Julie's Jabberwock

A Bluey Birthday Pavlova For Isabelle

A Bluey Birthday Pavlova For Isabelle

          3 Year’s Old! Pavlova For Isabelle Season 3, Episode 17 Pavlova Bonjour!  Bandit becomes a French speaking chef who tries to get Bingo to eat Edamame instead of the Pavlova that she wants.  Bluey becomes an advocate trying to have 

Summer Italian Cocktails and Apps

Summer Italian Cocktails and Apps

          Under Construction                                     

Italian Sangwitches

Italian Sangwitches

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In Costruzione

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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That’s Amore Italian

That’s Amore Italian

          Welcome To That’s Amore Italian… That’s Amore (Love) My Stuffed Meaty Cheesy Shells With Cheeses, Spices, And Lots Of Herbs Or A Few Shells On A Bed Of Salad Greens And Cheeses ———————————————————————————————– When I think of Italian Food I 

Julie and Gordon Whann Way Mexicana Seis!

Julie and Gordon Whann Way Mexicana Seis!

      Hola!  Buen Dia! Es Hora De Desayunar (Time For Breakfast) Out The Door Early, Just Something Fast Cornbread Toppers with Mexican Chili Crisp (The yellow you see above is a flower or two shredding it’s petals, and me not wanting to clean 

Our Aloha Table

Our Aloha Table

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

65 and Beyond, (Finger’s Crossed)

65 and Beyond, (Finger’s Crossed)

        On February 13th., 2026 I Turned 65 Gordon and I ‘Out and About’ on My Birthday 65 Feels Pretty Good —————————————————————————————— When I Turned 60 I Started this Website Page: Sixty’s, (Sensational or Surviving?), We’ll See, Right? (If you would like 

Julie Barefoot 2026, (‘Puke Punaewele, (Blog)

Julie Barefoot 2026, (‘Puke Punaewele, (Blog)

          2026 A Morning Aloha (Hawaiian Kona Coffee) —————————————————————————————— Brodie In Our Backyard Plumeria Tree in Ewa Beach, 1996 ————————————————————————————- E Komo Mai Welcome to My Aloha Julie Barefoot 2026 ‘Puke Punaewele (Blog) Ready for 2026 This year will be a 

www.VintageJulieBarefootArchives.com

www.VintageJulieBarefootArchives.com

 

 

 

I Created A New Website:

Click Here For:  VintageJulieBarefootArchives

I gave my Web Designers in India instructions on what I wanted, and they did the most remarkable job of bringing my vision to life.

I could not be happier with it!

My current website:  (This one.)

BarefootInFloridaWithJulie

..Was no longer working accurately. 

Therefore, I decided to instruct my Web Designers in India, to create a “New” Website in order for me to house some of my “Old” content.

Initially, I didn’t figure in that it would be my Florida Website Pages, but it did evolve into just that.

My First Blog Posting On The New/Old Website

I Debuted This New Site On Brodie’s Birthday, November 29, 2025

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Welcome To VintageJulieBarefootArchives.com

(As Taken From Blog Posting from the new site.)

Brodie Keith Kanakaleo Whann

I decided to create this new website because our live site, www.BarefootInFloridaWithJulie.com, was getting a bit too big.

(Admittedly, I was hoping to get a place in The Guinness Book of World Records as the largest amateur website on the internet known to man. But alas, another dream squashed by reality, or human intervention.)

I thought that if I were to create a new website and move a lot of our old content over, that it would lighten the load to our current live site, and I could make this new website about our Florida Life. So, I specifically chose website pages that were of a Florida nature. We love Florida! My ties to Florida go back to when I was a baby in the 60’s, living in Rome, Georgia with my mother, grand-parents, and great-grandparents. Every summer was spent vacationing in Florida. Also, prior to me being born, it was where my mother and her friends, and their families vacationed as well. I have some really great old photos of my grand-parents, great-grandparents, and great-aunts and uncles wearing their old fashioned swimsuits with their old timey cars parked on the beach. Once upon a time you could do that. Drive onto the beach and park your car.  Mostly on the East Coast of Florida, they had the longest stretches of beaches.

I’m the tall one with my cute petite friends.  St. Pete left, Daytona right.

I can remember the Florida vacations very well. We would leave Rome in the evening, and drive all night down to Florida. I would be asleep in the backseat, wearing pajamas.. My grand-father would do the driving. If I had to use the bathroom on the way down my grandfather would pull over to the side of the highway, they would open both doors, the front door and the backdoor, and I would take my winky-tink between the two doors. Sometimes, cars would honk as they would drive by. I was always in a panic that someone could see me. My grandmother always assured me that no one can.  (She was probably lying.)

St. Petersburg was usually our destination. My grand-father would look for Motels with a VACANCY sign flashing towards the street. He would just drive down what is now Gulf Blvd. looking for a Motel that he thought looked nice. He would then pull into those Motels and inquire within for something suitable for all of us. I can remember that we were always on the ocean side, most of the time there was a pool. I can even remember one place we stayed at where we walked out of our motel room door directly onto the beach. There was so much beach sand outside our door.

I have beautiful memories of many Florida vacations with my grand-parents. My grand-father was one to lay on his back in the ocean, floating, and falling asleep. He was a big man, very tall, with lots of cushion. He floated very easily. I can remember one time he fell asleep and was drifting out to sea, a lifeguard was blowing his whistle trying to wake him up to get him to swim back towards shore.

Most every night we would eat at a seafood restaurant. The restaurant was always located on an ocean front, or a canal front. I have so many great memories of finding little fishies trapped between the rocks by the ocean or canals. I would use a paper cup to capture them and take them back to the motel room with me. I loved having them with me in the motel room. I loved watching them. Sometimes I would set them loose the next day, if they even made it through the night. Upon reflection I wish I had known more about helping them. But I didn’t. I was just a child.

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Hello Rosy Cheeks

I remember this very well. It was at one restaurant that was busy that evening for dinner. There were many people waiting to get seated. My grand-parents and I were sitting at a table in the entryway when suddenly this cute boy sat down right beside my grandmother, he sat across from me, he then looked at me and said with all the confidence in the world, “Hello rosy cheeks.” I was in my early teens. My grandmother instantly adored him! I guess charmers must recognize each other because my grand-mother was a charmer. She then burst out laughing.

This cute, charming boy sat there flirting with me. I knew I could fall for him in a minute! But, I was just too shy to do anything about it. But, I have always remembered that cute boy that made this awkward girl feel special.

Oh, and the rosy cheeks were from my being sunburned that day from staying out too long in the sun, on the beach.

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Florida is not just a great state to vacation in, it holds so many happy memories for me and my family growing up. It makes sense that Gordon and I would settle here and live out our days until we are gone. Hopefully that won’t be for a very long time. But, until then we have a grand-daughter to help raise and make many happy Florida memories for her to take with her in life.

An old timey Motel, a Shuffleboard Court, Sun, Sand, Shells, Beach, Oranges, Orange Juice, Drawbridges, Souvenir Shops, Boat Rides, Seafood Restaurants, Summer Friendships with other Tourists, Salt Water Taffy, Vintage Beach Buckets, Sand Shovels, Flamingoes… and being Barefoot!

This is what I carry with me every day.

Happy Vintage Julie Barefoot Memories,

Julie Barefoot

(Julie Lancaster-Whann)

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Florida is Beautiful and Unique,

Located in the South, yet not Really Southern.

Although Florida is the East Coast, and Canada’s Destination

My Florida Favorites

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Some of Veronica’s Artwork 

I asked her if she had some of her art that I could display on the new website.  She sent over these.  This was all she had in her possession.  People do hire her to draw and paint for them.  I would love to had seen those paintings, but she did contribute some nice things.

Busch Gardens 

I told my guys in India that I wanted an Alligator on the bottom left, and Flamingoes on the bottom right.

I do think the landscaping you see in the graphic above looks like Africa, but then again we do have Busch Gardens here in Florida that is theme based on Africa.

  So, I guess it all goes together nicely.

Web Design is a lot of fun but it isn’t really something tangible.  I mean, the moment I quit paying the monthly fees, it can all just disappear.  Or an experienced hacker can just come along and delete the whole thing forever.  As much as I love my website’s they aren’t anything that I can hold in my hand, or place onto a shelf for display, or even own forever.  My experience with having websites is that they are very vulnerable to those that know how to penetrate them, and abuse them without any conscious or authority whatsoever.

I guess what I am trying to say is that they are very temporary, so enjoy them while you can.

 

See You At The Beach!

Julie Barefoot

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Sunny Morning Breakfasts

A Sunny Morning Breakfasts

          JUST WOKE UP, CHECK BACK LATER…                                    

This Jezebel is NUTS!

This Jezebel is NUTS!

    Currently Under Construction                   ———————————————————————————— Also Check Out My: Click Here For:  Julie’s Jezebel Sauce AND, Aloha Wahine Jezebel Sauce AND, An Oriental Jezebel AND, An Old Florida Jezebel (Sauce) AND, One HOT Jezebel for 

Quickie Italian – The First

Quickie Italian – The First

 

 

 

 

 

 

Quickie Italian

Sometimes, All You Need is a Ready Made Tomato Focaccia, and some Wine

I Call It Herb Bread  🙂

When I think of cooking Italian food, I imagine a long list of ingredients, carving out a significant portion of the day, and sipping a nice glass of red wine or two during the entire cooking experience.  After all, to me it is an experience.  (And nibbling on lots of bread sticks.)  Also, I don’t really view Italian food as being “Quick.”  However, I think in our busy world that it can be.  It can also be just as delicious as if we spent hours in the kitchen.

With the exception of Gordon’s Italian Mac N’ Cheese, I never really considered any of these other dishes on this page to be ‘actual’ recipes.

They were more ideas with things we just thought about and threw together, mainly me.  (Julie)

I suppose that to me a ‘Recipe’ is something that requires great thought and testing.  Kind of like an Experiment in a Lab, or in this case, a Kitchen.  But, we never do those things.  In many cases we just know that the ingredients we choose are going to taste good together, without us even trying them out.  We just throw it together and let our photos tell the story.  Some ingredients that we may feature never go into the recipe.  After all, we make this up as we go, grabbing things from the pantry.  Always have.

However, these ‘Ideas’ have sometimes morphed into excellent Recipes.  Ideas that we have become very proud of.  And, we’ve even passed some of these Ideas on to our children and others who now cook our Ideas on a regular basis. 

So, without hesitation, here are a few very simple Ideas from us for that ‘Quickie Italian’ Dinner.  🙂

GRAZIE MILLE,

Julie and Gordon

This Basil Pesto Cheese is the best I’ve ever had.  I haven’t been able to find it again. 

The quest continues….

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This “Idea” was just ready made frozen Ravioli, with some Pasta Sauce in a jar, and us throwing in a few spices to jazz it up.  Bread Sticks and Flat Leaf Parsley, not optional…essential!

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I LOVE BREAD!

I found this Bread on the sale rack at our Commissary for just a few dollars, and I snagged it instantly! 

It looked beautiful and tasty, and it WAS!  All you need is some great cheese and meats, and a good mustard, then you have a great meal.  Oh, and don’t forget the wine.  🙂

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Gordon’s Italian Mac N’ Cheese

All you really need is one great Italian Dish, and the rest can be just Nibble Foods.

As in Roasted Garlic, lots of Great Bread, Open Jars of Italy to spread on that Bread, and a nice bottle of Red Wine.

(Recipe Down Below)

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Red And Green Pasta Sauce w/ Plant Based Meatballs

(Recipe Down Below)

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Spaghetti, and Plant Based Meatball Sub Sand

(Recipe Down Below)

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Spaghetti Between Two Toasted Buttered Garlic Bread, Sandwich

(Recipe Down Below)

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Our ‘Throw Together’ Italian Dinner

With TONS of Bread!  🙂

(Recipe Down Below)

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Happiness is Being a Tutu  🙂

The “I Don’t Know What To Call It Pasta/Pasta Sandwich”

(Recipe Down Below)

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Peachy/Beigey Pasta

(Recipe Down Below)

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My “V” Pasta

(And I’m not going to tell you why I am calling it that.)  🙂

(Recipe Down Below)

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Julie’s Mystery Pasta

(Because I can’t remember what I did here.)  🙂

But, It Does Look Good, Doesn’t It?

(Recipe Down Below) 

Once I Remember It

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Easy Basil Pesto/Sun Dried Tomato Penne Pasta Dinner

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Turning Loaf Bread Into Great Bread

(Recipe Down Below)

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Recipes Start Here

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Gordon’s Italian Mac N’ Cheese

There was a Mac N’ Cheese Contest at his workplace on the base.  (2023)

Gordon tied for 2nd. Place!  🙂

The win is significant for him because he made it the night before and not that morning as some did, including the winner.  It does make a difference when it is nice and fresh from the oven, as the winner’s was.  Regardless, it is truly spectacular!

Truly Spectacular!

Ingredients:

32 oz. 33% Less Sodium Chicken Broth
~3 – ½ inch Thick Slices of Pancetta – reserve the fat

(NOTE: diced Pepperoni Mini’s can also be used)

~4 Cups Fusilli Pasta
Flour – as needed (equal to the amount Pancetta fat
~2 Cups Milk
~1 Cup Half & Half
~1 Cup White Cheddar Cheese sliced and ~½ Cup shredded
~1/2 Cup Parmesan Cheese sliced and ~¼ Cup shredded
~1/2 Cup Asiago Cheese sliced and ~¼ Cup shredded

1 Tbsp. Dried Italian Herb Seasoning
1 Tbsp. Dried Oregano
2 Tbsp. Butter
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1 Tbsp. Himalayan Salt

Pam Cooking Spray – as needed

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The milk and Half and Half used.

The pots we used…

the left pot was used for the sauce and the other was used to boil the pasta.

Start by pouring the Chicken Broth into the large pot… this will give your pasta some flavor instead of just
having plain water.

Then add enough water to cover the pasta when added.

Pictured are my thick slices of Pancetta.

You can get your local Deli to cut them this thick for you.

Slice the Pancetta into dice sized pieces as shown.

Place the Pancetta pieces into a medium sized pan and heat to medium heat.

While the Pancetta is cooking, add your Fusilli Pasta to the pot and cook as directed or until the pasta is
al dente or cooked so as to be still firm when bitten. Be sure to stir the pasta occasionally so it won’t
stick to the bottom of the pot.

When done and still partially firm (al dente) pour the pasta into a colander and immediately rinse with
cold water to stop the cooking process. Then set the pasta aside to drain.

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Still cooking the Pancetta until it is well browned.

It is almost done and looking great!

Use a non-splatter cover in this next step to stop the Pancetta pieces from falling out of the pan. Pour
the Pancetta fat into your medium sized pot and turn the heat to medium high.

Then place the Pancetta onto a plate lined with paper towels to catch the excess fat.

Very nice pictures
Julie!!!

 

 

Now, add your flour in equal amounts to your fat. When mixed, it should have the consistency of wet
sand. You have now made a roux! The second picture is a good example of what I mean.

Stir the roux consistently for about 2 min. Cooking it this long will remove the flour taste without
browning the flour. I am also slicing the cheeses while this is happening.

When cooked for two minutes, turn down your heat to low, and add some of your Milk and Half and
Half to the roux.

Stir this mixture until well combined adding more milk if needed to get to the thickness you desire. You
want your sauce thick, so don’t add too much of the Milk and Half and Half in the beginning. You can
always add more later. You have now made a Bechamel Sauce. Over time the sauce will continue to
thicken, so keep your Milk handy. Be sure to continue to stir your sauce now with a whisk from time to
time to remove any lumps. Still slicing cheese while the sauce heats.

This is Mac N’ CHEESE!

Add ~1 Cup of your White Cheddar Cheese to the Bechamel Sauce.

And add ~1/2 Cup of the Asiago cheese to the sauce. Now you have made a Mornay Sauce.

Slicing the Parmesan Cheese

And add ~1/2 Cup of the Parmesan cheese to the sauce. This is also great as a Fondue sauce to dip
bread and vegetables into. Stir your Mornay sauce with your whisk until the cheese is thoroughly
melted and well combined.

While still melting the cheese, add your dried Italian seasoning to the sauce…

Then add your dried Oregano to the sauce.

Another nice closeup picture Julie!

Here you can see the cheese is melted and the other ingredients are well combined. Taste the sauce to
see if you need to add more seasoning.

Here, I am adding the Mornay sauce to a large mixing bowl, then adding a few Tbsp. of butter to enrich
the sauce. This will also provide a little more flavor and silkiness.

Stir in the butter well.

Add your well drained pasta to the sauce as shown.

Use a rubber spatula to remove every drop of the sauce from the pan.

Then gently mix the sauce and
the pasta together.

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Add your freshly cracked Black Pepper to the bowl…

Then add your salt. Himalayan salt isn’t as salty as table salt, which is why you can add so much as the
milk products and pasta in this dish are very bland. Stir to combine. Taste the pasta to see if you need
to add more seasoning.

Now, preheat your oven to 400’F.

Add your Mac N’ Cheese to a casserole dish or dishes that have been sprayed with a non-stick cooking
spray.

Fill the dish almost to the top.

Here I am shredding more of the three cheeses to the top of each casserole dish.

Add as much or as
little as you like.

They are now ready to go into my preheated 400’F oven.

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You may want to place the casserole dishes onto a cookie sheet just in case your casserole spills over
during the baking process.  (Although we didn’t.)

Here I opted not to as the cookie sheet isn’t large enough to hold both casserole dishes.

Bake the Mac N’ Cheese for about 25 minutes or until the top is well browned.

If needed, you can always turn your oven’s broiler on to brown the top as shown in this pic.
This was a somewhat complex dish to make, which does make enough for two meals.

We hope you give
this “from scratch” Italian inspired Mac N’ Cheese a try… we are sure you will love it!

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Red And Green Pasta Sauce w/ Plant Based Meatballs

This Quickie Came From My Idea of Wanting Red and Green Pasta, with Red and Green Sauce

Simple Really

It’s just a Red Pasta Sauce, and a Green Pesto Sauce

Heating the Sauces, Boiling the Pasta

Proceed to Mix the Sauces with the Pasta…

Bake the Veggie Meatballs as Directed…

Then Combine!  🙂

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Spaghetti and Meatball Sub Sand

The four things that I love the most are Spaghetti, Plant Based Meatballs, Bread, and Cheese.

Something Easy and Delicious to do with Leftover Spaghetti Pasta

Bake the Plant Based Meatballs, (According to package directions), Butter the Hoagie Buns and then Bake them to brown up a bit in the oven.  You can always use the Broiler.

Buttering The Breads

A Sprinkling of Garlic Salt…

Plant Based Meatballs Into The Oven

Buttered Hoagie Breads Into The Oven

Leftover Spaghetti Pasta…

Adding the Red Sauce…

Heating Up The Sauce in the Microwave

Heating Up Some Sauce for the Hoagie Buns

Spreading The Sauce In The Buns

Now, Adding the Heated Up Spaghetti Pasta and Sauce…

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Now, Add The Plant Based Meatballs…..

…Some Shaved Parmesan Cheese…. Fresh Parsley…..

Top with a bit of the Red Sauce

DONE!

