Shelley Sells Seashells Down By The Seashore

Sweet & Sour Chicken

2009-10-27T18:33:00.003-04:00

I love the fall....and everything fall-like. I love the scents & flavors of fall...warm & spicy. I love the change of color on the leaves. I love the foods of fall....pumpkins, apples, turkey and cranberries and hot cocoa & apple cider! I love the way the weather changes as the heat of summer fades into the cool, brisk, sunny days.....

And then reality hits and I realize I'm in FL and that just doesn't happen here! This time of year makes me so homesick....and I think I am more so this year because I haven't been home since last summer and it is the longest I have ever been away since I moved to FL. I am uber jealous of my friends who have gone apple & pumpkin picking....and doing other fun fall things....and of the weather they are having.

It's this time of year that I love to incorporate the foods of fall into my cooking (even if the temp is still 90 degrees outside). So when I saw this recipe, I had to try it. It's Sweet & Sour Chicken made with Apple Cider and Raisins. I was not disappointed. Great flavor...and the chicken came out perfect!

Sweet & Sour Chicken:

Ingredients
1 3 1/2-to-4-pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
All-purpose flour, for dusting
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound shallots, halved
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup unfiltered apple cider
1/3 cup golden raisins
2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes

Directions
Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 450 degrees.

Pat the chicken dry and season with salt and pepper. Dust the skin side with flour. Place a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat, add the olive oil and heat until shimmering. Add the chicken, skin-side down, and cook until the skin is golden, about 5 minutes. Turn the pieces and pour off the excess fat. Tuck the shallots under and around the chicken and cook until just golden, about 2 more minutes.

Push the chicken aside, then stir in the tomato paste and thyme and cook until the paste darkens, about 30 seconds. Add the vinegar, apple cider and raisins, bring to a boil and simmer 1 minute. Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast the chicken until just cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes.

Transfer the chicken, skin-side up, to a heatproof serving dish and return to the oven (turn the oven off). Bring the sauce left in the pan to a boil and reduce by half, 3 to 4 minutes. Lower the heat and whisk in the butter. Spoon the sauce over the chicken.

Bacon Egg & Cheese Soup

2009-10-26T19:20:00.003-04:00

Over the weekend I received my new Food Network Magazine (thanking my sister, again, for my subscription). There were a couple of really good looking recipes in it this month. The weather here in FL is finally starting to cool off a bit, so I can make things like soups and stews that just don't work in 95 degree heat with 90% humidity. Well this one caught my eye and it surely didn't disappoint! I'll spare you the visual of me licking the bowl....

The only thing I did differently is add an extra clove of garlic.

Bacon, Egg & Cheese Soup

½ lb slab or thick cut bacon, cut into ¼ inch cubes
4 slices of rustic Italian Bread, cut into ½ inch cubes
2 Tbsp of EVOO
Kosher Salt & Fresh ground pepper
2 cloves of garlic, smashed
3 cups of low sodium chicken broth
1 ¼ cups of grated parmesan cheese, plus 1 small piece of rind
4 tbsp fresh parsley, torn
1 large eggs

Preheat oven at 375. Cook the bacon in a medium pot over medium heat until crisp, about 7 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate with a slotted spoon, then discard all but 2 tbsp of the drippings from the pot. While the bacon cooks, toss the bread cubes with the olive oil on a baking sheet and season with salt & pepper. Bake until golden & crisp, about 8 minutes.

Add garlic to the bacon drippings and cook until slightly golden (careful not to burn), 1-2 minutes. Add broth with 1 ½ cups of water, the parmesan rind and 2 tbsp of parsley; season with salt & pepper. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook 10 minutes.

Adjust the heat so the broth is barely boiling. One at a time, crack each egg into a small bowl and gently slip into the broth. Poach until just set, about 2 minutes. Transfer the eggs to individual soup bowls. Stir 1 cup of parmesan cheese and the remaining parsley into the broth and season to taste. Ladle the broth into the bowl and top with the croutons, bacon and sprinkle remaining parmesan.

From Food Network Website:

Cheesey Chicken Enchilads w/Mexican Rice

2009-10-13T20:09:00.006-04:00

Wow, it's been a few weeks since I posted something new. I'm not sure if that's because I haven't made anything new (whoopsie) or if because I've been trying to get back into the swing of cooking since being on vacation....and failing miserably. I keep saying I really need another 2 hours in a day...but unfortunately if that were the case, I'd probably get stuck working longer.

For tonight's dinner I have two recipes (trying to make up for lost time?? LOL).

Cheesey Chicken Enchiladas w/Mexican Rice

For the Enchiladas:

1 can of cream of chicken soup
½ cup of sour cream
1 cup of pace picante salsa
2 tsp of chili pepper
2 cups of chopped cooked chicken
½ cup of shredded jack cheese
6 tortillas
1 small tomato – chopped
1 green onion, sliced

Stir soup, sour cream, picante sauce, and chili powder in medium bowl

Stir one cup of the picante mix, chicken and cheese in large bowl

Divide chicken mixture among tortillas. Roll up tortillas and place seam side up in 2 qt shallow baking dish. Pour remaining picante sauce mix over filled tortillas. Cover and bake @ 350 degrees for 40 mins or until enchiladas are hot & bubbly. (Add extra cheese if wanted.) Top with tomato and onion to serve

For the Mexican Rice:

1 1/2 teaspoons vegetable oil
2 cloves of garlic - diced
1/2 small small onion, diced
2/3 cup uncooked long-grain rice
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
3 ounces canned diced tomatoes (I actually used Rotel)
1/4 cup of tomato paste
1 teaspoon salt & pepper
1 1/2 cups of chicken stock

In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Stir in onion and saute until translucent.

Pour the rice into the pan and stir to coat grains with oil. Mix in cumin, chili powder, tomatoes, tomato paste, salt and chicken stock. Cover, bring to a boil then reduce heat to low. Cook at a simmer for 20 to 30 minutes or until rice is tender. Stir occasionally.

The enchiladas were delicious....and the rice was really good, but a tad too spicy. I think I'd want to play with it a bit. I'm sure it was the Rotel that did it. Maybe next time just diced tomatoes. Hmmm. Either way - I topped it off with a yummy margarita! I love me some mexican! :)

Bacon Wapped Chicken stuffed with Blue Cheese & Pecans

2009-09-17T18:46:00.002-04:00

The hubby and I just came back from a week long cruise and it was wonderful having your every whim catered to. I miss our dining room servers and room steward already. Oh well...vacation is over and it's back to the routine. Which means back to cooking our own meals. Trying a new recipe tonight....which I saw Rachael Ray make just before we left and made sure I book marked it. As usual, I tweaked it a bit. I removed scallions and added a tiny bit of brown sugar as it brought out the sweetness in the toasted pecans.

I think I'm on a Blue Cheese kick this week as almost everything I have made has had something with blue cheese in it. hmmm....

Bacon Wrapped Chicken Stuffed with Blue Cheese & Pecans

4 pieces boneless, skinless chicken breast
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup blue cheese crumbles
1/4 cup toasted pecans, chopped
1-2 tbsp of brown sugar
4 slices good-quality center cut bacon
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup half-and-half or cream
2 tablespoons grainy mustard

Heat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Butterfly the chicken breast pieces by cutting across the breast but not all the way through. Open the breasts up and pound lightly between parchment paper. Peel paper away and season the meat with salt and pepper.

Mix the blue cheese crumbles with the pecans and brown sugar. Cover the seasoned chicken cutlets with blue cheese mix in equal amounts. Roll the chicken, wrap each roll with bacon and secure with toothpicks. Season the outside of the rolls with salt and pepper.

Heat the olive oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken evenly all over, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a small baking sheet, place in the oven and cook 10 minutes more.

Melt the butter in the same skillet pan the chicken was seared in over medium heat. Whisk in flour, cook 1 minute then whisk in stock. Let thicken a minute then whisk in the half-and-half and grain mustard, season with salt and pepper, reduce heat to warm.

Halve the chicken and stack to show off the center. Set chicken in gravy or pour over top. Serve with rice and greens, if desired.

Beurre Blanc Success!

2009-08-18T19:39:00.003-04:00

This past Sunday afternoon was spent, with a good friend, enjoying a chick-flick double feature at the movies. It promised to be a fun afternoon filled with laughter and tears and oh boy, did it deliver.

The first movie on the agenda was Julie & Julia. There was no doubt that I would love this movie, being the foodie that I am. But I had no idea how much this movie would draw me in, make me laugh and inspire me. I have never heard of the Julie & Julia project, nor do I have a copy of the book or the cookbook Mastering The Art of French Cooking.

For those of you who have not seen it, the movie focuses around a young NYC woman who is a struggling writer in a dead end job. She seems to enjoy, and know, her way around the kitchen and decides to cook every recipe in the above mentioned, Julia Childs' cookbook and started a blog about it. Meanwhile, the movie flashes back to the life of Julia Childs and how she came put herself through a predominantly male cooking school, teach and then write the book. Both woman lead a very parallel life, nearly 50 years apart....and both succeeded at their dream, through food.

Well....I came home from the movies and spent the next few hours looking up Julie's blog (both her current one and the one that inspired her book turn movie. I have added Mastering The Art of French Cooking to my "must have" list of cookbooks. And, just today, the same friend who shared this experience with me gave me the book that launched the movie. I cannot wait to read it!

