Eggplant Caviar

Continuing with my usual blogging has not been the easiest and smoothest thing on my list of things to do...just like my daily tasks these days, but I'm trying my best to catch up. I know I owe you, my dear friends comments, and replies on your blogs. It's not enough to be replying back on  my comment section, it should be done directly by visiting your blogs.

So, I will try harder...you've been all so sweet and kind with all your comments. I thank you for that!
I seldom make eggplant dishes, although I do love eggplant...as do all my family. So many ways of preparing it, for appetizers, side dishes, and main dishes. It is so versatile and can be prepared so deliciously, just like I made it for a wonderful appetizer.

 Eggplant Caviar is another favorite Sicilian dish which I have been making for a long time. It is quite similar to the famous Caponata, but with less ingredients, and is simplified, using only a few additions. Also, traditionally it is peeled and mashed up into a paste-like concoction which is not so attractive...so I prefer to leave the skins on which as you can see is soft and edible, and also leave most of it in chunks. All you need is some crusty bread, and enjoy!

Eggplant Caviar
recipe by; Elisabeth

1 large eggplant
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic minced fine
1/4 cup small capers
juice of 1 lemon
a handful of fresh chopped Italian parsley
sea salt, or Kosher salt to taste
fresh ground black pepper to taste
crushed red pepper flakes, about 1 teaspoon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with dull side of the aluminum foil side up; spray with cooking spray. Cut eggplant in half, lengthwise then cut into thirds, and into segments as shown on photo. You can spray some more spray on the eggplant slices, or drizzle oil. (I sprayed mine with cooking spray)

Bake for about 20 minutes, and check to see if it needs liquid; just don't add any more oil...add about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of plain water to the pan...it will soak into the eggplant. Continue baking for another 25 minutes.(45 minutes total)

When eggplant has a brownish color and soft, carefully take the hot baking pan out and remove the eggplant pieces with a flat spatula onto a cutting board to cool for a few minutes then, cut into bite size pieces.

Have a medium size bowl ready to add the 1/2 cup oil, the chopped garlic, pepper flakes, capers, parsley, the vinegar, and the lemon juice. Add the salt and pepper. Carefully add the eggplant, you can mash some of them up. Stir carefully, and serve it on small plates for first course, or just appetizer. Drizzle extra oil on top, and garnish with extra parsley.  Serves 4

Easy Chicken Noodle Soup

Do you ever...or have you ever felt like there's a 'cloud' over your head and it just does not seem to want to leave?...no! I'm not talking about the Jimmy Dean breakfast sausage commercial with the actual dressed up person as a 'cloud' but a cloud that just does not seem to lift?...even if you live in S. Florida as I do.

For the last four months, one thing after another. My eye surgery, death, sciatica, the flu...and back again, feeling
'gloomy'! Not enough energy...not eating right, just plain tired, on-and-on. Valentine's Day did not help either...although I did get a beautiful bouquet of red roses from my precious and beloved children and grandchildren, so that really cheered me up. As for cooking and baking, I haven't done much...isn't it nice to have a wonderful daughter that cooks and bakes every day and shares, the 'love'?

Talk about sharing! My dear friend Marina, @Picnic at Marina offered to treat me to a nice bowl of her famous Chicken Broth, but of course she lives much too far. I did make a huge pot of almost the same identical broth, but I like to put more carrots and a sweet potato as well...it's just me. You can make such awesome recipes with your fresh broth; all you have to do is just freeze them in ice cube trays, or portion sized plastic containers and pop them out of the freezer to have it ready when you need it for a recipe that calls for chicken broth.

For the actual recipe, click on Marina's beautiful blog for the Hot Water Soup...a.k.a. Chicken Broth and you can variate this amazing broth to make Easy Chicken Noodle Soup if you would like more vegetables and noodles, or as in my case, I added leftover broken up thin spaghetti pieces right into the boiling broth.