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My Favorite Spaghetti Sand

I didn’t grow up in a particularly sophisticated family where food was concerned.  Oh, my grandmother that took me under her wing knew the fine arts of southern hospitality, and did teach me those, but for some reason my mother rebelled against such things and didn’t pass any of that knowledge on to me.  I think it was because she married my step-father and he was the one that rebelled against such things.  She just did whatever he wanted her to do. 

I believe that sophistication was looked down upon in my family when I was growing up so we ate like poor people did.  After all, my step-father, the surgeon, grew up poor in Texas so we did tend to eat like poor people did, even though there was money to eat like upper middle class people ate.

Having said that, sometimes my tastes do gravitate toward the more humble eating classes.

We didn’t grow up having our Spaghetti or Pasta Dinners with some lovely Italian Bread, it was always our Sandwich Bread smeared with some Butter and Garlic.  I have since added some Paprika to it as well.

When you grow up eating something simple then you get used to it. 

It then is no longer simple, but delicious.

Baking Sandwich Bread. Garlic Bread in the Oven (Broil)

Perfect to ME!

Browning The Other Side

Now, just place some Spaghetti and some Fresh Basil and then you have an excellent Sand!

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Our Throw-Together Italian Dinner

For Some Reason I, Julie, Love Black and Green Food Together

Eaten With A Lovely Tomato Focaccia Bread

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Our Throw-Together Ingredients:

Leftover Feta Cheese and Sundried Tomatoes Packed In Olive Oil

Black Olives

Pesto in Olive Oil

Leftover Pastas

Bread Crumbs

Parmesan Cheese

Roasted Garlic Cloves

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Our Leftover Ingredients

This is a Favorite Pesto of Ours, Look at that Beautiful Olive Oil!

Boil the Pasta Following Package Directions Until Al Dente

Here we Have Also Sliced and Buttered the Bread

Overdosing on Bread  🙂

(This bread was getting stale so I thought we should cook it before it went bad.)

You Just Need a Bowl to Combine Your Ingredients

Once You Have Drained the Pasta, Place it Into a Mixing Bowl

Next, Add Some of the Pesto, Bread Crumbs, and Grate Some Parmesan Cheese Over Top

(This is all done to taste.)

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Adding a Few Black Olives

Mix Together, Now Add Some Roasted Garlic Cloves

(We ended up adding an additional leftover Pasta to this dish, not pictured above in the ingredients.)

Place into a Casserole Dish Sprayed with a Cooking Oil Spray

Top With Some Grated Parm and Bake for About 20-25 Minutes

Delicious!

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The “I Don’t Know What To Call It Pasta/Pasta Sandwich”

 

 

Ingredients:

Creamy Basil Alfredo Sauce

Jar of Marinated Artichoke Hearts, drained

Leftover Roasted Garlic Cloves, smooshed, and use as many as you like

Sun Dried Tomatoes, as many as you like

A Good Bread, Butter, and Cheese

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Just place the contents of the jar into a sauce pan on a medium heat, add the drained jar of marinated artichoke hearts, and as many of the roasted garlic cloves you desire, and then just let it come to a nice simmering boil.  Turn the heat down a few notches once it starts to boil.  I Julie, love a nice thick sauce so I will allow it to simmer away until it becomes as thick as I like.  Keep stirring the pot regularly so that it doesn’t burn on the bottom.  And just keep turning it down to lower settings.  When done to your liking, just keep it on low, or warm until you are ready to eat.

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In the Meantime…..

Bread and Butter

The Bread is a Tribeca Oven Asiago Cheese Loaf

The Butter is a Garlic Parmesan Basil, that I bought from Sprouts

All I did was to turn the oven on 350F.

On a foil lined sheet pan I placed the two halves of the bread, that I sliced into.  Then buttered both sides.

I then grated some Romano Cheese on each slice.  I also did a sprinkling of Paprika.

Into the oven they go.  8-10 minutes on 350F. 

Then turn off the oven and broil until a bit brown.

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When ready you can place this great sauce onto some pasta, with some of the great bread from above.  You can also add a salad to make it the perfect meal.

Don’t forget, you can also make a sandwich of it!

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Peachy, Beigey Pasta

I Julie, am known for mixing different pastas together to create a meal.  I just started pulling out ingredients from the pantry one day and that’s when I noticed that it’s all got this great peachy/red/beigey color to everything.  So….

..I decided to throw it all together, and here we are!

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Ingredients:

Red Lintel Penne Pasta

Chickpea Spaghetti Noodles

Rosa Alfredo Sauce

Various Italian Spices

A Good Bread, and Lots of Herbs

Garnish:  Crispy Harvest Snaps

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Just Heating Up The Sauce..

If you like you can grind some Black Pepper, or add a few dashes of your favorite Hot Sauce.  Perhaps even add some Chili Powder or Cayenne.  Make it as hot or as mild as you like!

To thicken the sauce simply allow it to simmer away on a medium-low heat, while stirring occasionally.  When it is as thick as you  like, then it is done.

Cooking The Pastas….

Draining the Pastas…

Plating The Pastas….

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My Herb Bread

This is a favorite bread of mine that we buy often.  I place it on a foil lined sheet pan, slice the bread without cutting through to the bottom, smear it with a butter or margarine all over it.  Place into a 350F oven for about 8 minutes.  Then turn off the heat and broil until a nice brown color.  That’s when I inserted fresh herbs all between the slices.  Then serve with your delicious pasta dinner.

Topped With Some Fresh Herbs and Some Harvest Snaps

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My “V” Pasta

(And I’m not going to tell you why I am calling it that.)  🙂

This was so delicious!  I loved it! 

However at 2:00 a.m. it decided to emerge from my body via my mouth.

O.K.!  I threw it up which is why I am calling this my V Pasta.  V is for Vomit!

I believe that the cheese that I used was bad and that is why I got sick.  BUT, it was sooooo good until that happened, which is why I am so happy to give you the recipe.  (I know how excited you are now.)  🙂

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I basically took a Vodka Sauce and added some Sundried Tomatoes packed in Olive Oil.

  I also made sure that I added some of the Olive Oil to the sauce.  I allowed it to simmer until it got a bit thick.

In the meantime I cooked some Shell Pasta until Ad Dente…

..then scooped it out of the boiling water and added it to the sauce.  

Grate some cheese, add some toasted bread…..  Superb!

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Julie’s Mystery Pasta

(Because I can’t remember what I did here.)  🙂

But, It Does Look Good, Doesn’t It?

Actually, I do believe I know what I did.  I used a Creamy Basil Sauce and added some of my favorite Marinated Artichoke Hearts.  Also, the marinade from the jar.  I’m sure that I added some Freshly Ground Black Pepper, and some Garlic Salt.  I allowed the sauce to simmer away until it got a bit thick.  In the meantime, I cooked some Spaghetti Pasta until Al Dente.  And then combine!  Add some fresh Basil and enjoy!

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Easy Basil Pesto/Sun Dried Tomato Penne Pasta Dinner

I admit it needs some color here, as in a salad or fresh herbs.  But, this recipe was about using what is already in your pantry, also most people always have loaf bread at the ready.

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Turning Loaf Bread Into Great Bread

——————————————————————————

But First:

I was shopping at Sprouts when I saw this Simply Organic Sweet Basil Pesto packet.  Needless to say, I bought a few.  It looked like an easy way to make weeknight Italian on a busy schedule.  I also bought some of Sprouts Organic Penne Rigate Durum Wheat Pasta.

I simply followed the package instructions….

Boiled the Pasta….

Drained the Pasta….

Added the Sweet Basil Pesto Sauce to the Cooked Pasta….

I then decided to add this great Cucina and Amore Sun Dried Tomato Bruschetta as well…

Mixing Together..

Now Let’s Grate Plenty of Cheeses Over Top

I’m using Parmesan and Romano, as much as I like!

I Then Sprinkled Some Italian Bread Crumbs In

And, some more Cheese…

Leftovers going into the refrigerator for lunches.

If you need to freshen the pasta up because it is a bit dry, just add a little bit of Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

————————————————————————–

I do write above about how I grew up eating regular loaf bread as an accompaniment to our weekly spaghetti dinners.

I am featuring it here because it is something that most people have on hand in every kitchen.  Therefore, when in need of a nice bread for any Italian of your choice, here is a substitute.

Loaf Bread, Butter/Margarine/Garlic Salt/Paprika

Cook for about 6 minutes on 350F, then Broil until brown.

—————————————————————

Whenever you are in need of a Quickie!

Ciao!

Julie and Gordon

 

———————————————————————————–

To View More Italian Website Pages:

——————————————————————–

Julie’s Italian Appetizers and Edible Gifts

———————————————————

Gordon and Julie Italian Seconda Parte 2

—————————————————-

Cool Refreshing Summer

——————————————————–

Father’s Day Pizza Party

———————————————————–

00Whann Way Father’s Day

—————————————————————–

La Sciatta Giulia Anna’s (Italian Sloppy Julie Ann’s)

—————————————————————————-

You Say Tomato

———————————————————-

Edible Gifts:  Italian, Greek, and Irish

————————————————–

Pasta, Pasta, Pasta

————————————————————

Autumn Pasta

———————————————————————

Mother’s Day in the Garden

————————————————————————————-

Italian Naan Pizza

—————————————————————————–

Gordon and Julie Italian

———————————————————-

Amiamo I’italiano

——————————————————————–

Pizza, Pizza

———————————————————————–

Grillin’ Italian

———————————————————

Italianate Tre

—————————————————————————

A Labor Day Vacay Away

————————————————————————–

Modern Day Mona (Lisa) Halloween

———————————————————————-

Even More Italian (Just For You)

—————————————————————————-

Quickie Italian

————————————————————————–

Tavolino Da Caffe Italiana (Coffee Table Italian)

——————————————————————————-

Julie Italian

——————————————————————————–

An Italian Natale

—————————————————————————-

Summer Italian

—————————————————————————————

Isabelle and the Romas

————————————————————————————————–

Lemon Tratta (Treats)

—————————————————————–

Grazie,

Gordon and Julie

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

—————————————————————————–

Italian Colazione (Breakfasts)

Italian Colazione (Breakfasts)

              UNDER CONSTRUCTION                

Lemon Tratta (Treats)

Lemon Tratta (Treats)

            UNDER CONSTRUCTION                                                      

Isabelle and the Roma’s

Isabelle and the Roma’s

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oven Semi-Dried Roma’s Packed In EVOO

——————————————————————————

Roma’s (Plum) Tomatoes

Benvenuto Isabelle(a) and the Roma’s

(Photo Above Right, Isabelle Eating A Roma Like An Apple)

Roma Tomatoes are the most perfect tomatoes in my opinion. 

They hold up very well in recipes, and even when eaten fresh.  They aren’t as watery as some of the other tomatoes.  I would even go so far as to describe them as being a little ‘crisp.’  It’s the firmness that I love.

Isabelle has been my inspiration for all of the recipes here.   At one point I noticed a few of the Roma’s missing and wondered where they had gone?  That’s when I saw her placing them in the trash can, which I had to retrieve and wash them all over again.  🙂  Eight of them were in the trash.  That’s my girl.  We dig lots of things out of the trash thanks to her.  🙂

————————————————————————————

Roma’s Washed and Drying

——————————————————————————————

Roma Recipes Here:

Making My Oven Semi-Dried Tomatoes

(Recipe Down Below)

———————————————————————————————

Marinating My Finished Oven Semi-Dried Tomatoes In EVOO

(Recipe Down Below)

—————————————————————————————-

Packing Jars With The Readied Roma’s..

..To Store In The Refrigerator

————————————————————————————————–

Isabelle Enjoying A Lunch Of Vegetables And A Few Oven Semi-Dried Tomatoes

————————————————————————————–

I Always Save My Old Italian Products Jars. 

I Love The Tearing Labels and Nice Jar Shapes And Lids

——————————————————————————————————

 

Beans, Beans, Good For Your Heart….  🙂

————————————————————————————

I Have 2 Bean Recipes Here:

Isabelle’s Fagioli’s

AND,

Oven Semi-Dried Roma’s With Beans and Herbs

———————————————————————————————-

(Recipes Down Below)

———————————————————————–

Toasting A Baguette

When I think of anything Italian, I know that Bread will be involved.

Here I sliced this Baguette into rounds and placed them onto a non-stick foil lined Baking Sheet into a 350F Oven.

I drizzled Olive Oil over the slices of bread and placed them into the oven for about 8 minutes.  I then turned the oven off and turned on the Broil setting and watched while they browned.  I then removed them from the oven and allowed them to cool a bit.

——————————————————————————

Italian Wine, Toasted Baguette, Isabelle’s Fagioli’s, Fried Copa-Cola Ham, Oven Semi-Dried Tomatoes,

Grated Parmesan, Goat Cheese, and Fresh Herbs

—————————————————————————————

Excellent Appetizers…

..Or A Nice Light Lunch Or Dinner

 

Isabelle’s Fagioli Are Perfect On The Baguette,

With The Oven Semi-Dried Tomatoes

——————————————————————————————

Marinated Feta With Oven Semi-Dried Tomatoes And Herbs

(Recipe Down Below)

—————————————————————————————

Marinated Feta and Oven Semi-Dried Tomato Apps

Baked Feta With Herbs

Perfect On A Baguette

(All Recipes Down Below)

——————————————————————————–

Recipes Start Here

————————————————————————————

———————————————————————————

Oven Semi-Dried Tomatoes

They Are Great Eaten Alone With A Baguette And Cheese…

Packed In Olive Oil…

Store In The Refrigerator

————————————————————————————————————

Making My Oven Semi-Dried Tomatoes

We love Sun-Dried Tomatoes packed in Olive Oil, Dried-Tomatoes, and Oven Dried-Semi Dried Tomatoes

There are many Whole, or Julienne Tomatoes in Olive Oil for sale in your local grocery stores.  Many of them are quite delicious, and we have been buying them for years.  However, every now and then it is just fun to make your own.  It’s also a nice Edible Gift to give to those special people in our lives.

We have a double oven so I will be using both ovens, hence the 4 Baking Sheets lined with Parchment Paper, along with a few Cooling Racks I’ve placed inside each Baking Sheet so the Tomatoes don’t sit directly on the Parchment Paper.

—————————————————————————————–

Ingredients:

Dried Thyme

Italian Seasonings

Pink Hawaiian Sea Salt

Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

————————————————————————————–

Don’t Forget The Roma’s…

…As Many As You Like!

You Can Cut them However You Like, But Here I Cut These Lengthwise Into Wedges

Bear in mind that they do shrink down while cooking, so you may want to buy more than you think you will need.

————————————————————————————————-

Place The Tomato Wedges Onto The Racks Inside Your Baking Sheets

————————————————————————————-

————————————————————————————-

Time To Add The Seasonings

I don’t give you measurements or amounts because I believe that is up to you to decide.

I basically just sprinkled as much as I wanted all around the Tomatoes on the racks.  If you like a little salt, then just add a little, etc.  But I did want to be able to ‘see’ the Herbs I sprinkled on to the Tomatoes.

 

————————————————————————————————-

Turn The Oven On 300F

Cooking Time Depends on the thickness of your Tomato Slices.  Also, on how Oven Semi-Dried you want them.

I did a cooking time of about 2 1/2 hours total.  1 1/2 hours initially just to see how well they are drying in the oven, and then another 1 1/2 to finish them off.  You can always take a peek to see how well they are drying in the oven.

More Tomatoes To Go Into The Ovens

————————————————————————————————

You Can Grate Some Freshly Ground Black Pepper Over The Tomatoes

Tomatoes, Before…

————————————————————————————-

Tomatoes, After…

When Done, Remove From Oven

——————————————————————————————

My Tomatoes Cooked And Cooling

——————————————————————————————————-

Time To Pack Tomatoes Into Jars With EVOO

I love collecting beautifully shaped jars. 

Especially Italian sauce jars as they usually have the most beautiful labels on them.

EVOO And My Oven Semi-Dried Tomatoes

Here Are A Few Of Them

As You Can See They Do Shrink Down

Just Place Into Cleaned Jars and Pour In Some EVOO To Cover

Store In The Refrigerator

We Keep Them For A Few Weeks

———————————————————————————————

300F Oven

Small Batch (Different Cut)

I decided that I needed more Oven Semi-Dried Tomatoes for all these recipes so I made some more.

Same Ingredients:

————————————————————————————

Same Equipment…

Different Roma Tomato Cut

—————————————————————————————-

Baking For 2 1/2 Hours, Checking After 1 1/2 Hours Of Cooking, Then Repeating Additional 1 1/2 Hours

Out Of The Oven And Cooling

————————————————————————————

—————————————————————————————-

Place Into A Jar And Drizzle In EVOO To Cover

———————————————————————————————

Just A Snack  🙂

Store In The Refrigerator

————————————————————————————————–

 

Ready to do some cooking, and in need of a snack. 

Here it is!  Baguette, Seasoned Feta, Fresh Herbs and my Oven Semi-Dried Tomatoes, along with some Wine.  🙂

———————————————————————————————-

Isabelle’s Fagioli’s

———————————————————————————————

Ingredients:

4, Roma Tomatoes

3, 15.5 oz. Cans Cannellini Beans, Drained and Rinsed

1 Medium Onion, Chopped

5 Garlic Cloves, Minced

1/2 Cup Stick Carrots, Chopped a Bit

3 Celery Stalks, Chopped

4 T. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1, 6 oz. Can Tomato Paste

2, T. Red Wine Vinegar

1/2 t. Chili Flakes

1/2 t. Salt

Bunch of Curley Parsley, Chopped

————————————————————————————–

 

———————————————————————————-

Chopping My Ingredients

—————————————————————————————–

In a Skillet over a Medium-Heat add your Olive Oil.

————————————————————————————-

Ready To Start The Cooking

————————————————————————————–

Once your Olive Oil is warm…

..add your Onions to Saute

You want them to soften and become a little translucent.

————————————————————————————–

Then Add Your Carrots And Celery

Mince Your Garlic Into The Skillet

You Want The Vegetables To Soften, It Will Take A Few Minutes To Do So

(You will also want to reduce the heat so that the Vegetables don’t burn.  Continue Stirring.)

——————————————————————————————–

Time To Chop Our Roma’s…

——————————————————————————————–

Add Them To The Mixture

(You want them to cook down.  You can turn the heat back up to a Medium-Heat if necessary.  Or, you can keep the heat between Low and Medium.  But, you do want them to soften and cook down.  This may take another 5 minutes or so.  Continue to stir.)

—————————————————————————————–

 

Now It’s Time To Add Our Tomato Paste

————————————————————————————————-

 

Now Add The Red Wine Vinegar…

..And The Chili Flakes

———————————————————————————–

 

Enjoying That Snack While I Cook

——————————————————————————

Chopping My Bunch Of Curley Parsley

Adding The Chopped Curley Parsley And Sea Salt..

Stir Together, Keeping On A Low Heat

——————————————————————————————–

Now We Drain and Rinse The Cannellini Beans

———————————————————————————————

Add The Beans To The Skillet

(I also added some more Tomato Paste.  I had it leftover and just thought it would go here.  It did.  But, it’s not necessary for you to add more if you don’t want to.)

I Did Add A Little Bit More Olive Oil Here, Stir Together…

——————————————————————————————

Turn Your Oven On 350F

Place Your Skillet Into The Oven, Covered In Aluminum Foil And Bake For 15-20 Minutes

Still Snacking While I Wait For My Beans To Cook

FINITA!

