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Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Happy Autumn, Everybody!



 I love the fall. It’s my favorite season right next to summer, and it’s so convenient that they back up to one another.

I think that specific season change is the most exhilarating and more importantly the most enchanting. The leaves changing, time to pull out sweaters, start fires and wear boots. The sun gets lower in the sky, the trees dance more in the crisp breeze and the black cats seem more romantic than usual. And the colors! Oh the colors, so vibrant, so magical.

I ran across this recipe recently. As you know I love to adapt the recipes I find because stealing stinks and I want to make them my own. The adaptation is after the original recipe.



All Recipes calls it Pumpkin Fluff Dip.


Pumpkin Fluff Dip




Ingredients
  • 1 Regular sized can Pumpkin Puree
  • 1 small sachet of vanilla pudding
  • 16 oz. Cool Whip
  • 1/2 tsp. each of Nutmeg, Ground Cloves and Cinnamon
  • 1 box graham crackers
Instructions
  1. Hollow out pumpkin
  2. Line pumpkin with cellophane
  3. Mix all ingredients together
  4. Pour mix into pumpkin
  5. Serve on a platter with graham crackers
  6. Cover dip with cellophane and store with pumpkin top on in fridge until lready to serve.
Notes
*Adaptation: Change the cool whip to fat free cool whip and change pudding to fat free, sugar free vanilla pudding. You save about 100 calories per serving.






Friday, September 21, 2012

The Book

*If you haven't entered the giveaway you can click here and scroll down to enter. So far, there are no entries. Bummer.


Sooooo......

If you haven't read a little of my novel, you can click on the page to the right, "A Raucous in Rome," and read a little bit of heart and soul.

That's all there is today. I am really wanting to giveaway the jewelry I brought back from Turkey for one lucky reader and I's love some feedback about the book.

I hope you are all Healthy and Happy!
XO
Gwen
Wednesday, September 19, 2012

A Giveaway - Jewelry From Cadi

I think I may have mentioned that Cadi in Turkish means witch. There is absolutely nothing but magic here at this tiny store in Myndos. The name is apt simply because it is indeed bewitching.

*Scroll down beyond the photos here and enter to win the gold bunny necklace with matching rose quartz earrings. The stipulation is that I must get 20 new faces in the box to the left. But, I would take new Pinterest followers and new Twitter followers too!















I collected this really special bunny necklace in gold on a pink silk cord and matched it to a pair of earrings adorned with golden flowers, cut rose quartz, turquoise crystals and black tourmalineThe earrings hand from french wires.

All you have to do to enter the giveaway is make sure your picture appears in the box to the left or right And leave a comment here (with a usable email address - how else will I notify you when you win?). 


a Rafflecopter giveaway







Monday, September 17, 2012

Turkey and Greece 2012 - Part 6 - Last Installment

So here we are. We've finally made it to the end!

I think I have been so bad with the blogging time frame because I have been sort of dreading this last post. First of all it is always so hard to say goodbye to Turkey; the family, the friends, the spirit of the place not to mention the food. But I also know that after this post I'll have the giveaway and say goodbye to treasures that I hand picked just for you! I want them though...they are really special! Nevertheless, pending 20 new followers, they are for one of my lucky readers...

So, Greece! As soon as we left the harbor in Turgutreis, there was a different feeling in the air. The boat ride was excellent except for the instant coffee which was quite dear at 3 Euro for a tiny 4 oz. cup. (That's like a $6 cuppa!) Still the scenery was sensational and the sea was magnificent. As we pulled into the harbor at Kos, the feeling had changed from whimsical and welcoming to haughty and arrogant. It's strange to feel those things and no smell or sound can really put a concrete finger on things. It's as if in Turkey folks are hard...but not naturally hard. They have to try to be something they aren't to exact an appearance. In Greece however, they have such an arrogant affectation that it was a surprise as we got off the boat. The Greek flag in it's blue and white waved proudly too. And people..wow...the people...I asked a man behind the counter at a travel agent's office for one of his tear off public maps and he smiled behind a cigarette, with a smarmy, sweaty face said,"No." That never would happen in Turkey!

