Lunch With Frida Kahlo

For many years, Larry and I have been friends with a wonderful couple who own a restaurant in Deep Ellum, Dallas. Last weekend we had lunch at this fun bistro, enjoying all of our favorite Mexican foods.

When we arrived, I was thrilled to see a new mural on the inside wall. It was amazing and I felt inspired by its presence in the dining room.

Photo: Mural of Frida Kahlo

Now, when I say that I had lunch with Frida Kahlo, you will know exactly where I went.

It is September 8th. I feel as I am forgetting something. Like a birthday or anniversary….don’t you hate when that happens? If it is your special day that I am missing, please contact me?

Have a wonderful day.

Love you beyond the moon.

Me

Larry’s Veg Soup ~ Chef Valentine

As promised, here is Larry’s Vegetable soup. It is one of our favorite soups and we keep it in the freezer during the winter. I will be estimating the ingredients as Larry isn’t much into cooking in a an accurate way. When he made the soup on Sunday, I watched him and took notes. Here is what I saw…

Larry’s Veg Soup

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion

1 1/2 cups chopped carrots (about (4)

1 small bag(12 oz?) frozen green beans

1 small bag(12 oz?) frozen corn

1 small bag (12oz?) frozen peas

4 cloves garlic minced OR2 Tablespoons pre-minced garlic in jar

64 oz low-sodium chicken broth (beef OR vegetable)

2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes, undrained

1/3 cup chopped, fresh parsley

1/2 teaspoons dried thyme

Salt and pepper

*You can exchange our veggies for your favorites if needed. This recipe is very flexible.

***

Instructions:

Heat olive oil in large pot over medium heat.

Add onions, celery and sauté for 4 minutes then add garlic and sauté one minute longer.

Add broth, undrained tomatoes parsley, thyme, salt and pepper to taste.

Bring to a boil, then add frozen green beans, corn, and peas.

Bring back up to a boil and cook till the frozen veggies are tender

This soup recipe is delicious. We keep it in the freezer during the winter as it makes a huge batch. PS: you can always throw in a handful of rice or noodles! Larry sometimes uses leftover rotisserie chicken as his protein, just throw it in the soup at the end of cooking.

Dear Larry, thank you for sharing your recipe today.

Till next time!

Valentine

Labor Day, 2022

Larry and I packed up a brunch picnic and went to the Dallas Arboretum early yesterday. It was very busy and everyone whom we met was so kind. We sat in our favorite garden and enjoyed brunch.

Photo: Brunch at the Arboretum

We watched the squirrels and birds, mostly humming birds and cardinals dance through the garden. I was enchanted by so much activity. Larry and I visited about many things and as always enjoyed just being together.

Photo: Do you see the squirrel?

I do not think that I am ready for a new week. My to-do list is huge this week…and I am dragging my feet about getting things started. Is there medicine for this problem?

Photo: The Perfect Morning

Last week I finished The Good House (great book) and went back to a book that I started earlier this summer. I was about one quarter through…..

This book is amazing. You can almost hear Katherine Hepburn talking, telling the stories of her personal life and career. Because I am reading this book…Larry and I pulled up all Katherine Hepburn movies. There are so many….we decided to watch The Madwoman Of Chaillot. This 1969 gem is set in Paris and my only suggestion is to watch the entire movie. (you have to see the end!) It is a satirical based movie, with the most amazing cast. Because it was filmed in Paris, I loved seeing the 1969 look of the city….and so many well known actors in the roles of good and evil. (it is a little confusing at times, but please stick with it)

It is Tuesday, and feels like Monday. I better get busy…. Have a happy day!

Love you beyond the moon.

Me

Sunday Dinner and a Movie

Cancelled/Postponed: This past weekend, we had tickets for the Dallas Symphony. They were going to perform the music of the movie ET. I was terribly disappointed but it was postponed, (till next spring!)

Because the symphony postponed the show, we planned Sunday dinner around ET.

At dinnertime, we had a horrendous storm and lost power for a few moments.

Even with no electricity, the table looked sweet.