—————————————————————————————————-

Oven Semi-Dried Roma’s With Beans and Herbs

—————————————————————————————–

(I would like to say that this recipe, although quite grand in appearance, was not as tasty as the one I created above.  The focus here is more on the beautiful bold Green Herbs, and the beautiful bold Oven Semi-Dried Tomatoes.)

Ingredients:

2, 15.5 oz. Cans Cannellini Beans

Oven Semi-Dried Tomatoes, As Many As You Like

Half A Medium Red Onion, Chopped

2-3 T. Fresh Thyme, Chopped

Fresh Basil, As Much As You Like

Fresh Parsley, As Much As You Like

Sea Salt, To Taste

Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste

———————————————————————————–

Sometimes Ingredients Are Pictured Perfect On Their Own

————————————————————————————————-

Chopping A Medium Sized Red Onion

——————————————————————————————

Placing The Cannellini Beans Into A Medium Sized Pot On The Stove Top

Adding About 2-3 Tablespoons Of Fresh Thyme

———————————————————————————————

You want to bring the Cannellini Beans in their canned liquid, and Fresh Thyme to a boil.  Once the beans start to boil for a few minutes, remove from heat and pour into a colander to drain the liquid.

——————————————————————————————————

Pour The Beans And Thyme Into A Medium Bowl

————————————————————————————————

 

Add The Red Onion, And Sea Salt And Freshly Ground Black Pepper To Taste

Combine All Ingredients

—————————————————————————————-

On A Platter Place Some Green Curley Parsley

————————————————————————————————

Now Add Your Oven Semi-Dried Tomatoes…

Place Your Beans In The Middle, And Garnish With Fresh Basil

——————————————————————————

Beans, Beans….  🙂

——————————————————————————————–

Marinated Feta With Oven Semi-Dried Tomatoes

(Serve With A Baguette, And Fresh Herbs)

————————————————————————————————-

Ingredients:

2, 8 oz. Feta Cheese Blocks

Ground Oregano, To Taste

Ground Italian Seasonings, To Taste

Ground Coriander, To Taste

Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste

Oven Semi-Dried Tomatoes, To Taste

Fresh Rosemary Sprigs

Olive Oil, To Taste

Baguette and Fresh Herbs Optional, But Necessary  🙂

————————————————————————————————-

Gathering All Of The Ingredients Together

Cut The Feta Cheese Into Chunks And Place Into A Bowl

——————————————————————————————————

Add The Dried Herbs To The Feta, About 1 Tablespoon Each, Or To Taste

Now Drizzle Some Olive Oil Over Top, Just To Taste

(Having a sample, photo right.)

Mix Together…

Start To Layer The Feta With Herbs, Oven Semi-Dried Tomatoes, Rosemary Sprigs, And Then Drizzle EVOO All Over Top

 

This Jar Is Perfection!

An Excellent Appetizer, Or A Great Afternoon Snack

—————————————————————————————————

Our Backyard Container Herbs Are Flourishing

 

Herbs Washed, And Drying Them

————————————————————————————————–

Baked Feta With Herbs

Perfect On A Baguette

———————————————————————————————

Feta With Herbs, Baked

Ingredients:

8 oz. Feta Cheese

Fresh Rosemary, Chopped

Fresh Thyme, Chopped

Dried Coriander, To Taste

Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste

Olive Oil, To Taste

———————————————————————————————–

In A Bowl I Placed My Fresh Thyme, And My Chopped Rosemary

As Much As You Like….

—————————————————————————————————

Adding Just A Sprinkling Of Coriander…

Freshly Ground Black Pepper…

Adding My Feta Cheese…

——————————————————————————————-

Placing The Feta On The Herbs, Placing The Feta With Herbs Onto Aluminum Foil

————————————————————————————————–

Covering The Feta Cheese And Herbs With Foil,  Baking In The Oven On 350F for 15 Minutes.

—————————————————————————————————

In The Meantime….

Toast a Baguette on 350F for 8 Minutes

Slice into rounds, place onto a Baking Sheet with Aluminum Foil, Drizzle with Olive Oil…

———————————————————————————————–

 

Drizzled With Olive Oil, Broil Until Browned

——————————————————————————————

When The Feta Is Ready, Remove From The Aluminum Foil And Place Into A Bowl

Baguette Is Nice And Browned

Excellent Spread Onto A Baguette

————————————————————————————————

Bambina Fammina

Arrivederci!

Julie and Isabelle

————————————————————————————-

If you would like to view our other Italian food posts……

Julie’s Italian Appetizers and Edible Gifts

———————————————————

Gordon and Julie Italian Seconda Parte 2

—————————————————-

Cool Refreshing Summer

——————————————————–

Father’s Day Pizza Party

——————————————————————-

00Whann Way Father’s Day

———————————————————————

La Sciatta Giulia Anna’s (Italian Sloppy Julie Ann’s)

—————————————————————————-

You Say Tomato

———————————————————-

Edible Gifts:  Italian, Greek, and Irish

—————————————————————-

Pasta, Pasta, Pasta

————————————————————

Autumn Pasta

———————————————————————

Mother’s Day in the Garden

—————————————————————————–

Italian Naan Pizza

——————————————————-

Gordon and Julie Italian

———————————————————-

Amiamo I’italiano

——————————————————————

Pizza, Pizza

———————————————————————–

Grillin’ Italian

————————————————————

Italianate Tre

————————————————————————-

A Labor Day Vacay Away

————————————————————————–

Modern Day Mona (Lisa) Halloween

———————————————————————-

Even More Italian (Just For You)

—————————————————————————-

Quickie Italian

————————————————————————–

Tavolino Da Caffe Italiana (Coffee Table Italian)

——————————————————————————-

Julie Italian

——————————————————————————–

An Italian Natale

—————————————————————————-

Summer Italian

—————————————————————————————

Isabelle and the Romas

————————————————————————————————–

Lemon Tratta (Treats)

—————————————————————–

Grazie,

Julie and Gordon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Summer Italian

Summer Italian

      Welcome to my Summer Italian I created this fun Italian dinner based on the Palms in my backyard.  I also knew that I wanted to showcase this fun and delicious dinner on my Palm Leaf Platter. It just looked so Summer to 

A Tasty Asian Summer

A Tasty Asian Summer

          Welcome To A Tasty Asian Summer I want to make this page about fun, and tasty foods that have an Asian flair to them. Nothing complicated, but the kinds of foods you would expect to eat in the summer. I 

Strawberry’s and All Things PINK!

Strawberry’s and All Things PINK!

 

 

 

 

 

Welcome to Strawberry’s and All Things PINK!

Dried Hibiscus Flowers 

———————————————————————————–

Pink Fudge with Dried Hibiscus Flowers

The Hibiscus Flowers are Sweet and Tangy, Almost like Gummy’s

————————————————————————————————

I have been eating lots of Strawberry’s this year, and loving all things PINK so I thought I would start a website page depicting those very things.  Perhaps this is my hangover from the Barbie movie that came out a few years ago?  I still haven’t seen it at this writing, May, 2025.  I’m sure I’ll get to it eventually, but you don’t have to love Barbie to appreciate all things PINK!  

Each season seems to have it’s favorite food colors.  Pink seems to represent Spring and Summer to me.  

Pink also tends to taste good!  I hope you will think so too.  🙂

Welcome to the Pink Kitchen,

Julie

———————————————————————————-

Simple Pink Fudge Topped with the Hibiscus Flowers

————————————————————————————————–

Hibiscus Flower Impressions

(Recipe Down Below)

————————————————————————————————–

My Pink Pajama Cocktail

Garnished with Strawberry’s and Enjoyed with some Dried Hibiscus Flowers

(Recipe Down Below)

 

I LOVE My Pink Pajamas!

———————————————————————————————-

Strawberry, Jalapeno and Tomato Salsa

Eaten and Enjoyed with a Cream Cheese and Jalapeno Salt Spread onto a Toasted Baguette

(Recipe Down Below)

————————————————————————

Recipes Start Here

My craft foam flowers, some special things, along with my vintage Hawaiian Hibiscus plate.

——————————————————

Pink Fudge with Dried Hibiscus Flowers

———————————————————————————————

I found these Dried Pink Hibiscus Flowers at Sprouts and knew that I had to try them. 

Turns out they are quite good.  Almost tastes like a Gummy.

————————————————————————————————-

It was last Christmas, 2024, that I made some really great and easy Fudge. 

I came across the recipe in one of my cookbooks.  It was so easy!  Delicious too!

I grew up in the south and when we would go to the mountains we would always come across these old timey fudge shops.  Whether we were in Dahlonega, Georgia, Cherokee, North Carolina, or Gatlinburg, Tennessee.  We always bought the sugar-free Peanut Butter Fudge.  We would keep in in our rooms in our lodge and snack on it most every night.  It was a treat!  That is how I view sweets.  They are treats.

———————————————————————————————–

Ready to Make My Pink Fudge

Ingredients:

4 Cups White Chocolate Chips

1  Cup Sweetened Condensed Milk  

1/3 Cup La Lechera Dulce de Leche Milk Based Caramel

(I wanted to add this to this recipe.  If you can’t find any then just use 1 and 1/3 Cup Sweetened Condensed Milk)

2 t. Vanilla Extract

1/2 t. Salt

Drops of Pink Food Coloring

—————————————————————————–

All of our Ingredients

You will need a casserole dish.  I will be doubling the recipe and placing it into this larger casserole dish.

You will need to place a piece of Parchment Paper down into the bottom of the casserole dish.

I used a pen to draw the dimensions and then cut with some scissors.  You can see in the photo above that it is in place and ready.

——————————————————————————————

La Cechera, Dulce de Leche Milk Based Caramel

This is my addition to the recipe.  I wanted to add a Caramel flavor to my Fudge.

—————————————————————————————

Into a Microwave safe dish you want to place the White Chocolate Chips and the Sweetened Condensed Milk, and the Dulce de Leche Caramel.

——————————————————————————————-

Now place into the Microwave for 1 minute, 30 seconds at 70 percent power.  (That is important.)

When done remove and stir well.

Now quickly stir in the Vanilla and Salt, along with a few drops of Pink Food Coloring.

Because I doubled the recipe, you can see the first batch in the very top of the photo above, while I repeat the process with this new batch in these photos.

 

Microwaving the Second Batch

————————————————————————————————

Both Batches of Fudge Have Been Placed Into This Large Casserole Dish to Cool

Ready To Add My Hibiscus Flowers

—————————————————————————————————

The Fudge Sets Very Quickly

If you want to embed the Hibiscus Flowers into the Fudge you must do so fast.

Beautiful and Delicious!

——————————————————————————————————–

My Pink Pajama Cocktail

Garnished with Strawberry’s and Enjoyed with some Dried Hibiscus Flowers

Fresh, Clean Strawberry’s

Ingredients:

1 lb. Frozen Strawberry’s

8 Cups Pink Lemonade

2 Cups Vodka 

4-5 Cups Lemon-Lime Soda

Fresh Strawberry’s as a Garnish

——————————————————————————–

Pretty Glasses, Strawberry’s and Hibiscus Flowers

—————————————————————————————————

Ingredients Ready for the Blender

——————————————————————————————-

The Frozen Strawberry’s

Adding The Frozen Strawberry’s to the Blender

I placed the Frozen Strawberry’s into the Blender, then added the Pink Lemonade, followed by the Vodka, and the Lemon-Lime Soda.

I did slit the Fresh Strawberry’s down the middle to place on each cocktail glass.

Time to Turn on the Blander Until Mixed

Blending Away…..

Pour Into Prepared Glasses

My Pink Pajama Cocktails

My Love of Pajamas

When I am around the house I tend to wear Pajamas even during a week day afternoon, and especially a weekend when I am staying home and not leaving the house.  I have never been one to wear “sweats.”  To me sweats are sloppy, unattractive and cumbersome.  I like something that looks nice, fits my personality, feels comfortable, and looks pretty.  I very happily incorporate Pajamas into my daily life whenever I can.

———————————————————————————————–

Strawberry, Jalapeno and Tomato Salsa

Eaten and Enjoyed with a Cream Cheese and Jalapeno Salt Spread onto a Toasted Baguette

Strawberry’s, Grape Tomatoes, Red Onion, Lime Zest and Juice, Jalapeno’s, and Fresh Cilantro

Amounts are up to you!

You first want to wash everything…

On a cutting board you want to start chopping your Strawberry’s into diced sized bites.

  Set aside.

As I was slicing the top off of each Strawberry I noticed that they looked like pretty flowers. 

I decided to save a few to use as a garnish.

————————————————————————————————-

Now chop the Grape Tomatoes, leaving behind a lot of the Juice and Seeds.

  See photo top right.  Set them aside.

—————————————————————————————–

Chop the Red Onion into a small dice.

I didn’t use the entire Onion.  I did weigh and gage how much I wanted to add to finished mixture.

——————————————————————————————–

Time to chop the Jalapeno’s into a small dice as well.  I know that I have a hard time with Jalapeno’s.  The fumes really bother me, and whatever I touch on my body after touching the peppers, will make that area hot and uncomfortable.  Therefore, it’s a good idea to wear cooking gloves.  They help a lot!

Everything is Beautiful and Nicely Chopped

I LOVE all the Colors!

———————————————————————————————

Time To Combine Everything

You can see in the above photo how the tops of the Strawberry’s look like Flowers…

which is why I wanted to keep some of them as a Garnish.

————————————————————————————–

Place your chopped items into a medium sized bowl.

—————————————————————————————————

Zest your Limes into the Salsa, then add the Lime Juice.  Don’t make it too soggy. 

You don’t have to use the Juice of both Limes if you don’t want to.

Mix Together…

Add a Pinch or Two of the Jalapeno Sea Salt

(This stuff is sooooo good!  So glad I found it online!)

————————————————————————————

Now For The Bread and Cheese

I wanted to have a few options to see which one would be best, the Italian Toasts or the Baguette. 

Turns out they were both great and I used both of them.

In one bowl I placed some softened Cream Cheese, and in the other I placed Crumbled Goat Cheese. 

I then sprinkled a pinch or two of the Jalapeno Sea Salt.  That was all that was needed!  So delicious on it’s own.

Set Those Aside

Now It’s Time To Slice and Toast the Baguette

Place onto a Baking Sheet and put into the Oven on Broil.  You just want to brown your bread slices.

————————————————————————————————–

This is my new FAVORITE Thing!

Spread some Cream Cheese onto a Toasted Baguette, and then sprinkle some Jalapeno Sea Salt over top.

  God is it good!

———————————————————————————————

With the sliced Baguette toasted, time to add the Crumbled Goat Cheese overtop, sprinkled with some Jalapeno Sea Salt.

Place back into the Oven, 300F just for a few minutes to melt the Cheese a bit.

Ready for the Salsa!

—————————————————————————————————

I think my little Strawberry “Flowers” look nice.  🙂

—————————————————————————————

 

I hope your day is filled with Strawberry’s.

Have a very PINK Day!

Julie

 

 

 

 

 

 

Julie Barefoot In The Backyard

Julie Barefoot In The Backyard

        (See Down Below For New Content) Hello Happy Barefoot Spring, and Summer in my Backyard   And Fall and Winter, but not so much.  🙂 Our Backyard Peach Tree We spend a lot of time outside in our backyard.  Gardening, Landscaping, Grilling, 

Here’s a CLUE for Nancy Drew

Here’s a CLUE for Nancy Drew

        “I don’t promise to forget the mystery, but I know I’ll have a marvelous time“ Nancy Drew —————————————————————————— #45 The Spider Sapphire Mystery Thrilling, dangerous adventure confront Nancy Drew while on a safari in East Africa with a group of American 

My Log/Blog Documenting Stalking and Harassment From My Neighbor

My Log/Blog Documenting Stalking and Harassment From My Neighbor

 

 

(Note Update April 10, 2025:  If this harassment continues, or more damage is done to our property, then I will reveal their names here, and getting the police involved.)

 

“The pen is mightier than the sword.”

Edward Bulwer-Lytton

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Write it all down, it’s what they fear the most.

Julie Lancaster-Whann

 

Where Do I Even Begin?

2025

For those of you that know me and have read me, then you know of my account of my Cyber-Stalker of 30 years, P.  I did start a webpage of his stalking back in 2015 on this website.  Wow, 10 years ago I started writing about him.  I’ve also mentioned throughout my personal blogs the stalking that I have had to put up with and endure.  Well, he’s still in the picture.  Gordon and I were able to bring in (a 3-letter agency) to look into him.  I hadn’t really admitted much to any of that until now.  This has been about a year and a half ago that we did that.  I know these things take time, but with all that’s going on right now with that ( 3-letter agency), I’m not so sure if we are a priority anymore.

I also started a website about him that I have not worked on yet at all.  I simply sent a few photos to my guys in India and had them to create something for me.  They did, and I paid quite a bit of money for it.  I hadn’t started working on it yet for a few reasons.  First of all, I would much rather be doing other things than talking about P.  And number two, I didn’t want to hinder any investigation into him.

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This is the Original Webpage Where I Introduce you to P.:

What It’s Like To Be Cyber-Stalked

Julie Lancaster-Whann

If you do check out this webpage I started on him, you will most likely see some sabotage.  That is from P.  When I had web hosting companies in America to host and look after my site, P. had the run of it.  It wasn’t until I contacted a company in the U.K., and they recommended theses guys in India, did I finally have a more secure website.

Sad isn’t it?  I had to go outside my own country for help from my American Cyber-Stalker.

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One thing that I have learned throughout my life when I was being abused by anyone is to start a log.  Write down everything that that person does to you.  Keep a diary of it.  That’s why I started the Cyber-Stalker blog page that I write about above.  It is also why I am starting this webpage about the abuse that I am having to endure from my neighbors next door to me.

I will work on this as I feel like it.  Oh trust me, they aren’t going anywhere.  Their kind never does.

I know their type very well.   Arrogant, self-righteous, white, no respect for people or their property, or opinions that differ from their own.  They only value ‘Freedom of Speech’ when it is their own.  They easily fall in line with the herd.  A Shepherd  to herd them this way, and then herd then that way.  I’ll get into more of that later on.

You know, no where in the world do they have people like a certain segment of our population.  Nowhere!

The world does have it’s poor and ignorant.  But nowhere does any country have these kinds of people that think the way they do. They are definitely home grown.

There is something very toxic in our country’s environment that creates these people.  I know what it is, but I don’t dare say it.  I’ve touched on it though.  I even tried warning our former Canadian friends about it, who seemed to adore the republican friends they knew in Kentucky.  And I will speak of it in the future.  But talking about it now is only going to get me clubbed over the head by a caveman.  I also warned our Canadian friends that don’t be surprised if America comes after Canada someday.  If you have something they want, they will come and get it.  Funny, but she thought I was being ridiculous.  Wonder how she feels now?  I told her these things over a decade ago.

