A Supertaster's Sanctuary

Friends, I've discovered Pinterest and I may never Blog again! LOL! If you are not in the social media game of Pinterest yet, I highly recommend it. The only way I can think to describe it is as an online personalized set of bulletin boards where you can collect photographs and links of everything that makes you happy in this life. It's based in the wonderful new world of web computing in the "cloud" and could not be more fun! This means no matter where you are, if you have web access you can get online and check your bulletin boards and share your ideas with others. I am sadly addicted and might even give up my "Words with Friends" for time trolling and following others bulletin boards. Let's just say I have an awful lot of crafting and decorating and cooking in my future. I know you will love it, too, so think of this as a recipe for happiness today. PS, this beautiful cake just seemed like the perfect backdrop for my little saying of the day. I...

Friends, my husband agreed to embark with me this week on a "healthy eating plan!" Yes, to some of you that is actually called a DIET. However, I heard someone recently state that it is all about your mindset when you set out on a diet, and even just the thought of being on a diet scares most of us into not doing it. Now, please hear me accurately: I LOVE me some baked goods and decadent desserts. Puhleeese! You know that about me already! Yet, the pants are getting snug due to lack of exercise and some major over-indulging, so it was time to get healthy again before the holidays arrive. We have found that if we are consistent exercisers and practice general moderation, we can pretty much enjoy what we want without too much guilt. It is that lack of exercise (thanks to grad school and a super hot summer in Houston) that got me into a rut, so I need to take off a few pounds AND head back out to my favorite running course. So, one should always listen to their hairdresser, ri...

So it's simply not fair. Those of you who happen to live in those regions where you enjoy 4 true seasons of the year, consider yourself BLESSED! Here in Houston, you can guess what we have. There's hot, and hot and humid and very hot and humid and hotter than...well you get the picture! Suffice it to say, I can easily miss my midwestern roots where watching the leaves turn color was a favorite event. Steve and I were actually vacationing in Colorado Springs around Labor Day and could see some of the aspens in high elevations already beginning to yellow. I bet they are glorious now. Ah well, I digress. But this leads you to understand my title today as I have literally had to FORCE our way into FALL this week. Had to do it. My calendar says last day of summer was last week! So, what does this look like? Well, I'm including some photos here that I hope you will enjoy to get the idea of ambiance in my home. Now, I don't profess to be a great photographer. Yet hopefully y...

Yes, my blogger friends, you read that right. It's been a blogging sabbatical of sorts and I'm simply tired of it. So much has happened. Where to start? Master's degree courses that have to be finished by May 2012, a mother-in-law moving in, entering hospice and then passing from terminal cancer, my youngest daughter's Senior Year, the trip of a lifetime to Italy, Greece & Turkey this summer, and then getting daughter number 1 moved back home and daughter number 2 settled at college. Wow, I'm tired just reading this.  But, it's now time for a wonderful fall of recipes, entertaining, and the awesome scents those realities create in my home! Hooray! But first, this post will simply be a feast for your eyes (sorry no recipes) of the wonders of the food we enjoyed on our recent summer vacation (mentioned above). Let's just say they know how to do the food in the Mediterranean, so I hope you enjoy! And yes, there will be recipes coming from things I learned...