 Never under estimate the power of a great homemade chicken soup...so many different ways of making it from just by making a huge pot of chicken broth. I actually used up half of the entire large pot of the broth to make my simple Chicken Noodle Soup with my simple favorite vegetables.

Easy Chicken Noodle Soup
inspired by Marina's Chicken Broth

2 1/2 quarts (80ozs.) (2 1/2 L.) homemade chicken broth, (for recipe click on the link at Marina's)
3 peeled sliced, or diced carrots
1/2 large onion or 1 small chopped
2 stalks celery chopped
1 large, or 2 small bay leaves
Leftover pieces of chicken from the broth
2 med. red skinned potatoes (don't peel) diced
handful of fresh parsley chopped
2 Tbsp. canola, or vegetable oil
Leftover thin spaghetti about less then 1/4 lb. broken up in bite size pieces, or use noodles of course
adjust flavor by adding spices of your choice...I added
freshly ground pepper, and hot sauce, or red pepper flakes if you like it spicy. (optional)

You can use canned broth, or water, adding bullion cube if you're not using homemade broth.

Saute onion, carrots, and celery in the canola or vegetable oil, until onion gets glossy, and wilted. Add the potatoes, the chopped parsley, bay leaves, your seasonings, and add about 2 cups of the broth. Cover, and slowly simmer until all the vegetables are almost done. Add the rest of the broth the torn up chicken pieces, let the broth come to a boil, add the broken up spaghetti pieces or small amount of noodles right into the broth and boil gently until it's cooked completely. You can cook the broken up spaghetti pieces or as much noodles as you want separately, and add as you go along. You can sprinkle extra chopped parsley on top, and adjust seasoning
 Noodles or pasta tend to get soggy in the broth so do not cook a large amount in the broth itself.
Serves an entire family of 4-6 with this generous delicious soup...fit for the GODS!

Cavolfiore con Uovo-{Cauliflower in Egg Batter}

Hi Friends,
I've been wanting to do a blog post and go around commenting for the past two weeks now. I'm feeling much better now, no sciatica pain...battled a bad flu since that time as well. Your thoughtful comments have meant so much to me to know I have you as my friends...and not just 'readers' as quite a few bloggers refer to other bloggers, and I have actually discovered the reason 'why'!

 While I was checking sources for recipes on Pinterest, I have bookmarked several sights with the most amazing photos and recipes but unfortunately these bloggers have only a few commenters for their lovely posts...and it really is sad. Maybe they're not reaching out for more viewers or have their blog in the research engines or RSS feeds. Don't know and...just wondering!

Until now, I just haven't had the strength emotionally and spiritually; even though I made two amazing appetizer dishes in the one month anniversary of Rosario's passing.These two appetizers were his all time favorites which he made throughout the years and even for this last Christmas...which we are all still wondering how in the world he made it when he was so gravely ill.

I have missed you all, SO very much! Thank you for all your loving and caring condolences, your thoughts and prayers which helped tremendously. As far as my blog, all I have been doing all these weeks lately, is pinning on Pinterest for hours at a time (guilty!) Just can't resist finding beautiful fashions, colors, and of course FOODS! Especially now, with Valentine's day in a couple days.

Today is President Abraham Lincoln's Birthday...what a GREAT man HE was!  Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday, and Thursday is VALENTINE'S DAY! Oh, and I did forget...which you all know by now, Pope Benedict resigned?!

Our world sure is changing...hopefully for the better, although not so sure about our crazy weather in the north east with the famous NEMO snow blizzard. Hope that some of you that are living in the north east have been safe and been able to climb out of all the snow piles.

I am so happy to be back after near month break and promise to stay in touch and visit...visit...visit all you sweet, dear friends! Thank you for all you caring support from me and my children, Lora and Joe! xoxo

Cauliflower is one of my all-time favorite vegetables...even more than, broccoli. Love the mild flavor all it's own. Love the crunchy flavor raw, roasted, steamed, in soups especially. Also is so good 'pickled' and dipped in egg batter and fried in fresh canola oil...just can't resist eating only one. This recipe which is totally 'handed down' for years, and will stay a 'staple' holiday, or special occasion appetizer in our family.