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My Camera on My Tripod Took These Photos

(The Thing Is, My Neighbors Are Probably Watching Me Right Now)

I wanted to take some photos for this blog, and seeing as how I am the only one here, I had my camera on my tripod to do it.  My husband Gordon is working overseas.  Oh, we talk most everyday.  He is in a hazard zone overseas.  He is quite valuable in his job, and we are benefiting from that.  We were thinking about him coming home permanently at the end of this year, but what with all that is going on in our country, it might be wise for him to stay over there for the next few years.  He does come home twice a year to see us all though.  He has even suggested that I come over there to live out in town near where he is stationed.  If I were to do that, I would only see him on the weekends from my very exotic location.  My answer:  I’m not leaving Isabelle.  Done!

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What has kept me going all these years is that I want to outlive P.  I want to know what life is like without him in it.  That is what has kept me going.  Will I ever know that?  I don’t know?  But now, I have a new stalker.  I never saw this coming at all.  I am an Empath, yet I never once sensed this neighbor’s hatred of me at all.  Which means that he is either a Psychopath or a Sociopath, or a Narcissist.

 I have probably only spoken 20 words to him from the time they moved in years ago.  He is probably in his early 40’s.  He is married and they have 2 children.  They have a very nice home.  Nice automobiles.  Basketball goal in their driveway, pool in their backyard.  On the surface all looks great.  I have noticed that all their cars are there all the time.  I’m wondering if he is still employed or if he is working from home, or he’s been fired?  Don’t know?

I knew they were Republican’s, but I didn’t have any ill will towards them, until now.

  I’ll get to that.

Where do I begin to document the Harassment and Abuse?

Once again, I’ll get to that in a little bit.

I want you to understand something.  Just to give you an example, why have I had a Cyber-Stalker for 30 years now?  Why?

P. was Gordon’s Best Friend From Childhood

P. started out in life with parents that had money and means.  They put him in Private School growing up.  Once he graduated, he was able to go on to college, and graduate.  I’m pretty sure his parents paid for that as well. 

I can even remember something about P. working as some DJ for a radio station while he was in college, or afterwards.  I mean, how cool is that?  He would send us these tapes of Chicago singing love songs.  I loved it!  I would play them and listen to them in my headphones when I would go for my walks when we lived in Ewa Beach, Hawaii.  It was the best of both worlds.  Great music while I would go on my walks, with views of Diamond Head in the background while I walked down the beach. 

It wasn’t until the early 90’s that P. started stalking me.  I really don’t want to go into that now.  I do have it documented in other areas.  But what I wanted you to understand is the amount of time and energy that goes into stalking anyone.

P. has stalked me for 30 years and counting.  30 years!

P. gave up having a life to stalk me.  He gave up dating, falling in love, getting married, having children….

To him I was more important than all of that.  He has spent his life glued to a computer screen stalking me.

P. started out with Microsoft.  He was on the cutting edge of technology.  In the midst of history being made.  He could have snagged a lovely intelligent woman to love and have children with.  He could have had a lovely home and even a vacation home, or two.  He could have had children and perhaps by now, grand-children.  But NO!  He gave up all of that, he sacrificed his youth to stalk ME!

Believe me when I tell you, I AM NOT WORTH THAT!

He gave up his youth to stare at a computer screen stalking me!

That is the mind of an obsessed person. 

Obsession is not love, it is obsession.  Love is healthy, love is beautiful.

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All My Flowers

Looks Like I’m In Mourning

Although I am not in mourning, I am angry.  Angry because I live in a neighborhood where there are pathetic people that feel the need to do harm to me.  Harm to someone that does nothing to them.  I don’t bother them.  I never see them.  Why is my neighbor so obsessed with me?  Well, I do have my theories.  But first you need to understand Obsession.

Obsession isn’t love.  But I dominate his thoughts each and every day.  Why would any woman want her husband or boyfriend to be obsessed with anyone?  Yet alone, another woman?

Does he love me?  Hate me?  The emotions are really the same.  Love and Hate are very strong emotions to have towards anyone.  but whether they be love or hate, he is still obsessed with me.  He gets up every morning at 4:00 a.m. and looks to see if my bathroom light is on.  If it is, he throws a ball at my house, around the bathroom windows where I am.  He does this to alarm me.  To scare me.  To upset me.

If I get up at 4:30 a.m., he’s still there.  Here comes the ball being hurled at my bathroom window to alarm me, scare me, etc. 

I want you to understand what this means:

He is going to the trouble of setting his alarm clock for 4:00 a.m., probably waking up his wife in the process, while he leaves his bed, to go outside and throw a ball against the side of my house, around my bathroom, where I am.  And, perhaps even peeking in.

Sometimes I get up at 4:30 a.m., which means that he is laying in wait for me at that time.  Which I will hear the loud thump against the wall of our house while I am in the toilet room. 

This is STALKING!

The fact that he does this to me means that his wife is o.k. with it. 

Otherwise, I would think she would intervene and try and stop him from harassing me.

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This is Vandalism, This is Property Damage

I Noticed This September 6, 2024:

The Damage Our Neighbor Has Done to Our Meters

I don’t come over to this side of our house that often.  But one day I did and I was really alarmed to see this.  This is obviously damage done through someone tampering with it.  So, prior to September 6, when I discovered it, how long has it been this way?

Can a Ball Do This Damage?  Or Did he use Something Else to do This?

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I Used Some String To Tie Them Back Together

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The Bathroom Window Facing Our Street

This is not the bathroom window he throws the ball at, but this window faces the street from our bathroom.  You can see the Plantation Shutters…

I placed a tablecloth over it because I always felt like there was someone peeking in at me early in the mornings through those slats.  Throughout the night and morning hours I have them closed but if you were to stand right outside you could probably see through the slats into the bathroom. 

Well, it turns out I was right, there WAS someone out there!

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Saturday Afternoon, Early February

I had gone shopping on this day.  I did hear the THUMP of the ball against the house early that morning.  I then climbed up on our bed and looked out the window between our houses and saw that orange and blue ball.

I’m taking the photo from our bedroom window of the space between our houses. 

That is where he lies in wait for me in the mornings.

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I wish that I had taken a photo of the ball when it was between our two houses.

When I got back from shopping I was telling Gordon about it while I was talking to him on the phone and I went over to that side of the house, picked up the ball, and threw it toward their front yard.  I’m not a great thrower, but here is where I threw it:

If you look closely you can see the orange and blue ball.

See the Ball Now?

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So, Why Does My Neighbor Hate Me So Much?

Well, I can only guess?

When I first realized what he was doing to me, I wondered if it was because I got up so early and perhaps my lights were shining into their bedroom disturbing them?  Or perhaps it was the fact that when Veronica or Brian would drop off Isabelle early in the morning that my dogs would bark, perhaps waking them up?  But then I quickly erased that because he is setting his alarm clock to get up early to harass me.  He isn’t harassing me in response to anything I am doing to him, he is harassing me for the sheer sake of it.  Not in response to anything.

So, If It’s Not My Lights, And it’s Not My Dogs, Then It Must Be…

MY POLITICS!

Although I have never talked politics with anyone in my neighborhood, I do wonder if perhaps my politics has been passed around the neighborhood as news?  It was back in 2008 when I placed my Obama yard sign on our lawn that the sabotage from my neighborhood began!  The day after I placed that sign in our yard, every neighbor around us suddenly set out their McCain/Palin signs.  Interesting.  The day I placed our sign in our front yard I was driving out of the neighborhood to do some shopping when I noticed Judy, who used to live across the street, walking on the sidewalk with her dog.  Instead of the nice happy smile and wave that I usually got, I just got this LOOK.  OH, I know that look very well!  It’s one that a hater gives you for not being like them.  I’m pretty sure Judy is the one that organized everyone placing McCain/Palin signs in their yards in their attempt to drown us out.

So Where Am I Going With This?

Judy and Michael sold their house, I believe in 2011 to a family that went to their church, our current neighbors across the street from us.  I like them.  I think they are nice neighborhood family.  But, I’m pretty sure the gossip got around that we were the “Evil Libruls” of the neighborhood.  Which the neighbors across the street might have mentioned to their fellow republican’s that live next door to us in the neighborhood.  Thus, making me a big target for the neighbor’s hate.  I’m not seen as a 64 year old woman that minds her own business, that keeps her granddaughter a few days a week, respects the neighbors privacy in the neighborhood, who doesn’t play loud music, who doesn’t have tons of people over thus blocking the street causing headaches, Oh NO!  I’m only seen as the “Evil Librul.”  (Even though they are the ones that wear the SIGN on their foreheads, if you know what I mean?)  Just sayin.’

The thing is that republican’s are very organized.  Oh, believe me when I say that my next door  neighbors truly lack the intellectual curiosity to look me up and read my website or my social media accounts on their own.  Oh no, they are on some list that is distributed by their leaders telling them who in their neighborhood is an “Evil Librul,” and who to hate and harass .  That makes more sense to me.

We do still have the Rule of Law in our country.  That hasn’t yet been eliminated.  And, I am a Paralegal by profession.  We’ll leave it there for now.  I’ll update as things happen.  It’s important to always document abuse.  You know, future lawsuits….  🙂

Julie

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New Entries Will Be Listed Here

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February, 2025

I would just like to add here that I am hearing the thump of the ball against the side of our house early in the morning many times this February 2025 month.

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March 11, 2025

I had a big day today.  Just lots of shopping in Tampa at the Air Force Base.  I had left the house around 11:00 a.m. this morning, exiting my street through the back way so that I didn’t have to drive in front of my neighbor’s house.  I am trying to do my best to not let him know when I come and go.  Anyway, at the end of the day when I was returning home at around 5:30 p.m., I debated driving in the back way where I wouldn’t have to drive in front of his house, but I then decided not to do that.  I had lots of food in the car and I needed to get home as quickly as possible, and not go out of my way to come in the back way just to try and avoid him.  As it was, it took me an hour and a half to get home due to all the traffic.

Well, he and his wife were outside in their front yard.  He was blowing leaves from the street with his blower.  She was sitting in a chair out front.  She did turn her head to look at me as I drove by.  She had no reaction.  He did use his left arm that was laying by his side to use his hand to ‘wave at me.’  It was a very sheepish wave.  He had his head down and was reluctantly acknowledging me.  I could see his embarrassment.  I had no reaction.  I just looked at them, and then pulled into my driveway and started to unload my car that was full of shopping.

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Bully’s

Joe Kee… from Sevierville, Tennessee taught me the psychology of Bully’s many years ago when I moved from Roanoke, Virginia to Sevierville, Tennessee in the 70’s.  I have even written about him in my past blog posts.  Joe Kee… sat next to me in homeroom for 3 years from 9th. – 11th. grade at Sevier County High School.  Joe was a bully.  But interestingly enough, whenever his entourage wasn’t around, he was quite nice to me.  I know that I would brace myself for the usual insults that I would receive most every morning from him.  But on those days where his friends weren’t around, nothing.  He taught me that bully’s are truly cowards.  Joe was nothing without his backup.  Just like my neighbor next door.  He is nothing without the cover of darkness.  I stared him down.  I’m not afraid of a chickenshit.  And that chickenshit, waved at me when I drove by.  Why?  Because he was exposed out in the sunlight where he couldn’t hide.  I’ve never seen such a sheepish wave in my life.  He’s scared of me.  Good!  🙂

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March 22, 2025

Buying Fence Material to Extend our Fence

Gordon came home from abroad and was here for a few weeks.  But months prior, we had decided that we wanted to extend our fence to the end of our house so as to protect me from our hot heated neighbor.  We were coming up with ways to protect me and our property from him.  By extending our fence, that would prevent him from throwing things against our house.  It would also prevent him from tampering with our property.

Gordon created a nice power point of how we wanted to extend our fence, and sent it along with the photographic evidence of the damage of our outside boxes, and a document of the abuse I was having to endure from our neighbors, to our HOA, (Home Owner’s Association.)  They then granted us the permission we needed to extend our fence.

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This is one of the presentations Gordon created for our HOA.

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Gordon Buying The Materials For Our Fence

Gordon had put up our existing fence on our property so this was no big deal for him to do the extension.

Gordon purchased our fence material from Home Depot and rented a truck from them as well in order to get the materials here to our home.

The Truck, and our Fence Material

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Bringing Everything Around To Our Backyard

(I wanted to add that Gordon can only come home for a certain amount of time each year from his working overseas.  It was quite sad that he had to spend a part of our time together extending our fence, because of our hot-headed neighbor’s abuse towards me.)

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Erecting Our Fence Extension

Gordon, along with our son-in-law Brian put up the fence extension.  We waited until Brian had a day off.  I kept Isabelle inside, while the guys erected the fence outside.  They did it all in one day!  And it is professional as hell!  As always!

This is the Space Between our House and our Neighbor’s

Most of the Property is Ours

Gordon and Brian Erecting the Fence

(With Isabelle visiting her Daddy.)  🙂

Above left, you can see that large bush that is our neighbor’s.  With our fence up, they only have about 1 foot of space between that bush and our fence.  🙂

Coming Together Nicely!

Me, Entering This Extra Privacy Space We Never Had Before

(I could sunbathe out here!)  🙂

The fence extension is up.  Gates locked.  Area contained.

I will be posting a photo of the finished results soon.

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April 3, 2025

What This Abuse From Our Neighbor Has Done To Me

Abuse always has a way of affecting us negatively.  There are many kinds of abuse.  I am only here to dictate what this abuse has done to me, and how it has affected me. 

I get up very early in the morning on those days that I keep my Granddaughter Isabelle.  On the days my daughter drops her off, I get up at 4:00 a.m..  On the days my son-in-law drops her off, I get up at 4:30 a.m.. 

Because of the abuse that I was having to endure from my neighbor I had moved most of my toiletries into our guest bathroom in the middle of the house so that I didn’t have to have that ball thrown at me when I was in mine and Gordon’s bathroom.  Also, I just didn’t feel safe and secure using our bathroom.  I didn’t feel safe in my own home.  The guest bathroom offered me more of a private sanctuary than I had using our own bathroom.  But, the thing is, I would shower at 4:00 or 4:30 a.m., with the lights off in the bathroom.  I didn’t feel comfortable turning the lights on and letting him know that I was in there.  So, I would get up, turn on the bathroom lights in our bathroom, and then shower in the guest bathroom with the lights off, hoping that he would then turn his attention towards the main bathroom, so that I could shower in peace in the guest bathroom.

Seems like a lot of trouble to go through in your own home just to have some peace.  Yet, that is my story.

Showering in another bathroom, in the dark…  Wow.  You would think you should be safe from abuse in your own home, wouldn’t you?

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I have more to tell you but it will have to wait.

Julie

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April 4, 2025

Our New Fence

For Every Action, There Is A Reaction

Here is a photo of our extended fence.  I took the photo today.  The fence is there to protect me and our house from anything our neighbor may decide to do.  The gates are locked.  If he does decide to throw something at the house, it just might get trapped inside the fence.  He would then have to hop over it to retrieve the item. 

That is when……

he Would Be Recorded on Camera… and the police would be called in.   🙂

That’s Right!  We have updated our security on our property.

(I should do something with that area.  Perhaps turn it into some sort of private garden, or a Julie Sanctuary.)

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His Action, Our Reaction

It was a few years ago when I was outside in our backyard, and our neighbors were outside in theirs, when I heard her say to her husband, ‘You know what C_____, sometimes you can be a real bastard.’

See, she knows who she is married to.

You know, we never would have even thought to extend our fence, or even go to the trouble of installing some high tech security system.  This is our Reaction, to his Actions. 

When you look at the space between our homes most of it is ours.  Our property.  Now all they have to look at is our fence on that side of their house.  It’s not our fault.  It’s his.  He is actually his own worst enemy.  Do they know that we extended our fence because of what he was doing to me?  I don’t know if they are capable of realizing that?  And if they are, does he regret what all he did to me?  Probably not.  His kind only regrets getting caught.  They never regret what they do.

Feeling Better,

Julie

p.s.  Is this now over?  That depends on our neighbors.  But, things are more secure here than they were.  🙂

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(Update:  October, 2025)

The Money We Have Spent To Protect Us and Our Property

(Always save your receipts.  You not only document the abuse, but you also document the cost you are spending to protect yourself from the abuser/s.)

I decided not to publicly post all of the costs we have spent so far.  You have to have some surprises in store.  🙂

I will say that you not only document the costs of things spent, you also document the milage on your car used in buying the materials you need.  Also include ‘Wear and Tear’ of the vehicle.  And don’t forget to include gas money.  Also, your time is worth something.  An example, back in March, 2025 Gordon had to take time out from his vacation here to erect that fence, etc.  

And lastly, always include your ‘Pain and Suffering.’

(I’ve recently come to find out that there were other neighbors that knew what was happening to me.  They even supported it.  I’ll write more about them below.)

KEEP THIS INFORMATION FOR YEARS TO COME!

Keep it in a very safe place.

The abuse may end for awhile, but when you are dealing with a Hot-Headed Narcissist, they don’t change.  They always come back at some point.  Remember that.

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April 5, 2025

Update on P. G. My Cyber-Stalker

Recently, Gordon and I came across a person who used to work for Microsoft.  We then mentioned our cyber-stalker who started out with Microsoft and all that he has done to us since.  This person then asked us what his name was?  We then told this person.  This person then looked downward in surprise, but then looked up at us and said, ‘I know him.’ 

This person left Microsoft in 2015, but said P. still worked there.  We figured as much.  When we would try and look P. up online we were always given bogus info on him.  Places of employment that he never worked at.  P. has been erasing himself from the web for years now.  But, he can’t erase former co-workers.  This former co-worker now knows all that P. has done to us.  This person also added that if P. is doing all that to us, he is most likely doing it to other people as well, and even stealing money.

I’ll leave it all right there.

Julie

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April 6, 2025

Adding A Little More Privacy

Gordon Putting Up More Bamboo Blinds on our Lanai

This side of our lanai is next to our neighbors and I wanted just a bit more security and privacy so Gordon hung these up along with one section.  I had him do both sides of this section to make it a bit more private.  We already had the blinds in our garage so the only cost here were on the hardware and some line to secure them in place.

In these photos everything is still covered up from winter.  Now it’s all been cleaned and spruced up for Spring.  I also like that I have a bit more privacy.

One More Privacy Project Coming….

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April 11, 2025

Still Not Comfortable Using My Own Bathroom

Even though we have done things to try and protect me from my neighbors I still don’t feel comfortable using my own master bathroom.  This is what abuse does to you.  It changes you.  It limits you.  It prohibits you from being the person you should be.  And sometimes it is very hard to overcome. I’m sure that I will eventually get back into my own master bathroom.  But, until then, I am using the guest bathroom because it offers me more safety and security and peace of mind.

Julie

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May 29, 2025

An Update Of My Nasty Neighbors

Through my cameras I can see my neighborhood, and my neighbors.  I’m really not one to spy.  Honestly!  I never really cared about those kinds of  things.  Those were the kinds of things my friends cared about.  ‘Hey Julie, come look at this!’  My friends always thought I was weird because I wasn’t as nosy as they were.

At first it was kind of fun and interesting to see my neighbors on the camera to come and go, walking their dogs in front of our house, etc.  I love seeing when a package arrives!  I have this big T.V. monitor that Gordon bought me so that I could keep track of everything.  It is to the left of me.  He is worried about me and wanted me to have some protection while he is away.  Our own home security system.  Sometimes it can be distracting with lots of activity that will catch my attention while I am online and cause me to look at the monitor.  Most of the time it’s pretty boring.  People setting out their trash cans, driving in and out of their driveways, etc.  .  I’ve even caught my neighbors across the street from me placing their trash bags into my can most every week under the cover of darkness because their can is full.  I find that funny.  If I were a man I doubt they would.  But, seeing as how I am a woman living alone they take advantage of that.  