In the meantime, I was inspired to try to make a Beurre Blanc Sauce, which is a french sauce made with mostly butter and is excellent over seafood and vegetables. I have never done a Beurre Blanc sauce before and understood it to be quite tricky. Too much heat....or not enough stiring...and the sauce can break in an instant and leave you with a buttery mess. Some recipes call for adding cream right before the butter to help the butter "blend" better. I think that's cheating. So I searched for Julia Childs' recipe and was pretty sure I found it.

So tonight's dinner was.....Lemon Pepper Fluke with Beurre Blanc and Roasted Broccoli. The sauce was nothing short of amazing. Rich...creamy....tangy....lick-the-sauce-pan goodness!

Beurre Blanc

1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 Tbsp finely minced shallots
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp white pepper
1 lb chilled butter (2 sticks) cut into 1/2 inch pieces

Put the wine, shallots and vinegar in a small heavy saucepan. Boil over high heat until reduced to nearly 3 tbsp. Reduce the heat to medium-low (I actually took it off the heat for a few minutes and let it cool a bit). Add the butter, one piece at a time, whisking constantly until it melts before adding the next. Be patient - it is worth it! Season with salt & pepper. Strain (optional....I did not) and serve immediately.

The Lemon Pepper Fluke was easy and you can use any white fish. Pat fillets dry and season with a lemon-pepper seasoning. Saute in a little butter or olive oil and drizzle sauce over the fish to serve.

I have to say - I even amazed myself with this one!! Enjoy!

White Chocolate Coconut Brownies

2009-08-11T09:57:00.003-04:00

I was in a baking mood last night. Found this recipe online and it originally called for pecans, I used coconut instead. I think next time instead of vanilla extract....I would use coconut to enhance the coconut flavor. I think an almond extract would work well too.

The texture of these are much lighter than a traditional brownie...a little buttery and almost cake like. Very good!

White Chocolate Coconut Brownies

Ingredients
10 tablespoons (1 stick plus 2 tablespoons) unsalted butter
8 ounces white chocolate pieces
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup coconut
6 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Using 2 tablespoons of the butter, grease an 8-inch square baking pan. In a metal bowl set over a pot of simmering water (double boiler), melt the remaining stick of butter with the white chocolate. In a medium bowl whisk together the eggs and sugar. Add the flour, vanilla, and salt and mix well. Fold in the pecans and the melted white chocolate.

Spread the brownie mixture in the buttered pan and sprinkle the chopped semisweet chocolate over the top. Bake until firm, for about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a rack before cutting into squares.

Parmesan Crusted Pork

2009-08-05T19:11:00.003-04:00

WOW.....is all I can say for this one!

Atleast, once a week I like to try brand new recipes. I picked up some pork loin cutlets that were on sale last week and I was looking for something to do with them. I stumbled upon this recipe and I can't wait to make it again. Next time, I think I would try it with tenderloin medallions, but really you can use anything from pork chops to pork loin chops to tenderloin.

This has great flavor and the lemon gives it an added zing and makes it refreshing! Oh...and did I mention it was quick? This only took me 20 mins to throw together and with a bag of steam fresh green beans (which I also like with a little lemon)....dinner was ready in no time!

Parmesan Crusted Pork

2 large eggs
1 cup dried Italian-style bread crumbs (I actually used Panko breadcrumbs which I seasoned myself with dried parsley, garlic powder, salt & pepper)
3/4 cups freshly grated Parmesan
4 boneless center-cut pork loin chops, pound to about 1/4 - 1/2 inch thick (As mentioned, I used pork loin cutlets)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 tablespoons olive oil
Lemon wedges, for serving

Directions
Whisk the eggs in shallow dish and place the bread crumbs in another shallow dish. Place the cheese in a third. Sprinkle the pork generously with salt and pepper. Coat the pork completely with the cheese, patting to adhere. Dip the pork into the eggs, then coat completely with the bread crumbs, patting to adhere.

Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a very large skillet over medium heat. Add pork , in batches if necessary, and cook until golden brown and the center reaches 150 degrees, about 3-4 minutes per side. Transfer the chops to plates, sprinkle with a little parmesan cheese and serve with lemon wedges so each person can squeeze onto pork as served.

Mom's Fish Cakes

2009-08-04T20:31:00.003-04:00

My parents have had a boat since I was a small child and I practically grew up with a fishing pole in my hand. Unfortunately, there are some fish that we love to catch, but hate to eat. Bluefish, Striped Bass & Mackerel come to mind.

A few summers ago, my mother played around with a recipe for fish cakes as a way to use these "fishy" fishes in a way that makes them edible. She tweaked it here and there and this is the final result.....and they are YUM-O There are really no measurements, so use your best guesstimate (I'll put in parenthesis what I used). And you really can use any kind of white fish.

Mom’s Fish Cakes

1 medium onion, diced (1/2 large onion)
1 red pepper, diced (1/2 pepper)
1 or 2 stalks celery, diced (2 small stalks)
1 to 2 eggs (2 eggs)
bread crumbs (approx 1 cup)
mayonnaise (approx 3 tbsp)
dijon mustard (2 tbsp)
red hot sauce or old bay seasoning (large pinch of old bay)
fresh parsley, chopped (tbsp dried)
fresh, uncooked fish filets ( have used striped bass, fluke and tilapia), diced

Saute the onion, red pepper & celery in a little olive oil until tender. In the meantime, in a large bowl whisk the egg(s) and add the bread crumbs, mayo, mustard, red hot sauce and parsley. Add the vegetables and fish. Shape into cakes. It is best to make these either the day before or first thing in the morning that you plan to cook them. The longer they set the better they will hold together when you cook them

Brown them in a saute pan with some olive oil and then place them in a 350 oven for about 10 to 15 minutes to finish them. Serve with a squeeze of lemon.

Zucchini Bread

2009-07-27T20:31:00.004-04:00

*sigh* The smell of fresh baked zucchini bread is floating through my house and with it brings back memories from my childhood. Zucchini bread was a summer staple in my our house growing up. Dad always planted zucchini in the garden so we had more than we knew what to do with. Mom would make zucchini bread for everyone we knewa nd there was atleast a loaf or two in the house for us.

My recipe for zucchini bread is atleast 3 generations old....and probably even older....handed down from my Dad's side of the family. And although I don't grow my own zucchini, the bread tastes just as good (and is a tad nostalgic).

Zucchini Bread:

3 eggs
2 cups of sugar
1 cup of vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups coarsely grated zucchini
2 cups flour
1 tbsp cinnamon
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

Preheat oven at 350 degrees.

Beat 3 eggs until thick and frothy, gradually add 2 cups of sugar, 1 cup vegetable oil & vanilla and beat well. Stir in 2 cups of zucchini, loosely packed. Add 2 cups of flour, 1 tbsp cinnamon, 2 tsp of baking soda, 1 tsp of salt and 1/4 tsp of baking powder. Stir until well combined. Add 1 cup of nuts (if using).

Divide batter evenly into two loaf pans and bake at 350 degrees for approximately one hour.

Braised Beef Short Ribs

2009-07-26T15:31:00.004-04:00

For Christmas, one of my friends gave me a cast iron dutch oven (Thanks, Cammy!). I had never had one and wanted one for a while. I cannot say enough how much I love it and love cooking with it. I've done everything from fried chicken to an amazing apple crisp to soups and stews, etc. I've always wanted to do braised short ribs and with the weather being kinda rainy here today...it seemed like a good idea.

I used my favorite red wine: San Sebastian Vintner's Red. It is a local FL wine made from Muscadine Grapes (the only grapes native to FL). We mulled this wine around the holidays and served it warm and it is fantastic. Their Vintner's White is just as good! If you ever get to St. Augustine, I recommend a stop at their winery. You can also check out their sister winery Lakeridge Winery , which is located in Clermont, FL.

So this was my first try at making short ribs. We both really liked this recipe (and my hubby is PICKY)! I'll definitely make it again (probably once in the fall as it felt more like a cool weather dish). The sauce is a little greasy, so if you want to serve it on the table use a gravy separator to remove the grease.

Braised Beef Short Ribs

A few tablespoons of olive oil
4 pounds beef short ribs (approx 6 ribs to serve 2-4 people)
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1 carrot, chopped
4-5 cloves garlic, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
2 tablespoon tomato paste
1 & 1/2 cups dry red wine
2 - 2 & 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
3 thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
Zest of 1 orange
Salt & Pepper
1 tablespoon chopped parsley leaves, for garnish

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Heat about 2-tablespoons of the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.

Season the short ribs well with salt and pepper. Over medium heat, brown ribs for 5-6 minutes on each side. You will need to do this in batches. Remove the browned short ribs to a plate and repeat with remaining ribs. I was able to do 2 per batch.

Once ribs are done, add onion, carrots, garlic, celery, and salt and pepper to the Dutch oven and saute until softened, about 5 minutes. (As a side note...I removed a little of the oil/fat in the pan and let it cool slightly as to not burn the veggies...the oil was really hot). Add the tomato paste and wine to the vegetables and cook, stirring, about 5 minutes. Add the diced tomatoes, stock, thyme, and bay leaf. Return the browned short ribs and any juices that have accumulated back into the Dutch oven. Add orange zest. Cover with a heavy lid and place in the oven and braise for 3 hours or until the meat is very tender.

