Recipe Cards as Memories

Stuck at home with two sick little girls....time to start organizing stuff. I went through a small file box I brought from Maryland and spent some time remembering people and food-related events from my foodie past. When I owned Someone's in the Kitchen, I did cooking classes and had a loyal following of Maryland cooks. We covered entertaining menus, making stocks, easy weeknight dinners, grilling, wine, holiday baking and much more. I would have guest chefs in to teach every month or so, which was always fun. I got to assist or actually sit in class as a student....drinking wine and laughing with people who grew to be longtime friends. Every so often we would have a potluck class. I would demonstrate just one or two recipes and ask everyone else to bring a signature dish along with the recipe to be copied and shared. I went through some of those cards this morning and it was like a little visit with people I haven't seen in years! And I need to make some of these things now that I found the recipes. Toby's Chocolate Nut Zucchini Cake, Gretchen's Greek Vinaigrette from a Greek church in Pittsburgh, and the best fruit salad drizzle I have ever tasted, Lara's Amaretto Fruit Dip. We don't have many family mementos here in Key West. All of that stuff is in storage in Maryland. So it was nice to find two cards hand written by my grandmothers, both of whom passed in the last two years.  I also found the recipe cards from a charity lunch event I attended in Baltimore where I actually MET Martha Stewart back in the day when she was all the rage. And the handwritten quantities for La Paz margaritas (I remember finally asking for that sitting at the bar upstairs at the old site) and the Maryland Fried Chicken that John used to love from...sadly I can't remember the name of the place, but I'll keep it since you never know when I may need to make fried chicken for 50.

Recipes from Martha's event.

Recipes from cooking classes.

The sniffles started Saturday....

but I just assumed Mari had some seasonal allergies. She swam and played as normal, and we enjoyed a lovely long weekend. Tuesday morning while we were getting ready for school, I noticed a slight fever and she said her ear hurt. I called our pediatrician's office and said I hoped to get a 'sick' appointment for that day, and the receptionist replied 'Of course!' and scheduled us for less than an hour later. (Anyone who has survived calling the Pediatric Center for a same-day appointment will be impressed with this small town bonus!) A quick visit with the doctor (who happens to run with John at the 5 AM Southernmost Runners gathering at Green Parrot) gave us the diagnosis.....sinus infection, ear infection and low-grade fever. Poor Mari will be swallowing 10 ml of pink Amoxicilin three times a day for 10 days, but should be feeling better soon. After a quiet day at home with her, John retrieved Josie from school. The minute she walked in the door I knew she was ill....glassy-eyed and listless. One hug proved she was burning up with fever. Two kids down in one day! And if Josie isn't well, she needs her mom nearby at all times. Yesterday was a rare grey, dreary day in Key West, with several inches of rain. So it kind of worked out well - we all snuggled in and I think for the first time since we have lived here, no time outside and no requests to head outside. We had a good night and today is starting much like yesterday. Mari has had some breakfast and a dose of medicine, and she is in her bedroom with her Leap Pad and a pile of books. Josie's fever is gone, and she is on a pile of pillows watching some Disney Junior. No appetite for her yet, but I will work on that. It is still raining outside with no sun in sight. And for once, I'm glad. :)

Memorial Day Weekend in Key West

In the areas above south Florida, Memorial Day is traditionally the start of summer. Time to open up the pool, have the first big barbecue of the year, and kick in to 'summer mode.' Here in Key West, where it has been warm and summery for at least a month or two, Memorial Day is the end of the season. The last big hurrah of visitors and tourists before the slow summer season begins. Living in Maryland, we were never quite sure what we would get....damp and cool late spring weather, or a late spring heat wave. I remember Memorial Day weekends in Bethany Beach, Delaware coming home with a nice tan, but also watching the Weather Channel from bars checking when exactly the drizzle would stop. We always went with John's family for two weeks, arriving on the Saturday before the big day. After many, many dreary, chilly weeks at that time of year, we moved our rental to mid-June. Again, some years were awesome and summery, some were dismal and chilly. In that part of the country, even though the calendar said 'summer' you really weren't sure what you would happen. In the Keys, we can pretty much guarantee it will be warm and sunny, and this holiday it was. We had a sitter Friday night so we hit Duval Street. I know first-hand this town was jumping for the holiday weekend. But trips to the grocery store proved that most locals were out on their boats.....the first official weekend of summer, and the start of the time of year when the winds die down and everyone can return to the party spots like Snipes Point and Marvin Point. Here on Duncan Street, we had a quiet, nice weekend at home. I don't think my family of transplants is over last weekends' trip to Target near Miami! I wasn't about to suggest a trip away. We grilled, we swam in our pool, and today John took the girls to Fort Zach for some beach time while I took care of some house work at home. Tonight, we grilled some delicious chicken marinated in a paste of fresh cilantro and oregano, plus lime zest, garlic and olive oil. Add some deviled eggs, green bean/tomato/feta/red onion salad and potato salad with a Caesar dressing and let's call it a picnic. We event ate outside. The girls are kind of done with school for the year. OK, they are REALLY done with school for the year. Ready for a change in routine and our big trip north before starting school again in August. After this long weekend, we have 8 1/2 days of school left....hard to believe this school year is about over! I, too, am looking forward to some time off the Rock and some time spent with family and friends in Maryland, Pennsylvania and New York. But I enjoyed this summery weekend at home, knowing that changes are on the way! And I hope you enjoyed your Memorial Day weekend as well. :)