Alas, Kos was simply beautiful. The municipal buildings were clean and kept well and the churches and mosques mingled side by side.

The most interesting thing about Kos was that it was the birthplace of Modern Western Medicine, as in, "Mommy, where do doctors come from?"

We visited the tree of Hippocrates where it is said he taught physicians how to heal patients. We walked the clean cobbled streets and we ate Gyro's at a little Greek cafe. It was a wonderful way to spend the day together. And it was unimaginably and unforgettably Greek. The Greek culture is a proud people who are boastful about several things: being European (even though they are bankrupt), that Christ brought Christianity to them first, that they are better than most and so on. It can be quite alarming. But charming, anyway.

We rode a train to see the wee island and in the middle of the tour...the train broke. We wanted to look at the Lacoste store but they closed for nap time...aiaiaiai!

When we arrived back at the villa, I climbed the stairs to refresh myself. After my shower I found my husband on the terrace with reading materials in his lap and a furrowed brow. I asked him what he was doing. He said, "I am trying to figure out a way we can move to Kos!"








Our Last Day in Turkey. The Grand Bazaar!



My word! I've been to 3 of the worlds 7 continents and I ask you who wants to go to Antarctica and freeze their butts off...? So let's say I have been to half the worlds continents and on them I have been to 22 countries, I can say that I have seen some things. Not lots of things (I have a friend who has seen 6 continents and like 60 countries) but I have seen some things. But, nothing and I mean nothing is like The Grand Bazaar! If you never go anywhere in your life...GO TO THE GRAND BAZAAR! I am not being dramatic here either! I am being honest and as emphatic as possible. (I found the above book at Ruby Press)

The Grand Bazaar is like The Arabian Nights come to life, It's like Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves at High Tide,  it's like the history of the world is shown to you on a silver platter and there is no escaping it. From awed curiosity alone there is nothing that can take your eyes away from the wonders of this place. The covered ladies bartering jewelry, the chime of the call to prayer from the Blue Mosque, the lingering scent of fresh Simit in the air, the street food that is more delectable than most anything you've tasted so savory and sumptuous. The touch of the silk, the cool metal on a hookah, the bumpy facade of a painted bowl and the haggling Western Ladies you see wanting to drown themselves in gold. The smells of the coffee, the old men smoking with Chai and playing okey as they shout at the TV for their beloved Galata Saray soccer team. It's so dreamy. like walking on the beach at sunrise or your nerves on a first date. It's like the Turkish people have taken  the energy of New York City and concentrated it into one small place. There is a very real and energetic live current in this place! A man peddling Bulgari watches said, "You, come here, Amigo!" He was talking to my Turkish husband!

I have my very own favorite store at the Grand Bazaar. I was passing a window after we ate a delectable meal at Aynen Durum (Taste the Difference - it's their motto).  In the window, I saw a tiny silver chair on it was a pathway leading to it's tiny door. It had me hooked and I had to go in. A wonderful gentleman stood behind the counter. His countenance was sweet and patient as I exclaimed, "That one, that one, that one!" The entire store screamed at me. I finally settled on a little cherub candle holder for me and one for my mother. Then I spied a little magnifying glass pendant and I was sold and the final purchase was the sweet little chair. How could I go home without it? The store's name is Hagar Gumus. And if your ever lucky enough to shop at The Grand Bazaar, please visit this kind and honest man.

Eating at Aynen Durum


Hagar Gumus



The tiny magnifying glass.




The day was bitter sweet though. I love my sister in law, Berrin, my neice Ecem and her Dad, Necdet, the trip they made for us was Epic - Sensational, Wonderful, Fun, Crazy, Amazing and truly, truly Lovely. Thank you, guys. We love you.

Friday, September 14, 2012

A New Hair Stylist and New Hair


Tired of Poaca? Yeah. Me too.

