After a particularly stressful week we celebrated a beautiful Christmas.  We decided not to emphasize gifts this year but to give of ourselves to each other.  My father’s illness and subsequent hospital stay left us all tired and unsure about what is to come.  But do we ever really know what is next in our lives?  I think this is one of, if not the  most, touching Christmas’ I have ever experienced.  My father was able to come home on Wednesday afternoon.  We prepared a small meal for Christmas Eve dinner and played carols and other favorite holiday music.  Dad was very weak but managed to disappear into his office to find four greeting cards from the collection he always keeps in his desk drawer.  He can barely write and his eyesight is failing, but he carefully selected a card for my mom, daughter, Mr. T and myself that he felt spoke to his love for us.  It took him almost three hours to write the short sentiments.  I will treasure the card he gave me forever.  Dad has always prided himself on beautiful handwriting, he can no longer handle a pen or pencil in a way that satifies him but that didn’t stop him from expressing his love as best he could.  When I opened my card, along with the printed greeting, were the simple words “to my beautiful, precious daughter, I love you, dad.”.  I’ll keep this card always, treasuring my dad and always remembering this very special Christmas.

I chose the video I’m featuring today as a result of attending the Christmas concert at Christ Church in Covington last Sunday evening.  “As A Bridegroom To His Chosen” by John Rutter.  The Louisiana Brass quintet played an instrumental arrangement of this that I loved.  I couldn’t find one that did not include the choir and lyrics but I think this recording is quite lovely.  I hope you’ll enjoy it!

Treasure this day and those you love.  We’re about to have the beginning of a new year filled with bright promise and opportunity.  You might want to make a list of the things you’d like to release and then burn it in a safe way, offering it to the powers that be in gesture of letting go of the past.  No new year’s resolutions for me any longer.  I only pray for peace, good health and abundance for all as 2016 nears.  Be safe….be happy…..be loved!

Melissa | Simple Sundays | 12 27th, 2015 | 5 Comments »

I am a big Lindsey Stirling fan.  This “Celtic Carol” is perfect for the season!  I hope you enjoy and have a very relaxing Sunday.  Whether you are wrapping gifts, watching holiday movies or having guests in for a bit of Christmas cheer, savor every moment.  We’re celebrating our first Christmas in our new home in the New Orleans area.  The holiday customs here are rich with culture and history.  What a wonderful place to be!

Melissa | Simple Sundays | 12 20th, 2015 | No Comments »

It’s time to make a menu for Christmas Eve or day!  This is a wonderful selection of yummy dishes sure to please!  I hope you enjoy and have a safe and very merry celebration!

Roast Pork Tenderloin with Prunes and Shallots in a White Balsamic Reduction

Potato and Turnip Gratin

Fresh Organic Green Salad with Honey Crisp Apple and Toasted Pecans

Assorted Christmas Cookies

Bordeaux, your choice

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Roast Pork Tenderloin with Prunes and Shallots in a White Balsamic Reduction

Serves 6

1 boneless pork tenderloin

French gray sea salt and cracked black pepper

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon Sangre de Cristo Spice Company Herbes de Provence

1 cup pitted prunes

6 shallots peeled and halved, lengthwise

1/4 cup White Balsamic Vinegar with Fig Infusion (I use Alessi)

1/2 cup chicken broth

Rinse and pat the tenderloin dry.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  In a deep oven proof pan, preferably with a lid, heat the olive oil, sprinkle the tenderloin with salt and pepper.  Seer all sides of the meat in the heated oil.  Add the herbs, prunes, shallots vinegar and broth.  Let simmer for a couple of minutes then cover and place in the preheated oven for 1 hour.  I like to open the oven every fifteen minutes and spoon some of the juice over the meat, then replace the cover and continue cooking.  Insert a meat thermometer to insure you have a reading of 145 degrees.  Remove the meat from the oven and let it stand for about ten minutes before slicing and serving with the sauce spooned over or served on the side.

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Potato and Turnip Gratin

Serves 6

This recipe is so delicious!  I used an old Bon Apetit recipe to begin then wandered off, as I always do, finding my own path with it.