Once the ribs are tender, remove the ribs to a platter. Taste for seasoning. Remove bay leaf & thyme. Add salt and pepper, to taste. I made a cheesy garlic polenta and served the ribs over the polenta, garnishing with the parsley.

My dutch oven is 5qts and although it's large enough to make meals for the two of us, if you wanted to make a larger version of this you could easily do in a larger pot.

Also - I wanted to thicken the sauce a bit, so I made a slurry with corn starch and water and added it to the sauce before serving. Just put it on a warm burner and let it thicken a bit while you make your sides.

Garlic & Brown Sugar Chicken

2009-07-22T19:29:00.003-04:00

Wow! I was a big skeptical about this recipe (made it for the first time tonight). I was worried it might be too sweet or just not "go"....but Wow! It made a GREAT sauce for the chicken....the perfect mix of sweet and savory. The garlic is cooked slowly so it becomes soft and buttery. My hubby practically licked the plate. And the best part - it's easy! All of these items are staples in my house so I could make it at any time!

Garlic & Brown Sugar Chicken

Ingredients:
4-6 cloves of garlic...roughly chopped
4 tablespoons butter
1 pound boneless/skinless chicken (breasts, tenders or even thighs will work)
4-5 tablespoons packed brown sugar
Salt & Pepper to season chicken
Chicken Grill Seasoning

Season both sides of chicken with salt & pepper and grill seasoning. Melt the butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add garlic and allow to slowly cook (approx 4-5mins) and then add chicken to garlic and butter. Cook thoroughly on each side (depends on size and cut of chicken). When chicken is fully cooked, top each piece with a sprinkle of brown sugar and allow it to melt into the chicken (about 5 minutes). This will make a fantastic pan sauce as it mixes with the butter & garlic. For the last few minutes I continually tossed the sauce over the chicken as it was cooking.

The grill seasoning was not in the original recipe.....I added it because I thought it sounded good and I really liked the way it came out so I would do that again. A little goes along way so you just need a few pinches. I also added more garlic than the original recipe called for because we love garlic.

Serve with your favorite veggies (I bet the sauce would be excellent over cooked carrots).

Buffalo Chicken Sloppy Joes

2009-07-21T19:59:00.003-04:00

Bryan and I absolutely LOVE buffalo chicken wings. This gives you all the ingredients and flavors of wings, without the fatty fried wings. Serve with a salad or home made coleslaw.

Buffalo Chicken Sloppy Joe's

1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 lb ground chicken or turkey breast
1 small carrot, peeled and chopped or grated
1 celery stalk, chopped
1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup hot sauce (I like Frank's Red Hot)
1 8oz can tomato sauce
4 good quality burger rolls, split and toasted
blue cheese crumbles

Heat a large skillet with extra-virgin olive oil over medium-high heat. Add in carrots, celery, onions and garlic, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, cook approx 5 minutes until softened. Add meat and break it up with wooden spoon, cook 5 to 6 minutes more. In a bowl combine the vinegar, sugar, Worcestershire, hot sauce, and tomato sauce. Pour into the pan and stir to combine. Simmer a few minutes more as sauce reduces & thickens. Pile sloppy Buffalo filling onto buns and top with blue cheese.

Approx 4 services. Recipe can easily be doubled to serve 8.

Pineapple & Cheddar Stuffed Cheeseburgers

2009-07-20T16:08:00.005-04:00

I first stumbled across this recipe a few years ago and my first thought was "Well that's interesting...." But we were amazed when I made it that we liked it so much. I have since made some minor tweaks to it and it has become one of our favorite burgers! It makes some HUGE burgers...but they are oh so good!

Pineapple & Cheddar Stuffed Cheeseburgers

Ingredients:
1lb ground beef
1 small onion, chopped (or half of a medium onion)
2 tbsp ketchup
2 tbsp bbq sauce
1 can of crushed pineapple
shredded cheddar cheese
grill seasoning
salt & pepper
cheddar slices (optional)

In a large bowl combine ground beef, chopped onion, ketchup, bbq sauce, grill seasoning and salt & pepper. Form six patties...as large as possible without being too thin.

Drain crushed pineapple and mix with shredded cheddar. Take one of the burger patties, top it with the pineapple & cheese mixture and top it with another patty. Press ends of the patties together to form one larger burger.

Grill until desired doneness...topping with additional slice of cheese if necessary & serve on a bun with traditional burger toppings.

You can also use blue cheese for this instead of cheddar.

Chicken Panini's with Shaved Apples & a Balsamic Reduction

2009-07-16T18:42:00.002-04:00

This was a great quick dinner tonight! Love the cheese and the apple with the balsamic sauce!

Chicken Panini's with Shaved Apples & Balsamic Reduction

Ingredients:
4 chicken cutlets
Brie (or cheese of your choice)
1 Granny Smith Apple
Balsamic Reduction (recipe to follow)
French Bread (or similar)

Season chicken cutlets and saute in a large pan over medium high heat until cooked. Cut bread in 4 sections and slice each section. Spread balsamic reduction over the sliced french bread. Top with cheese and then chicken. Using a vegetable peeler, shave apple into thin slices and spread over chicken. Top with other half of bread and grill on a panini press.

If you don't have a panini press, you can toast bread before assembling sandwich.

Balsamic Reduction:
1/3 Balsamic Vinegar
2 Tsp Dijon mustard
2 Tsp Honey

Mix together ingredients in a small sauce pan over medium high heat and bring to a simmer. Simmer until the liquid reduces to approx 1/4 (about 3-5 minutes).

Asian Lettuce Wraps

2009-07-14T20:16:00.004-04:00

Thank you to my friend Brandy....this is mostly her recipe with some minor tweaks. They came out great! You could also use hoisin sauce instead of the peanut butter & brown sugar for a slightly different taste.

Asian Lettuce Wraps

1 lb ground chicken
2 cloves of garlic - chopped
½ onion – chopped
1 cup shredded carrots
1 cup shredded cabbage
1 small can of bean sprouts
1 small can of sliced water chestnuts
¼ cup sesame oil, plus two tbsp for sautéing chicken
½ cup Soy sauce
2 tbsp Asian chili sauce
¼ cup Rice-wine vinegar
3 tbsp Peanut butter
3 tbsp of brown sugar
1 head of bibb/butter or iceberg lettuce

Separate lettuce leaves…rinse and pat dry.

Heat 2 tbsp of sesame oil in large skillet. Add onion and garlic and sauté until softened. Add Chicken and let cook for a few minutes. Add carrots and cook down a few more minutes. Add remaining sesame oil, soy sauce, chili sauce & rice wine vinegar and brown sugar. Continue to cook down. Add cabbage, bean sprouts and water chestnuts and cook for a few more minutes. Add peanut butter & lime juice and toss until peanut butter is melted and incorporated.

Use lettuce leaves like a taco shell….fill with chicken mixed, fold and enjoy!

Summer Party Beverages - Bonus!

2009-07-14T12:37:00.003-04:00

I should have posted these a week ago. We spent 4th of July on the beach with some friends (and my sis who was visiting from NJ) and had a great time! As you can imagine, FL in July is HOT....so besides staying in the water as much as possible, one wants to keep themselves refreshed. I made these two tasty tropical beverages to do so. I had to alter the measurements as I made a gallon of each and since I didn't write down what I did....I will just give you the individual drink recipe:

Fuzzy Buccaneer:

Ingredients:
Ice
1 1/2 oz Peach schnapps
3 oz Orange juice
1 1/2 oz Rum
Mixing instructions:
Mix 1 part rum, 1 part peach schnapps, and 2 parts O. J. and shake. Pour over crushed ice. Also makes a great frozen drink when blended like a frozen daiquiri

Absolute Heaven:

Ingredients:
1 1/2 oz Absolut Mandrin
Fill Pineapple juice
1 splash Cranberry juice
Ice
Mixing instructions:
Add ingredients and shake over ice.

Lemon Pasta

2009-07-09T16:55:00.004-04:00

Getting back to the grind after being on vacation for nearly 10 days is tough. Today was my first day back at work, so dinner tonight will be easy (and a favorite in my house).

Lemon Pasta:

1-2 shallots – chopped
3-4 cloves of garlic – chopped
Pinch of red pepper flakes
2 Lemons, juiced.
½ - ¾ cup of white wine
Sprinkle of flour (less than a tablespoon)
2 tablespoons of butter
Olive oil (EVOO)
Parsley
Salt & pepper to taste
Angle hair pasta (approx half a box) cooked al dente

Heat large pan over medium heat. Coat bottom of the pan with olive oil and melt butter. Sauté shallots and garlic in the butter/EVOO. Add a pinch of red pepper flakes. Continuing sautéing until soften. Sprinkle flour over and let it cook for 2-3 minutes, continually stirring. Once flour mix turns a light honey color, add whisk in white wine and then add lemon juice. Let come to a simmer. Added chopped fresh parsley (or dried) and salt & pepper to taste. Add pasta and toss to coat. (Makes 2-4 servings)

You can also saute some shrimp with this (which I think I am going to do tonight). Very quick...easy....yummy!

Thai Chicken with Peanut Sauce

2009-06-23T19:15:00.002-04:00

I guess you could say this is semi-homemade.....but oh so good!