I need to tell you, in the words of Bill and Ted, "Strange things are a foot at the Circle K." Life has been less than cooperative and I am so sorry to have delayed this and my final Turkey/Greece post. Rest assured I will get back to things soon. And then A GIVEAWAY. But until I carve out some time to pay close attention to you guys, you get my new hair!


I needed to get my hair done something awful before the onset of the school year. The hair was looking 60 years old while I remain 29. That was a no go....especially when I've lost lots of weight and haven't seen co-workers for 8 weeks. I wanted to look like a million bucks...well, at least a hundred.

I yelped, "Hair Salons in Sacramento Open on Mondays." I'm a "Get Things Done on Monday," kind of gal. Groceries, Dry Cleaning, Nails and, you guessed it, Hair. My former stylist, while good, is so very busy she could never get me in. So I decided to start fresh.

Luxe Salon and Spa was 3rd on the list. I read the reviews for the first...4 stars. I read the review for the second, 4 stars and then I read the review for Luxe! And while all these salons had a comparable star rating, Luxe had something the other two didn't. It had a response to a review from the owner that was sweet and sincere. She was all about fixing the problem for the customer who was dissatisfied. It spoke to me and that is how I met Albina.

When I sat in Albina's chair she asked me questions about what I wanted. I asked her to bring her "A Game" and did she ever. I haven't been this satisfied with a cut and color perhaps ever! She did exactly what I asked her to do. She was so good natured and fun. She had no airs of superiority as some stylists do. She worked hard but smart and styled my hair not the way she wanted, but the way I wanted her to.

This is how my hair looked when she was done with me...


Needless to say, I got a new stylist. I feel feverishly loyal to Albina now and for the first time in my life I look forward to seeing the salon every month!
Friday, August 24, 2012

Food Friday - Poaca




Before I post the last installment of Turkey and Greece 2012 and move on to our giveaway, I thought I'd leave you with an easy and, more importantly, delicious Turkish recipe from my Sister in Law.

Driving back to Gundogan from Gumusluk we stopped at a tiny bakery for a snack...HEAVEN IN MY MOUTH!! It is called Poaca (pronounced po-ah-cha). It is best served room temperature with tea!

This recipe calls for Nigella Seeds. If you've never used them they look like black sesame seeds but they are not. They have a very distinct taste and in my opinion those and the dill make this recipe so special.

















Poaca - Dill and Feta Snacks



Ingredients
  • 2 Cups flour
  • 3 Tbs yogurt
  • 4 Tbs. vegetable oil
  • 1 Tbs. butter
  • 1/4 Tsp. salt
  • 1 Tsp baking powder
  • 1 egg white (reserve yoke for an egg wash)
  • 1 bunch dill
  • 2 Tbs. Nigella Seeds
  • 1/2 Cup Feta cheese
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350.
  2. Finely chop 1 bunch dill (I used a food processor)
  3. Mix all ingredients together except egg yoke and Nigella seeds.
  4. Form dough into small balls and push balls to flatten in your hand.
  5. Fill with roughly a tsp. size of Feta cheese.
  6. Place formed Poagca on a lined baking sheet.
  7. Wash each with the egg yoke and sprinkle with Nigella seeds.
  8. Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Turkey and Greece - Part 5

I know, I know. Slacking.

We came home from this epic and eventful, yet relaxing trip abroad and then SLAM, the busy starts. Work began....DRAMA.
Mom and Dad had a humongous car accident...DRAMA...They're ok (Thank Heaven) but poor Granny; broken nose, ribs and contusions all over. The moral of this story...do not avoid the raccoon.
And for some reason, I have withdrawn from the world at large for no particular reason...DRAMA!

I am to the fifth installment of the Turkey and Greece trip which means this begins my plunge into Bodrum! We had fifteen days in a sensational villa with spectacular views and an even better seashore on which to get the best sun! And oh, the seafood...