However, it’s whenever I see my next door neighbors on the monitor, you know, the ones that have harassed me for so long, to have the audacity to walk by my house with their Labrador, that it just makes me sick to my stomach.  How dare they walk by my house as if they haven’t a care in the world after all that they have done to me?  That is the kind of people that they are.   The self-righteousness, the white privilege, the republicanism.  (It’s quite glaring actually.)

I still don’t use my bedroom and bathroom because of their harassment.  While Gordon is gone I sleep on the couch and use the guest bathroom.  They have literally chased me from an entire wing of our house.  I need my sleep.  I need my peace.  I am my Grand-Daughter’s main caregiver.  She needs a rested Tutu.  She needs a Tutu that is at peace in order to care for her.  I do my best.  But, I do long for the day my next door neighbors move away.

Julie

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October, 2025

Gordon Home For A Few Weeks

Installing More Blinds

We ordered these custom blinds earlier in the year when Gordon was here, but they didn’t arrive in time before he left to go back overseas. 

So he is just now able to install them.  

I wanted more privacy and security here because I do want to spend more time outside, especially now that our granddaughter is getting older, and the weather is becoming more cool, but I really don’t want to see their house, they make me very uncomfortable.  But now, I feel better.

I’d Like To Fix This Area Up Nicely, Make It A Bit Cozy

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Installing More Outside Cameras

Gordon, Ready to Crawl Through The Attic To Install The Cameras

We thought it would be a good idea to install more cameras.  Gordon and our son-in-law Brian recently installed them.  Our system has the capacity to house even more than we have so far.  Not just because of our neighbors, but because of what is to come in our country.  With our current political climate more people are loosing their jobs and being made to be poor.  Programs that used to assist them are being terminated.  They will be hungry.  Their children will be hungry.  No parent wants to see their children starve.  Crime will go up.  Why do you think so many of our current administrations cabinet have all moved onto military bases?  They know what’s coming.  And, they will be protected, but it will be up to us to protect ourselves.  I’ll leave it there for now.

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As For Our Hot-Headed Narcissist Neighbor, and His Codependent Supply Spouse….

..at Casa Del Labrador

There is no cure for a hot-headed narcissist, so therefore he will always be a hot-headed narcissist.  Men like him tend to go through life with run-in’s with the law.  And, it is usually ‘Life or the Law’ that brings them down in the end.  He will always need his ‘supply’ to support him and enable him.  Yet, Narcissists don’t seek validation from them.  (He sought it from other neighbors, I’ll get to them soon.)

Let Me Tell You What We Could Have Done, And Still Can, If Necessary

We could have called in the Police, Pressed Charges, taken out a Restraining Order against him, and he would have had to move out of his own house while we fight this out in court.

It is still an option.  We have what we need to do so.  However, I don’t believe in separating families.  Although if this continues I think I can get used to the idea pretty quickly.

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As for the Other Neighbors in our Hood that knew what the Narcissist was doing… 

(Be Our Guest)

Supporting him, enabling him, encouraging him, and even having a good laugh at my expense, well,

I’m really not surprised that this particular family was involved, both families are from the same kind of ilk, but it is disappointing.  I mean, at some point you either grow up, or you don’t.

Who thinks it’s funny to harass and abuse an old woman who most of the time throughout the year is alone, and who has never done anything to either family?  Only warped minds do.

No one I would ever want to know.

The narcissist next door has showed me exactly what kind of person he is.  But, he didn’t just show me, he showed the other neighbors that knew what he was doing, and they are o.k. with it.  One particular trait they both have in common is that they are sneaky people.  You can’t trust sneaky people.  They are sneaky for a reason.  

When you align yourself with someone that can do terrible things to people you don’t like, they can also do terrible things to you.  And that is exactly where we are right now in our own country.  Again, I’ll just leave it there.

I guess the BALL is in the Narcissist’s Court right now.  We’ll see what he does with it?

Julie

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January 30, 2026

Intimidation Tactics

You know, I wasn’t going to write anymore on any of this, unless it turned out to be really relevant, (I do have things documented elsewhere in more detail just in case), but I do believe that I should be writing about this and getting this all down on “paper,” so to speak for my readers.

Intimidation Tactics are a Form of Abuse

I not only do this for me and my records, I also do this for you so that you will understand and I hope that this will help my reader’s that are having to undergo forms of abuse from their neighbors on exactly why they do the things they do?  And know this, it is never about you.  It is always about them.  After all, we do what we do because it is in us to do it.  Period!

Even When You Don’t Bother People, It Bothers People

I do write about neighbors above that knew of the abuse from my nasty next door neighbors.  They were in on it actually.  I really hadn’t planned on talking about them anymore, but I believe that I should, you see he is a psychologist.  Funny, huh?  A “professional” who should know better.  I do wonder what kind of advice he must give his patients?  (If he even has any.) 

I can only imagine….  ‘Oh, if that person annoys you, then you should use your automobile to shine your bright lights into their house to annoy them.  Or better yet, throw things against their house at 4:00 in the morning just to scare the old woman, maybe you’ll get lucky and she’ll have a heart attack.  Yes!  Intimidation tactics work well on women who live alone.  Or better yet, park your vehicles so that they face her house, using a ‘show of force’ to let that bitch know who’s boss!’  Yeah.

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It was Tuesday morning when I was placing my mail into my mailbox that the neighbor I write about above, was taking his children to school.  I avoided looking at him.  I have nothing to say, or any reason to acknowledge that family.  When he returned home he backed his big red truck into his driveway, literally taking up the entire space.  No other car could have parked on either side of him.  I thought that was funny seeing as how he had nothing to unload in the back.  Instead of seeing a big bad red truck with a big man driving it, I saw a Puffer Fish.

(Oh, and know this, people that drive red vehicles are more likely to get traffic tickets.  He should know.  I looked him up, and he had to pay big traffic court costs in his past.  Yeah.  Actually, I discovered in my research that white men in his income bracket and political affiliation tend to rack up big court costs from traffic violations.  It makes sense really, they don’t like to follow rules and laws, but they expect everyone else to.  In other words Freud was right, it really does all boil down to THAT.)

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Inflating One’s Self

The Puffer Fish are small, and they puff themselves up to appear larger than they really are in order to scare others.  This is generally something that men tend to do more so than women.

My response:  ‘Look at the cute little puffer fish!  Aren’t you so cute!  Yes, you are a big, bad, boy!  Oh, I’m so scared!’  🙂

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Yeah…

He may be a psychologist, but I know psychology.

I’m sure there had to be a class on ‘The Smartest Person In The Room?’  The Axel Foley Affect?  No?

Well… that explains a lot.

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To Continue…

On Thursday I drove into the Air Force Base to do some much needed shopping.  I hadn’t been there in awhile.  I was getting low on all my supplies.  When I do go into Tampa I tend to stock up on everything.  Especially bulky items.  Shopping on the base is much cheaper than the local grocery stores.  

Thursday’s Shopping

I left the house around 10:00 a.m. and I got home around 3:30 p.m.  As I was unloading my full car, (as you can see), my neighbor was leaving to go and pick up his children from school.  When he got back, I was still unloading my full car.  As he was pulling into his driveway I was placing a few bags inside my garage.  When I walked out of the garage to unload some more, all I saw was a FLASH!  A blur!!  I saw what looked like a flowered blouse dash into his garage.  It wasn’t a cool Aloha Hawaiian Shirt, it looked more like he had raided his mother’s closet and chose an old Laura Ashely blouse to go with his baggy shorts and flip flops.  He was in his garage before his children even exited the truck.  What I saw was a chickenshit running inside his house to get away, to hide.  I did learn something that day.  They haven’t told their children about any of this because otherwise his children would have been a bit awkward.  They weren’t.  They were just being normal teens.  

I do know that when we were being harassed by Leisa, John and Ed, the Gray Haired Bullies in our neighborhood, because we were Obama supporters, that I did tell our children about it so that they would be aware and alert, as in looking out for nails in the driveway, etc.  (I wrote about The Gray Haired Bullies years ago.  They are all dead now.  But my blog exposed their harassment of us, just like this blog is exposing this harassment from these people.)  

The more they give me something to write about, the more I will!

Julie

P.S.  I would wait for them to grow up but I don’t have that kind of time!

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One thing I have learned from all of this is that I need to be more aware of what goes on in my neighborhood.  Prior to this abuse and harassment, and before we put up cameras, I never really cared about what went on outside my front door.  Oh, there were times when I saw a car parked out front that I would look out the window to see who it was?  Especially if it was at night.  After all, I have had a cyber-stalker for over 30 years.  He has hired people in the past to photograph me, our cars, and our house.   Also, seeing as how I do live alone I feel more of a need to be aware of my surroundings.  Gordon is still working overseas, he will be home soon and we have a lot planned while he will be here.  He is looking into coming back permanently.  He is living and working in a danger zone after all.  And I do fill him in on the neighbors, and the neighborhood so that he is aware of it all.

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Just Some More Observations….

I have noticed throughout my community that I live in that there are ‘For Sale’ signs that have been up for quite a while.  I can remember when houses like that were snatched up quickly.

My nasty neighbors next door to me have had what looks like a giant panty shield wrapped around their chimney for about 5-6 months now.  I got a letter in the mail from their “roofers” dated October 24, 2025, informing me that their roof would be going up in a few weeks.  That was months ago.  Looks to me like they don’t have the money to get it fixed.  You know, I could complain to the HOA who could then force them into getting it fixed, or fine them until they do?  After all, I asked for a backyard studio and they nixed that because they said the neighbors may not like looking at it from their homes.  Well, do you think I enjoy looking at a giant panty shield wrapped around their chimney?  See, I can actually do more to these people then just write about them…  🙂

I have also noticed that a particular woman in the neighborhood has gone back to work full time.  Guess they must need the money?  That is why you go back to work, isn’t it?  What?  Is the current Administration’s economy not working for them anymore?  Well, you deserve and get what you vote for.  But sadly, so do the rest of us that knew better, voted better, etc.  we also will be getting exactly what they deserve.

When you vote for the political party that does for the lowest in our society, then everyone above that line will be o.k.  However, when you vote for the party that does only for the wealthy?  Then no one below that line will be o.k.   Hence, where we are today.

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You know, I really do hope that this will be my last blog entry on this page. 

But it really isn’t up to me, now is it?

Julie

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February 10, 2026

Just An Update:

Looks like the nasty neighbors next door are finally getting a new roof.

Good, because I’m tired of staring at that Panty Shield from our bedroom window.

 

Guess they finally came up with the money.

Julie

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February 14, 2026

P.S.  It’s a Cheap Roof

The nasty neighbors new roof is up.  Cheap materials were used, (paper, not laminate.)  Which is originally why they have had a bad roof all along.

It was back in 2011 when this couple who used to live across the street from us, but now reside in Texas, got several neighbors in our neighborhood to all go into getting new roofs together.  It was going to make it much cheaper for all, with Michael and Judy’s roof being either free or at a huge discount.  (Right wingers are very good at networking.  This is yet another example of that.)

We were asked if we wanted to go into it, but we said no.  It just didn’t feel right.  Good thing that we didn’t because every single family in our neighborhood that did that, got really shoddy, cheap roofs.  Of course Judy and Michael quickly sold their house and moved away before the true damage was revealed.   Every single neighbor that went in on that con have always had problems with their roofs, even shortly after they were installed, either to have them redone, or patched here and there.

The nasty neighbors new, ugly roof will probably last a good 7 years if they are lucky?  Perhaps they went the cheap root because they will be selling their house and moving soon?  🙂

One can hope!

However, realistically, worse can always move in.  But there is just something about that house that attracts the worst kind of human beings.  We have been here for 3 families that have lived in it.  None of them were ever worth knowing.

Julie

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May 14, 2026

Hoping This Will Be My Last Post Here

I think I will be taking down this website page from the Homepage.

Oh, it will still be on my website, just perhaps not on the front page.  You can still access it by saving the link into your Favorites, or using the Search button on my website.  I would much rather be blogging about recipes and gardening than a neighborhood asshole.

Some Advice As I Move On

First of all, moving on isn’t as easy as it seems like it would be.  I do sleep in the master bedroom now, only because my husband is back home from working overseas and I feel a little bit safer.  But, I still will not use our master bathroom.  I shower and do my skincare in the guest bathroom where I feel more comfortable.  I do blow dry my hair in the mornings in our main bathroom, but I am dressed and I don’t feel as vulnerable.  And I do my hair and make up in our master bathroom, but only when it is light outside.  I will not use the toilet in the master bathroom because I just don’t feel safe and comfortable whether it be day or night.  If I have to get up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom, I walk all the way to the guest bathroom.  A long way to walk, but that is what abuse does to you.  It changes you.  This is why people are awarded money for pain and suffering.

Turn Your Log Over To The Police

Everything that you have been recording whether it be your typed or written log documenting the harassment and abuse, or the video/audio evidence that you have collected, or the photographic evidence you have collected, can be turned over to the police.  Make 3 copies of everything!  Keep one for yourself in a very safe place, give one to someone you trust for them to keep in a very safe place for you, and give the police the 3rd. copy of everything. 

You don’t have to file charges against the person that is harassing you, you are turning over your documentation that will be kept in your record for any future problems that may emerge with that person.  In which case, all you have to do is alert the police that you are filing charges, and then you go from there.  They already have your documentation on file.

If you are someone who retains an attorney on a regular basis, then make sure the attorney has everything, along with all of your receipts.  Also, document how this abuse has affected your life and relationships.  Have family members to add to the documentation as well.  Everything you can contribute will help your case.

Most likely my hot-headed neighbor will be getting into more trouble in the future.  Perhaps not with us, but with other people.  That is who he is.  If he can do this to me, a woman in her 60’s that he thought was all alone, then imagine what else he can do to other people or animals? 

Cowards prey on the most vulnerable.  Which reminds me of that hot-head from Washington State that threw that big rock at Lani, the endangered Hawaiian Monk Seal in Maui.  There are only about 1600 of them left.  The Hawaiian people were rightly upset about it.  As we would be here in Florida if that hot-head had thrown some big rock at one of our Manatees.  It’s white privilege that motivates these kinds of people into doing such terrible things to other human beings and/or animals.

Karma Catches Up To Us ALL!

If you are in a situation where it looks like your abuser is getting away with it, I assure that you he isn’t.

My definition of Karma is something we do to ourselves.  I don’t believe it is some punishment from above, I believe it is life catching up to us.  If we keep doing ‘that thing’ that we are not supposed to do eventually ‘that thing’ will be our undoing.  The thing is that most people don’t stop doing ‘that thing’ unless they are made to.  And, they eventually get caught in ‘that thing’ because they never stop doing ‘that thing.’  Why don’t they stop?  Because they keep getting away with it so they figure they always will get away with it.  Let’s ask Bill Cosby about Karma.  Or O.J. Simpson, just to name a few.

I’ll give you an example. 

If someone shoplifts every day for 5 years and gets away with it, if they don’t stop then eventually they will get caught.  Either technology will catch up to them, security cameras will see them, or they will be witnessed by someone, or someone taking selfie’s might capture their stealing in the photograph on their phones.

But, if that person stops right now, they will most likely get away with everything they have stolen thus far.  However, that’s not how most humans react.  That’s not how most humans think.  They keep stealing because they’ve gotten away with it so far.  They also get sloppy.  Their arrogance gives them this sense of superiority, that is when they get caught.

You don’t have to take any revenge, they end up destroying themselves in the end.

 

The End,

Julie

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One More Thing:

It has been updated that the Hawaiian Monk Seal that was hit by that horrible Washington State man when he threw that huge rock, was not Lani.  NOAA has determined that it was a male Monk Seal that he hit.  I just wanted to clarify that.  I also wanted to state that the man is being charged with Harassment.  That is one of the charges.

I don’t think that most men understand what harassment is?  How is my nasty neighbor throwing things at my house doesn’t understand that is harassment?  Just like the man from Washington State.  Perhaps men should attend classes on being respectful?  It would also benefit them.  Otherwise they will just end up in prison eventually for their actions and behaviors.

 

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June, 2026

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

UPDATES COMING 

STAY TUNED!

 

 

 

 

 

Typing with Julie in 1965, (I mean Blogging with Julie in 2025)  Dear Diary…

Typing with Julie in 1965, (I mean Blogging with Julie in 2025) Dear Diary…

        Dear Dairy… Olive Films (I just liked the logo.) Today I rearranged the cans in the pantry and dusted them off while wearing my new full skirt I sewed last week for the church picnic, and the pearls that my husband 

When Only A Salad Will Do

When Only A Salad Will Do

      Many years ago Kiwi Chef Leilani Wolfenden and her then husband Aussie Tomas Stanislovski came to Florida to visit us.  Leilani was the daughter of our good friends from New Zealand, Trish and Bob.  They stayed with us,we took them to all 

Julie Italian

Julie Italian

 

 

Ciao e Benvenuto

(Starting this in 2024)

Although Gordon and I have many Italian website pages full of recipes and ideas, I wanted to start this page just for me.  With Gordon working overseas, he is not here to co-contribute along beside me, so it’s really just me now.  Oh, he does come home for visits, and we do talk and collaborate most everyday on the phone, but sometimes it’s just me and my ideas.  Most of the website have been my ideas, Gordon is just the excellent partner that I need to bring these ideas to fruition.  He can figure out how to make my ideas work.  He will think of things that I don’t.  And, I will think of things that he doesn’t.  We really are great partners whether it be working on the website, or in our married lives.

Italian Ingredients Are Beautiful and Colorful

I would like to state that I am not Italian.  Nor do I wish to be.  But, I do love the foods and the ideas that come with the foods the Italian people create.  The Italian people are also very inspiring in their technique and food ingredients.  There is so much history there.  We here in America do not have the long history that other countries and cultures have.  Our country is relatively new.  But, we do have the uniqueness of a blending of so many cultures of people that have migrated over here from other countries.  Some, looking for a better life.  But, always bringing with them their foods, recipes and spices from their homelands.

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With this blending of foods from other countries, many of us are inspired to create our own recipes using the ideas and ingredients that are brought over here.  Whether they are brought through Ellis Island, crossing the border on foot, arriving via airport, or discovering creative people through the Internet, it’s all very inspiring!

My Rome Handbook from my college days.  I save everything!

I was born in Rome.

(O.K., it was Rome, Georgia, but still.  Just think, I could have just left it at that and even passed a polygraph.)  🙂

I hope to add more to this page as I go.  I hope you will enjoy reading as much as I enjoyed creating.

Grazie,

Julie (Barefoot)

I Call This Area My Little Outdoor Italy

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Italian Herb Project

I Adore my Italian Herbs!

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Here is a Project Where I Planted Flat Leaf Parsley, Basil, and Oregano in the same pot.

Purple Basil

To Me This Is Italy In A Pot

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Our Creative Kitchen

Although I’m sure that “experts” will trash our kitchen as being too cluttered, or non-functional.  I will actually agree with them.  However, this cluttered, non-functional, tacky kitchen reflects our personalities perfectly!