Cavolfiore con Uovo
Cauliflower with Egg Batter
recipe; handed down from the Pregadio family, 
(with slight adaptation)

1 large cauliflower
2 cups flour
1 cup canola oil (for frying, or more if needed)
3 eggs well beaten
salt and pepper to taste
paprika, to sprinkle on (optional)
Cut cauliflower in half, and then in large chunks.
Boil until al dente...do not overcook.

When cooked strain in colander, rinse with cold water in kitchen sink.

Cut in portion size pieces...as shown in photo.

In a large bowl, add the flower and the seasoning and add the cauliflower pieces. Incorporate the pieces real well so that they are all coated well.

With a tong, dip no more than three pieces at at time in the eggs. (if you need more eggs beat a couple more, just do not add water to the egg batter)

In a large cast iron, or heavy skillet, fry until golden...just do not crowd the pieces, or they will not fry properly.

Fry in hot oil until they're golden brown...

Drain on double folded paper towel, and assemble them unto a pretty serving platter.

You can serve them with your favorite dipping sauce, which I did not include in this recipe; there are so many amazing ones out there.

This is the most favorite appetizer of all...next to the Eggplant appetizer (sneak preview) for next post! The Eggplant appetizer is a roasted eggplant cut up in chunks and scooped pieces with fresh garlic, crushed red pepperrs, extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, and capers. A re-created recipe by me from the original Caponata...minus the tomatoes, olives, and the celery.

As for my Pinterest mania...this is where the FUN comes in! You collect your favorite things on your pin board, and if you're lucky enough to find the source where it came from, you will also get the recipe. For Valentine's I have a special board called 'my funny Valentine' which really is a name of a song I love so much.

Have you ever seen such a gorgeous festive cake for Valentine?. Well, this tops them all!

I did not see this pinned on Pinterest...but the Valentine's wish was on Pinterest. Checked the source, and it came from; splenderosa.blogspot.com

Isn't Pinterest the greatest? You can get so hooked on it, and get lost for hours at a time! Hugs,

Lemon Meringue Pie...in Memory of Rosario

The most perfect and heavenly Lemon Meringue Pie...a true Southern delight!
photo, and recipe, courtesy of...What's Cooking America

Who would not love a tangy sweet, and sour perfect Lemon Meringue Pie?...certainly all of us would love this perfect Lemon Meringue Pie, including my ex-husband Rosario;

He has passed away since I wrote the last post on my blog, on New Year's Eve. It's been very painful since that time. He passed away peacefully, on Jan. 3rd. of 2013. His last wish for Christmas was to have Lemon Meringue Pie...which he has been given as a gift from a dear family friend. She made the most fabulous Lemon Meringue Pie and as a gift to Rosario, for the last 10 years.

Unfortunately, this year she was not able to make it for him, and as for me...I have not made it in decades...with Eagle Brand Condensed Milk..which worked just fine, but there is a better method of making this heavenly... all American Southern pie!

At this moment, I am in excruciating pain from Sciatica (a very painful low back nerve pain)...which has started after this weekend from Rosario's Memorial service...still not buried...will be buried overseas in Sicily (Italy),,,accompanied by our son Joe. I posted on 'facebook' ...but not have had the strength to post it on my blog, so far. I could barely walk from the pain, and nerve, shooting up and down my low-back, and leg...but it's starting to ease up a little.

I owe you, my blogger friends the explanation of why I have been absent from my blog for so long.Thank you for all your kind comments, and condolences on my facebook page. Lora has not been able to update her blog as well, since...fortunately for her, her in-laws from Italy came to the rescue to help in any way they can. They are so super sweet, and kind. We, now, can start to eat some delicious home-cooked meals for the next month!

'Should Old Acquaintance Be Forgot?'...Happy New Year!

