Courtney meets Martha

Martha Stewart is a very nice person! Courtney waited in line 3 hours, and when it was time to get the book signed, we quickly shared her story, and showed Martha the photo she had sent Courtney 15 years ago...she was very interested, and asked Courtney if she was "well" now, and put Best Wishes Courtney on the book!

Martha is a Good Thing, and it's all good in Courtney's world! Who knows what's next...maybe her own Food Network show!

BETTER LATE THAN NEVER!!!

I should be ashamed of myself for not blogging for a LONG time, I guess life gets in the way, or I don't feel inspired, but anyway...so the big news this week is I got a seasonal job at SUR LA TABLE, the cooking and foodie store which is a 5 minute drive from my house....I am very excited to be spending all of my earnings on Christmas gifts and items for me this year at this amazing store.

I made a killer paella the other night and when I get my cut and paste to work on this program I will be excited to share the recipe with you.... I did learn that I need to buy a new paella pan when I my get 40% discount, because it was overflowing.

I hope everyone is enjoying our beautiful fall weather, because I could not take those hot flashes I was experiencing anymore with summer weather. If by chance you are you menopausal ,you understand summer needs to be a shorter season, or you have to live in air conditioning ALL the time.!

One more thing, Martha Stewart will be signing her new book at our local COSTCO this coming Sunday. My daughter Courtney wants to go and get her very own copy. You may recall in one of my earlier posts that when Courtney was recovering from leukemia I sent her a letter and a photo of Courtney holding two Martha video's in her hand. I shared how Courtney loved watching those videos over and over. Martha sent back an 8 X 10 glossy of herself...".To Courtney....You're a good thing! "

I don't know if we are going to stand in that line for at least 2 hours like I did when I met Ina, but perhaps Martha might be a little touched by this young lady, who has survived this terrible disease, is passionate about food, and wants to meet an ICON!

To be continued....

BETTER THAN A SANDY P.B. & J!

It has been sooo hot here lately, and I demanded that we have a little picnic at the beach last night. My daughter Courtney is one for always finding great recipes, so I took her suggestion and made these delicious chicken salad sandwiches on ciabatta bread, with a side of Maui onion chips and watermelon slices, and a beautiful sunset....life is good!

ROSEMARY CHICKEN SALAD SANDWICHES

3 cups chopped roasted skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 3/4 lb)

1/3 cup chopped green onions

1/4 cup chopped or slivered almonds

1/4 cup plain fat free yogurt

1/4 cup light mayonnaise

1 teaspoon fresh rosemary

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/8 t. salt

1/8 t. pepper

Combine ingredients, stirring well. Spread chicken mixture over 5 bread slices(if using whole grain sliced bread).

FAMILY...GOTTA LOVE EM!

Do you know what happens when you get 14 Italian family members together in one room - it gets really loud really quick! Why? Because Italians tend to talk loud and argue, and use their hands and then things start getting knocked over...Do you know how many glasses of wine I have spilled in my life???



My poor husband was a little intimidated by all the commotion.....4 generations of Lo Cicero's(that's my mother's maiden name) eating Mexican food, drinking wine and margaritas!. When there was a lull, I got the crazy idea to put on the old family videos...that was quite the spectacle...watching my 9 year old self do the charlston in a dress I made out of a blue pillow case and glued on red fringe-all of the haircuts my father attempted on his three daughters with super short bangs...the matching outfits we were forced to wear during the holidays back in the 60s, and of course, the many birthday parties held in our finished basement where we played musical chairs and pin the tail on the donkey.....Yes, life was so much simpler then. I usually watch those old home movies about once a year and get a could cry out of it.

Of course, there was another celebration of sorts this past weekend....the 40th anniversary of Woodstock...I could have actually gone - being 16 at the time with my 18 year old boyfriend, but that old fashioned Italian dad of mine said NO WAY.....come to think of it, I wouldn't let my 16 year old daughter go either...

Enjoy your families!

Thank you Laura!

Laura, at Ciao Amalfi! presented me with this lovely award....She has an amazing blog about living in Amalfi, Italy....see link on side... In one of her recent posts, she was visiting Capri, and did some window shopping in Anacapri...I commented that Capri and the Amalfi Coast were our most favorite places in Italy during our trip in 2007...and while we admired the views, the expensive shops, ate incredible pastries, we also had a star sighting- the one and only Barbra Streisand! She was cruising around with her dogs, a floppy hat, some kind of a mumu and a few friends...not the glamorous star that we are used to seeing! We certainly didn't expect her to belt out in song, but I think she caught the eye of many tourists that day!

In ignoring the rules, I send this out to all the blogs that inspire me --you are all lovely!

JULIE & JULIA....

Instead of blogging...I'm reading...Just finished this book, which is a hoot, and very educational, in a Julia Child kind of way. I am really looking forward to the movie coming out on August 7th. and to see how well Meryl Streep does her Julia Child imitation.

I am sure you have heard the premise.... Julie, a young New York secretary decides to start a blog which involves cooking every single recipe in Julia Child's The Art of French Cooking and blogging about it--now I don't know about you, but I don't think I would even attempt any of her recipes....Now Ina Garten - I have 6 of your cookbooks, how long do you think it would take me to cook my way through all of those....

With the way the hot summer weather has made me - lazy, I don't think it would happen in this lifetime.

Hope you are all enjoying summer! And if you have a few hours, read the book, you will get a kick out of it!

INTOXICATING!

DEFINITION: EXCITING, THRILLING, STIMULATING, HEADY, EXHILARATING.

I HAVE ALWAYS LOVED ROSES, AND HAVE A FEW BUSHES GROWING IN MY YARD THAT ARE DESPERATELY TRYING TO SURVIVE UNDER THE CARE OF MY BLACK THUMB..WHEN I DO GET A FEW BLOOMS I ENJOY CUTTING THEM TO MAKE FRAGRANT ARRANGEMENTS......I ALSO HAVE A MAGNOLIA TREE IN MY YARD...THE OTHER DAY I DECIDED TO CUT ONE OF THE HUGE BLOOMS AND PUT IT IN A SHALLOW BOWL....WOW, WHAT AN AMAZING SCENT, SWEET, EXOTIC, LEMONY...INTOXICATING!

SPEAKING OF FLOWERS HERE ARE SOME MORE PHOTOS OF THE BUCHART GARDENS IN VICTORIA, B.C. AS A FRIEND OF MINE SAID AFTER HER VISIT, IT FEELS SURREAL THERE...LIKE YOU ARE IN HEAVEN...LET'S HOPE HEAVEN LOOKS JUST LIKE THIS!