2 large russet potatoes, washed

4 large turnips, peeled

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup chicken broth

1 teaspoon herbes de provence

1 bayleaf

gray salt and pepper to taste

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

a dash of cayenne pepper and one of raw sugar

Topping:

1/2 cup shredded swiss cheese

1/2 cup shredded gruyere cheese

In a sauce pan, heat the cream, broth and remaining ingredients.  Bring the mixture to a simmer and let cook at very low heat for about 1/2 hour.  The mixture will have reduced a bit.  Pour this through a seive, into a large mixing bowl.

Slice the potatoes and turnips with a mandoline so that they are very thin.  If you are using a knife, be sure it is VERY sharp and make the slices as “paper” thin as possible.  Place the slices into the mixing bowl with the sauce then spoon out into an oblong, glass baking dish.  Cover the dish with foil and bake for one hour, with the pork, at 350 degrees.  After the hour is up, remove the foil.  Sprinkle the cheese mixture over the top and bake uncovered for another 20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and golden.  NOTE:  You may want to begin baking this dish a half hour before the pork tenderloin.

Fresh Organic Green Salad with Honey Crisp Apple and Toasted Pecans

My neighbors have the most awesome garden.  I got a very welcome phone call asking if I’d be interested in some greens they had just picked from their garden.  YES….was my reply.  I tossed the greens, after washing them and spinning them dry, with on organic Honey Crisp apple and about a cup of slice, toasted pecans.  A simple vinaigrette completed the job.  Here’s my tried and true vinaigrette recipe:

1/4 cup good olive oil

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

1/4 teaspoon dry mustard

gray salt and pepper to task

Whisk together and pour over the salad….then toss.

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Assorted Christmas Cookies

Whatever your favorites are, offer them up for dessert and make it easy on yourself!  A bit of the bubbly or a nice, strong espresso…..or both!  These are some of my favorites.

Melissa | Finally Friday!, food & entertaining | 12 18th, 2015 | No Comments »

Camelia Bushes In Bloom

Seven weeks ago, as of today, I underwent full knee replacement of my left knee.  I now have two “bionic” knees, or so I like to think they will be once I’ve finished rehab.  I have to thank Dr. Chad Millet for performing such a masterful job and his staff for their support.  Physical therapy is not one bit fun, but necessary.  I tow the line and follow directions.  Ice and elevation are my two greatest friends.  Now….to figure out how to sleep at night and I’ll have won the battle!

I haven’t gotten around to much blogging during my recovery.  The photo above is of the ceiling in my bedroom here in our new home.  This “double coved’ ceiling has been my view for days on end.  I am now getting up and around on a more regular basis, but I have watched the paint color on this ceiling change hue as hours passed.  Sometimes it’s taupe and others a serene shade of green that is completely unexpected.  It all depends on the lighting.  Sorry this photo is a bit “off kilter”, but I guess it fits my disposition of late!  I’m a work in constant progress and I’m on the rise!

Mid-Century Ranch Turns French/Pinterest

I’m not a television watcher.  In fact, we don’t even have regular television since Apple TV offers all that we need for entertainment.  But I have discovered how to watch YouTube on the big screen and am enjoying shows like “Fixer Upper” from HGTV.  Being a Texas girl, born and raised, I think of taking a trip to Waco just to see what the empire Chip and Joanna Gaines are building is all about.  I don’t know if you’ve watched the show but this couple is adorable and uber talented.  I love watching something that shows accomplishment and happy endings….”Fixer Upper” always delivers. One of my favorite episodes transforms the home in the photo above…Season 1.  AND, I’m loving the new Netflix series, “Sensitive Skin” with one of my all time favorite actresses, Kim Cattrell, of Sex in the City fame. This is not a role like “Samantha” that brought her so much attention, but her acting skills may be at their best in this new series.

My calendar is brimming over with new adventures in the New Year. Plans are in the works that will bring my best blog posts ever to your inbox every day…except Saturday.  2015 has been a mixed bag of trials and challenges which we have met and are working to turn into positive experiences as time passes.  We are surrounded by an exciting world in New Orleans.  Natives of this wonderfully historic city express an amazing joy for living on a daily basis.  They parade at the drop of a hat and make celebration and every day occurrence.  I cannot wait to experience my first Mardi Gras.  Move over and let me in, MuffALotta’s!  We’ll be dancing in the streets!