Harry: What does this song mean? My whole life, I don't know what this song means. I mean, 'Should old acquaintance be forgot'? 
 Does that mean that we should forget old acquaintances, or does it mean if we happened to forget them, we should remember them, which is not possible because we already forgot?

Sally: Well, maybe it just means that we should remember that we forgot them or something. Anyway, it's about old friends.

A little history about Auld Lang Syne...from Wikipedia
"Auld Lang Syne" (Scots pronunciation: [ˈɔːl(d) lɑŋˈsəin]: note "s" rather than "z")^[1] is a Scots poem written by Robert Burns in 1788^[2][3] and set to the tune of a traditional folk song (Roud # 6294). It is well known in many countries, especially in the English-speaking world; its traditional use being to celebrate the start of the New Year at the stroke of midnight. By extension, it is also sung at funerals, graduations and as a farewell or ending to other occasions. The international Boy Scout youth movement, in many countries, uses it as a close to jamborees and other functions.
The song's Scots title may be translated into English literally as "old long since", or more idiomatically, "long long ago",^[4] "days gone by" or "old times". Consequently "For auld lang syne", as it appears in the first line of the chorus, might be loosely translated as "for (the sake of) old times".
 

 ...Scene from my favorite holiday movie....When Harry Met Sally-Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal (1989)...at the stroke of midnight!
 (I loved all the 80's and 90's love stories with Meg Ryan w/happy endings...don't we all love 'happy endings?)

Well my dear friends, here we are at the 'wind down' of 2012...we survived the 'foretold' Mayan earth destruction, and we will survive many other disasters...just having faith in God and one-another!

While some of you friends are already celebrating New Year's Day with loved ones and friends...we are still counting down the clock for midnight. As for me, getting adjusted to seeing the way I see; for right now...'it is what it is!'...just have to wait out the months of seeing better. Just was not in the 'spirit' of celebrating...although I also had the invitation of going to dinner at my son-in-law's restaurant; instead, I am happy to stay with my little grandson, and watch 'When Harry Met Sally' for the umpteenth time!

You have all been so kind to me with your heartwarming and encouraging lovely comments...I just feel like a 'schmuck' now for not commenting on your blogs...which I plan to do so very soon!

Our holiday season this year has not been one of the best, my ex-husband (Lora's dad) has been in the hospital since Christmas day and will be coming home after New Year's ...and he is still not well, and will be needing 'round the clock' nurse care for a couple weeks...so, it's never a dull moment, but then; I'm still hopeful that all will be well, and things will start out positive and happy in the New Year. 
 

Wishing you a Happy New Year...in health, prosperity, and good fortune, in the coming year!
Love,
Elisabeth

 
  

Pumpkin Cranberry Bundt Cake...Merry Christmas!

I've been so immersed with my own health and family situation, that I have felt so out of touch for the last month!
Funny...how you feel out of 'touch' when you can't see properly...it's almost like not hearing, or functioning right...but I was determined not to let me down. As long as I can see well with my good eye, and will have to wait patiently to get to other eye sight corrected in a few months...I should be counting my 'blessings'!

You all have been such an inspiration for me, and I am 'forever' grateful for that! Thank you, from the bottom of my heart!
I made this easy Pumpkin Cranberry Bundt Cake, knowing I had all the ingredients on hand, including the fresh cranberries. I did not...and cannot slice it, since it's for Christmas...but I do have the source which I got the recipe from!

Pumpkin Cranberry Bundt Cake

Print

An all-in-one holiday bundt cake filled with pumpkin, cranberries and almonds. Topped with cream cheese icing.