Neighbors for a week

Our longtime friends the Finisecys have been coming to Key West for at least twenty years. If I remember correctly, it was love at first sight and they purchased a week at Coconut Beach on their first visit to the island. They added a second week soon after. So every May and October they are our neighbors in Key West for a week. I love having them in town! I get the girls to school, do a few things, then hit their lovely pool deck until I have to pick them up again. Laughter, catching up on every one's activities in Maryland and their four super-cute grand kids....fun! The pool deck at Coconut Beach is oceanfront, so we get to have this catch-up time in a tropical paradise. Talk, swim, talk, swim....maybe talk on the chaise, talk in the pool is more descriptive?! And John has a buddy for a few trips to Green Parrot during their stay. We get our extra bikes hooked up to the resorts' bike racks before they arrive. And when they leave, we take all their leftover booze, sunscreen and groceries. It works out well. When we head north in June, we will meet again at our favorite Mexican joint in Frederick. One night on the way up to Pennsylvania and one night on the way back to Key West. Happy traditions. :)

Some time outside

I spent a bit of time outside with my plants today, which always brings a smile to my face. The "Grand Duke of Tuscany" jasmine is still blooming. It is such a lovely plant! The buds are striking, and even the spent buds are still lovely....staying in form instead of shedding petals like many flowering plants do.

The red passion flower vine is going crazy, due to some recent rain and lots and lots of sunshine. It will literally cover a fence if we don't use that entrance for a few days, and it features lovely, pea-like tendrils as it looks for anything to latch on to.

 I really need to spend some time cutting dead wood back from along the fence, but in the meantime it is always wonderful to walk outside to be greeted by one of these beauties.

This morning I also had some time to "bedazzle" the outdoor refrigerator. An outdoor fridge in the real world is kind of redneck, but down here, where it is hot and the majority of people fish, it is a staple. When we bought a new refrigerator soon after buying this house, the delivery guys said "Well, I hope you are keeping the old one for beer and bait!" We did. John has a keg system in the house so he always has a cold Sierra Nevada Pale Ale on tap, so the outdoor fridge generally holds bottled water, pinot grigio, La Croix water and juice boxes. So I didn't feel too badly covering it with these girly stickers today.

John built a little "house" for it a while ago, and the vines have taken over. The white shed is also home to our "journey marker" which lists the places we were all born and the cities we have lived in before Key West.

We spend easily more time outside than inside, year 'round. The grill is on one side of this structure, and there is an outdoor dining table on the other side. Kind of an outdoor dining/cooking area, but nothing fancy by any stretch. Just easy and functional.....very Key West. :)

Road Trip!

I woke up Sunday morning with the desire to do something different, to get everyone out of their routine for a day. I also had a list of things we need that I haven't been able to find here in Key West. It hit me - road trip to Target! John greeted my suggestion with suspicion.... you want to drive six hours round trip to buy pool toys and bathing suits? Yes, dear, I do. So we did. The drive through the Florida Keys from bottom (Key West) to top (Key Largo) is lovely. 

View from Seven Mile Bridge near Marathon.

Near Islamorada.

Water on all sides with patches of land making up small towns. And since yesterday was a hot, sunny Sunday, we saw tons of people swimming, boating, fishing and sunning. It is easy to just pull over and make yourself at home at water's edge here. Love that! We reached our destination, the southernmost Target in Florida at Cutler Ridge. 