Photo: Larry ran into the garden in the rain to pick these flowers.

Larry made the VEG soup… and we had ham and Swiss cheese sandwiches..

Dinner was perfect. Maybe it was because I did not make it?

Of course, our movie was ET.

I had not seen ET in years. What a wonderful movie. It was perfect for our pre-Labor Day Sunday Dinner and Movie.

I wish you a blessed Labor Day and wish you special moments with family and friends.

Love you beyond the moon.

Me

Chef Valentine’s Favorite Apricot Bars

This recipe is dated about 1985 and it is very easy, delicious and freezes. I would make these every year for our annual Christmas party, our children’s Sunday School class, my quilting classes and for Girl Scout meetings. Now I just make them for Larry and I. They freeze like a dream.

It is the prefect time of year for Apricot Bars!

Photo: Apricot Bars

Apricot Bars

Ingredients:

3/4 cup Margarine

1 cup brown sugar-packed

1 3/4 cups flour

1 1/2 cups quick oats

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 jar Bonne Maman Apricot preserves (or a small jar of your favorite Apricot preserves)

***

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease 13″ X 9″ pan

Cream sugar and margarine together. Add remaining ingredients except for the apricot preserves. Mix till crumbly. Divide mixture in half. Pat half into well greased 13 X 9″ pan. Spread with apricot preserves. Top with remaining crumb mixture. Gently pat. bake at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes until lightly browned. Cool. Cut into bars.

To freeze: Let the bars cool and then place them on parchment paper in the freezer. After one hour, put the bars in a zip loc bag.

These are a favorite at The Cottage, I hope that you enjoy them too.

Till next time,

Chef Valentine

September!

Happy first day of September! The name “September” comes from an old Roman word “septem” which actually means 7. September was the seventh month of the year on the Roman calendar – It did not become the ninth month until the advent of the Gregorian calendar. The Romans believed that September was looked after by the god of fire. (Earth Wind And Fire? HA! Just joking) There will be a space below before the song shows up. I’m not sure why WP does that….please keep scrolling…..

Last Saturday (still August) Larry and I had lunch with our friends from Turkey, Neslihaun and Ismail. I met Nesli when she took a quilting class I taught a very long time ago. Her friendship has been very important to me all of these years. Larry and Ismail get along very well, and when we are all together there is just so much lovely energy and ideas being discussed.

Photo: Garden ornament from Turkey

Nesli and Ismail spend time in Turkey each year. I love hearing about their travels. They want us to meet them in Istanbul soon. Wouldn’t that be amazing? It would be thrilling to go to the markets, eat exotic food and meet such kind people.

The ornament above is a gift from Nesli and Ismail…. Thank you Nesli. Sending hugs.

***

There is a VERY old recipe in my recipe box. I remember making these apricot bars for my Mother a long time ago…and for Girl Scout meetings. ( yes, I was a Girl Scout leader back in the day)

Photo: Making apricot bars

I am making the apricot bars today….The Cottage smells amazing. At least that is what Larry says…I am not very good at smelling and tasting things yet. Covid got me good! Apricot Bar recipe tomorrow?

Happy September. It is going to be an amazing month, I just feel it.

Love you beyond the moon.

Me

Two Years…..

I can hardly believe that the photo below was taken two years ago. We had just bought a new vacuum cleaner and Matilda fell in love with the box that it came in.

Photo: Matilda, two years ago

I am so proud of the teenager that Matilda is becoming. and cannot wait to see how she grows over the next ten years. (she will be 21 in ten years!)

Being a grandmother, often allows me to reminisce about my own grandmother. She was my fathers mother and I adored her. Often, I wish that I could share “grandmother” stories with her.

Today is the last day of august. I am so ready for this hot summer to be over. Are you?

Happy Wednesday! Have agreat day.

Love you beyond the moon.

Me

My Vanilla Days

I truly love this blog. Posting here has been part of my morning for many years and I’ve shared many things. Special moments, rants, breast cancer, picnics, recipes, Camp Robi. … just to many things to list.

