A Little Sunshine is the Best Prescription!

Sunshine and Warmth
My happy place!

This is a little photo-diary of a great vacation.

Last week my friend Joanne Dwornik and I finally traveled together for a little get-away to Boca Raton, Florida. We made our reservations in January when we both, at the same exact time, had had it with winter. Still, there were many frigid weeks between the reservation and the trip, and then more winter greeted us when we returned home on the official first day of spring - along with a 10-hour lay-over in Baltimore due to icing issues!

The older I get - my 61st birthday was the day before we flew out - the more I understand the snow-bird phenomenon. After December, winter no longer sparkles with crystal beauty as it does through the holiday season. By January, it's…

 "OK, I've seen you, I've felt you chilling me to the bone.  I thought you were really beautiful for those first few weeks, but now, you're not beautiful. You are work and all you are to me is dirty snow banks and difficult traveling. You can go now. Next time, remember that short-term guests are best!" Winter didn't get the hint. It's March 24th and this is what I see outside my window at work today:

March 24, 2015
Spring, where the heck are you???

Who could blame people who decide to "winter" in warmer regions? I can't, that's for sure. I say, the more power to you! If you can swing it, GO! Take those few months to refresh, to thaw out, to escape the harsh reality of a northeast winter, which really is a greedy season. It takes up more than its allotted months here. Winter seems to start at the end of October, and here it is, nearly April, no spring in sight.

So, off to Florida we went. Joanne has family in Boca Raton. We stayed in Joanne's father's beautiful home with his lovely wife Christa. Joanne lost her Dad last summer, and this was going to be an emotional transition for her, being in the home he shared with Christa, her Dad not there. Christa made it as warm, welcoming, and comfortable as possible, and I was happy Joanne wanted me to come along. There was so much happy talk of her father's life, his passions, his loves - of his daughters, of Christa, his grandchildren, great-grandchildren - but it seemed we talked a lot about his boats! It was a lovely little reunion for them, and I was a guest soaking it all in. Happy energy.

Needless to say, we had the BEST time in Florida. With two travel days (Monday and Friday) we had all of Monday evening, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday to soak up the sun. Monday evening, we had dinner at Villagio in Boca Raton.

Our first morning!
What a way to wake up! 

Happy Hour!
Joanne's killer margaritas!

Villagio, Boca Raton
I had spaghetti and meatballs outside under the stars!

Tuesday, we spent a beach day near the Boca Inlet, and since it was St. Patrick's Day, we stopped on the way home at an Irish bar, Duffy's, and picked up three corned beef dinners to go.

Boca Inlet - beautiful!

Just seeing this again makes me happy!

Sand Shamrock!

Photo shoot on the beach!

Take-out for St. Patrick's Day
Delish!

Wednesday, we had another beach day, and then had dinner with Christa, Joanne's Uncle Dick and Aunt Helene at a lovely Chinese restaurant. The servings were so abundant, we had plenty for left-overs the next night.

We spent the day Thursday in South Beach! How I love it there! We strolled up and down the ocean-front restaurants and businesses, and went on to have lunch at Joe's Stone Crab, an iconic landmark and so, so elegant!

Loved watching this little girl enjoy the ocean!

Joe's Stone Crab
South Beach, Miami!

After left-overs Thursday night, we watched The Voice, and then Christa and I had to move to another TV to get our "Scandal" fix! We both screamed at one point during the episode, and if you watched the show, you probably know where!

Our last morning, sigh....

Hated walking away from the ocean,
but have happy memories to return to!

Despite our long, flight-delayed trip home, it was a wonderful five days. Joanne and I both wish we had stayed longer, but we had to get back to real life eventually. I must say, as hesitant as I was to leave the warmth and sunshine, it was lovely to come home to see the happy faces of my grandsons Peter and Henry, to reconnect with my kids, to see my siblings and realize that there's nothing more important than family - whether I am experiencing that myself, or feeling welcome as my friend generously brings me into her own.

Life is short, let them know you love them.

Irish Scones for your St. Patrick's Day Breakfast!

What makes these scones Irish you ask? Well, scones are an Irish tea-time staple, and then there's me! I'm Irish, (100%, and of the McGeehan/O'Farrell variety), and I'm making them! It's a basic scone recipe -- no currants, no raisins -- nothing more than a cup of flour, cold butter, a little bit of sugar, an egg, buttermilk and vanilla extract along with the necessary baking powder and salt. That is IT. The mixture comes together in shaggy mess and gets kneaded, folded, and shaped into a perfect circle and divided into six segments. Of course, you can add your favorite ingredients to make this recipe your own over and over again! The batch featured here in this post was wrapped up and delivered to my good, good, good and beautiful friend Claire, since today is her birthday. Perhaps scones are not traditional birthday fare, but Claire was very happy to receive them! I hope she enjoys one in the morning with a great cup of tea.

St. Patrick's Day is Sunday, and what could be better to enhance your Sunday morning brunch than a plate of warm, just-baked scones? Add a pot of strawberry jam or lemon curd, clotted cream if you can find it, and luxuriate in a very fine breakfast, indeed! As basic as they are, scones are the epitome of pretty food!

IRISH SCONES
Oven 375 degrees Farenheit
Makes 6 beautiful scones!