So, Moving On…..

Rolling Up My Sleeves Ready To Get Started

These Small Jars ARE My Inspiration!

Cucina & Amore

Bruschetta’s and Pesto’s

I Love Creating a Great Pizza

It popped into my head one night to use these great Bruschetta’s and Pesto’s on a pizza.  I could even picture dolloping them in round circles all over a pizza crust, and then adding more great ingredients on top of them.

Here is the completed pizza.  The recipe is below.  It was truly delicious! 

Which is why I wanted to share it with you.

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This is a Keeper!

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So, who is ready to join me in my cluttered and tacky kitchen?

Hey, some great meals have been created in this kitchen. 

It’s all about the heart, and there is plenty of heart here.  (And a few mermaid tails.)  🙂

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Pasta Bowls

It was one night that I wanted something Pasta for dinner.  I had all these great ingredients, and some beautiful Basil, except I didn’t want a lot to eat.  I thought that I would just put everything into a bowl and not all over a plate.  (I view eating off plates as being a lot of food.  But, I view eating in bowls as being smaller in portions.)  It was then that my Pasta Bowls idea was born.  It just sort of evolved as I put it together.

I Wanted My Pasta Bowl to Look a Bit Asian

My Basil Pasta Spaghetti Noodles, Marinated Artichoke Hearts, Red Pepper and Artichoke Bruschetta, and lots of grated Parmesan Cheese. 

And my beautiful Basil!

See that open packet to the right of the photo above?  That is an excellent pasta base. 

I found it at Sprouts.  It’s called Simply Organic Sweet Basil Pesto Sauce Mix.

I simply followed the packet instructions and added my Spaghetti Pasta.  You can see it in the photos below.

In this photo I am just simply warming my Marinated Artichoke Hearts on a low heat.

Now It’s Time To Create Your Pasta Bowl

I do think this would be a very fun meal for a large group of people.  They can create their very own Pasta Bowls. 

Just set out a spread of ideas and let the party begin!

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My Spaghetti Omelet

(Recipe Down Below)

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Roasted Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms and Broccolini

(Recipe Down Below)

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My Italian Baked Potato

Also Topped with my Roasted Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms and Broccolini

(Recipe Down Below)

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Italian Roasted Potatoes with Red Onion and Garlic

I love a colorful medley of potatoes.  It’s a nice, easy side dish to add to any meal.

All you need are the potatoes, some onion and garlic, along with some very enticing Italian spices from your pantry.

Along with a good dose of Olive Oil.

(Recipe Down Below)

The Italian Potatoes Served with an easy Salad and a grocery store bought Rotisserie Chicken.

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My Spaghetti Pie Creation

This was a lot of fun to make, and delicious to eat!

This was pretty much inspired by my Spaghetti Omelet. 

After I made that, I then wanted to make a Spaghetti Pie.

I wanted to use my leftover Pastas that I had in the pantry.

  And figured that they would work well here. 

I figured that I could ‘disappear’ the different shapes into a pie with the other ingredients. 

Turned out that it did work well together.

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Loving The Leftovers

Great With A Salad

Or Heated Up and Placed Into A Sloppy Joe

Below I Added Some Some Italian Mustard and Some Italian Cheeses

(Recipes Down Below)

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My Italian Goulash

I don’t know if there is such a thing as an Italian Goulash, but that is what I made here.  

I have made several Goulash’s in my time, the origin is from Hungary. 

This is my take on a Hungarian Goulash except with Italian Ingredients, and a few traditional Hungarian ingredients as well.

(Recipe Down Below)

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1930’s Irish-Italian Spaghetti

(Recipe Down Below)

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Goat Cheese, Roasted Garlic, and Olive Dip

(Recipe Down Below)

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Roasting Some Tomatoes…

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To Pack In Extra Virgin Olive Oil

(Recipe Down Below)

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Quick and Easy Naan Pizza w/ my Roasted Tomatoes in EVOO

This is pretty much just a suggestion as something to have with the Roasted Tomatoes above.

(Recipe Down Below)

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Recipes Start Here

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Funny, But I Don’t Even Know What To Call It?

Well, How About, Julie’s Inspirational Pizza?  🙂

Tastes Good To ME!

Just an FYI:  I Happen to be Wearing Shorts  🙂

I can just hear my children now, ‘OMG!  Mom’s on the internet with no pants on!’

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The Ingredients:

Mama Mary’s Original Pizza Crusts (Pack of 2)

The Exceptional Cucina &Amore Bruschetta’s and Pesto’s:

Pesto Alla Genovese (Basil)

Pesto Alla Firenze (Artichoke Lemon)

Bruschetta (Sun-Dried Tomatoes)

Bruschetta (Red Pepper and Artichoke)

Grape Tomatoes, Sliced in Half (As many as you like.)

1-2 Jars, Marinated Artichoke Hearts, Drained

Fresh Mozzarella, Sliced

(Pictured in the ingredients are some marinated mozzarella balls.  They would have been great here, but I omitted them from this recipe as I thought there was just too much olive oil from the Pesto’s and Bruschetta’s.)

Shallots, Chopped into Rings

Fresh Basil Leaves

Proscuitto, Italian Ham

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Before I Assemble the Pizza….

I Need To Start Chopping Everything

The Grape Tomatoes, and the Shallots…

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Before I wanted to assemble the pizza’s with all the delicious ingredients, I wanted to bake them for a few minutes first on a 350F oven.  You first want to use the Olive Oil Pam Spray on the Pizza Pan so the Pizza Crust doesn’t stick.

Just for a few minutes.  Perhaps 3-4.  Then remove from the oven and set aside.

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With My Pizza Crust Out Of The Oven…

It’s Time To Start Dolloping These Tastes All Over!

I specifically wanted the pizza to have these circle dollops all over it.

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Now It’s Time For The Mozzarella Slices…

Then the Sliced Grape Tomatoes…

And Finally, the Sliced Shallots

Also, I brushed some of the Basil Pesto all over the PIZZA BONE.  🙂

  (That’s the outside of the Pizza.)

Beautiful and Perfect!

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Time For The Oven

I Placed The Pizza Into a 350F Oven For About 12 Minutes

While It’s Cooking…..

What a Delicious Messy Kitchen!

Waiting On My Pizza…

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Prosciutto, Italian Ham

With My Pizza Out Of The Oven…

I Wanted To Place Some Prosciutto On Top

Also, Some Fresh Basil Leaves

You Can Always Add A Grinding Of Fresh Black Pepper As Well

I ended up making 2 pizza’s.  One for me, and one for Veronica and Brian.  They loved their pizza as well.  🙂

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My Spaghetti Omelet

Topped With Fried Chorizo and Fresh Parsley in a Basil Pesto Sauce w/ Shredded Parmesan

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Frying Some Chorizo on the Stove Top

I just want it to be a bit crispy.

Ingredients For My Omelet:

Chorizo Slices for Topping

1 Package Brown Rice Pasta (16 oz.)

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13 Eggs, Beaten

5-6 T. Butter

Bunch of Fresh Parsley (Also for Garnish and separate sauce.)

1 t. Chopped Calabrian Peppers (This is HOT!)

8 oz. block (or less) Parmesan Cheese (Grated)

Jar of Prego Basil Pesto Sauce

Hawaiian Sea Salt (or any salt you desire) To taste.

White Pepper (To taste)

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Make Sure Your Parsley Has Been Washed

Ingredients at the Ready

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In a small sauce pan I am heating up some of the Prego Basil Pesto Sauce on the stove top. 

I just want it to warm up and thicken up on a low setting.

With my Chorizo finished frying, I set it aside.

Also, reserve the skillet as this is what we will be cooking the Omelet in.

Now I am Cooking the Spaghetti Pasta

You Want To Cook The Spaghetti Pasta Until Al Dente

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With My Prego Basil Pesto Sauce Thickening, I’m Adding Some Fresh Parsley

I will just keep this on low until I’m ready for it.

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When the Spaghetti Pasta is Al Dente I drained it into a Colander, and then transferred it to a large mixing bowl.

Now I am adding about 3-4 T. butter and a handful of Fresh Parsley.

I then grated just about all of that block of Parmesan Cheese you see in the photo above left.

Now, mix it all together so that your butter is melted, and the other ingredients combined well.

 

Salt and Pepper

In another large bowl add all of your Eggs.  I initially started out with 8 but decided that I needed more.  Hence, 13!

I also added some salt and pepper to taste.

Now whisk the Eggs together thoroughly.

Now Pour the Eggs into Your Spaghetti Mixture

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Now you can grate some more Parmesan into the mixture.

Add a small teaspoon of the Calabrian Peppers….

(You might want to taste this as it is very HOT!)

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It’s time to melt about 2 Tablespoons of Butter into your skillet on a medium heat.

Pour the Omelet mixture into the skillet and place into a350F Oven for about 25 minutes.  I covered the skillet in Aluminum Foil to prevent any burning.

When I thought it was mostly done I then removed the Aluminum Foil so that it could brown a bit.  Cooking it an additional 5 minutes or so.  Insert a toothpick or wooden skewer into the Omelet to make sure it is done.  When it comes out clean then you know it is ready.

Also, ovens vary in temperature and what may take my oven 25 minutes, may take your oven 35 minutes.  So, be sure to monitor it.

When it came out of the oven I topped it with the Fried Chorizo.

It Looks Beautiful Plated and with some Fresh Parsley and Basil

Although for Aesthetic reasons that  Basil Pesto and Parsley Topping with the Shredded Parmesan Cheese may seem unnecessary, it did add to the taste nicely.

Slice and Serve

Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch, Dinner…  it goes with all!

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Irish-Italian Spaghetti

Because this recipe originated from the 1930’s, I imagine that it was created by an Irish-Italian family, probably living in New York City at the time.  I imagine the family living in an immigrant neighborhood, surrounded by laughter, hard work, lots of wonderful smells wafting throughout the building, and inventive creativity by the residents.  After all, this is a collaboration of two wonderful cultures.

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I Did Embellish The Original Recipe

The Ingredients:

1 lb. Ground Turkey

1 lb. Ground Sausage

1 Large Sweet Onion, Chopped

(Olive Oil for Sauteing Onions)

2, 10.75 oz. Cans of Tomato Soup

2, 10.75 oz. Cream of Mushroom Soup

1 t. Chili Powder

1/4 t. Cayenne Pepper

1/4 t. Turmeric

Freshly Ground Black Pepper to Taste

Tabasco Sauce (As many dashes as you desire)

2 lb. Spaghetti Pasta

Cheeses:

I have 3 here.  A Shaved Parmesan

An Aged Irish Cheddar

And An Aged Italian Cheddar

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Ready To Get Started

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The first thing that I did was to chop the onion into a small dice.

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Campbell’s Soups

It makes perfect sense to me that these two soups would be included in this vintage recipe.  This soup was a staple in every kitchen here in America. 

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I added some Olive Oil to a saucepan to saute the onions.

I combined the Ground Turkey and the Ground Sausage into my wok to brown.

I prefer to cook my Onions separately from the meats.

The Screen is for Draining the Fat into the Sink

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When Both Are Done….

 

..Combine

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Now It’s Time To Add The Soups

Combine, And Simmer on a Low Heat

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Time To Add The Spices

(You can add as much or as little as you like with any of them.  I know that my daughter doesn’t like spicy foods.)

I Eyeballed The Turmeric

It doesn’t change the taste of your food, and it is a cancer cell killer.  So, eat up!

Simmering Away on Low

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Time To Grate My Cheeses…

Now, to Boil The Pasta

(Just cook according to package directions.)

When Ready, Drain Into A Colander

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Time To Plate

Add Some Fresh Basil

I Keep The Cheese Separate

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For Something Extra…

Gordon and I happen to love these Plant Based Meatballs.  A nice addition.

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Don’t Forget Some Nice Bread To Go Along…

Store in the refrigerator for some great meals for the coming week.

Godere,

Julie

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Goat Cheese, Roasted Garlic, and Olive Dip

The First Ingredient:

Roasted Garlic

The first thing you want to do is to roast your garlic cloves. 

I know that I have this particular recipe listed all over this website many times, as it is a favorite, but I will once again give the directions as they apply here.

Before Roasting left, After Roasting right

I’m using two small baking dishes here in order to roast all the Garlic Cloves that I need.

I’m simply placing the cloves into the baking dishes and then placing pats of butter on top.  You can see how many I am using in each baking dish in the phots above left.

You then want to cover the baking dish with Aluminum Foil.

Turn your oven on to 400F.

When the oven comes up to temperature, place your baking dishes into the oven.  I set the timer for 20 minutes to start.

I want to check and make sure that I have enough butter in each dish.  I also want to use a utensil to help me stir the garlic and butter around in the dish to make sure everything is covered.  Sometimes I have had to add more butter.  Do so if needed.

I then place the dishes back into the oven for an additional 20 minutes.  I then take them out just to stir them around a bit, and then place the baking dishes back into the oven for the last and remaining 10 minutes of cooking time.

When done I remove the garlic from the oven and set aside to cool.

  (Usually snacking on the caramelized garlic with a spare baguette.)

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You can see the Roasted Garlic Cloves cooling in the photo, top.  🙂

Gathering My Other Ingredients:

~40 Roasted Garlic cloves
1 Stick of butter or about 8 Tbsp.

(You’ve already done this from above.)

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½ Cup Asiago Cheese
½ Cup Parmesan Cheese
4 – 10.5 oz. Goat Cheese – 2 Garlic and 2 Plain
1 Tbsp. Dried Thyme
1 Cup Ricotta Cheese
½ Cup Milk
Garnish with Stuffed Olives and Fresh Thyme Sprigs

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I drizzled a little bit of Extra Virgin Olive Oil into each of my baking dishes the dip will be in.

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I placed my Goat Cheese into a mixing bowl, and then grated some Asiago and Parmesan Cheese into the bowl as well.

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Now to add my Milk and as many Roasted Garlic Cloves as I so desire. 

Trust me, they will be DIVINE!

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Next Add The Remaining Ingredients and Mix Together

It’s time to top the mixture with Olives, any you desire.  Just make sure they are pitted.

Bake in a 400F Oven for 35-40 minutes.

You can check the casserole dishes half way through and cover with foil if you so desire. 

You do want the dip to brown a bit though.

Serve Warm with a Toasted Baguette

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Roasting Tomatoes in the Oven

Although Some Are Charred, They Are Still Delicious

Plainly Packed In Extra Virgin Olive Oil

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Click Here For:  Edible Gifts Italian, Greek, Irish

We have roasted Tomatoes before.  Just click on the link above for more information on how to.

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For This Recipe All You Need Are Lots Of Tomatoes, And Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Wash Your Tomatoes

Roma Tomatoes Work Best Here,

Although I used a combination of both.

Slice The Tomatoes As Thick, Or As Thin As You Like

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Baking Sheet Pans and Parchment Paper

Depending on how thin you slice your tomatoes, it will determine whether your oven should be on 250F, or 300F.

If you slice them thin, I would place them in a 250F oven.  If you slice them thicker, I would place them in a 300F oven.

Once the Tomatoes are Sliced, Place them on Parchment Paper on the Temperature that you Desire, for About 2 Hours.

I sliced mine mostly thin, but some a bit thicker.  Hence, the dark red as opposed to the bright red in color.

I then flipped them over and placed back into the oven for 30 minutes.

I only needed 1 jar for this food project.

I am allowing them to cool, and then packing them into the jar.

Pour the Extra Virgin Olive Oil in the jar to cover the Tomatoes.

Place the jar into the refrigerator.

Here is an excellent recipe you can eat them on…..

Quick and Easy Naan Pizza w/ my Roasted Tomatoes in EVOO….

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Cont…..

We have made several NAAN Pizza’s through the years, and they will always be a favorite weeknight dinner.  I am adding this recipe here to use as an example for you of how you can eat your Roasted Tomatoes in Olive Oil that you just made above.  🙂

Topped with our Fresh Purple Basil

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Toasting Pine Nuts

I LOVE Toasted Pine Nuts!  I love them on NAAN Pizza’s, and I love them on Salad’s.

You just want to place the Pine Nuts in a sauce pan on a medium heat. 

As they cook they will turn a nice brown color. 

Keep stirring them so they don’t burn. 

 The toasting will bring out their flavor.

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Ingredients:

NAAN

Hummus, (Any you desire.  I’m using a plain Hummus here.)

Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

A Few Balls of Mozzarella, Marinated

A Few Shakes of Dried Italian Herbs and Spices

A Shake or Two of Garlic Salt

My Roasted Tomatoes in Olive Oil

Toasted Pine Nuts

Fresh Purple Basil

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Turn Your Oven On 350F

You want to place your NAAN onto the oven rack for about 4-5 minutes on one side to toast.

Then remove from the oven and place onto an Aluminum Foil lined baking sheet, flipped the opposite side you toasted.

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Now it’s time to spread some Hummus over each NAAN.

Sprinkle some Italian Herbs and Garlic Salt over top.

Then Add Your Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Now You Want to Add Your Roasted Tomatoes Packed in Olive Oil

Like So….

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Now For The Marinated Mozzarella Balls….. add them around.

Sprinkle with the Toasted Pine Nuts…. then….

Bake in a 350F Oven for about 10-14 Minutes 

Comes out looking delicious, just like this!

Top with Fresh Purple Basil

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Roasted Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms and Broccolini

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This recipe idea came to be simply because I had not used the Portabella Mushrooms or the Broccolini and I knew they would be going bad soon.

  I didn’t know what to do with them so I roasted them.  

I placed the cleaned Mushrooms and Broccolini onto a Baking Sheet and drizzled some Extra Virgin Olive Oil over top. 

I also sprinkled some Italian Herb Seasonings, and some Bread Crumbs.  Also, a pinch of Salt

I then massaged the Olive Oil into the vegetables and….

placed them into a 400F oven for about 20 minutes.

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This is after 20 minutes in the oven.

I then removed the Broccolini, and flipped the Mushrooms over….

so that they looked like this.

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I then simply added the same spices that I had used in the roasting process, to add to the cavity of each Mushroom.

I added the Bread Crumbs, the Italian Spices, and a big dose of the Shredded Parmesan Cheese.

I then placed them back into the 400F oven for about 8 – 10 minutes.

They Came Out Looking Wonderful, and Tasting Delicious!

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My Italian Baked Potato

With Butter, Salt, Pepper, and Italian Herbs

Then Topped With Shredded Parmesan Cheese, and then Topped With Leftover Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms and Roasted Broccolini

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The How To

I think we have all cooked a Baked Potato before. 

The only difference here is that I will be adding ingredients to the outside of the potato before baking it.

Put a slice all the way down the potato, about 1/4 way deep.

Now sprinkle some Water all around the Potato that is sitting on the foil.

I did that in the photo, right.  It is difficult to see though.

Now Add Your Salt, (a pinch or two), and some Pepper, (I used a White Pepper),  and a generous amount of Italian Dried Herbs…

Next Add About 2 Pats of Butter to the Potato…

Now Seal the Potato up with Aluminum Foil

(You might want to place it in some kind of tin just in case the water or butter leak out while cooking.)

The Potato was Baked in a 400F Oven for an Hour

Once the Potato is done, place it into a bowl, mash it a bit, add some butter, salt and pepper….

Top With Some Parmesan Cheese and Fresh Herbs

EAT THE SKIN!  (It’s good for you!)

