Heading to the BIG EASY!!!!!!

Relaxing, reading books on the front porch, smelling spicy familiar scents, walking around the French Quarter- pretending like we live there, seeing old friends, listening to music on the steps of Jackson Square. Tomorrow. Can't wait!

See you in a week.

I'll leave you with this, it's yummy! 

Nutella Puff Pastry Dessert

1. 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed (from a 17.3 pkg.)
2. 1 lg. egg beaten for an egg wash)
3. 7.oz. nutella, roughly 1/2 jar (13 oz.)
4. 1 tbl. sugar
5. sea Salt to sprinkle
6. 4 Tbl. hazelnuts, whole, toasted and chopped
7. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Arrange puff pastry on a parchment lined baking sheet.
8. Form a 10 in. square and fold up the edges, just a little. Poke the middle of dough several times with a fork. 
9. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar
10. FREEZE for 15 min.
11. Transfer to oven and bake until pastry is puffed and golden, about 15 min.
12. Meanwhile roast hazelnuts in oven and then roll on a towel to remove skins and chop roughly
13. really good, and most things you can just keep on hand to make whenever you want

A Little Get-Away

my first robin of the season

This is not quite in the neighborhood. But if you are heading to South Dakota or anywhere off I90-
The Amboy Cottage is worth the extra 1/2 hr. it takes to get there. I was down in Fairmont visiting my mom for a day, going to the Amboy Cottage Cafe is always on our schedule.

chicken vegetable soup

Lisa makes everything fresh and delicious and grows a lot of her own vegetables.
The Amboy Cottage has been featured on The Jason Davis show.


After you have finished lunch you can wander across the street to an antique store, where we have found many treasures.  A couple stores down from the Amboy Cottage is a yarn/knitting store that Lisa and her mom Maria own- lots of wonderful angora!!! And finally at the end of the street is a cute store called Sweet Cicelly.
So lots of good things if you want to venture out of the city.

Chicken Salad with Homemade Raspberry Vinigrette
sorry I ate my dessert before I could get a picture, Raspberry Bread Pudding-mmmmm.

Mardi Gras

Fat Tuesday officially kicked off the Mardi Gras season!! Wooo Hooo!

We used to have an apartment in the French Quarter. It was great fun spending time down there and having our kids experience a different culture. Our 2 oldest sons even spent their honey moons down there-

We had it for about 10 years- (instead of a cabin up north). After Katrina it became too dangerous so we sold it.... I'm ready to find another one. We head down there in a couple weeks to soak up sun, food and see good friends. Here is a recipe for ya'll to try!

New Orleans BBQ Shrimp

• 1 cup butter
• 2 Tbl. black pepper
• 2 1/2 tsp. dried rosemary
• 1 1/2 tsp. paprika
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 2 C. beer
• 1 Tbl. lemon juice
• 1 1/2 tsp. worchestershire sauce
• 2 lbs raw shrimp in the shell
•  In a skillet, combine butter, pepper, rosemary, paprika, salt and cayenne
• Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently until the butter melts.
• Add the beer and simmer, uncovered for about 15 min. or until the liquid is slightly reduced
• Stir in the lemon juice
• Add the shrimp to the sauce
• Cook over medium heat 10-15 min.
• To serve: spoon the shrimp into individual bowls with the broth.
• Dip crusty french bread in the sauce, peel and eat the shrimp.
• Rice is also good for a side dish.
• Have plenty for napkins!
• Laissez les bons temps rouler!!!!!

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