Since the pandemic, my life has become quite bland. You might even call it vanilla but vanilla sounds exotic…and that is something my life has not been.

Larry has taken such good care of me and his encouragement has meant the world. I’m not sure if this part of “the journey” would have be worth doing if it were not for him.

Photo: The Table

We have our special things. Sunday dinner and a movie being one thing that is a must. (Last Sunday we had baby back ribs, potato salad and pinto beans) I took one photo.

Photo: The one photo

I’m working hard to regain my strength, positive energy and get back to normal. (whatever that is) We have been going to the Senior Center during Larry’s lunch hour. I exercise on the treadmill and have been increasing my speed and the incline of the treadmill. Next I will be increasing my time. Thirty minutes is my max right now.

I am sharing this with you now, because there were days when I just wanted to take my sorry a$$ and go to bed. That is so unlike me. Because I had been feeling like this, Last year, I looked for someone to help me. The year has been one of reflection, acceptance and I have learned so much.

Learning to be strong and true to myself was something I did not practice before but am learning how to now. Yesterday, (after a year) when I hugged my DR good-bye. She said: I am here of you ever need me. How awesome is that? I know that we all have “BUMPS” in our roads and hope that I am more understanding with myself and others when they happen.

Thank you for listening and there are a few of you out there who have stuck by me when I needed it most. You know who you are. You are in my heart always and I am indebted to you.

My journey has a long way to go. Being equipped to go forward to handle things with with a “plan” and strong resolve will help me very much.

My Vanilla Days are getting better.

Love you beyond the moon.

Me

The Llamas

On Saturday our favorite kiddo, (Granddaughter Matilda) and four of her friends hosted a lemonade stand. It was a beautiful morning and the lemonade stand was filled with all of our favorite goodies.

Photo: Our granddaughter Matilda, on the right with friends . 2022 Lemonade Stand

Our lemonade was delicious and Larry bought cookies, brownies and banana bread for us to enjoy after Sunday Dinner and Movie.

While we were at the lemonade stand, Matilda gave us a thank you gift. It was a thank you for Camp Robi, 2022.

Photo: Personal insulated cups from sweet Matilda.

What a thoughtful gift for us and a wonderful reminder of fun summer days together. ( I will unwrap them today.)

Yesterday, Sunday, I was up early. Our church hired a new minister. Larry and I were anxious to meet him and welcome him to our church. He did give the sermon, but we did not have a chance to meet him. He was very busy….perhaps next week? I will put it on my calendar.

Talking about calendars…

My calendar, agenda, is quite old. I think that it is about 15 years old. It goes on travels everywhere with me. (I bought it from Oberon) Find link to Oberon below. Oberon is where we buy all of our leather goods.

https://www.oberondesign.com/?gclid=CjwKCAjwx7GYBhB7EiwA0d8oe6lwKlEdqQI7XXc9uUbZXx3nvQj–EIp4PCzCMANTwHIVBRQcqpdRBoCi94QAvD_BwE

Photo: the old agenda

I love this old agenda and the refills are becoming harder and harder to find, so I always start early (September) looking for them. BUT yesterday, on Amazon, I found the perfect calendar refills! They should arrive tomorrow. My day revolves around this agenda. Now I know that I will use it at least one more year. 2023! I am ready.

Photo: The birthday stickers

This past year, 2022, I used Llama stickers as the birthday stickers. When the new calendar comes, I go through my list of birthdays and put a sticker on each birthday. Over the years, I have used many stickers. I like them measuring at least an inch. I loved the llamas.

I hope that you have a good Monday.

Love you beyond the moon.

Me

It’s That Simple

Happy Saturday. It is the last Saturday in August! Autumn is on its way. I think that I am excited about the change in seasons.

Larry and I have a busy morning. But I wanted to share something:

Last evening, while watching the news, I became very distracted. It was strange as I love current events and the news….but…

It is that simple. When are the liars going to be called out for lying?

I hope that you have the best weekend. Try to avoid the news.

Love you beyond the moon.

Me