Thai Chicken with Peanut Sauce

2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 inch piece of fresh ginger (grated)
2-3 cloves of garlic (minced)
pinch of red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon of curry powder
2 tablespoons of veggie oil
1 package of Taste of Thai Peanut Sauce
1 can of Coconut Milk
1 tsp of chili paste

Cut chicken breasts into bite size chunks. Mix grated ginger, minced garlic, red pepper flakes, curry powder and oil in large zip lock bag. Add chicken. Marinate for atleast an hour.

Mix contents of peanut sauce and coconut milk & prepare according to package instructions. Add tsp of chili paste (or more if you like more heat).

Heat large skillet on medium high. Saute marinated chicken until cooked.

I usually also make some jasmine rice and steamed broccoli. I arrange it so the rice is in the middle of the plate, surrounded by broccoli and then place the chicken on top of the rice and spoon sauce over.

This is an easy meal to make even after a long day at work....Enjoy!

Pork Tenderloin with Maple Bourbon Glaze

2009-06-22T18:06:00.003-04:00

Really easy recipe tonight....it's a new one for me and we are looking forward to trying it! Will post a review after I make it.

Pork Tenderloin with Maple Bourbon Glaze:

1 Pork Tenderloin (1 large or 2 small)
2 teaspoons crumbled dried sage leaves
1 tablespoon butter
1/3 cup bourbon
6 tablespoons pure maple syrup
4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Rub pork tenderloins all over with crumbled dried sage; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Melt butter in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot and bubbling. Add pork tenderloin and cook until brown on all sides, turning occasionally, about 6 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook until thermometer inserted into pork registers 150°F, turning occasionally, about 10 minutes longer. Transfer pork to platter; cover to keep warm.

Whisk 5 tablespoons maple syrup, 4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar and Dijon mustard in small bowl to blend. Set aside. Add bourbon skillet and bring to boil, scraping up any browned bits. Reduce heat to medium-low. Return pork and any accumulated juices to skillet; add maple syrup mixture and turn pork in glaze just until coated, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Transfer pork to cutting board. Cut pork into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Stir remaining 1 tablespoon maple syrup into glaze. Season glaze to taste with salt and pepper.

Pour glaze over sliced pork and serve.

Kicking things off with a favorite!

2009-06-15T20:30:00.005-04:00

Welcome to my new & improved blog! Ok, Ok...it's been ages since I've been on here. So many friends and family have asked for recipes as I post what I am cooking nightly....I thought this would be a good place to do so. I love reading others food & recipe blogs and trading secrets. I will try to post pics when I can.

I am going to start off with a favorite. I double puffy heart LOVE Ceasar Salad! My mother's recipe for home-made Ceasar dressing is second to none. It has me so spoiled, that I refuse to order it in a restaurant any longer because nothing compares to it and I'm always disappointed.

Ceasar Salad:

9 drained canned anchovy fillets, minced
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2-4 garlic cloves, minced (depending on how much garlic you like – I’m a 3-4 kinda girl)
1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium head romaine lettuce, cut into bit-size pieces
1 large head radicchio, cut into bite-size pieces
4 garlic cloves, flattened, peeled
3 large Portobello mushrooms (about 3/4 pound), stems discarded, caps sliced crosswise into 3/8-inch-thick strips
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 1/3 cups grated Asiago or Parmesan cheese (about 4 ounces)

Combine minced anchovy fillets, fresh lemon juice, Dijon mustard and minced garlic in small bowl. In a slow stream, whisk the 1/2 cup olive oil (it’s a work out for your wrist). Set in fridge until ready for use.

Combine romaine lettuce and radicchio in large bowl & set aside.

Heat remaining 3 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add flattened garlic to skillet and cook until brown, about 4 minutes. Discard garlic. Increase heat to medium-high. Add mushrooms and sauté until brown, about 4 minutes per side. Remove from heat. Season mushrooms with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with parsley.

Add dressing to salad and toss to coat. Mix in cheese. Season salad to taste with salt and pepper. Divide salad among plates. Top with mushrooms, and/or your favorite home made croutons and serve immediately.

** DO NOT omit the anchovies. Yes, they are gross. Yes, I hate them too. But trust me, the dressing is not the same without them. If you don't like handling the fillets.....you can substitute with anchovy paste.

You can omit the mushrooms if you’d like…I don’t always make it with it and it is just as good.

Happy Thanksgiving (a little belated)

2008-11-29T10:08:00.002-05:00

It's been a busy week around here! My sister has been visiting for the week to spend the holiday with us. It was also our month/quarter end at work and my days off turned out to be slightly tied to the laptop & crackberry. Oh well...

In the spirit of Thanksgiving...

Ten Things I am Thankful For:

I am thankful for a loving husband and the life we have created together. I wish everyone has an opportunity to experience a love & relationship like this (and it saddens me that so many people are willing to settle for less).
I am thankful for my family. My parents have taught me so much in life and they truly are my heroes. I love you Mom & Dad! And my sister is one of my best friends...as much as I give her crap about it, I really do wish she'd move closer.
I am thankful for my job. Although there are times when bitch and complain (who doesn't?), my job has been very good to me through the years. And there are plenty of reasons it is worth it!
I am thankful for my friends...without whom I'd never have made it to this point in life. Thank you for so many fun memories and adventures!
I am thankful for my dogs....who love us unconditionally...and bring such a simple joy to our lives. They truly are our children.
I am thankful for the roof over my head that we have worked so hard for. It may not be a big swanky mansion....but it's perfect for us. I am thankful we live in a good neighborhood (around the corner from my sister-in-law & her family) that offers so much!
I am thankful for the enjoyment I get from cooking and that I have the ability to do so. I had a good teacher and I am a Food TV junkie. I love the feeling of putting together a nice meal for my husband or entertaining for a group of friends & family.
I am thankful for the little things in life: A piece of chocolate...a sip of good wine...a cup of coffee on a chilly night...a good book...a hug & kiss from my hubby, etc.
I am thankful for the Internet, which allows me to keep in touch with much of my friends & family and reconnects me with old friends.
And lastly, I am thankful for the freedoms I have living in the USA...and I would like to say a special thank you to those who fight for & protect us, so that we can continue to enjoy living this way. They sacrifice so much of their lives so that we can be a free country and for that I am grateful!

I hope that everyone had a fabulous Thanksgiving and that you got to spend some time with family & friends over the weekend. Everyone has something to be thankful for!

Hello October!

2008-10-13T20:41:00.003-04:00

It's been a few weeks since my last entry. Work has been busy...life has been busier.

I heard a rumor that it's fall.... somewhere? Certainly not here. I miss fall. I miss the leaves. I miss the cooler weather. I miss pumpkins, Indian corn and apple cider. I miss wearing jeans & comfy sweaters & boots. I miss the smell of burning fireplaces.

My friends back in NJ keep torturing me with stories and pictures of apple picking, changing leaves, trips to Delicious Orchards and the purchase of new fall clothes. Living in FL is hard this time of year. Yes, it's still beach weather here...I can still hang out at the pool or spend the day on the water. And I know thousands of people around the country would rather be here this time of year than facing 40 degree weather....but it doesn't make me miss fall any less.

I adore the time of year where the cool sunny days are balmy enough to warm your skin and make you want to spend every minute outside. And where the evenings are cool enough to throw on a sweatshirt and snuggle up with a cup of hot chocolate or warm apple cider.

Eventually, it does get like that in FL....it just takes a little longer. I guess after months and months of what seems like an endless summer, I'm just anxious for it to get here. Hurry up already!

2008-09-21T21:01:00.002-04:00

Time for some alphabet fun. Leave me a comment and I'll give you a letter. You’ll then have to list 10 things you love that begin with that letter. After that, post this meme in your blog to give out letters of your own.

I was given B:

Bryan
Bailey & Boog (Allie's Nickname)
Bailey's Irish Cream
The Beach
Bon Jovi
Bath & Body Works/Bed, Bath & Beyond/Best Buy (figured I'd lump the shopping together)
Boating
Bless The Broken Road (Our first dance song at our wedding)
Blue Crabs
Blueberry Buckle (mom's recipe, of course)

If you would like to play, let me know by commenting below!
Thank you to Beth for giving me the letter B. :)

Company Sponsored Beer Pong

2008-09-18T07:54:00.003-04:00

I have to admit, I have a pretty cool job. As I type this I am looking out the window at the Gulf of Mexico and beautiful St. Pete Beach. I am wrapping up a week at the beach for my company's annual user conference. I have spent the last four nights in a one bedroom condo with my own private balcony.

Entertaining over 300 customers for an entire week is exhausting, but there is alot of room for fun too. Being at the beach does make it better and helps us relax at the end of a long day (besides, our customers love it!) At each conference, we have one night where we put on a big event. This year it was a beach party...complete with a DJ, Wii, pool & darts, black light beach volleyball and.....BEER PONG. This was absolutely the highlight of the evening and on more than one occasion I heard "I want to work for your company!"

I certainly can't complain...we are a fun group.

I Remember

2008-09-10T21:07:00.004-04:00

Tomorrow is the anniversary of 9/11. It's hard to believe that it's been seven years....it seems like just last year. Alot has happened in my life in those seven years, but the memories of that day are still fresh in my mind. It wasn't just an ordinary day for me. I wasn't among co-workers or friends or going on with my every-day life. It was the day I officially became a Floridian. I was starting a brand new life, in a brand new state, 1200 miles away from the only place I had ever called home when the world came to a screeching halt.

