If I see one, I buy it and I try it. I have to say that I have a favorite, Pioneer Brand from good 'ole San Antonio does the trick for me.

But, I digress...

Back to this past weekend, the Hubby pulled out the griddle and I was mixing the batter when he turned to me a suggested that we put a bit of vanilla extract in the mix. I thought to myself, "Why not?" So we did.

They were delicous.

On Sunday morning, I thought to myself, "What if we tried almond extract?"

So, we pulled out the griddle, the mix, the vanilla extract and the almond extract.

We used about 1/4 of a teaspoon each. EVEN BETTER! (NUMBER 14)

And, you get the nice side bonus of making yoru house smell wonderful!

What have you added vanilla and almond to?

Happy Cooking!

Laura

Berry Crepes

Happy Cooking!

Laura

A little of this...

A package of that...

A little orange juice...

A flip...

A whip...

VIOLA (NUMBER 13) !!!

Casulties

 have recently had a few casulties (aka some really good parties),

 which has affected the surplus one of my crystal patterns.

I am in the process of trying to identify the pattern so that I may find some replacements.

Do you recognize me?

Happy Hunting and Happy Cooking!

Laura

Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary, Oh how your garden....

GROWS!!!!

As the first few days of Spring arrived, I pulled out my shovel,

black and decker screwdriver, two 4x8 cedar posts, four 2x4 cedar posts and went to town!

I had a small space by my back door in the garden and I wanted to make a vegetable garden. With the help of the Hubby and Hubby's Dad, I designed and built a raised cedar vegetable garden.

Here are some pictures from the first few days...

Being very practical, I planted vegetables that we liked. I mean really, what's the point of planting food we wont eat!?!? So, in went the lettuce (Black Seeded Simpson and Raddicio), artichoke, and three tomatoe plants - we love tomoatoes! We also tried a few by seed - french green beans, butternut squash, zuchini, yellow squash, cucumber, and edamame.

A few weeks later....

Signs of Life

and then even more...

Green Beans!

See the little seedlings coming up on the right? That is the Zucchini!!!

We have been enjoying our salads straight from the garden to the table....

 

Now, today, I went into the garden, one month later.... and I sang to myself... Mary, Mary, Quite contrary, OH how my garden has grown!!!

Celery                                               Corn                                                   Tomatoes

More Tomatoes!!!

and Celery!

I even got really brave and planted a fairytale pumpkin by seed...

Happy Gardening and Happy Cooking!

Laura

Pea Pesto Crostini

For my first recipe from Giada's new Book, Giada at Home, I chose Pea Pesto Crostini because
Sur La Table served the crostini to all of Giada's fans in line. It is my Number 12!

Pea Pesto Crostini

Giada de Laurentiis

Giada at Home

Number 12

 

Ingredients

Pesto:

1 (10-ounce) package frozen peas, defrosted

1 garlic clove

1/2 cup grated Parmesan

1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus extra for seasoning

1/3 cup olive oil

Crostini:

8 (1/2-inch thick) slices whole-grain baguette or ciabatta bread, preferably day-old, * see Cook's Note

1/3 cup olive oil

8 cherry tomatoes, halved or 1 small tomato, diced

Directions

For the pea pesto: Pulse together the peas, garlic, Parmesan, 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper in a food processor. With the machine running, slowly add the olive oil until well combined, about 1 to 2 minutes. Season with additional salt and pepper, if needed. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.

For the crostini: Preheat a stovetop griddle or grill pan on medium-high heat. Brush both sides of the sliced bread with olive oil and grill until golden, about 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the bread to a clean surface and spread 1 to 2 tablespoons of the prepared pesto on each slice.

Top with tomato halves and serve.

(Giada's)

*Cook's note: If you don't have day-old bread on hand, you can dry out fresh bread by putting the slices in a preheated 300 degree F oven until slightly crisp, about 5 minutes.

The presentation is absoluetly beautiful! The green and red are so vibrant and happy!

The hubby and the kids loved them!

I served them (just the Hubby, not the kids) with a glass of Los Vascos Chardonnay out in the garden.

It was a nice pairing.

For dinner, we had lemon basil (fresh from the herb garden) chicken.

Happy Cooking!

Laura

Private VIP Book Signing

This evening I hosted a

"Private VIP Book Signing"

(In case you were wondering, I am the VIP!)

Check out the pictures!

Happy Cooking and Happy Reading!

Laura

Bond Daddy

I am SO pleased to announce the availability of....

Bond Daddy

By: Jason L. Fowell (aka "The Hubby") & John Bott

Over the past five years, the Hubby and John Bott have co-authored a fictional novel inspired by actual events in Houston, Texas during the 1970s world of high finance.

Bond Daddy has been published and is available online at
Barnes & Noble in hard cover (at a special limited time push price) and
soft cover at Barnes & Noble and, also, at Amazon.

Over the next few months, book signings will be scheduled in our area.

Here is the back cover description:

The lure of fast money pulls Aaron and Jack into a world driven by high-pressure commission sales where morals and ethics take a backseat to big paydays. Best friends since high school, Aaron and Jack are hired by a brokerage firm that begins the strict training of each broker before they are licensed. Surviving the firm's grueling interview process, harsh cold-calling and aggressive tactics, each takes a different path in an attempt to endure the shark-infested trading floor.

Aaron's natural aptitude with people gives him quick success; however, Jack's first sale eludes him for months-causing marital problems and pushing him to the brink of depression. But as the friends turn into big producers, the firm's partners do more than just take them from the poor house to fancy cars. Aaron and Jack are introduced to a hedonistic lifestyle filled with wild adventures and seedy relationships riddled with dangerous vices.

Inspired by actual events from a 1970s Houston, Texas, boiler room operation, Bond Daddy chronicles the successes, excesses, and failures of men pushed to their limits who end up secretly living abroad, wasting away in prison or mysteriously murdered.

CONGRATULATIONS HUBBY!

Happy Cooking and Happy Reading!!!

Laura