Upper left: the said villa, upper right: the villa's view, lower left: my view (on the shore) lower right: medye dolma
While the shore is where we frequented for most of our 15 days, rest assured there was a host of other fruit fillings in this sweet treat we call Bodrum. There are a few places on Earth, that I have commented as "Heaven on Earth." Ireland is one, Hawaii (the Big Island) is another and Bodrum, Turkey on the Aegean Coast makes a trifecta that can't be beat.

The farmers market was rife with a morning mixture of any kind of dry goods you can think of including painted pottery, hookah and pestamal. But the real jems of this morning marketplace is the produce. I have always emphatically exclaimed that we Californians are spoiled to have the greatest produce in the world. That was before I had gone to Turkey and this market in Bodrum is unlike any I have seen before. It is a covered green grocery that spans acres and acres and if you want it, you'll find it. I had never seen hazelnuts as they occur in nature, eggplants, spices, miles of tomatoes, cucumber and green onions the size of which I had never seen. There were what seemed like miles of Turkish sweets, cultivated seaweed and pickled grape leaves, ready for stuffing. Then the crowning glory...gozleme, too (that my husband had once and again the following week because it was melt in your mouth deliciousness).

Upper left: Hazelnuts, Upper right: two varieties of eggplant, Lower left: dried fruits and nuts, Lower right: three kinds of peppers

Upper left: olive oil, honey and olives, Upper right: lots of Turkish Delight, Lower left: garden flowers, Lower right: grape leaves ready for Dolma.

This guy was great. He was so proud and sweet.

Gozleme

Let's not forget an evening in Bodrum City. We stayed in a region of the peninsula called Gundogan. On the other side of lots of little houses and a trek on a curvy road is the Bodrum city center with the famous Club Halikarnas. Although that was not our speed for this trip. Instead of dancing we were far more interested in shopping and eating. Let me show you the fish markets open late night for all your seafood needs!


One of my favorite meals on this trip (and I say "one of" because there were several -- Obam, Teyze's house and Galimera -- not to mention my sister in law's daily breakfasts) was at a place called Aras 63 Urfa. Aras serves Pide and Lahmacun and a host of other delights but those two delicacies have a special place in my heart so I focused there. When my husband and I were only dating, we went to dinner at the Guvenc house. Muberra is an amazing cook in all disciplines but since she is Turkish she is most skilled in Turkish Cuisine. She cooked Pide and Lahmacun that night. When we sat down to the table, Bulent was silent and satisfied with her meal and when he was finished he said, "if you can cook this, I will marry you!" I went straight to grocery store the following day and made Pide and Lahmacun with the skill of any Turkish woman! I was also married to him less than 2 years after :) !

Upper Left: Lahmacun, Upper Right: Gavurdagi Salatasi, Lower Left: So many meals are served with simple vegetables. It's such a shame I can never find fully grown rocket here in the states. Lower Right: Pide (It is believed that the Italians called Pizza after this.)
And then there's the shopping!

My favorite store was in a teeny beach town called Gumusluk - pronounced: goo-moosh-luke - or Myndos which is the ancient Greek name. This little town is friendly and sweet and smells of sea air. It is also the home of a lovely beach in a very small bay and a shallow waterway that allows you to "walk" on water to an island.

The store was called Cadi. Cadi means witch and can't understand why the store was called witch when it was a place of fairy treasures. So by my estimation, it should've been called Fairy! Becasue the only things witchy about itare the prices. A bit dear if you ask me!

Gumusluk was wonderful. A place to stroll for hours or for my husband and sister in law a place to eat Lokma and drink chai for hours while I mesmerized myself with the goodies in Cadi. The giveaway after post six of Greece and Turkey will be a treasure from Cadi, by the way. But only if I get 20 new faces in the box to the left!


This brings us to the end of this post. The following and final post of our epic trip to Turkey and Greece will be our trip to Greece, our drive back to Istanbul and our last day in Turkey, a day at the Grand Bazaar. See you soon!