The girls squealed and acted like we were heading into the Magic Kingdom. I found what I needed, plus a bunch of stuff I didn't know I needed....ah, Target, how I love thee. The cashier tried to sell me on the new Target Debit card. As I explained that I don't get to shop at a Target regularly and that we drove three hours to get to this one, I noticed everyone looking at us. Oh, but you must have a Wal-Mart, she said. Nope, just a really bad Kmart, I explained. I could tell she thought we were a little crazy for living so far away from civilization. We filled the back of my Jeep with fresh pool toys, Dolphin Trainer Barbie, running shirts for John, another Scooby Doo DVD and quite a bit more. A quick stop at the Race-Trac gas station/snack emporium before the Keys start and we headed south to the end of the road. 

Yacht Club in Key Largo.

When we got to Roosevelt Boulevard Josie said 'We're home, we're home, we're back home in Key West!' It really cracks me up that I live with three people who have such a hard time leaving the Rock....how did this happen?

Daily Distractions

Lately I've been able to START a lot of things....I haven't had too much luck FINISHING them. I was all gung-ho for my decorating projects, and I WAS able to finish getting some photos updated and up on my new shelf from Pier 1, but my rescued plants are still on the front porch, along with my fab new mirror that needs more work than I thought. 

I get sidetracked by important things, like realizing I need to finish the little decoupage cigar box before yet another friend leaves Key West this week, and silly things, like feeling compelled to scan through some new magazines and catalogs while straightening up and then realizing that it's already time to pick up the girls. Wow....did I really just lose an hour? Yep! But as I've gotten older, I realize that those distractions are really the things that make my life interesting. Regardless of what I 'should' be doing today, and that list includes house work, income tax prep, and the decorative projects I outlined earlier, I am having lunch with a couple on their last day in town before heading to New England for the next Coast Guard assignment. I am so happy that I finished her present....she was surprised by it, and I have to say it brought tears to my eyes and made me realize how much I will miss her. 

I would so rather be the person who doesn't run the vacuum in favor of doing something for someone else, and that isn't just because I don't like to run the vacuum. I thank Key West and the people I have met here for giving me that lesson. Before we lived here, I think I was often most focused on my to-do list and only what was going on in my little world. The city I call home has gotten smaller in size, but I feel like my world has gotten a lot bigger. :)

A happy Mother's Day

It was. We swam in the pool and played silly games, and the girls turned my raft into a slide. John made his famous scrambled eggs and bacon for breakfast, and I brought a plate of turkey wraps out to the pool for lunch.

 I got a bit of quiet time while they ran errands....quiet time is the thing I appreciate most in the world! 

We skyped with my family in Pennsylvania. It was great to 'see' my mom, dad, sister and nephew! It makes the miles between us seem less, even if just for a while. PA seemed a world away again when they started talking freeze warnings....what?? But it won't be long until school is out and we will head north to visit them. I'm sure it will warm up by then. ;) For dinner, I made pasta salad, baked beans, coleslaw and pulled pork. I tried a new recipe.....small can of root beer and barbecue sauce with 4 pieces of pork tenderloin. It needed more seasoning, so I added that after tasting, but the meat shredded beautifully and had nice color. Half of my cooking was delivered to the family I mentioned in a previous post, the one dealing with a cancer diagnosis. It made me happy to share some food and love with them on Mother's Day! While Mari and I made the delivery, John and Josie cut a lovely flower arrangement and Josie showered us with bubbles when we returned. 

For dessert, the girls insisted we buy the purse cake they saw on a Baskin-Robbins commercial. Very cute, and as everybody knows, I do love my purses! So now, as I write this, it's Monday morning. John is out running and the girls are back at school. I have a long list of things to do....after I have another cup of coffee. I'm still in Mother's Day mode.

The jasmine in my garden

Jasmine is a fragrant flower that grows in many forms....shrubs, vines and ground covers. It is one of my favorite scented flowers, along with lilac and plumeria (also called frangipani....more on that when mine blooms!) When we bought our house in Key West, we had lots of open space to landscape. My jasmine plants where some of the first I put in. At the fence in front of the house, I have a thriving shrub of 'Maid of Orleans' jasmine, which is part of the Asiatic family. 

The foliage is thick and medium green, and the perfect, creamy white flowers are wonderfully fragrant. Each bloom falls off after a day or so, so there is often a little pile of white buds on the walkway at the end of the day. Back packs and grocery bags are often brushed up against it when we are coming and going, releasing the fragrance into the air. Just lovely! In the back yard, in two spots around the pool, I have a type of 'Shining' jasmine, also in the Asiatic family. The flowers are large and maybe not as fragrant as other types, but are certainly note-worthy due to the pronounced star shape. 