Melissa | Out&About | 12 14th, 2015 | 1 Comment »

This video amazes me.  The precision of the pianist, David Hicken, and the music itself is uplifting and perfect for the season!  I hope you’ll enjoy this and your day.  It’s a simple Sunday…go out and do something you love…just for you!

Melissa | Simple Sundays | 12 13th, 2015 | No Comments »

It’s Finally Friday and I’m back with a great recipe that is quick to make and oh so delicious!  When a family is moving it is easy to grab something from a fast food establishment or food market than to cook.  Add to that the fact that just after we moved here I underwent a full left knee replacement and that explains why I have not been posting about food very much.  I was concerned about gaining weight while off my feet but the opposite has happened.  I’m feeling better and more fit than I have in a very long time.  So I’m back in the kitchen, getting creative and coming up with recipes I think you’ll love!  Today’s recipe works as an easy weekend meal that even guests will love!  Pair it with a cold Corona and you’ve got it going!

Black Bean Enchiladas

Makes 10 enchiladas

1 package of white corn tortillas

1 can organic black beans, drained and rinsed

1 fresh, red bell pepper chopped

1 sweet onion finely chopped

1 clove garlic, peeled and finely minced

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon good quality chili powder

salt and pepper to taste

2 cans “Hatches” Green Chili enchilada sauce

3 cups shredded Colby Jack cheese

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

Heat the enchilada sauce in a pot until just simmering.  Heat the olive oil in a medium size skillet over medium heat and add the onion, cooking until it is just transparent.  Add the chopped bell pepper, rinsed black beans and garlic and heat through.  Grease an oblong pyrex or other pan and pour 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce into the bottom and spread to cover.  Take one tortilla and dip it into the remaining sauce to soften it.  Place it in the baking dish and spoon the black bean mixture  down the middle and sprinkle with a bit of cheese.  Gently fold one side of the tortilla over the other and place seam side down in the baking dish.  Repeat this method until you have made 10 enchiladas.  Pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas and sprinkle the rest of the shredded cheese over the top.  Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.  Uncover and back for ten more minutes, the cheese will be melted and the sauce should be bubbly around the sides.

Guacamole Salsa

2 large, ripe avocados

1 bunch of scallions finely chopped, including the green ends

1 clove garlic, peeled and finely minced

1/2 cup fresh cilantro washed and chopped

juice of one fresh lime

salt and pepper to taste

Optional:

Shredded Iceberg Lettuce

Sour cream

To serve the enchiladas:

Place two enchiladas on each plate.  Top with shredded lettuce then guacamole salsa and sour cream.  Serve with tortilla chips if desired and don’t forget that icy cold beer!  Enjoy!

Melissa | Finally Friday!, food & entertaining, Home&Garden | 12 11th, 2015 | No Comments »

Life is slowly beginning to beat to a normal rhythm here in Louisiana.  I was honored to be a guest a the New Orleans chapter of the American Culinary Federation’s Christmas Party on December 1st.  What an amazing group of professional foodies who give their heart and soul to their craft and to the community.  Service is their goal and they give back in tremendous ways.  I felt welcome and honored to join them.  You’ll be seeing more as I begin working with them more closely over the next few months.  And I found my “fairy godmother” here in the form of a wonderful woman who I met at a culinary event the first night we were here back in August.  I’m not sharing her identity yet, but she is an amazing angel who I’ll be working with as we get busy promoting such things as Slow Foods, local seafood, various culinary events and so much more.

I found this video for your holiday listening entertainment.  It’s one of my favorite Christmas songs performed by Pentatonix, a group my daughter has introduced me too that I’m really enjoying.   I hope you’ll sit back and take a few minutes to enjoy it and, as always, have a peaceful Sunday filled with time for yourself, time with family and time to say thank you.

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Melissa | Simple Sundays | 12 6th, 2015 | No Comments »