Yield: 1 9-inch bundt cake

Ingredients

For the cake:

• 2 cups (240 grams) all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon ginger
• Pinch salt
• ¾ cup (170 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup (215 grams) brown sugar
• ½ cup (100 grams) sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1¼ cup (338 grams) canned pumpkin puree
• ¼ cup (85 ml) molasses
• 1 cup (100 grams) fresh cranberries, roughly chopped
• 1 cup (110 grams) almonds or pecans, chopped

For the icing:

• 4 ounces (113 grams) cream cheese, at room temperature
• ½ cup (110 grams) powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3-4 tablespoons milk

Instructions

To make the icing:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 9-inch bundt pan.
2. In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or in a bowl with a hand mixer, beat together the butter, brown sugar and sugar together until pale in color and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each, followed by the vanilla. Add the pumpkin puree and molasses and mix until combined. Add the dry ingredients and mix only until the streaks of flour are gone. Gently stir in the cranberries and pecans.
4. Spread the batter into the prepared bundt pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the top bounces back when touched, about 1 hour.
5. Let cool in the pan 10 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack or plate to cool completely.

To make the icing:

1. Beat the cream cheese in a stand mixer or with a hand mixer until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Add enough milk to get a spreadable consistency.
2. Spread the icing on top of the bundt cake, letting it drip down the sides. Let the icing set before serving.
3. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Notes

Recipe adapted from Baking from My Home to Yours.

Merry Christmas around the world

Christmas around the world

Afrikaner (Afrikaans) ~ “Geseënde Kersfees”
Argentine ~ “Felices Pascuas”
Bohemian ~ “Vesele Vanoce”
Brazilian ~ “Boas Festas”
Chinese (Cantonese) ~ “Saint Dan Fai Lok”
Danish ~ “Glædelig Jul”
Dutch ~ “Vrolijk Kerstfeest”
English ~ “Merry Christmas”
Filipino ~ “Maligayang Pasko”
Finnish ~ “Hyvaa Joulua”
French ~ “Joyeux Noël”
German ~ “Froehliche Weihnachten”
Greek ~ “Kala Christouyenna”
Hawaiian ~ “Mele Kalikimaka”
Hebrew ~ “Mo’adim Lesimkha”
Hungarian~ " Boldog Karácsonyt"
Icelandic ~ “Gledileg Jol”
Indonesian ~ “Selamat Hari Natal”
Irish ~ “Nollaig Shona Dhuit”
Italian ~ “Buone Feste Natalizie” – Natale italiano
Japanese ~ “Kurisumasu Omedeto”
Korean ~ “Sung Tan Chuk Ha”
Lithuanian ~ “Linksmu Kaledu”
Malay ~ “Selamat Hari Natal”
Maori ~ “Meri Kirihimete”
Norwegian ~ “God Jul” – Jul i Norge
Romanian ~ “Craciun Fericit”
Peruvian ~ “Felices Fiestas”
Portugese ~ “Boas Festas”
Slovakian ~ “Vesele Vianoce”
Spanish ~ “Feliz Navidad” – Cyber Navidad
Swedish ~ “God Jul” – Jul i Sverige
Welsh ~ “Nadolig Llawen"


...May all your Christmas dreams...and wishes come true!
Hugs,

Kahlua-Banana-Nutella Bundt Cake

After announcing that I'm back on my last post; which was nearly two weeks ago...a lot has happened in my personal life...although, one thing that is really positive is that my eye is healing very nicely after the Retinal surgery, and I'm starting to see better, but it will take at least six months for a full recovery of my eye sight.

Do you ever feel so overwhelmed with things happening around you...especially in your family during the holidays?

I had an urgent and important visit from my younger sister from out of town, staying for nearly a week, just focusing on her issues/problems...forgetting about my own (one of the reasons for not posting)...then, came the horrific tragic news about about the Sandy Hook Elementary School with a gunman on a 'killing spree'...which totally shocked, and paralyzed all of us in the nation, and especially in Connecticut where it took place. I am numb, and feel horrible, sad, angry, can't stop crying for the little 'angels' (I have 2 grandchildren their age) and adults whose lives have been taken so tragically...leaving their family 'heartbroken' forever!

So horrifying, and gut wrenching, that I can't begin to describe my feelings. I could go into a long theory of 'gun control' and 'mental illness' which is already a call for HELP~ I could ask, like a lot of people have asked?