My mom and I were unpacking the few things I was able to bring down in my car. One of those things was a clock radio/CD player (I need to have music!). We were putting away the stuff we had bought at WalMart the day before, while waiting for the movers to arrive with my furniture and other things, when we heard the breaking news over the radio that a plane had hit the WTC.

We immediately stopped what we were doing and glued our ears to the radio. When the movers arrived, the first thing they took off the truck was my TV. Being from that area, they too wanted to see what was going on. By the time the TV was hooked up, the first tower had already fallen. We cried as we tried to get in touch with family and could not get through to anyone. Little did we know, my father was helping the passengers off the SeaStreak (the NYC commuter ferries which are located in the marina my parents keep their boat in). Some had no idea where they were sent...they were just told to get out of NYC. My uncle was assisting the Coast Guard, with his personal boat, do the same.

Later that week my mom had to rent a car to get home. We weren't sure when she would be able to get on a flight. My sister and friends sent me pictures from candlelight vigils they attended. And pictures of the smoke that billowed over the city for days later.

I can't quite describe how I felt in those weeks following. It was a cross between the excitement of starting something new and the emptiness of what had just happened to what I consider my home city. On top of that, the feeling that I was so far away from anyone and everyone who mattered, at the time. And so began my life in FL.

Give me Liberty, Or...

2008-09-06T01:35:00.005-04:00

After much debate, my new car is.....a 2007 Jeep Liberty! The new baby came home with us tonight. I'm so excited that I can't sleep (it's 1:38AM) and I just want to play with the new car!

Oh...and my brother in law said I have to name it, so I am looking for suggestions!

We drove both vehicles tonight and even though I liked both cars, I have come to the conclusion that I just prefer driving a truck/SUV type vehicle more. Although I have always thought of the Libertys as a cute, fun little SUV....I did not set out to get one. In fact, I really thought I wanted a Sebring, which is the only reason I found the Liberty. Funny how things work out that way.

So tomorrow I get to clean out old Greenie and post it for sale on Craig's List. First person with $600 an a tow truck can have it!

Decisions...Decisions....

2008-09-05T09:25:00.003-04:00

Earlier this week my car died (funeral services to be announced...). It's a long story, but basically the car needs more work than I am willing to put into it. I can't complain...the car has been very good to me through the years. I've had it for nearly 10 years and it is almost 160K miles on it. Up until this past 18 months, I've never had to do anything other than routine maintenance on it. Ok, there might be a small ding in the front from my fender bender seven years ago that I never got fixed, but the car ran like a champ!

It has safely taken me on many travels from Canada to the FL Keys. It has seen many highways and interstates. It was christened with a Cinco De Mayo to remember (thank you Sunny for puking in my new car!) It went to Woodstock in 99, moved me to FL in 2001 and has been to many a Nascar race from FL to Virginia. In recent years, I have kept it a little closer to home.

So now it is time for me to say goodbye (insert 'Taps' here), for tonight I go pick up my new car. There is only one problem....I haven't decided which to get yet. I have it narrowed down to two: a 2007 Jeep Liberty or a 2007 Chrysler Sebring. Both have less thank 8K miles - the closest to brand new I have ever come! They are both at the same dealership. We went to test drive both the other night, but the Sebring was not there, as it is being used as a demo car for one of the managers who had the day off. We drove the Liberty and really liked it. So tonight we are going to drive the Sebring and make a decision from there. There is no doubt in my mind I'll like it...its too similar to my car now...or my old car. I am making a pros and cons list to help me decide....

Pros for the Jeep/Cons for the Sebring:

The Jeep is fun to drive & I prefer to drive a truck/SUV over a car
Cheaper insurance
Towing capability
Plenty of room to now take my vehicle on road trips
Great for the dogs
Safer vehicle - The Liberty got a 5 star crash test rating!
Bryan prefers the Jeep

Pros for the Sebring/Cons for the Jeep:

The Sebring is 1K cheaper than the Jeep (i.e. lower payments)
Better gas mileage
It's silver...as opposed to the Jeep being white (which I typically don't like, but atleast the black trim on the Jeep makes it tolerable)
I LOVE the new body style of the Sebring, which was introduced in 07
We already have one SUV....we really don't NEED two

So there is my dilemma! Both are affordable and I have no doubt that I would keep either for a long time. I'm just like that with my cars. I guess we'll figure it out tonight. Either way...I'm coming home with a new car!! Now if only I could find someone else to make the payments....

Happy Labor Day!

2008-09-01T14:56:00.004-04:00

Where I come from, Labor Day is the unofficial, but official end of Summer. It's the time of the year where the warm days give way to cool evenings, the days noticeably become shorter, kids go back to school and the little towns around the shore "dry up". In Florida, there is no official end to summer. Summer weather continues right through October. And it's not unusual to be able to wear shorts or go swimming on Thanksgiving or Christmas. I remember the first year I lived here, I went to the beach and/or pool every month of the year. (Jan was a tad chilly, but my sis and I still braved the water!)

However, I will say that this is the start of my favorite time of the year down here. Fall & Winter in Florida are amazing. (One of the many reasons we chose to get married in October). The temperature falls and the humidity dwindles as people start to come out of the air-conditioned cocoons and become alive outdoors again. There are festivals and things to do almost ever weekend...from Sept to May.

The biggest festival being the month-long celebration of Gasparilla . Gasparilla is when Captain Jose Gaspar and his Pirate Krewe invade Tampa and force the Mayor to hand over the key to the city. It starts with the Ultimatium (where the Krewe asks the Mayor to hand over the key, which she denies forcing them to take it by invasion). And it ends nearly a month later with the The Gasparilla March Triumphant: The Return to the Sea, where the key is handed back to the Mayor and the Krewe goes on it's way. The main parade is sort of like Tampa's version of Mardi Gras. It'll be even more special this year because it coincides with the Superbowl being here in Tampa.

Also in the cooler months is the State Fair, tons of outdoor craft and art shows, the Strawberry Festival (and strawberry picking season - woo hoo! FL has THE BEST strawberries), the Tampa Boat Show, and tons more to do. There are also a bunch of outdoor events and things to do with your pets. And being the doggie mommy who enjoys taking the pooches with us....that'll mean more trips to the beach, restaurants and fairs & festivals just for my canine kids.

So on that note...I'm off to enjoy some outdoor activities and am taking my furry children to the park. We'll probably even walk up to dinner tonight.

Hope everyone enjoyed their Labor Day weekend!

I Made A Wordle!

2008-08-27T07:58:00.004-04:00

I finally made a Wordle (that sounds like somehing disgusting, doesn't it?) I love these things. A few of my friends have them on their blogs or MySpace pages. Until recently, I didn't even know where to go to get them or what they were called (thanks Beth for posting the link in your blog!). I just think they are pretty cool. So here's my first attempt:

ABC's of Me

2008-08-25T20:57:00.002-04:00

It's just another Manic Monday. If today is indication of the way the rest of my week will be...I'm gonna need a big ol' margarita (or five) on Friday. So rather than thinking of something to write tonight, I stole this from Beth's Blog.

Accent:
When I get mad, or go off on a tangent about something, you can hear the tiniest bit of the Jersey Girl come out!

Breakfast or no breakfast:
I wish I had time for breakfast. I actually prefer having breakfast to lunch

Chore I don’t care for:
Scrubbing the toilets. But since my husband does almost everything else, I can't complain too much.

Dog or Cat:
How can you make me choose? We have two of each...all of which are spoiled rotten and adorable as hell!

Essential Electronics:
Computer, cell phone, hair dryer, stereo, camera, vibrator (c'mon now, even us married girls need one!)

Favorite Cologne:
Glow by JLo. I really need to find a new one....but I haven't sniffed anything else I've liked this much in years!

Gold or Silver:
White Gold

Handbag I carry most often:
I love anything Coach!

Insomnia:
Only when Bryan is cutting down a forest next to me

Job Title:
Account Manager (aka Sales Rep)

Kids:
Four legged & furry, with a slight speech impediment

Living Arrangements:
In a townhouse with my hubby and aforementioned furry children

Most Admirable Trait:
I like to think I'm a pretty loyal friend

Naughtiest Childhood Behavior:
Teasing my sister....I purposely put gum in her hair once.

Overnight hospital stays:
None for me...and thank God, cause I had hospitals!

Phobias:
Not sure if I have anything I would classify as a "phobia". I don't like creepy, crawly things like bugs and snakes, but it's definitely not a phobia.

Quote:
Life is not measured by the breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away....

Reason to smile:
Hubby, Friends, Family....

Siblings:
Just one - my younger sis

Time I wake up:
Typically somewhere around 7AM

Unusual Talent or Skill:
Wouldn't you like to know?

Vegetable I Refuse to Eat:
Lima Beans....YUCK!

Worst Habit:
I could be better with my budget

X-rays:
Not since I was in high school.

Yummy Stuff:
A white chocolate mocha from Starbucks. Ooooh...I'm having such a craving!

Zoo Animal I Like Most:
Do dolphins count?

Rain, Rain - Go Away!

2008-08-24T15:01:00.005-04:00

Last I checked, I do live in "The Sunshine State"....but it doesn't seem so this week. Last time I saw sun was in NJ! Tropical Storm Fay made landfall earlier this week and has continued to swirl around Florida since. We've gotten it from all angles. I'm quite done with the rain. It's made me feel kinda "blah this week, which is probably why I haven't written much. I guess I should be thankful that the storm wasn't stronger. It could have been worse.