The most impressive jasmine plant at my house is along the fence near the grill. I bought it at the Garden Club of Key West's fall plant sale the first year we lived here. Asiatic jasmine 'Grand Duke of Tuscany' doesn't bloom often....more of an evergreen climbing vine. But when it does bloom, it is truly something to see. And to smell! Large, intricate flowers start as a tight pale green bud, turning various shades of white as it expands and opens. The fragrance is amazing! This plant is also called 'Sacred Jasmine.' Seems fitting for such an amazing bloom.

Lunch @ Lupita's

We have been talking about going for months, and finally made it there yesterday for lunch on our early out day. Lupita's is on Bertha Street in Key West (across from Shanna Key) - we drive by it every morning on our way to say good morning to the ocean on the way to school. It certainly isn't fancy, but it is clean and welcoming, and I look forward to going back to try more of the menu. I would call Lupita's food Central American Mexican, not Tex-Mex or Chain-Mex. The restaurant is owned by a husband and wife team, he from Guatemala and she from Mexico. John loved the guacamole....fresh and chunky, definitely made from scratch. The salsa is yummy, and we all loved the queso blanco dip. Next time I want to try it with chorizo added. John and I ordered from the lunch menu, both getting two tacos (choice of chicken, beef or pork carnitas) served with creamy refried beans, rice and salad. The pork is delicious! I will definitely order that again. Tacos are served Mexican style, on two thin, soft corn tortillas with generous amounts of chopped onion and cilantro, or Deluxe style, on a soft flour tortilla with lettuce, tomato and cheese. This is truly a bargain meal at $7.95. Things aren't spicy or heavily seasoned, so I doctored with the salsa and every table has the requisite bottle of Chohula. The girls did their usual picking....guacamole, cheese dip, rice, and deconstructing a taco. Arriving at a restaurant owned by a Guatemalteco with two gorgeous Guatemaltecas in tow pretty much assures outstanding service! They turned on the music, gave them a giant order of french fries, and cookies on the way out. And of course the girls danced and hauled out their Dora the Explorer Spanglish. I think we are destined to become their favorite customers.

Chicken A La King....one of John's faves

My husband likes to tell anyone who will listen that I ask him what he wants for dinner, but then tell him 'No, not that.' I say that because no matter the season or the heat index, John likes old-school comfort food. I call it 'cafeteria food' but he is quick to point out that he has never had his favorites in a cafeteria....seems like he should have over the years! Shepherd's Pie, Meatloaf, and Chicken A La King. These are the types of meals that come to his mind when I ask what he would like for dinner. So when it isn't too hot and I want to make his day, I make one of his favorites. Today I whipped up some Chicken A La King and he is a happy camper. This couldn't be easier to prepare, and I have to say it makes for a nice dinner. Many years ago I tried to make a 'gourmet' version and it just didn't work. If you are going to go there, just embrace it and crack open the Campbell's soup. This is how I make it. I pulled the meat from a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store and put it in a Dutch oven pan with half a bag of frozen mixed vegetables. In goes two cans of Campbell's Cream of Chicken soup. Fill one of those cans with chicken stock and add it to the pot. Stir to combine over medium heat, adding some freshly ground black pepper and a touch of salt to taste. Simmer until hot and bubbly. Put two pieces of Pepperidge Farm White Sandwich Bread (this is important!) in the toaster. Toast, a ladle or two of the chicken mixture, and you've got Chicken A La King. So let me warn the ladies he runs with on Friday mornings that they will have to hear all about how much John enjoyed this dish for dinner tonight. Sorry! But at least now you know how to make it.