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My Spaghetti Pie Creation

This recipe was born out of my need for a Sausage, Pasta, and Tomato Sauce with Olives for dinner. 

I just wanted to rework Italian into something creative that I knew I would love. 

 I also had some leftover Pasta I wanted to use up.

I have to say that this was so good! 

The only regret that I had was that I didn’t brush the Lasagna Noodles with an Olive Oil before I baked it. 

I think that would be made it even more perfect.  🙂

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This is a “To Taste” Recipe

Meaning, you will make this to YOUR Tastes where amounts are concerned.

(Ignore the Mozzarella Cheese you see pictured here.  I didn’t use any of it.)

Ingredients:

Spaghetti and Lasagna Noodles (About 16 oz. Spaghetti Noodles, and about 6 Lasagna Noodles)

Extra Virgin Olive Oil, to taste

1 lb. HOT Italian Sausage

2, 14.5 Ounce Cans Petite Diced Tomatoes

Cottage Cheese (As much as you like)

1 Medium Onion, Chopped

2 Eggs

2 T. Butter

Roasted Garlic Cloves, to taste, I used about 10

Most of a Block of Parmesan Cheese, Grated

5 oz. Container of Shaved Parmesan Cheese

1 t. Dried Oregano

1/2 t. Fennel Seeds

(My Roasted Olives) Recipe down below

Bunch of Fresh Parsley

Pam Olive Oil Cooking Spray

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——————————————————————————————–

We eat a lot of this Sausage whether it be HOT or MILD. 

Sometimes we even combine the two.

——————————————————————————————-

Chopping Our Onion

Cooking Our Sausage in a WOK on a Medium-High Heat

(I love using a WOK to cook in.

  I find that I do much better when I use a WOK as opposed to a Sause Pan. 

I think the heat is better distributed in a Wok.

Break up the Sausage with your spoon and cook thoroughly, then add your Chopped Onions.

I added about a drizzle of Olive Oil to my Sausage and Onion Mixture. 

I then added several Roasted Garlic Cloves, about 10 or so. and 1/2 t. Fennel Seeds.

Stir to Combine, you can Crush the Roasted Garlic Cloves with your Spoon

Now It’s Time To Add Our Cans Of Tomatoes and 1 t. Dried Oregano

Stir to Combine

At this point you have turned your Stove Top down to a Low to allow it to simmer and thicken up.

You want to stir occasionally.

———————————————————————————————–

My Roasted Olives

I had these leftover in the refrigerator and wanted to use them here.

  I just picked out about 20 of them to use in the recipe.

—————————————————————————————————-

Here is My Roasted Olive Recipe:

The Spaghetti Pie recipe will resume after this one.  Just keep reading.

———————————————————————————–

RECIPE

My Curry Leaf Roasted Olives, Garlic and Sundried Tomatoes

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Our Front Yard Curry Plant

Draining My Olives and Washing My Curry Leaf Branches

(I can’t believe that I have no photos of my Olives that I used here in the jars they came in. 

However, I will do my best to name them in the ingredient write-up.)

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Ingredients:  Amounts Are Up To You

Assortment of Olives, preferably Pitted

I used Kalamata Olives, Moroccan Olives, Italian Castelvetrano Olives, and large Stuffed Olives

Sundried Tomatoes

3 Branches of our Curry Leaves

Fresh Garlic Cloves

Roasted Garlic Cloves

Key Limes

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Spices:

Oregano

Dill Weed

Dill Seed

Basil

Olive Oil

——————————————————————————-

——————————————————————————-

My Roasted Garlic, Left, and Fresh Garlic Cloves, Right

(Each one adds a different flavor.)

Turn Your Oven on 400F

Line a Baking Sheet with Aluminum Foil and create a sort of “bowl” to be able to hold all the Olive mixture so they don’t expand all over the baking sheet.

In a Medium to Large Bowl I Added All My Drained Olives and some Fresh Garlic Cloves, as well as some Roasted Garlic Cloves.

I Chopped My Sundried Tomatoes into Smaller Pieces

(I love this brand of Sundried Tomatoes, I snack on them all the time.)

Add Everything To Your Bowl

Time To Add Your Spices,

And Key Lime (or Lime) Juice

(You don’t want your bowl full of olives, etc. all wet.  You want everything to mix together nicely and not have some puddle in the bottom of the bowl.  This should give you an idea of how much Lime Juice to add.)

Mix Everything Together and then Drizzle Your Olive Oil Over Top

This is a really good Olive Oil.  By all means, stock up on it.  You will use it quite often.  It is one of the best.

(I tend to always add more, so just drizzle enough to combine everything together.  You can always add more later on.)

——————————————————————————-

Now It’s Time To Place Them on the Baking Sheet

I Placed One Curry Branch Down First,

Then I Poured The Bowl of Olives Over Top

I Also Drizzled More Olive Oil Over Them to Make Sure They Were All Coated Well

Into The Oven They Go For 20 Minutes

Here I removed them and stirred them around a bit. 

Just to make sure they weren’t sticking to the Aluminum Foil, and to make sure they were coated well in the Olive Oil.

I Also Added More Spices… just a few Shakes of This and That

Then Placed Them Back into the Oven for Additional 20 Minutes

Curry Leaves Should Have Been Blacker

(I would have loved for my leaves to have been more Charred, as they eat them overseas, but I didn’t want my Olives, etc. to be more done than they were.)

After a Total of 40 – 50 Minutes in the Oven….

Allow To Cool…

Then Place Into a Bowl and Add Some Fresh Curry Leaves Around

Keep in the Refrigerator

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Back to Our Spaghetti Pie Recipe….

As you can see, my sausage mixture is thickening up nicely. 

I’m keeping it on a very low heat.

Time to Add My Olives

(I picked out several different varieties here.  Not to mention all the good stuff that is “stuck” to them from the jar.  It just adds more flavor.)

I’m keeping this on Low for now.

——————————————————————————————————————

Now It’s Time To Cook The Pastas

I’m cooking the leftovers of about 3 different Spaghetti Pastas here.

Cook to Al Dente.  Just follow the package directions.

————————————————————————————————–

Grating the Block of Parmesan Cheese

(I don’t think I grated the entire block, but I did grate most of it.)

—————————————————————————————

Boiling the Pastas

Spaghetti Pasta left, Lasagna Pasta back right

———————————————————————————————–

When my Spaghetti Pasta was Al Dente, I placed it into a different Wok, and while still hot I added 2 T. of Butter.

Saving the Pasta Water left, just in case.  Lasagna Noodles cooking, photo right.

With Butter melted, time to add the Eggs and Grated Parmesan Cheese.  Combine.

This is an area where you can add as much cheese as you like.

My Lasagna Noodles are Al Dente.  I placed them into a Colander to drain, photo left.

Photo right is my two Woks

———————————————————————————–

Pie Plate and Cooking Oil Spray

I’m spraying my Pie Plate with an Olive Oil Cooking Spray

———————————————————————————————–

I lined the bottom of the Pie Plate with the Lasagna Noodles, and then wrapped them around the outside of the Pie Plate.

  Like So….

I then placed the Spaghetti Noodle mixture in the very center of the Pie Plate.  Followed by dollops of Cottage Cheese until I covered the Pasta and added as much as I personally like.

——————————————————————————————————–

I then spooned the Sausage Mixture over top of the Cottage Cheese.

And to top it off, I added a handful of the Shaved Parmesan in the middle of my Spaghetti Pie.

Time To Go Into A 350F Oven For About 20 – 25 Minutes.

I wish that I had brushed the Lasagna Noodles with Olive Oil before baking. 

I think the noodles would have come out much nicer had I done that.

———————————————————————————-

Out of the Oven and Cooling

—————————————————————————————————–

My Pie!

Of course when I cut into it, it sort of just ran together.

But, it is soooo delicious!

———————————————————————————————–

My Spaghetti Pie Leftovers

Great With A Salad…

Or, my extra filling heated up on the stove top and served between two slices of bread, with some slices of Italian Cheeses and some Italian Mustard.

This Recipe is a Keeper!

————————————————————————————————–

My Italian Goulash

Perfect All In One Meal

(Just Add A Salad And Some Great Bread)

——————————————————————————————————

The Ingredients:

1 lb. Ground Chicken

(We don’t eat red meat, so our go to when we want any sort of meat in a dish is either ground chicken, or ground turkey, and many times ground sausage.)

My Tomatoes

I used the 3 medium you see above, and most of the grape tomatoes you see in the small colander.

I used about a Tablespoon and a half of Garlic Olive Oil (In two separate pans)

1 Onion, I used about 2/3 rd. of it.

1 Green Bell Pepper

About 6 Garlic Cloves, Crushed

1/2 t. of Dried Italian Seasonings

1 t. Pizza Palooza Seasonings

Freshly Ground Black Pepper, to taste

Black Garlic Salt (Pictured Down Below) to taste

1 24 oz. Jar Italian Strained Tomatoes

1 t. Calabrian Peppers (This is HOT!  Use Caution)

Handfuls of Fresh Spinach Leaves

(Use as much as you like.  They wilt down tremendously.)

Shellbows Pasta (1 Pound)

4-5 oz. Shredded Parmesan Cheese

Shaved Parmesan Cheese, as a Garnish/Topping

—————————————————————————

—————————————————————————————–

I’ve Chopped the Onion and Green Bell Pepper into small Chunks.

I placed about a Tablespoon of Garlic Olive Oil into my sauce pan and turned the burner onto a medium-high heat.

My Garlic Cloves are ready to crush when needed.

——————————————————————————-

When my Garlic Olive Oil and my sauce pan heated up, I then added my Chopped Onions.

I also crushed in my Garlic Cloves so that they can soften.

I just want to saute it around for about 5 minutes, I then added the Green Bell Pepper to also saute and soften.  

————————————————————————————–

In a separate sauce pan I cooked the Ground Chicken on a medium-high heat, breaking it up into small chunks.

I added about a teaspoon of Garlic Olive Oil to the Ground Chicken while cooking. 

Drain any fat if you need to.

You just want the chicken cooked, and the vegetables softened.

Now I am going to add my Onion/Bell Pepper/Garlic mixture to the cooked Ground Chicken.

————————————————————————————–

Now I am adding my Tomatoes to the meat mixture.

  I did remove the sauce pan from the heat and sliced the Grape Tomatoes in half, and then chopped my larger Tomatoes into chunks. 

Then added them to the meat mixture.

—————————————————————————————————

Time To Add My Spices

Dried Italian Herbs and Spices, Pizza Palooza Spice Mixture, and my Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Blend Together….Place Saute Pan Back On Stove Top Burner

————————————————————————————-

Add Italian Strained Tomatoes…

 

Stir Together and bump the heat up to a Medium Heat for everything to meld together.

Time to add about a Teaspoon or Tablespoon of the Chopped Calabrian Peppers.

(These things are HOT!  Use Caution!)

————————————————————————————

I just wanted my mixture to thicken up by simmering it until it does.  Be sure to watch it and stir occasionally.

—————————————————————————————-

Time To Add The Fresh Spinach Leaves

I used a LOT!  The Spinach cooks down tremendously so be generous in your heaping handfulls.

Just Stir Together

Keep the Heat on a Low Setting for Now

——————————————————————————————————

The Shellbows

Cooking The Pasta Until Al Dente

Just bring a pot of water up to a high temperature. 

I added some salt to the water to speed up the cooking. 

I also added a few drops of the Garlic Olive Oil for flavor to and help prevent the sticking.

Once the Shellbows are Al Dente I used a strainer to just move the Pasta from the pot to my main dish.

Stir To Combine

My Parmesan Cheeses

I Added The Shredded Parmesan to the Meat Mixture…

Then Sprinkled a few “Pinches” of the Black Garlic Salt overtop, to taste.

I then used the Shaved Parmesan to top my Italian Goulash

(Although you can see the Spinach Leaves peeking through, you could also add some Fresh Chopped Parsley if you so desire.)

——————————————————————————–

Spero Chi Ti Piaccia Il Mio Cibo

(I Hope You Enjoy My Food)

Grazie,

Julie

————————————————————————

If you would like to view our other Italian food posts……

Julie’s Italian Appetizers and Edible Gifts

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Gordon and Julie Italian Seconda Parte 2

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Cool Refreshing Summer

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Father’s Day Pizza Party

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00Whann Way Father’s Day

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La Sciatta Giulia Anna’s (Italian Sloppy Julie Ann’s)

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You Say Tomato

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Edible Gifts:  Italian, Greek, and Irish

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Pasta, Pasta, Pasta

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Autumn Pasta

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Mother’s Day in the Garden

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Italian Naan Pizza

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Gordon and Julie Italian

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Amiamo I’italiano

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Pizza, Pizza

———————————————————————–

Grillin’ Italian

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Italianate Tre

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A Labor Day Vacay Away

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Modern Day Mona (Lisa) Halloween

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Even More Italian (Just For You)

—————————————————————————-

Quickie Italian

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Tavolino Da Caffe Italiana (Coffee Table Italian)

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Julie Italian

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An Italian Natale

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Summer Italian

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Isabelle and the Romas

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Lemon Tratta (Treats)

 

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Grazie,

Julie and Gordon

Grammaw Nell’s I’talian Sausage Suppah

Grammaw Nell’s I’talian Sausage Suppah

      Italian Sausage Supper My Grandmother, Nellie Mae Keith Haskin, didn’t learn how to cook until she was in her 50’s, when her mother-in-law died, and Nell was forced to learn how.  In her time you had your in-laws living with you.  It 

The Inspiration of BLUEY and the Heeler’s

The Inspiration of BLUEY and the Heeler’s

(For Peanuku)  🙂     Our Cookie Ice Cream ————————————————————————————- Australian Cartoon, Bluey This show is Brilliant! I wish the Heeler’s had been my parents.  🙂 The parents, Bandit and Chili, are Blue and Red Heeler dogs.  Their children are Bluey and Bingo, Bluey being 

My PINK Flamingo Summers

My PINK Flamingo Summers

 

 

 

 

Let’s Flamingle!

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Busy Standing on one leg….  Currently

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Ambrosia, Pink Grapefruit Sake, and Toasted Coconut  🙂

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Julie’s Pink Flamingo Pasta Salad

(A Rough Draft)

Our Pink Backyard Bromeliad in Bloom

I got the idea that I wanted to make something very Florida, and very Palm Beach.  A light lunch kind of thing.  Flamingos kept popping into my head.  But, not just the Flamingos themselves, but what kinds of foods that Flamingos eat.  I knew they ate Shrimp, that is what keeps them nice and PINK.  I wanted to know what else they ate so I did my research online and I’ve added some of those Flamingo tasty treats to my Pink Flamingo Pasta Salad.

I hope you will enjoy it, along with some other nice Florida Flamingo Summer Foods as I hope to update this as time goes by.

Barbie Isn’t The Only Thing That’s PINK!

Julie Barefoot

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Our Herb Garden Flamingo

Backyard PINK!

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My Pink Flamingo Pasta Salad

(Recipe Down Below)

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Ready for Delivery to my Loved Ones

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Waving My Magic Whisk  🙂

These Are The Best Crackers From The Asian Supermarket

I Like To Eat Some Sort Of Cracker With a Pasta Salad

It Tastes Better on a Flamingo Plate  🙂  (With Grapes)

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The Flamingo Photo’s I Took at Busch Gardens

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I’ve Always Been One To Stand On One Leg Myself,

Guess I’m Part Flamingo.

Flamingo Habitat at Busch Gardens, Florida

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PINK Hot Chili Pasta

Something HOT For The Florida HEAT

You Can Also Rearrange It Into A Nice Pasta Sandwich

(Recipe Down Below)

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Recipes Start Here

———————————————————————————-

Julie’s Pink Flamingo Pasta Salad

As with any kind of Pasta Salad, or Salad in general, you can always add as much or as little as you like.  It’s all up to personal tastes.  You can also omit ingredients that you don’t like, or want in your salads.  What I am giving you is a guide in creating something nice for yourself and your family, or any nice Summer Gathering you may host, or be invited to.

I based this on my love of Flamingos and their diet.  They eat Shrimp, Seeded Grass, Algae, Fly Larvae, Tiny Briny Crustaceans, and other Plants and Animals that live in shallow waters. 

I didn’t add all of the Flamingo diet to my salad, obviously, but I did base it on the foods they do eat.

I Hope That You Will Be Inspired!

Gathering All of My Ingredients

I Did Double My Recipe To Give To Family

Ingredients:

Flamingo Pasta (Kind of a must.)

Red Onion, Chopped

Yellow Chives, Chopped

Flowering Chives, as Garnish

Celery, Chopped

Radishes, Sliced

Daikon Radish, Sliced

Fresh, or Frozen Peas, (Thawed, if frozen.)

Mayonnaise, To Taste

Hot Sauce, To Taste

Wasabi, To Taste

Cocktail Onions

Aji-Miren, To Taste

Shrimp, Already Cooked

Arugula

Pumpkin Seeds

Pink Pickled Ginger

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The Shrimp you see above right, I bought already cooked and ready to eat from the grocery store.  It came frozen.

  I just needed to thaw them out for my Salad.

The Enoki Mushrooms I didn’t use in this salad. 

I did place some around my luncheon bowl to eat with my Pasta Salad though.

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Flowering Chives, Yellow Chives, Daikon Radish, and Radishes

As with any Salad you do need to clean the ingredients.  In the photo top left, I have my Flowering Chives and Yellow Chives I purchased from The Asian Supermarket.  They have some of the most exotic ingredients you will ever find.  The green chives has a flower at the end, I’ll show you how I use those when I put the Salad together.  The Yellow Chives add a nice pale color with a slight oniony taste to the Salad.

Vegetables Drying

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With my Vegetables drying, it’s time to boil my Pasta.

Just follow whatever the package directions say on your Pasta you will be using. 

When done, drain into a Colander and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process and to cool the Pasta down.

Place the Pasta into a large Mixing Bowl.

  Now we start to add the ingredients to the Pasta.

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Eyeball and Taste

(This is what we do from now on.)

I purchased already chopped Red Onion from the grocery store to save a little time.

   I’m adding as much as I like, no measurements.

Chopping Celery

Pasta, Red Onion, and Celery

Slicing the Radishes

They add a pepper taste and I love the texture and the pretty pink rings.

A Daikon Radish is ugly on the outside and beautiful on the inside. 

Just use a Potato Peeler to remove the outside.

You can see the pretty flower when sliced.  I’m saving these to be used as more of a Garnish.

The Peas were already washed and ready so I just added as many as I wanted.

Mixing Together To Judge the Ratios

At some point I also added the Yellow Chives by simply snipping them with a pair of scissors.

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Now Comes The Wet Stuff

I just want to use the Mayonnaise to combine the Salad. 

I really don’t like that much as it is usually very rich.

It’s Coming Together Nicely

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This is something of an experiment in deciding which one I liked better. 

I did add a few dashes of both.

The Cocktail Onions are to add that Briny Bite that I wanted.

The Wasabi Paste is also to Add Some great HEAT!

Add a Tablespoon or Two of Miren.  It adds a Wonderful Sweetness.