It hasn't put a complete damper on my week though. I'm in the process of closing a hell of a deal at work....I officially met a new friend this week (who's really fun to hang out with)....and I went out with the girls on Friday night for a much needed night out on the town. (Remember that previous post where I mentioned age is just a number...that goes right out the window when alcohol is involved! I just don't recover like I used to.)

Now if I could only get a little sunshine, please.

We're Home!

2008-08-17T09:10:00.002-04:00

We made it! Us & two doggies....18 hours....6 roads....five stops.....three tankfulls of gas....and very little sleep. Thank you to my friends & sis who helped keep me awake until the wee hours!

So I'm going to take a much needed nap. I may come back later to add more about our trip. If not, then it'll just have to wait until tomorrow. (Or maybe even Tues....rumor is we might have a Hurricane Day and I'll have nothing better to do with my time!)

My Hometown

2008-08-14T21:33:00.004-04:00

I can't believe our weeks vacation is almost over. We've had a fun week so far....catching up with family & friends...relaxing on the boat with Mom & Dad....playing with the dogs in the back yard and best of all...just not being at work! But in a few short days we'll be on the road back to FL.

I truly do miss NJ in the summer. The weather has been wonderful this week....just the way I remember my summers. And the lightning bugs...I miss lightning bugs! I saw one the other night and felt like a little kid again.

For as much as people gripe about NJ...I love this area. I grew up here and my parents still live in my childhood home. Wall Twp is a good sized town, nestled just West of the many tiny beach towns that line the Northern part of the NJ shore. It's truly a place you read about in storybooks.

I have always said that Wall is the type of town where people grow up and then come back to raise their kids here. Just as I have always told myself that if we did have children, I would do the same. (My parents current neighbors were the kids we grew up with....the son, who married his high school sweetheart, has now purchased his childhood home and raising his family in the same house he was.) I'm not quite sure what it is, but it's a quality of life that just doesn't exist in most places today (and certainly not in FL).

One of my girlfriends always said that listening to me talk about my childhood, you'd think I'd grown up in the 50's...but that's the way our neighborhood was! You knew your neighbors and had picnics and BBQ's together. Us kids ran around and played outside until it was dark (in the summer we'd stay out even later playing flashlight tag). Our backyard served as the hub of activity in the summer because of the pool and in the winter because my dad would pull us around the neighborhood on a sled attached to his dirtbike when it snowed. It was before the age of cell phones, pagers and GPS devices....and yet us kids were allowed have the run of the neighborhood and be out with our friends all day. Sometimes our parents wouldn't have a clue as to where we were until we got home for dinner and talked about it at the kitchen table (because our family always ate dinner together).

I'd like to think times haven't changed.....but I know they are different now. I wish that kids today were as carefree as we were then. I was very fortunate to grow up where I did...and to have that experience to carry with me always.

Made it to NJ!

2008-08-10T15:52:00.003-04:00

We made it to NJ...safe and sound (I think). We rolled in on Saturday around 1PM, after a long drive through the evening. After a short nap and showers, we met up with Mom & Dad and Cyn at the boat and partied on the dock with the crew for a while. Today we went out fishing, only to have our day cut short by some nasty weather...but that's okay.

The dogs are having a ball too. They are running around Mom & Dad's big back yard like it's their own private doggie park. Bailey's not quite sure what to make of it. This morning a flock of geese flew overhead and he started barking at them....then occurred to me he's never seen (or heard) geese before!

The trip has not been without trauma so far. Yesterday morning we stopped in Virgina for some morning coffee and breakfast for the pups. We noticed Bailey's eye was funky. I can't quite explain it. It almost appeared to be sunken in and his eye rolled back in his head. When we got to my parents it seemed to be better...then acted up again...then his "Ugly Eye" showed up again last night. It comes and goes. I started doing some research and came across Horner's Syndrome. I called our vets office after hours service and a local eVet up here. They both said it sounded like Horner's recommended having him looked at by an opthamologist.

Horner's syndrome is where the nerve that goes from the dogs eye to his spine is either damaged or being pressured. There are several things that can cause Horner's....from something as simple as a tug on his leash the wrong way which damaged the nerve (in which it will heal itself) or a tumor or blood clot putting pressure on it. There is no treatment for Horner's itself, but you have to find and treat the underlying problem. In most cases it's nerve damage which just heals over time.

He is 100% fine otherwise...still playing, running, romping, eating, pooping, sleeping...no dizziness, no diarrhea, no discharge. So now I am just debating if we get him to the vet here....or if we wait to see our vet when we get home. Either way I'm going to call our vet tomorrow and see what she thinks. So far today, no sign of his Ugly Eye. My poor Bailey Boo...

Aloha Friday

2008-08-08T08:21:00.005-04:00

Happy Friday!

A few of my friends participate in Aloha Friday, which was started by Kailani at An Island Life. Friday's in Hawaii is a day where people take it easy and look forward to the weekend. I like this idea and figured I'd take it easy for my blog!

Every week I'll ask a question for you to answer. Nothing that requires deep thought....just something fun. Feel free to comment with your answer. If you wish to participate on your own blog, please head over to hers & sign the Mr. Linky and say hello!

This week's question:

Since we are leaving for vacation today, I'd like to know what was your favorite vacation? Who were you with and where did you go?

To answer my own question....that's a toughie. I've been fortunate to travel to some pretty cool places. I'd have to pick two:

Our Honeymoon! We rented a cabin in the Smoky Mountains just outside of Gatlinburg, TN for the week. It was amazing!! Our cabin was gorgeous and the weather was crisp. We were even lucky to be there for the first snowfall in the mountains and hiked up to Clingman's Dome (3rd highest point in the US) in the fresh fallen snow!
My trip to Western Canada. I spent 10 days with two of my closest friends in Calgary, Edmonton & Banff. What an unbelievable trip! And I don't think I've ever laughed so hard in my entire life, like we did on that trip!

I Hate Packing

2008-08-07T21:52:00.003-04:00

We leave for vacation tomorrow (Yay!), which means I'm packing tonight (Boo!). Packing has to be one of lifes most annoying tasks. I wish I could just hire someone to do it for me! (Or bribe a small child from down the street)

How does one effectively plan out what they are going to wear, for an entire week (including shoes)?? You have to take into consideration the weather, activities you MIGHT be doing, how many outfits you might wear per day, how much walking you'll do, what food you might spill on yourself (I am notorious for doing this), etc and then CRAM it all into a 3x2x1 canvas box with handles & wheels. Everytime I have to go somewhere for more than a week I cringe at trying to figure out how to fit my entire closet (never mind hair, makeup stuff and beauty stuff) into something less than 1/4 it's size and take it with me.

On top of this, Pumpkin thinks her personal kitty jungle gym! So as I am trying to put my fresh laundered clothese into the luggage...she sits her furry butt right where I attempt to put them and doesn't want to move! I truly think she tries to pack herself. When I finally do get her to move (after some kitty fussing), she plops herself down on top of my clean clothes....and the battle starts all over again.

Oh well, it's a necessary evil I guess. I am looking forward to vacation...so I guess I should go finish. Ugh!

Aging Gracefully?

2008-08-06T19:03:00.004-04:00

Ok - before I even start this entry I have to add that I don't do ANYTHING in my life gracefully. But I couldn't come up with a better title....

When do you start feeling old? Last week I turned another year older and went from being in my early 30's to my mid 30's. When I was in my tween years, 30 seemed so old. Now that I am in my 30's it really doesn't seem that big of a deal. I've yet to start feeling older. In fact, my mid 20's seems like just yesterday.

Don't get me wrong I have different priorities and responsibilities now (which entail a house payment and a marriage certificate)....and I know mentally I've done some maturing since those days....but I still don't feel older. Maybe it's because I still have the same friends....or work for the same company...or hell, even the same car (poor baby is 10 years old and still kicking!). Some things in life are just staples, I guess. There are some changes though...

Different things excite me now. A night out with the girls is a treat rather than a ritual. I am more delighted about receiving house-related gifts and buying stuff for the house, than I am things for myself (I recently bought a carpet cleaner and talked about it for weeks...and don't even get me started on my Roomba!) I carry a Crackberry and am constantly tied to me job, yet I don't mind (it makes me more money). On rainy weekend afternoons, I like to curl up with a good book & a cup of coffee and watch the thunderstorms roll by.

And this makes me wonder how I'll feel into my 40's. Will I feel older then? Will I look back on these years and see a distinction between the decades? Or will the old saying be right...and age really be just a number?

3 More Days Til Vacation!

2008-08-05T20:16:00.002-04:00

Bryan and I leave for vacation on Friday. We're heading up to NJ to go visit my family & friends.(Cause everyone vacations to NJ! LOL) I can't wait to go....to see my family...to visit with friends...and spend a week at the Jersey Shore. Summer is the best time of year there.

When I grew up at the Jersey Shore there was nothing better than the start of Summer. As the quiet & dormant beach towns became alive, you couldn’t help but feel a little more carefree. The days were longer and allowed you to enjoy everything about living at the beach in the summer. The smell of the sea air….the cool ocean breeze in your hair….the softness of the sand on your toes…the faint sound of screams from the carnival rides on the boardwalk….the fireworks that lit up the night sky….and all of the good “boardwalk” food that went along with it. (Because EVERYTHING always tastes better at the shore).

