The Inspired - "He Said..."

He Said...

I want to go somewhere new and I want to take you with me.
I smiled and couldn't believe  that this man could stand me enough for a trip.
He began doing little things; tying my shoe, hanging a picture.
The little things grew to be big things; buying me a camera, meeting the folks, cooking me dinner.
I really don't deserve him and yet somehow he thinks I do.
He is handsome and cool. No, not like Arthur Fonzarelli; better. Not like the cute guy at school, either; better.
I asked him. "Why do you love me?"
He said, "Because you're you."

Good Vibes

Sometimes I wake up and just feel my magic. You know, the magic that you know is inside each and every one of us. The magic that makes us who we are. The magic that is not our job, or our spouse, or our house but that is our heart and soul; our blood, sweat and tears. The thing that makes our spirit what it is.
Other days (which are unusual), I wake up comparing myself to others, like Justina Blakeney because she's doing what I love and what my undergraduate degree is in. I hear myself saying, "Why wasn't that me?" or "Where did I go wrong." Or I grow jealous of people like Grace, who's young and just starting out and is galaxies ahead of where I was (and still am) at her age. And then there is this place. Awesome right? I know! I feel overwhelmed with pride in Erica (One of the partners at Escape to Shape and a beautiful woman, with whom I went to high school) yet sadness in myself that I am not where I know I want to be.
They say comparison is the Devil. But sometimes it's nearly impossible not to look at other folks like the ones mentioned above and not feel like I should be more, do more, see more, speak more, love more. Like I'm not doing enough already. What am I searching for?

So today, I resign to being nothing more than who I am; I resign to "be a proliferator of good vibes." I have the magic. Perhaps even more than others. I have lots of friends, I am in the best shape of my life both physically and spiritually and I have an enduring family that loves me. I also have a husband who is wonderful, not only handsome but a true gentleman. His spirit is warm and masculine. His mind is sharp and his arms loving and secure. I am a creative. I am a chef. I am a style maven. I have arms and legs and a heart that work. And, the most important, I am blessed everyday. #thankful #grateful #loved

Peaches and Cream Bread Pudding

Peaches and Cream Bread Pudding is a recipe that is not only tasty it is also a snap to make. It's great as dessert but if you sort of mess around with the  ingredients you can create a sweet treat for a lazy Sunday morning too. When you bite into this steaming treat, it should be gooey and custardy and delicious. It's sure to be a crowd-pleaser as it is at my house! Can you think of any variations? Leave your suggestions in the comments!

Peaches and Cream Bread Pudding

Ingredients 

• 2 Cans peaches in heavy syrup drained, half cup of syrup reserved
• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• 4 Tbs. butter
• 2 cups half and half
• 5 eggs
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
•  Loaf of Hawaiian Bread, crusts removed

Instructions 

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Cut bread into 1 inch squares.
3. Drain the peaches and spread on the bottom of an 8x8 pan or 9x9 pan.
4. Melt the butter with the brown sugar 
5. Pour over peaches
6. Sprinkle bread over peaches/brown sugar.
7. In a blender mix the sugar, half and half, eggs, vanilla extract and cinnamon.
8. Pour mixture over bread.
9. Bake at 350 for about 40-45 minutes.
10. Variations: instead of peaches cut up apples and instead of sugar use maple syrup for a breakfast treat.

Beautiful Gowns

I love to scour the internet for designers I've never heard of. Before today, I had never heard of Ziad Nakad. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside knowing there are folks out there designing things for other folks who walk red carpets and go to formal galas and so on. I fantasize about what it would be like to be one of these fancy folks. Alas, this sort of lifestyle is simply a fantasy. Nevertheless, a girl can dream! Check these out...see makes you want  to go to fancy fete's too, huh?! Do you have a soiree that you need to be uber dressed for in the near future? Go see these!

photos credited

Pickles! Part 2

As you know there has been a big pickle off in our house. The challenge was first set forth by my husband. In Turkey, it is customary to pickle just about anything. On my visits, I have seen floor to ceiling jars of olives in brine, pickled peppers, pickled okra, pickled beets and cauliflower, beans, carrots and even citrus fruits. Pickles are served with everything from breakfast to tea. I like them paired with Anatolian Bulgur Stew. In my pickle recipe, there is no cooking and no real waiting. These are also not truly fermented vegetables in a jar. They are simple and quick and delicious but not a true pickle. A true pickle is sour and fermented to help this table mainstay keep and also to provide probiotic nourishment. Bulent's pickles are fermented using garbanzo beans and laid to rest for about 10 days to complete the fermentation process using chick peas.

Pickles!

Ingredients 

• Several cucumbers (any variety - or any other vegetable of your choice)
• 2 Cups White Wine Vinegar (grape vinegar)
• 2 Tbs. Pickling Salt
• 8 whole cloves of garlic
• 5-6 dry chick peas also known as garbanzo beans
• 1 Gallon distilled water

Instructions 

1. Poke holes in the cucumbers with a pin (this is to absorb the pickling liquid and to ensure fermentation) add them to a jar that closes with an airtight apparatus (see photo)
2. Mix the vinegar and salt together and add to the cucumbers
3. Add the garlic
4. Pour in water (which is boiled then cooled to air temperature)
5. Cover everything with the bunch of parsley.
6. Seal lid and place in a cool dark place like the basement or garage for 10 days. Do not put in the refrigerator. The cool air in the fridge will retard the fermentation process.

A Shiny, New, Ramped Up Blog!

So I went to Etsy and scoured all kinds of designers and blog templates until I found just the right fit for  P and P! I came across Lisa's Menagerie where I became mesmerized not just by her blog templates but also by her mixed media art pieces. Lisa has been amazing! She is very professional and knowledgable and even though I know this process has been frustrating for both of us, she kept both of us on the steady. For more information visit her Etsy store or at Pixel Anthology which provides a much more comprehensive view of the things she does. Thank you, Lisa!

The Bundt Cake

Granny gave me a beautiful bundt mold (last July) in the shape of a sensational starburst swirl. It's made by Nordic Ware in case you're wondering and I believe it is priceless! Thanks for a great 5 year anniversary present Gran! The mold is so great in fact that it is nothing short of inspiring!

I had peaches that a wonderful lady named Mary dropped by on our porch. Mary and I trade goodies. In the spring she takes some Cala Lillies from our garden and she leaves me Portuguese bread. In the summer she leaves peaches and I give her tomatoes. 

She left such a big batch of peaches that by day three, of them sitting on the kitchen counter, I thought, well, before they turn, perhaps I should do something with them. A new bundt pan and over ripe peaches and a new recipe was born.

This however, is not an easy recipe. If you are to embark on this bundt adventure, be ready to commit some time in the kitchen.  This recipe is heavily adapted from a foodie blog From My Sweet Heart.

The cocoa in her recipe adds depth of flavor to the streusel and her spices do too. However, I thought it was too much a wintery flavor so i changed things up. She also has sour cream in her recipe and it makes for a moist, addictive cake!