"Why does God allow innocent young children to die in such horror?" "Where was God when this horrific massacre took place?" God established humanity with 'FREE will'...we can choose to do right, or wrong, evil...or good; but there are consequences to our choices. God did intervene...otherwise there would have been more death

We blame firearms, God, and our government, but never blame ourselves as a whole. We cannot ignore mental illness, and need to focus more and getting the help for our children early in life when this kind of problem is detected.

Although some bloggers have posted a 'Silent Monday'...we cannot be silent on any day, when it comes to 'gun control' in our society which has gone out of control in our country. We should have a 'moment of silence' in our own way, or together to honor the 'little angels' and adults that have gone on to their final resting place...so, so sad; our hearts and spirits are broken, and Christmas will never be the same!

 I totally re-created this wonderful bundt cake just from 'tweaking' my banana bread recipe with 1/4 cup of Kahlua liquor; you can substitute 1/4 cup strong coffee in place of the Kahlua. Swirl in 1/2 cup Nutella in the batter, but don't mix it in entirely. Also, be sure to add 1 teaspoon baking powder, and 1 teaspoon baking soda.

 I wanted to link this delicious bundt cake to #BundtAMonth for December to Lora's blog...so sorry; I just don't have the time or energy to do this right now...also posting my recipe. If you would like this recipe I created, do let me know, and I will post it later!

Thank you for all your sweet and caring comments, I am so ashamed for not even visiting my dear friends' blogs, not even my own daughter's @Cake Duchess!

I love you all, dear friends...please forgive me for my silence and 'aloofness.'

'Time in a Bottle'...I'm back!

My treasures from the ocean...including a bottom of a 1965 beer bottle; now, a 'sea glass' after 47yrs finding its way out from the ocean!The gorgeous cobalt blue dish with it's stand, is a 'thrift find' for $2.99.

Time in a Bottle~ Jim Croce 
If I could save time in a bottle
The first thing that I'd like to do
Is to save every day
Till Eternity passes away
Just to spend them with you
If I could make days last forever
If words could make wishes come true
I'd save every day like a treasure and then,
Again, I would spend them with you...



Hi Everyone,
I'm back...not looking so great; but my eye surgery was a success...actually a bit 'scary'. Did not think that Retinal eye surgery would be so complicated...but if you have the faith and confidence, and know you have the best doctor, and surgical team, then half the 'battle' is done! Thank you so much for your kind and encouraging words, your thoughts and your prayers!

I've been resting at my daughter's house, and just came home yesterday...but now, I'm going back there again. Cannot bend down, or lift anything heavy for two weeks, at least. My eye patch is off, and only have to wear it at night when I sleep (not to rub my eye)

I uploaded one of my most favorite song from 1973, by Jim Croce...Time in a Bottle. A couple weeks ago, my son found this beautiful huge piece of sea glass on the beach, and gave it to me...it was actually a beer bottle, from 1965, as you can see the back of it...from Geo. Ballantine & Sons, a famous Brewing company, that made Ballantine Ale. They were a huge beer brewing company that started out in the late eighteen hundred, through the sixties, until some other companies took over their name. The brewery has been shut down around that time, or even earlier! Well, that's the story on that!

Wouldn't it be nice to save time in a bottle?...yes, we can do that by cherishing every moment in our life, and spending time with our loved ones and friends! Doing 'good' for others, and seeing the 'best' and not the worst. If you could do that, you will have saved all the time, and can look back, knowing you have no regrets. Time heals all wounds...especially physical ones, and I will be on my way to recovery real soon!