To me, summer isn’t a season….it’s a feeling! And even though I now live in Florida, where it is nearly summer year round, when the start of the season rolls around, I can’t help but feel a bit nostalgic about my Summers at the Jersey Shore.

Scary morning

2008-08-03T19:50:00.004-04:00

The dogs and I went to the park this morning, our normal Sunday AM ritual. I have a group of friends, whom I met at the park, that all go on Sunday mornings. We call ourselves the Alpha Group. The dogs love going to the park. I go sit with my friends and chit chat while they run around and play with theirs. They come over and check in with me once in a while. The park is 4 acres and they enjoy every inch of it...and when we go home a few hours later they are good, sleepy puppies the rest of the day!

This morning we had been there for about 90 mins. Allie comes over and I notice the top of her nose looks bumpy. She was just playing with another dog and they were kind of "mouthy" with each other, so I didn't think much of it. A few minutes later she comes trotting back and the entire right side of her face is swollen like a balloon...and her eye is all puffy. I start freaking out. My friends think she got stung by a bee or a wasp or rolled in a pile of fire ants. They recommend benedryl.

So I get the dogs loaded in the truck...and she's getting worse by the minute. I fly in and out of Walgreens to pick up some benedryl and speed like a maniac to get home. By the time we got home, her entire face was swollen. Her lips were 3x the size they should be and her eyes were tiny slits. Remember Will Smith in Hitch? When he ate the shellfish and had an allergic reaction? Yup...that's how my poor Allie dog looked!

I gave her some benedryl (which is a whole other story that involved a turkey baster since dummy me was in such a rush that I picked up the liquid and not the pills) & then called the e-vet. They tell me to just keep an eye on her and if she gets any worse or starts to have problems breathing to bring her in. Lovely!

It took the entire day and another dose of benedryl, but most of the swelling has gone down. She's laying at my feet...groggy...and still shaking her head a bit, but she's much better. She may sleep until Tuesday at this rate. And I think I gained a few more grey hairs

It's My Birthday & I'll Smile if I Want To

2008-08-01T07:15:00.003-04:00

Happy Birthday to Me
Happy Birthday to Me
Happy Birthday to Meeeee
Happy Birthday to..Me!

Sorry - feeling a little giddy this morning. I can't imagine why since somewhere in the middle of the night I clicked another year older. I just keep telling myself age is just a number. I try not to get all freaked out by it.

I went to dinner last night with my boss & his wife and one of my coworkers and came home to a beautiful array of roses on table from my hubby and the most beautiful card he's ever given me. He's so unbelievably sweet. I sometimes wonder what I did to deserve him.

Tonight we are going out to dinner with some friends. There's about 14 of us. We're going to one of my favorite Japanese Hibachi places. It should be a blast!!

Tomorrow I will announce the winner of my bloggy giveaway....so keep the comments coming below!! :)

Have a great weekend!

Guilty Pleasure Television

2008-07-30T17:51:00.006-04:00

TV shows based on teenage experiences are my little guilty pleasure. As I sit here now, I am watching a re-run of Gilmore Girls. I laugh at myself because sometimes I think I'm way too old to be enjoying shows like this. Yet I can't help but get pulled into the lives of these fictious teens.

When I was in highschool I loved 90210. But I was their age (atleast their character's age). Even as I got older I still watched the show until the very last episode. And I adored the short-lived My So Called Life. And then there was Party of Five as well (which is probably one of the few just never got into) Then the WB came along and brought us a string teen programming....Felicity...Dawson's Creek...Seventh Heaven....Gilmore Girls and the summertime spin off Young Americans.

Dawson's Creek was, and still is, one of my all-time favorite shows. Once a week, for about an hour, I was pulled into the lives of Dawson, Joey, Pacey and the gang and my world stopped. I loved watching their awkwardness, their friendships, and their sticky situations (as all teenagers are prone to finding themselves in). I adored the storylines and the music that was features on the show (you'll hear a few songs if you hang around here long enough). I cried during the season finale and was very sad when the show went off the air.

Now these types of shows are becoming more popular again. The controversial teenage lives on Gossip Girl have me completely hooked! Just last week I started watching The Secret Life of The American Teenager. And I can't believe they are reviving 90210 (although I am still doubtful it will be as good as the original). But even now, in my 30's, I'm just as hooked as ever. I haven't quite figured out why. Maybe I'll dive into that part of my pscyhe another night.

Bloggy Give Away Carnival - Summer 2008

2008-07-28T21:27:00.007-04:00

Wow - less than a week into having my blog and I get to participate in the Bloggy Carnival Giveaway from http://www.bloggygiveaways.com/. What good timing I have!

So here's how it works....Because I love life and love to laugh and love being in love, I am giving away something to decorate your home with life, love and laughter. It is a set of 3 words - Live, Laugh, Love - each with 3 picture frames that hang below. Fill it with pictures and memories to make you smile! Below is a picture of the "Laugh" - the others are still in their original packaging and I'd like to keep it that way.

To enter my giveaway, leave a comment below and tell me the one thing that makes you smile most!

This giveaway is open to anyone. Be sure you leave your email address so you can be contacted. Giveaway ends August 1st (my birthday!) at 11:59 PM EST. Winner will be announced over the weekend.

Thank you for stopping by. Be sure to check out http://www.bloggygiveaways.com/ for more giveaways. Good luck!

A Lazy Sunday

2008-07-27T14:46:00.004-04:00

Cause I'm feeling lazy....stole this from Cammy

Hi, my name is: Shelley

When I’m nervous I: I tend to studder

Last night I: spent the night as the bartender at Cyndi's party! The drink of the evening was "The Birthday Girl"
2 parts Vodka
2 parts grapefruit juice
2 parts pineapple juice
splash of lemon juice
splash of sweet lime juice
It's a little tart...but goes down smooth!

PART 1: YOU
Were you a planned baby? Nope...my parents were married in March & I was born in August. Do the math... lol

Were you the first? Yes...and the first grandchild on both sides!

PART 2: YOUR PERSONALITY
Do you have low self esteem? No. There are times I like myself more than others, but overall I'm pretty happy with myself.

Are you happy right now? Yes....tired, but happy!

PART 3: APPEARANCE
Are you comfortable with the way you look? Comfortable is a good way to put it. I wish I was thinner, but not enough to do something about it.

Describe your hair: Well I recently cut 10 inches off and love it!

PART 4: RANDOM
Ever been kicked out of a bar? Only by my friends.

PART 5: THE OUTDOORS
Do you prefer indoors or outdoors? I love being outside, when it's not 95 degrees out and 99% humidity!

How’s the weather? Typical Florida Summer afternoon....thunderstorms are rolling in.

Do you like walking in the rain? No

Do you like thunderstorms? I love a good thunderstorm...which is good since I live in the Lightning Capital of the US!

PART 6: FOOD
Are you a vegetarian? If God didn't want us to eat meat, he wouldn't have invented cows or made bacon taste so good!

Anything you absolutely could eat forever? Pizza

What is your favorite dessert? Key Lime Pie from Bahama Breeze!

PART 7: RELATIONSHIPS AND LOVE
Do you want to get married? I am married

Been married before? Not prior to this one

Are you truly in love? Yes - and it's wonderful!

PART 8: RANDOM QUESTIONS
Where is your cell phone? On the table next to me
Good question....maybe one of the cats is laying on it

Cheesecake? YUM!! Need to make a date with the Cheesecake Factory.

Your dream last night? Don't remember one from last night, but the one I had the other night about one of my coworkers being our pilot was quite interesting.

Your favorite drink? Iced Tea

Where did you grow up? Wall, NJ

Tattoos? Just one...a dolphin on my right calf. I'd still like to get another though...

Ketchup? A staple in my house

Your computer? I have two. My PC in the office and my laptop. My PC is ancient...but still works and my laptop is compliments of my job!

Your life? Never seems like I have enough time

What are you thinking about right now? Can't believe I am watching American Psycho. Christian Bale is hot as hell...but this movie is just wacko!

Favorite color(s)? Purple & Green

When is the last time you laughed? Probably at the dog park this morning

Last received call? Cassie

Part 9: LIFE
What friend knows the most about you? Probably Cyndi S....almost my sis, Cammy & Cassie are a close second

Who do you blame for your mood today? Cyndi's party...LOL

What should we do with stupid people? I like the idea of bringing them to a deserted island.

What is making you sad right now? The stupid people above

What was the first thing you did this morning? Got up and took the dogs to the park (despite my late night)...it's our typical Sunday morning routine and they love it!

Last person you went out to dinner with? My DH, Valerie, John & Kids. Went to the Yummy House on Friday night. It's an AMAZING Chinese with fabulous food!

Do you drink lots of water?I try to drink as much as possible. In fact, I need to get some now. BRB.....

How do you vent your anger/sadness? Call my friends and rant!

What theme does your room have? No theme really....just warm browns. And it's just as much the kids room as it is ours.

Are you a mama’s child or a daddy’s child? Daddy's Girl

The last website you visited? MySpace

Who was the last person you took a picture with? Cyndi S...which reminds me, I need to make sure I get copies from her.

Last person you went to the movies with? Cassie & Zoe

What did you do / will you do for your birthday this year? Having a group dinner at Arigato next Friday!

Is there anything alive in your room? No...all of the kids are down here in the living room with me.

