I didn’t think planting a garden would have such an impact on my morning routine, but every day I wake up looking forward to seeing what magic has happened overnight. The truth is, I can’t believe how fast my little garden has matured in such a short time!
(more…)Tag: foodie
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After about three weeks in their pots, it was finally time to transplant our plants into their raised garden bed.
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Today was the 4th Annual Crawfish Boil!
Little MudBug giving a wave …
Lunch is served!
Oh, and let’s not forget about the desserts!
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There are so many reasons to visit home, but weddings are my favorite! The food, drinks and dancing, declarations of love and promise for tomorrow. It’s an opportunity to get lost in the romance of It all.
In order to make the most of the visit, I took a few days on either end of the weekend. Tampa, St. Pete and Bradenton Beach; Art, culture and all the Cuban and seafood one can eat. I think this is going to be a wonderful trip.
But enough thinking, it’s time to sit back and enjoy the beautiful view.
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While I may have never had much of a sweet tooth, I’ve always had a weakness for a warm scone with a cup of tea. Sadly, being allergic to 90% of grain has left me with a warm cup and an empty plate … Until now!
Pamela’s Gluten Free Biscuit & Scone Mix, 13 OunceThis mix is the best one I’ve found! The recipe even includes different options for additional allergies or preferences including vegan & lactose intolerance.
But enough talking, let’s get to Baking!
All in all, the process takes about 10 minutes to complete – place mix in a bowl, cut in sugar/butter (or butter substitute). Add in milk (almond, soy, dairy, whatever) and dried fruits, nuts, etc. – mix until combined.
The above photo shows my poor attempt at making these lumps of dough into triangles. Lol. Now into the oven they go!
After about twenty-five minutes or just enough time to convince my husband that 8:30 am isn’t too early to wake up on a Saturday, the scones are done!
In the time it takes to cool the scones, I’ve made some tea and found a nice sunny spot at the table to enjoy them.
Do you have a favorite baking mix or a recipe that you love? Leave me a comment below!Have a great weekend!
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The time has come to head back to my nine to five – this trip has been amazing and I feel very fortunate for being able to have made this dream a reality.
Below is the rainy view from my Dublin hotel; my one night stop over before heading home to Texas.During my wait at the Dublin Int. Airport, I began reminiscing over the coffee I’d had in the Edinburgh Int. Airport. Something about a well crafted Americano with a bit of steamed milk … nothing beats it.
Sadly, the coffee above was not to be found … In my hurry to beat the “rush” to get through security and US Pre-Screening, I completely below past the Aer Lingus Lounge (which I paid for!), all the tasty Irish food ( as featured in a past post) AND everything else that would have suited an individual with food allergies/sensitives. I was stuck with a strange yogurt thing that has sticky sweet fruit at the bottom. Luckily, the yogurt was of exceptional quality and the sweet stuff wasn’t mixed into it. 😊 I was a bit concerned over the granola, but that was in it’s own separate container on top of the yogurt and was easily removed.
Past ‘breakfast,’ I waited to board my international flight by wandering through the terminals which were surprisingly quiet for 11am. I guess I’m just used to the long lines to get through security in the states. Either way, the terminals were clean and very quiet. It was very nice to not have TV, news or announcement yelling at you every 10 minutes.
Three hours into my 8.5 hour flight, I’m starting to feel a bit cooped up … The flight there wasn’t so bad because it was a red-eye and I slept, this flight took off at around 12pm and I’m currently wide awake.
In order to pass the time I read a bit, watched a movie and paced around the airplane. It’s important to stretch your legs and get the blood moving – prevent post flight tension.
18 hours, inclusive of a four hour layover in Chicago and a final flight back to Texas, I arrived home to a dozen roses and a sorely missed husband. ❤️
While I do love travel, there is nothing better than the peace of being at home with your loved ones.
I will say, of all the things I’ve done without, I’ve missed my bed the most. My husband’s pretty great too. 😉
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So … I find it hard to sit still, so I booked a flight to Scotland!
After a wonderful last evening out with my friends, it was time to part ways … My flight Ryanair was set for early afternoon, so I took my time in the morning getting to the airport – I arrived about 1.5 hours before my flight in hopes of finding a little bite to eat. My hopes weren’t high, but I figured that I would at least find a bit of yogurt and maybe some fruit. Traveling with food allergies isn’t the easiest thing … But! Dublin’s airport came through in a big way!
For those who have no issue with wheat, there is an onsite bakery in Terminal 1. It smelled so lovely!
My breakfast came in the way of a vegetarian English breakfast, hold the toast. There was even a fruit and fresh Irish yogurt bar – Amazing! I was a very happy traveler.
The obligatory “Airplane wing in the sky” photo.
After a short 45 minutes, we began out descent into Ediburgh Airport. I manager to get a few shots of the gorgeous countryside as we landed.
£6 and a 30 minute tram ride later I was in the city center of Edinburgh. After checking into my hostel, it was time to find a but of dinner.
I wandered around for about an hour, looking at the beautiful buildings and magnificent green spaces before popping into the Newsroom for a bite. This place was really quite a cool little spot – the staff was delightful and the food prepared with the utmost care. I couldn’t believe how beautiful the dishes were!
My neighbor got the Goat Cheese and Beets Croquettes with Butternut Squash Purée and I ordered the Gorganzola Risotto and a cider.
I have developed a love affair with this cider – I really hope I can find it back in the states. ❤️
After what can only be described as one of the most delightful dining experiences I’ve had in recent memory, it was time to retire to my bed for a long over due slumber …
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Fresh is the order of the day – time for a bit of local color.
These beauties were hanging out in the lobby pastry shop of my friend’s hotel.
Lunch at Fumbally, a local Farm to table resturant. They put a lot of love in there food and it shows!
We did a short walk through one of the most beautiful cemeteries I’ve ever seen.
Cheesecake topped with pistachios and strawberry along with my apple and tea. Believe it or not, this is from the cemetery cafe.
Time for a bit of dinner … This is pub food, Irish style!
Roasted lamb shank, stewed carrots, cabbage and mashed potatoes – Bulmer’s Cider to finish it off.
Cheese board with a selection of local Irish cheeses. -
Sleep deprived and hungry, we headed into Dublin’s city center where we were rewarded with lovely street art, delicious Coddel, and a few nice hotel rooms.
Our first stop was to find lunch – here’s the street art which speckled our path
We swung into Oliver St. John Gogaty’s for a little lunch and live music.
The Coddle was great – hardy and full of flavor, exactly what I needed to fuel the rest of the afternoon!
Full and happy, it was time to have a bit of a wonder … Trinity College seemed like the perfect destination for such an undertaking.
Our intention for the day was to stay up as long as possible before heading off to sleep. As I write this, it’s now 10pm and well past the target of 8pm. My hope is that by getting back into a regular sleep schedule early, that I’ll fend off any jet lag tomorrow. Here’s hoping!
Good night!