Sunday, January 20, 2008

Marie Selby Botanical Gardens

While my mother in law was visiting, my husband and I took her to the gardens. My mother in law and husband love gardening , me not so much. I tend to kill plants, but I am getting better since moving to Florida.
The Marie Selby Botanical Gardens are located in Sarasota, Florida.
The Gardens were officially opened to the public in 1975.



















There is a wedding pavillion with Sarasota Bay behind it.










































A peaceful Koi pond with lots of big koi
















A very relaxing, informative place to visit.

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

For my friend

As we walk our path of life,
We meet people everyday.
Most are simply met by chance.
But, some are sent our way.
These become special friends
Whose bond we can't explain;
The ones who understand us
And share our joy and pain.
Their love contains no boundaries.
So, even when we are apart
Their presence enhances us
With a warmth felt in the heart.
This love becomes a passageway,
When even the miles disappear.
And so, these friends,
God sends our way,
Remain forever near.

Sunday, January 13, 2008

Keilbasa in Polish Sauce

Had a keilbasa that my mom brought from NY that I had to cook. Went online and found this great recipe by Emeril. Thought I'd share.

Kielbasa in Polish Sauce
Recipe courtesy of Emeril Lagasse, 1999
12 ounces light beer
1 1/2 cups water
2 cups chopped yellow onions
2 pounds Kielbasa sausage links
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
In a saucepan, over medium heat, combine the beer, water, onions and sausage.
Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook, covered, for 25 minutes. Remove the sausage from the pan and cool. Slice the sausage into 1 -inch pieces. In a large saute pan, over medium heat, melt the butter. Stir in the flour and cook for 4 to 6 minutes for a light brown roux. Stir in the vinegar, sugar and the reserved beer and onion mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce to a simmer and continue to cook until the sauce coats the back of a spoon, about 15 minutes. Add the sliced sausage and continue to cook for 5 minutes. Garnish with parsley.

Thursday, January 10, 2008

Hell's Kitchen?

Is Gordon Ramsay coming back with a new season? I sure hope so. I adore the man. Would love to spend a day with him cooking and just talking.

Wednesday, January 9, 2008

Cashmere Mafia?

Is anyone else watching this new show? It's like Sex and the City without all the sex. Not sure it's going to make it, it's a little boring.

Friday, January 4, 2008

Food

Lexie is in NY and is taunting me by taking pictures of food she is eating that we don't have near us. She sent me a picture of her corned beef sandwich from a Jewish deli but it's on my phone.

Here is her dinner of Boston Market.

Thursday, January 3, 2008

Are you sure this is SW Florida?

Woke up today to 31 degrees! Now I'm from NY and used to cold weather but 31 here feels like zero in NY. I also had to leave at 6:30 am to drive to Tampa International Airport. It was quite windy so it made driving over the Sunshine Skyway Bridge quite an experience. Let's just say my knuckles were white. Driving over the SSB is an experience when it's not windy. Major cruise ships pass underneath it.
Got to the airport with a little time to spare. Got mom and Lex checked in then they had to take the monorail to their terminal. Austin and I decided to hit Burger King in the airport for an egg and cheese croissant.
Tampa International Airport lets you park free for the first hour. We made it with 10 minutes to spare. Stopped at BJ's Wholesale Club on the way home. By now the temp was a balmy 47. Final temp for today was 59 degrees.
It's supposed to be in the 50's tomorrow and back to the high 70's by the weekend.

Tuesday, January 1, 2008

It's 2008!

Quiet evening at home. Cooked a nice dinner of steak and shrimp scampi. Burnt my thumb and index finger trying to pull the temperature thingie out of the steak. So stupid on my part.....I thought it had some protective rubber on it, it didn't.
Still enjoyed my dinner though.

Had another Capt. Morgan and Coke and lots of ice on the fingers.

Sat in the backyard with a fire going in the fire pit and lit off some small fireworks (we're under a drought restriction, ya know)