Today, would you rather go back a week or go forward a week? Forward a week.....month end will be over and it'll be a week closer to vacation

What are you looking forward to right now? VACATION!! We leave on the 8th!

Part 10: IF YOU HAD TO
If you HAD to dye your hair a color what color would it be? Does the color it is now count? I like my red hair...which already comes from a bottle!

If you HAD to get a piercing (not ears) what would you get? A belly ring...but I'm not nearly skinny enough!

A Shelter's Perspective

2008-07-25T14:20:00.006-04:00

My children are four-legged, furry and have a slight speech impediment. I love my pets as if they were my kids. My pets are treated better than most people treat their kids. Some people don't understand and laugh at me, some people just think I'm nuts. Although I don't expect others to spoil their animals rotten, I do expect people to live up to their responsibilities and give their animals a loving home for life.

One of my biggest pet peeves is people who shirk their responsibilities and dump their pets as if they were a piece of used furniture. In my mind, there is not a single good reason to give up a pet. Your dog, cat, ferret, bunny, etc is a living, breathing being that relies solely on you for their care. It is no different than a child. Would you give away a child because you couldn't be bothered any longer? Or were moving? Or because it didn't get along with your other children? Or because it had special needs? There are solutions for so many reasons why people give up their animals. People today are just too lazy to find them or to help deal with the problem. You give me a problem and I'll find you a solution!

I wasn't always like this, I will admitt. It started last year when we got our first dog, Allie. Allie was dumped on the side of the interstate at a mere 4 weeks old and left there to die. When she and her brother were found together, they were emaciated, covered in fleas and probably just days, if not hours, away from death. It broke my heart that someone would actually do this to my sweet little girl!

Afterwards, I got involved with a group of young women who are slowly making a difference. We don't have an official organization or a group name. We started from a message board on The Nest. On this board are women, about my age, who take time out of their busy lives to coordinate and do transports all over the country for various shelters and rescues, who spend money out of their own pocket for foster care and sheltering of animals without a home, and who make the time to put together various fundraisers and care packages for animals in need.

It is amazing what I have learned from these women. I have learned about good pet nutrition. I have learned about the difference between a reputable breeder and back yard breeder (byb)/puppymills. I have learned that pitbulls are not the mean & nasty dogs they have gotten the reputation for. I have learned that there are thousands and thousands of animals put down in shelters every day because of irresponsible and stupid people.

I have started to try to make a difference myself. I volunteer for the local Humane Society as often as possible. I donate to the SPCA and participate in events they have, with the dogs, around the Tampa area. I also donate to fundraisers from the above mentioned message board as often as possible. DH & I adopted another dog from the county shelter in March....who was dumped as a 6 month old puppy because "he was becoming destructive". He's a puppy for crying out loud...a Lab puppy no less!

What prompted my rant today was a post I read on my Pets message board. It made me cry and I will share it below. There are days I feel so defeated by the stupid pet owners out there...like the girl who feels it's okay to leave her dog in her back yard for the ENTIRE week they are on vacation...or the couple who wants to dump their cats of 4 years because they are trying to have a baby (she's not even pregnant yet)....or the mom who dumps their pets at the nearest shelter because she "doesn't have enough time for them AND her real children....and even the people who get rid of their "vicious" dog because it snapped at their toddler. While I, and others I know, continue to try to make a difference, there will always be more.

I'll step off my soap box now. I'm sure this will be a topic that comes up often. So I will leave you with the post that prompted it.

A Shelter's perspective:

I took in your cat today. The cat you swore up and down you would love forever when we gave her to you and five months later you bring her back.

I took in your cat today. The one that you declawed and then forced to stay outside when he wasn't "cute" anymore. The one you spray painted pink. The one who reminded me so much of my own cat that I teared up until the tech took pity on me and told me we could keep him. The one you refused to pay a surrender fee for to go towards his care. We cleaned him up, petted him and brushed him and pampered him and he's going to go to someone who will know what a handsome big lover boy he is and you will be poorer for his loss.

I took in your puppy today. The puppy who has nothing wrong with him, is happy and healthy and adorable, but that you gave up on because you don't think your kids are taking care of him and heaven forbid you do it and you want to teach them a lesson with a living creature. You don't deserve him and I'll make sure that he goes to someone who does. You are a terrible mother to set such an example for your children, for teaching them that lives are disposable.

I took in your dog today. The one who loved you for seven years that you don't feel like taking care of anymore. The one with aches in his hips and itches in his skin who should have grown old in his home with the family he loved. He was put down five minutes after you left, his last minutes spent with the smell of fear and death in a strange place without his mommy.

I took in your dog today. I told you that if you left him with me he'd be put down because we are over our limit and had no cage for him and even if we weren't, he had contagious mange and we wouldn't be able to keep him. You said you understood, but were leaving him anyway. You had the brass balls to call me five hours later and say you wanted your dog back. WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU? I told you what would happen and you left him anyway you heartless jerk.

I took in your dog today. The dog you "couldn't" keep because you were moving to a place that doesn't allow dogs. Why the hell didn't you check before you signed a lease?? There are thousands of places that take pets. Even after I told you that only 30% of the animals that come in go out again, you didn't relent. You paid the $25 fee to unload a living being and left to move unencumbered.

I took in your dog today. And her puppies. And her mate. And you refused to pay a surrender fee, despite your Nordstrom scarf loudly declaring that you could afford it. I hope your karma comes back to you very soon.

I took in your ferret today. We put her down with dignity and kindness and put aside the ashes for you. She's not suffering anymore, so you can grieve in peace. When you're ready, please come back so we can find a new pet for you to love.

I took in your dog today. You brought him in to be put down, but he died in your arms before we could check him in. I've never seen an animal die before and the memory of your dog dying will be forever etched in my mind.

I sent you home with a dog today. Despite her issues which her owners surrendered her to us for, you fell in love with her and couldn't leave her and will work with her until she gets it right. Bless you for taking her, she was my favorite.

I sent you home with a dog today. He's older than any of our other dogs, turned out of his home after eight years. He was lost and confused and bayed in his kennel all day, everyday. Until you came to take him, he was bewildered and sad, but going out to the car with you, he jumped and trotted in excitement. You are kind and generous souls and his love will more than repay you.

I sent you home with a dog today. You gave her a third chance and I hope this one is a charm. She really doesn't like it here and I hope she doesn't have to come back. Take care of her, she's a lovely little soul.

I sent you home with a cat today. I'm so sorry that your past cat died so suddenly and badly, but thank you for coming in and opening your heart to a new one. She will help you heal and you will help her get over having such a hard start in life.

Live up to your responsibilities - these are, living, breathing, feeling creatures that you took responsibility for when you assumed ownership. Deciding that they are no longer convenient and dumping them at a shelter is selfish and uncaring and shows your lack of character. Shelters are for people who have no other options; they have lost their jobs, their homes, are ill; not for those who are simply too lazy to try and do right by their pets and find them new homes or work to keep them. For those of you who adopt, bless you. Your help, support and loving homes are invaluable for those of us who continue to fight for the animals.

My First Ever Blog...

2008-07-24T20:36:00.012-04:00

Soooooo? This is blogging? Hmm...

A few of my friends had inspired me to start blogging. I love reading what goes on in their lives, some almost on a daily basis. Some say its a fun way to keep up with each while others say it's theraputic. I'm not sure what I'm hoping to get out of it, but I thought it might be fun. I am sure somedays I'll have more to say than others and somedays I'll steal ideas from other people (apologizing in advance).

I gave my blog the name "Shelley Sells Seashells Down By The Seashore". It's a phrase my mother and grandmother used to say to me all the time when I was little. It was a tongue twister back in the day too! *whew* I've always lived near the water. When my family named their first boat "C-Shell" (my sister's name is Cyndi...C for Cyndi, Shell for Shelley), it tied me to the ocean, the beach, shells and everything nautical for the rest of my life. I'm glad I like all of those things. There is nothing better than a beautiful day at the beach or a gorgeous day on the water.

I love the feel of the ocean breeze, the serenity that can be found in the waves crashing along the shore, and the softness of the wet sand on my feet. There is nothing more beautiful than a Florida sunset over the water. Every evening is like a blank canvas where God & Mother Nature can create their magic.

One of the most beautiful displays of that work came on the day of our wedding. October 21, 2005. As the outerbands of Hurricane Wilma circled past us all day (the eye of the huge Category 5 storm was located near Cozumel, Mexico), the sky cleared about 30 minutes before our beachside ceremony. As the sun fell below the horizon, we were given this magnificent picture as a backdrop to the start of our reception. It was the talk of the evening.

On our recent trip to Key West, we experienced another spectacular sunset. Cyndi, Cam and I boarded the Key West Express after a fun weekend in Key West to head back to Ft. Myers. After an hour or so into our ride we went through a short shower. Once the shower was over, we went back to the top deck of the boat and the sun peaked out from behind the clouds. I fully believe that storm clouds make a sunset even more magnificent.

So I guess it's only fitting that I start my blog off on topic that has is such a big part of my life. I have spent such a significant amount of my life on and around the water. I cannot ever imagine not living near the water. Landlocked is not a place for me. My Darling Husband (futurely known as DH) and I talk about getting a boat in the neat future. I look forward to when we can spend days on the water...fishing...swimming...hanging out with family & friends on a remote barrier island somewhere on the Florida coast. After all, I was named SHELLey for a reason....