I missed you, all...have a wonderful weekend! xoxo

My 'sea glass' collection...took at least 10yrs to collect these precious, perfectly polished sea glass that the ocean washes out. It's very rare to find a few, here-and-there, scattered on the beach. Just think; in order for these glass pieces to get these shapes...it takes several decades from broken bottles dropped into the ocean, to get these shapes! Beautiful jewelry can be designed by these gorgeous sea glass; I just don't have enough...or maybe!
As the saying goes..."one man's garbage, is another man's treasure". Apparently, these bottles have been dropped into the ocean off ships, storms and waves have been battering them to break up and form into shapes! You can  check out this wonderful website to actually view and purchase sea glass jewelry...absolutely amazing~
Out of the Blue Sea Glass Jewelry 

Photo, courtesy of... Out of the Blue Sea Glass Jewelry
 

What Is Sea Glass Or Beach Glass?

Sea glass or beach glass comes from our lost broken glass that found its way to the sea where it is transformed into frosted gem like treasures by the natural tumbling action of the tides. Both terms sea glass or beach glass can refer to glass that has emerged from the sea and beach glass refers to glass that has emerged from a body of fresh water such as one of the Great Lakes. In Puerto Rico sea glass is sometimes called crystal de mar or vidrio de mar. Sea glass is often poetically referred to as "Mermaids Tears" and washes up on beaches all over the world. In writing you will sometimes see seaglass, or beachglass. I love the oneness of "seaglass" after all those years in the ocean it has become something beyond man made glass. It is as if the glass has blended with the sea and the two are now inseparable. The way you can hold a seashell up to your ear and hear the ocean I find that you can feel the power of the sea when you hold a piece of sea glass in your hand.

Orcas Island Sea Glass
Amazon.com Sea Glass Jewelry 

Nutella and Banana Panini

This may seem like a strange post, but this morning I was craving something sweet, ans why not  make something 'comforting' fun, and sinfully delicious without a lot of calories. I love Nutella, just like everyone else, but hardly ever use it to make a dessert... even though I have the jar sitting in my cupboard, next to the jar of peanut butter. I also had a whole Challah bread in my freezer, I had it sitting there for over one month. Such a perfect grilled panini with Nutella, and the banana pairing!

I must warn you, this Nutella Panini is not elegant...there's no other way to present it to make it look fancy; it's 'what you see is what you get' kind of a droolworthy awesome grilled sweet sandwich, made exclusively in a Panini Grill that is only for grilled sandwiches. I only ate one small portion, and wrapped up the rest to take over to my little grandson as a great snack when he came out of kindergarten. My daughter also enjoyed it as well!
Notice the perfect grill marks?... can't get better than that!

I'm sure, there must be an actual recipe out there, by I got my inspiration from one of my other favorite sandwich, which is the peanut butter banana sandwich, which I'm sure will taste as yummy, as a grilled panini.

 Nutella and Banana Panini
 recipe by; Elisabeth

Nutella (chocolate hazelnut spread
1 or 2 ripe bananas, sliced
4 (1-inch thick) slices of Challah bread
or white sandwich bread

Spread 1 tablespoon of Nutella on one side of each slice of bread. If you're using a small, or med. banana, you can fill the entire bread slice with the banana slices.Top with the remaining bread slice, spread side down.

Preheat your panini grill, on med. high. This is a 'thrift find' panini grill, which I purchased about a year ago, for $9.99...a real bargain, and it works great!

 Place the panini (sandwich) on the hot grid, close the lid down and grill for about 5 or 6 minutes.

 When you see the grill marks appear, your sandwich is done.

While it's still warm, with a serrated knife, cut into half, or thirds...just watch it disappear... Yumm













 Some pre-Christmas visit at Macy's with my grandchildren!

 Last Saturday, at Macy's at City Place, in West Palm Beach...letter to Santa Claus!

Beautiful Christmas tree, at Macy's

I just had to snap this photo...so cool, so Christmasy...this car parked in front of Publix supermarket, after we left Macy's and stopped to buy a few items, at the supermarket. Imagine, the person cramming the Christmas tree into the car...also leaving the windows down and totally leaving down, and all open.

When we came out of the supermarket after 30 minutes, the car with the Christmas tree inside was still parked...isn't this a cute car?...a brand new FIAT! (not mine, of course)...wouldn't mind to own this little beauty:)