KW Yard Sale Tattletales

I'm not sure who started it, but there is a group on Facebook here for people to sell things they want to get rid of....clothes, household items, kid's toys, etc. I'm sure it was started by a thrifty military mom who was getting ready to move on to their next assignment....why pack stuff you don't want or need? I got invited to join the group a year or two ago, and I always read the posts, but I haven't bought too much. Until last week. I had two great scores - some nice tropical house plants and a gorgeous mirror edged in gilded bamboo. Unfortunately, John was alerted to these purchases by other moms at school. "I can't believe your wife bought those plants!!" and "I wanted that mirror and your wife beat me to it!" What is funny about that is that John often ends up transporting my purchases, and he really gets annoyed at my purchases to house my new purchases in our small Key West house. Last year when a friend was moving to San Diego, I scooped up all her outdoor plants, including the pots. For free! Of course, I had something else going on at school the day we needed to pick them up, so John had to take his truck over to load the massive haul. I was planning on just adding my new things to the living room without a mention....Tonya and Yoli blew my cover! We all had a laugh about it, and I am going to come up with a pseudonym for future purchases. John's thought is we already have too much stuff, so why do I need to buy other people's stuff. And he's right....to a point! Today we moved some furniture and bought a new shelf at Pier 1 - I am in redecorating mode. We have lived here three years now and things could use a face-lift. Houses in Key West are small. We have 1700 square feet, which actually is pretty large for the island. But with two kids and all the toys and stuff that go with them, I spend a lot of time moving and repackaging stuff. I am thrilled with the changes we made to the living room today. I wish I had remembered to take a 'before' and 'after' shot! But I will definitely take some photos of the things I am picking up tomorrow and show you all the final results. I just hope I can fit it all in my Jeep and don't have to get the hubs involved.

May 4th....just perfect. :)

Yesterday was awesome. Our last major PTO event of the school year, our annual 5K, went off without a hitch! And more than that, it was FUN. We worked the bugs out from last year and the organizing committee was extra-organized, so not only did we execute the event, we all really enjoyed it. I loved cheering on friends and students. The Enrichment Cheerleaders were adorable. My girls had a blast running the Fun Run.

I got to see a friend leaving for Japan one last time. And the weather was just perfect - cool, breezy and sunny. After the race, the girls and I headed to Camille's for some breakfast. While we waited for John to join us (he had a few things to finish up at school), I enjoyed a latte and the hostess gave the girls coloring books, crayons, and a checkers game. I enjoyed my coffee without one peep from them! After a yummy meal of Crab Cakes Eggs Benedict, I ran next door to see if there were any open appointments for a manicure at Isle Style.....score! Sent John and the girls home and got a snazzy new coat of Lobster Roll. After I got home, John and the girls hit the pool and I took a nap. An uninterrupted, hour-long nap. I woke up refreshed and delighted at my luck this day! Fun school event, drinking a latte without once asking anyone to be quiet, an impromptu manicure, AND a nap? To top it all off, the Kentucky Derby would be taking place in a few hours. I came up with a quick meal....fresh rolls, sliced ham, and southern-style potato salad. We found a small spiral sliced ham in the deli at Publix, and I made a glaze of Dijon and maple syrup. Baked it at 350 just until the glaze melted over the ham and it was warmed through. John made us a few Mint Juleps.

Muddle some fresh mint leaves in the bottom of a glass, add crushed iced, bourbon, and powdered sugar to taste. The sugar dissolves and it really tastes like iced tea. Quite yummy! A perfect ending to a perfect day.

Birthdays & Rainy Days

Yesterday was my birthday. That sentence doesn't have an exclamation point at the end because although I had a lovely day, turning 48 years old takes some of the joy out of it. That much closer to 50....but it sure beats the alternative! (Note that sentence DOES have an exclamation point at the end.) We celebrated with a very nice lunch at Square Grouper, easily my favorite restaurant here. (I will do an entire blog on that one....I promise.) John and I picked the girls up at noon, since Wednesday is our school's early-out day. They were beyond excited! They told the hostess and the server that it was my birthday....very cute. And Mari wore her Square Grouper t-shirt for the occasion.

One of the things I love about the restaurant is the 'small plates' section on the menu. Yesterday I had the calamari, plus a new item, mushroom ravioli in onion-Gruyere sauce.

As you can see by the photo the calamari was far from small....a huge portion! And done exactly how I love them, fried crisp with pepperoncini. Instead of a cake this year, the girls and I went to Key West Cakes on White Sheet and selected some lovely cupcakes. Mari had Chocolate Chip, Josie 'Sweet Brown' (chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate), and I got two Red Velvet with Cream Cheese Icing for the grown-ups. A little singing after dinner and an early bed time....honestly, just what I wanted!

I knew I was facing two very busy days, and at my age, you've got to get your rest, ya know? So this morning me and some of our wonderful PTO volunteers set up a lovely table with the new school t-shirts and nice signage, only to have a truly tropical down pour arrive around lunch time and soak the whole thing! I drove through some major water to come home and change out of my wet clothes. It is still pouring out there, and now people are enjoying a favorite Key West pastime....posting pictures of the rising water on Facebook. Always cracks me up. So I am going to give it a bit longer then head back out, pouring or not, because I need to sort out 300 damp t-shirts. But first I'm going to eat that other Red Velvet cupcake. :)