1 cup flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons ice cold butter, grated
1/4 cup buttermilk (or 2 tsp. vinegar and enough milk to equal 1/4 cup, let sit for a few minutes)
1 beaten egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Mix together flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt.  Stir in grated butter.

Mix buttermilk with beaten egg and vanilla.

Stir buttermilk mixture into flour mixture, tossing it all lightly with a fork just until dry particles are incorporated. Put bowl in freezer for 10 minutes to make sure the butter stays well-chilled. Take out of freezer and dump out onto floured surface.

Knead 5 times or so by folding batter over itself and pressing down to create layers. Form into round disk about 3/4-inch thick. Cut into sixths, creating 6 wedges. Place wedges on parchment paper-lined cookie sheet.

Brush with egg wash, sprinkle with granulated sugar. Bake for 20 minutes or until scones are nicely puffed and golden brown on the bottom.

Remove from oven to wire rack. Serve warm with jam and/or clotted cream!

Enjoy, and from this Irish girl, my very best wishes for a grand St. Patrick's Day!

Couldn't be simpler!

Happy Birthday Claire, and Happy St. Patrick's Day to All of You!

St. Patrick's Day 2012

There was no escaping the fact.  Today is St. Patrick's Day, and in "the 518" there was a sea of green wherever my car took me.  My first trip out this morning was to The Country Corner for breakfast with Claire, Sandi, and Liz.  We sat for a while over our eggs and toast and spent the kind of time we love to, and then it was over too soon.  I went on to deliver a bridal shower cake to my friend Puddy, for her daughter Lindsay who's having a tropical destination wedding soon.  The cake was of a tropical theme, the design based on a cake Lindsay had fallen in love with for her wedding, but decided against because the price was outrageous! Puddy sent me a link to the wedding venue's website, with a route to a photo of the desired cake, asked me to use that as inspiration for the bridal shower cake, and if I do say so myself, it came out great!  I dropped that off around 11 a.m., and drove home to Middle Grove, taking Rt. 29 right through downtown Saratoga, where there were so many people out-and-about you'd have thought it was mid-August!  The crowds in and outside of The Parting Glass on Lake Avenue were spilling out onto the street.  It was about sixty degrees and bright sunshine, so I can't blame people, at all, for wanting to be outside with their friends and lively music on this very Irish holiday!

Lindsay's tropical-themed bridal shower cake...

After breakfast out and the cake delivery, I got home in time to put the finishing touches on a St. Patrick's Day cake for my friends Pat and Beth, who were throwing a huge party.  Pat told me he was figuring on 50 guests, but by the time I stopped by with the cake, around 3 p.m., the count was up to 100.  Warm weather combined with a friendly holiday is an irresistible combination to get out and socialize!

St. Patrick's Day cake, with a little surprise green streak inside!

This afternoon found me hanging out at Katie's while she prepared the traditional corned beef and cabbage dinner in her giant royal blue Le Creuset stock pot (coveted).  She had two corned beef briskets and also boiled cabbage, potatoes, and carrots.  I've never been that big a corned beef fan (hated it growing up) but this was completely different than anything I'd had as a kid.  My dad used to make it in a pressure cooker.  I think the taste of corned beef is too strong for young taste buds - I've grown to like it, and cabbage, as I've gotten older.  Anyway, it was a spectacular meal, and Katie topped it off with a little baking of her own - chocolate cupcakes with a Bailey's Irish Cream ganache and Bailey's buttercream.  I know -- I may have created a monster!  She's a good cook and a good baker.  God help all of us as we try to lose weight!  I've given myself the week off to accommodate birthday dinners and St. Patrick's Day.  After next Wednesday, I'm back to counting points and getting serious.  After all, I have two weddings and a vacation to fit into look forward to!

Despite the look on Pete's face, there's no Irish Cream
in that cupcake!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Today's post is short and sweet, much like the little fella I'm spending the day with.  I took this gorgeous spring day off from work to spend some overdue time at home.  Katie had to run errands this morning and Henry came upstairs to hang out with his Granny 'O.  We started out by making Alton Brown's sugar cookie dough.  Henry stood on the kitchen stool and helped pour in the vanilla extract.  He watched with great interest as the mixer turned the crumbly mixture into a smooth dough.  We're using it for shamrock cookies.  While that was resting in the fridge, we went outside where I took Henry  for a ride in the Radio Flyer red wagon he received on his first birthday last April.  He soon wanted to be the captain of his own ship, so he got out and started loading up the wagon with sticks, acorns, and stones. We took a long walk down the driveway (which is drying up, thank God!) to the mailbox, and Oden the Black Lab ran and played the whole way, bringing me sticks that were more like small logs.  I've never met a dog who loves to play fetch more than Oden.  He'll play until he drops.  On our walk, Henry talked and talked about trees and birds (I think - hard to tell what the conversation was really about!).   It is such a beautiful day and it was great to spend some time outside in the sunshine and fresh air. 

We came in for lunch and Katie returned home about then.  He's now off in dream land and cookies are in the oven, sprinkled with green sugar.  Henry will be the first to give one a try. 

I can't think of a better way to spend a day off.  I hope Henry remembers this day. I know I will.

Photo images: my own!