Waking Up!

I am still not 100% from being sick and haven't quite woken up from the slumber party... We escaped the latest winter storm a week ago and got out of town just in time, with a flight from our local airport in Ontario to Florida.

I think the medicine the Doctor would order is some rest and relaxation ( R and R ) in the Florida sunshine to soak up some Vitamin D.

We travelled without incidence, picked up our rental car in Orlando and drove that night to Melbourne for an overnight sleep, next day we drove further south on the Atlantic Coast to Pompano Beach where we had reservations at the EbbTide Resort, a 50's style motel located directly on the Ocean with it's own private beach. 

This place is in a prime location...surrounded by many modern high rise condos, it has retained it's charm and is located right on the beach with direct access to the Ocean.

                                   

Here we surprised some friends and shared fun times at the pool and beach and wonderful evenings at local restaurants.

Walks on the sand beach dipping our feet in the salty ocean and I even ventured out one morning for a walk along the promenade which was absolutely beautiful ...and as I was walking I was joined by a Michigan snowbird who has a condo in Pompano Beach and gave me a quick history lesson on the area. 

We enjoyed delicious Mussels and a great Sicilian wine while listening to the Piano Man playing at Frank's Ristorante.

Stay tuned for more of our Florida adventure as we move along the Atlantic Coast...

A great start to a quick winter getaway!

Dreaming about Europe!

We have been planning our next European Adventure and excitement is building about where we will be going, what places we will visit, who we will meet and who we will reconnect with...new friends and old friends!

Soon I will share details about what new doors we will open this year!

The Slumber Party

Alright I have been missing in action for over a week!

I have been attending the longest "Slumber Party" ever... not by choice but by necessity.

This week I have spent my time in my pjs and cuddled up in my duvet in my bed...something came over me... Severe headaches, sore throat, cough, sniffles and grumbling stomach... 

A cold/ flu or both?

My last contact with the outside world was Monday morning when I went for a walk in the neighbouring fields, although the paths were ice covered I managed to stay on my two feet.

I was already feeling something was coming over me but needed a bit of exercise and fresh air.

Since then I have been in hibernation in the confines of my bedroom.

This "Slumber Party" was nothing like the ones of my young years with loud rock'n'roll music, plenty of junk food and soda, and talking all night with best friends.

Hoping I have turned the corner and that I am back to myself soon.

R & D ... Research and Development!

Days of research and planning... excitement is building as the pieces to our next adventure fall into place.

We have been checking out places to stay, destinations to visit, rental apartments, hotels, car rentals and airline tickets ... and many more options.

We have agreed on a few and made tentative bookings and with all to be finalized in the next few days with deposits and signed rental agreements.

Next step will be to book our flights...once we agree on where we will fly into and out of...

It is a bit of a "he said, she said" moment!

One of us wants to do one thing and the other something totally different... So you will have to come back to see which way we decide to go in the end.

King of the Castle ... Cassoulet

Today I went out for a shopping trip and while I was away Msr. Honey played "Top Chef" and prepared and cooked one of his favourite French dishes ... "Cassoulet".

Needed ingredients all lined up and prepped ...

Ready for the slow roasting in the oven ... 

Steaming hot from the oven ready to serve ... 

A proud Monsieur showing off his finished dish!

It was most delicious...

Some French Comfort...

On this frigid, deep-freeze cold morning (-22 degrees Celsius which feels like -28 degrees Celsius when we rolled out of bed) in Southwestern Ontario, Monsieur Honey enjoyed his morning coffee while reading the newspaper and the sale flyers.

In our local grocery store paper there was an article that peaked his interest and a link for a recipe...

"Cassoulet". 

Definition .... 

Encyclopedia 

cassoulet is ...

A French dish of white beans baked with meats; it takes it name from it's cooking pot, the cassole d'Issel.

Originating in the Languedoc in southwest France, cassoulet was once simple farmhouse fare, but it has been elaborated into a rich and complex dish. 

The basic cassoulet from the town of Castlenauary adds to the beans fresh pork and ham plus tomatoes, garlic, onions, herbs and stock; that of Carcassonne contains in addition mutton and partridges in season, while in Toulouse to the basic cassoulet are added duck or confit d'oie (pieces of goose poached and preserved in goose fat) and Toulouse sausage*. 

Bread crumbs and goose fat form a crust on top of the dish.

* Note...one of Monsieur Honey's favourites is "Toulouse Sausage" and he has been trying to master making them here at home with his own grinder and sausage making machine... Thanks to my brother the butcher for the wonderful gift a couple of years ago.  

A view of Carcassonne ...photo taken in 2005 ... This is where Robin Hood Prince of Thieves was filmed ... It is a truly magical place.

Photos of Toulouse 2012

He quickly checked the website and printed the recipe and with a list of ingredients in hand, off to the local surpermarket we went to purchase the needed items.

Monsieur Honey loves comfort food  ... Warm and hearty dishes especially when it is cold outside.

This recipe actually makes two dishes  ... two 12-cup/ 3 litre dishes... that is equivalent two 9 x 13 pans ...I don't know who he thinks is coming for dinner.

I will have to check if our cast iron Dutch oven similar to the French cookware   ... "Le Creuset" will be large enough.

It is probably something we should cook when there will be a houseful of guests, served with a delicious fresh salad, some hot fresh baked crusty bread and a good bottle or two of French wine and then maybe followed by a dish of Crème Brûlée or better yet Café Gourmand for dessert. 

This recipe is simpler and is made with boneless, skinless chicken thighs and white kidney beans (also known as cannellini beans) along with bacon, onions, carrots, garlic, stewed tomatoes, spices and herbs...with the addition of some of Monsieur Honey's homemade sausage.

Here's the link for the recipe that Monsieur started with...

https://www.sobeys.com/en/recipes/chicken-bean-cassoulet

Come back in a day or two...I will let you know how it turned out!

"Post Christmas" Post.

Baby it's cold outside...frigid temperatures, strong winds and blowing snow ... It was a great day for indoor activities.

Today I cleared our home of the Christmas glitter so to speak, but in actual fact I am sure I will still find sparkles and glitter on the carpet and furniture for the next few months.

Not unlike the time so many years ago that we had our last fresh cut Christmas tree ... I was still vacuuming needles up from the carpet the following July. 

And so that was the year I decided to go with an artificial tree... and I purchased a small three-foot tree that our children called the "Snoopy Tree".

Funny thing was when we replaced that tiny tree with our 9 ft. 1500-light tree (eight years ago), the kids who are now adults wanted to know "where was Snoopy?" 

All of them staking a claim to our little tree.

The personalized family ornaments carefully packed away for another year ... that will bring back many memories and cause some melancholy when I hang them on the tree next year.

 A new handmade ornament from our granddaughters...something to treasure for years.

Today my steps took me back in time 24 years plus and into the New Year "2014"!