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Thawing The Shrimp

This was another shortcut that I took in making this Salad.  I bought the Shrimp already prepared, and frozen to be eaten as a Shrimp Cocktail.  All I had to do was to thaw them out and drain any excess water.  I did have to pat them dry as they were a bit wet from the thawing, and I didn’t want any extra water in my Salad.  I did remove their Tails.

Adding The Shrimp

(Be sure to place into the refrigerator to chill before serving, at least a few hours.)

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Ready to Plate My Pasta Salad

A Bed of Arugula

Chilled Overnight

The Pumpkin Seeds are to be Scattered About,

and a Dollop of the Pink Pickled Ginger on Top

I do admit that my Pasta Salad presentation is a bit ‘over the top.’  In my defense, I was feeling very creative and having lots of fun.  I guess I’d rather have it be that way, than have it be more presentable to a sophisticated crowd.  🙂

You Can See The Flowering Chives in my Bowl Above,

Kind of Looks Like a Plant

I Hope You Have As Much Fun As I Did!

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PINK Hot Chili Pasta

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It was when I was shopping for my Flamingo Pasta that I came across this online.

  Tagliatelle Peperoncino. 

It is some Pasta with some HEAT!  And I love it!

Also, that little jar of Spicy Chili Onion Crisp is wonderful drizzled on top!

I do admit that I kind of threw this together using what I already had in the Pantry, and the Refrigerator.

I combined the sauces that you see above.  I used about a jar, and a half a jar of the other.

I place the sauces into a pot on the stove top and put it on a medium-heat.

That black blob on my sauce is Freshly Ground Black Pepper, I also snipped some Yellow Chives into the sauce as well.

I had some Roasted Garlic in the fridge as well and smooshed about 6 -8 Cloves into my sauce.  I want it to simmer away for awhile, until it thickens up.  When it starts to boil then I turn the heat down a notch or two.  When that setting starts to boil, then I turn it down another notch or two, until finally it is all nice and thick on a low setting.  Sometimes this can take up to an hour or longer.  Be sure to keep an eye on it, stirring periodically so that it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot and burn.

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Boiling My Pasta

Just Cook According to Package Directions

Then Drain Pasta into a Colander

Eat Immediately!

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The Tagliatelle is Perfect with the Sauce and….

a Drizzle or Two of the Hot Chili Onion Crisp.

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I also wanted to use the leftovers to make a Pasta Sandwich the next day.

I also had some leftover Bread for this.

I simply sliced it in half and placed it on a baking sheet in the oven to broil until a nice brown….

Like So…

I Heated Up Some of the Pasta in the Sauce until Warm

I Then Started to Assemble My Sandwich

Layering Bread, Arugula, Pasta, Yellow Chives, Green Chives, Basil, and some Leftover Sauce from the Remaining Jar.

It’s O.K. if Some Spills Out!  Yum!!!

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Be A Flamingo In A Flock of Pigeon’s  🙂

Have a PINK Day!

Julie Barefoot

 

 

 

 

 

Tavolino Da Caffe Italiana (Coffee Table Italian)

Tavolino Da Caffe Italiana (Coffee Table Italian)

      February, 2024 Super Bowl Sunday Airport Pick-Up, w/ Great Coffee Table Italian Foods to Follow  🙂 ————————————————————————— With Gordon working overseas, he doesn’t get to come home very often.  This was a very nice visit filled with lots of Coffee Table Italian.  

Oranges Sm’Oranges, And Other Citrus

Oranges Sm’Oranges, And Other Citrus

  (Because Nothing Rhymes With Oranges)  🙂   Orange is the New Muffin ——————————————————————————- (I added a few Banana Chips as an accent, above.) I Have Discovered Indian River Citrus, and There is NO Going Back! My Florida Orange Muffins w/ Lemon Citrus Glaze (Recipe 

More of Julie’s Jezebel Recipes to Enjoy

More of Julie’s Jezebel Recipes to Enjoy

 

 

 

 

 

I Heart Jezebel (Sauce)

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Julie’s Southern Jeze-Bells Pizza

Made With My:

Julie’s Georgia Peach Jeze-Bells Sauce

Click Here For:  Julie’s Jezebel Sauce

I have 4 Jezebel’s on the webpage link above.  We also have many recipes that you can make with those Jezebel’s that I created.  Just take a look and I’m sure we can find something to please you.

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Hi.  I’m Julie!

I’ve created several Jezebel’s based on my love for the movie, starring Bette Davis, and my love for the Southern Sauce, as well as my love of different tastes and cultures.  Besides, doesn’t every culture have a Jezebel or two?   I will be adding to this page as time goes by with more recipes to be enjoyed and savored by those that appreciate a good Jezebel. 

But be careful!  It’s Wicked and Will Tempt You!  🙂

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Julie’s Leftovers Jezebel Breakfast Wrap

I Made this With my Jezebel Pizza Leftovers

Who Doesn’t Love a Good Jezebel For Breakfast?

(Recipes Down Below)

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Also, Check Out My:

Aloha Wahine Jezebel Sauce

Aloha and Mahalo!

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AND, Click Here For:

An Oriental Jezebel

AND,

An Old Florida Jezebel (Sauce)

AND,

One HOT Jezebel for Breakfast (Sauce, That is.)

 

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RECIPES START HERE

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Julie’s Southern Jeze-Bells Pizza

Having Some of my Belle Wine,

Ready to Make my Jezebel Pizza

(Above, two jars of my Georgia Peach Jeze-Bell’s Sauce.)

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Ingredients:

Pizza Crust (Any that you choose.)

I am into shortcuts now so I bought Ready Made.

Plenty of Julie’s Jezebel Sauce

Shredded Italian Cheese

Slices of a nice Honey Ham

Slices of Provolone

1 Large Sweet Vidalia Onion

3 Colorful Bell Peppers

Olive Oil

Fine to Medium Sea Salt

Cookie Cutters

(Lots of Salad Greens)

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Slicing The Onion

I wanted to slice the Onion in such a way as to have sections of it to stay together and fan outwards.

How I did that was to leave the small round section on the Onion, (see photo top right) and just slice an area in size that I desired.  It will keep the Onion slice together, and will fan out nicely on the Pizza.

You can see how I sliced the onions in the photo above left.  They kept together nicely, just like I wanted them to.  If you slice them so that the top of the onion keeps them together, then they can stay together for your pizza project.

I then set them onto a baking sheet lined with some Aluminum Foil and a nice drizzle of Olive Oil.

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The Colorful Bell Peppers

(This is where my Jeze-Bell’s come in.  I also have colorful Bell Peppers in my Georgia Peach Southern Jeze-Bell’s Sauce, hence the name.)

I wanted to use my Cookie Cutters on the Bell Peppers so I sliced them so that I had the room to do so.

Red Bell Pepper Kisses

And Lots of Hearts

(Jezebel’s Always Have Big Hearts)  🙂

Placing Everything On To A Baking Sheet Lined With Aluminum Foil

Olive Oil Drizzled Over Top

(The canned Pineapple you see in the photo above, I changed my mind and didn’t use.  I could have though because I do use Pineapple Preserves in my Georgia Peach Southern Jeze-Bell’s Sauce.  The Pineapple would have been great but I thought that I already had enough stuff on the pizza and I didn’t want any more.)

However, upon reflection the Pineapple would have been great on the first layer of my Pizza.  Oh well, next time!

Grating Some Freshly Ground Black Pepper Over Top

A Sprinkling of Pink Hawaiian Sea Salt

Into a 350F Oven for about 20-25 Minutes.  I did turn them a little after the first 15 minutes.  I didn’t want them to be thoroughly cooked because they would also have further cooking on the Pizza.

I didn’t just want every Bell Pepper cut out in a heart of Lips.

  I also wanted just some nicely cut Bell Peppers as well.

So, While They Are Cooking…..

…Now It’s Time To Build My Pizza

The Pizza Crust Come with 3 of them, but here I will be using 2.

My Georgia Peach Southern Jeze-Bell’s Sauce

Here I Placed One Crust Down on a Pizza Pan Lined With Aluminum Foil

  I then Spread Some of my Jeze-Bell’s on Top

Next, I Added Some of This Beautiful Ham!

I Meant to Mention That I Did Spray the Foil Underneath the Pizza with Olive Oil Pam

On Top of the Ham I Scattered Some Grated Italian Cheese

I Will Say That This Would Have Been a Great Place to Put the Pineapple Slices

Now Place The Second Pizza Crust on Top

Time To Add More Jeze-Bell’s Sauce Here

More Ham As Well

Time To Decorate My Pizza

I just took the Onions and Bell Peppers and placed them all around the Pizza in a pattern that I liked.

I do wish that I had waited to add the cheese hearts because it did melt and you couldn’t see that they are hearts.  I probably could have done it when I removed it from the oven, while it was cooling.

Into The 350F Oven It Goes For about 20-25 Minutes

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Fresh Out of the Oven

Letting it Cool

I Placed a Bunch of Greens Around my Platter

Then Plopped the Pizza in the Middle

I’m Really Proud of It

I Didn’t Know What it Would Taste Like When I Made It

It’s Pretty Outside

My Pizza Crusts Were Thin But You Can Use Thicker Ones

This One Is MINE!

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Love The Pizza Salad Leftovers For Dinner The Following Night

Just Place Into An Air Tight Container And Refrigerate

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Breakfast On My Kitchen Counter

My Leftover Jeze-Belle’s Breakfast Wrap

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Cauliflower Wraps

Ingredients:

In Addition to the Cauliflower Wraps…

(Although you can use any kind of Wrap that you like.)

Leftover Jeze-Belle’s Sauce

Leftover Onions and Bell Peppers

Leftover Ham

Leftover Provolone Cheese

Broccoli Micro-Greens

Eggs

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Ingredients Ready

Cauliflower Wraps Heating in the Oven

(I went by the package instructions and mine just cooked too long.  They needed to be removed about 4 minutes early.  The thing is, I cooked them less than the instructions to begin with.)

Cooking The Eggs in Butter, Scrambling Them

The Micro-Greens and The Eggs

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Time To Assemble

Smearing my Jeze-Belle’s Sauce on my Wrap

Adding the Micro-Greens and the Ham

Next, the Provolone Cheese and the Bell Peppers and Onions

Followed by the Eggs

Just Make it into a Taco and Enjoy With Some Nice Coffee

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Also Check Out My:

Click Here For:  Julie’s Jezebel Sauce

AND,

Aloha Wahine Jezebel Sauce

AND,

An Oriental Jezebel

AND,

An Old Florida Jezebel (Sauce)

AND,

One HOT Jezebel for Breakfast (Sauce, That is.)

AND,

Click Here For:  More of Julie’s Jezebel Recipes to Enjoy

AND,

A Valentine Jezebel Sauce

AND,

This Jezebel Is NUTS!

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See You At Church,  🙂

Julie

 

 

Let the SUMMER In!

Let the SUMMER In!

        I Love Simple Flowers, Nothing Stunningly Beautiful, Just Very Pretty and Charming, With Personality Welcome Summer, Come On In! I’ve Missed You, Just Try Not To Be So HOT This Year  🙂 But, If You Do Insist Upon It…. I Have 

Lilly Pulitzer (The Barefoot Queen of Pink and Green)

Lilly Pulitzer (The Barefoot Queen of Pink and Green)

        Lilly Beautiful Lillian Lee McKim Pulitzer Rousseau (1931 – 2013) —————————————————————————- Me, Mother’s Day 2023 with Sparky, Wearing a Lilly ——————————————————————————- PINK, and Shades Thereof ———————————————————————————— My Lilly Pulitzer Bread Box Doll House Lilly Fabrics Create a Window Curtains, A Chair, 

You Only Live Twice

You Only Live Twice

 

 

 

You only live twice:

Once when you are born,

and once when you look death in the face.

After Basho

Japanese Poet

1643-94

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More Recipes Will Be Added In The Future,

Julie and Gordon

————————————————————————————————-

00Whann’s Asian Balls

(You Only Live Twice)

—————————————————————————————–

Asian Meatballs w/ Sweet Chili Dipping Sauce

These are Delicious!

(Recipe Down Below)

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Gordon’s Honey Chili Ryder Wings

(Dr. No)

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‘What’s your name?’

‘Bond.  James Bond.  What’s yours?’

She reflected.  ‘Rider.’

‘What Rider?’

‘Honeychili.’

Bond smiled.

‘What’s so funny about it?’

‘Nothing.  Honeychile Rider.  It’s a pretty name.’

She unbent.  ‘People call me “Honey”.’

‘We’ll, I’m glad to meet you.’

(It was my idea, Julie’s, to create a chicken wing with both Honey and Chili, hence the name of our wings.)

————————————————————–

They are Sweet and Hot!

Grillin’ The Asparagus

He’s Got a Licence To Grill

Our Honeychili Rider Wings

———————————————————————–

Our Coconut Rice with Crab Cakes

—————————————————————————-

Old Bay Cheddar Biscuits

(Recipes Down Below)

—————————————————————————————–

Asian Meatballs w/ Sweet Chili Dipping Sauce

These are Delicious!

————————————————————————-

The Ingredients:

2 Lbs Ground Turkey

2 Eggs

1 Cup Panko Japanese Whole Wheat Bread Crumbs

1 Thumb of Freshly Grated Ginger

3 Cloves of Garlic – Chopped

1/4 Cup Parsley – Chopped

5 Green Onions – Chopped

4 Tbsp Soy Sauce

2 Tbsp Sesame Seed Oil

1 Tbsp Wasabi Sauce

1 Tbsp Black Sesame Seeds

1 Tbsp Roasted Sesame Seeds

1 Tbsp Honey

2 Tbsp Sweet Soy Sauce

Salt and Pepper to Taste

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In a large bowl, place all your above ingredients…

Mixing Together the Ground Turkey and the Eggs

Panko

Adding the Panko

Gordon Grating the Ginger with a Spoon

Chopping the Garlic and Adding the Ingredients

Place All Ingredients Into A Large Mixing Bowl

Chopping the Parsley

Next Comes Chopping the Green Onions

Green Onions Ready to add to Mixture

Below I am grating the ginger, fresh is so much better than dry.

I like this Philippine brand of Soy Sauce.

Datu Puti

Adding the Datu Puti

And the Sesame Oil

Wasabi Sauce

I LOVE this Green Color!

You can find roasted sesame seeds, but if not you can roast them gently in a pan until lightly brown.

Adding the Sesame Seeds

Honey and Sweet Soy Sauce

Adding the Honey and Sweet Soy

Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Spray your a sheet pan with non-stick spray.

Mix the entire mixture until just combined.

 

Take just over a Tbsp size ball and place it on the sheet pan about 1 inch apart.

Bake in a 400’F oven for about 15 -20 min.

Ensure the internal temperature of the meat balls are 165’F.

Serve with a sweet dipping sauce and Enjoy!

They were delicious Gordon!

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Gordon’s Honey Chili Ryder Wings

(Dr. No)

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Our Honeychili Rider Wings

I copied and posted this from our:

I’ve Got A Licence To Grill

It’s the same recipe by us, we just remade it for our kids.

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Ingredients for the Wing Marinade:

2 Red Chili Peppers – de-seeded, sliced and chopped

1 Family pkg. of Wings

2 Tbsp. Roasted Garlic Powder

2 Tbsp Chili Powder – Badia Brand

2 Tbsp. Chili Powder – Spice Hunter Brand

2 Tbsp. Ground Cumin

3 Tbsp. Onion Powder

3 Tbsp. Smoked Paprika

2 Tbsp. Ground Chipotle

2 Tbsp. Jerk Seasoning

3/4 Cup Olive Oil

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Here I have sliced the Red Chili Peppers in half and removed the seeds.

Now, slice the peppers lengthwise thinly.

Then slice them into a small dice as shown.

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Here is the family package of wings we used.

Be sure to rinse them off in a colander to remove any excess blood or cuttings.

Let them drain well.

Now, using a sharp knife, cut between the wing and the drumettes.  You should be able to see the area between the two bones.  If you are off a little that is fine.

You will get better at finding that area with your knife as you cut more, and more of them.

Your knife should easily go through the small space between the bones.

Discard the wing tip.

Place the wings and drumettes into a large zip lock bag.  Wash your hands well….Then begin to add your seasonings.  I like using two different types of Chili Powders as I feel they are all different because they use different Chili’s.

Here I am adding more of the seasonings… I don’t measure as I go by more of the look of the wings.  Add more or less of the ingredients as you like.  I enjoy all of these seasonings so how can I really go wrong?

The Chipotle gives the wings a nice peppery taste while the Jerk seasoning provides that great Island flavor.

  You may have noticed that I did not add any salt. 

When I tasted the Jerk seasoning, I found it had plenty of salt in it, so be sure to taste all of your mixed seasonings.

The olive oil help to convey the seasonings throughout all the chicken.  Pour in a little at a time.  Don’t add too much as you don’t want to waste it and you need just enough to coat the wings.

Close the bag tightly leaving a little bit of air so that you can easily roll the wings in the herbs and oil.

When mixed well, remove the air in the bag by folding the bag over on itself then zip the bag closed.  Place the bag of marinated wings in the refrigerator near the bottom just in case the bag leaks.  You can also place the bag in a large bowl.  Let the wings marinate for 24-48 hours.

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TIME TO GRILL!

When you are ready to grill them, heat your grill for 5 min. on high to help remove any old food and to heat up the grates to give the chicken those great grill marks.  When done, turn your grill to medium high and place the wings and drumettes evenly over your grill grates and close the lid.  I used some long tongs to place the wings on the grates.

Turn the wings as needed being sure to check for hot spots on your grill which are areas that cook the wings faster than other areas.  The wings in these spots will be done quicker than the rest.  You will also have cool spots on your grill which are areas that don’t get a lot of heat.  These wings I move to the hot spots so that all the wings cook evenly.

When the wings are mostly cooked, which takes about 7 min. per side, I place the wings on the upper section of my grill where they are away from the flames and tend to bake.  Close the lid and let them bake for another 5 min.  Doing this will ensure the wings are fully cooked, but still remain juicy and tender.  An overcooked wing is a horrible thing.  I also look at the wings to ensure the meat is firm and the skin is brown. 

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Meanwhile….

make your wing sauce before, or as the wings are cooking.

Ingredients for the Wing Sauce

3/4 Cup Honey

8 good shakes of Chipotle Pepper Tabasco Sauce

1 Tbsp. Roasted Garlic Powder

1 Tbsp. Spice Hunter Chili Powder

2 Tbsp. Jerk Seasoning

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Add your Honey and Tabasco to a large bowl as shown.

Then add your other seasonings …

and whisk them all together until well combined.

When your wings are done, add them to the bowl and toss them well.

I can tell you these wings are great even without the Honey Chili Sauce… but it does make them so much better.

Here is a great shot of the wings in the sauce.

Turn them in the sauce as needed.

These wings are now our most favorite that we have ever made.  This is a bold statement as we have made many different types.  They even beat out my cherished Teriyaki wings, which I have made for years.  We are sure you will enjoy them as much as we did.

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They are Sweet and Hot!

Grillin’ The Asparagus

He’s Got a Licence To Grill

Our Honeychili Rider Wings

———————————————————————–

Our Coconut Rice with Crab Cakes

—————————————————————————-

Old Bay Cheddar Biscuits

(Delicious!  Just Follow Package Instructions.)

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Coconut Rice

Ingredients:
~ 2 Cups Rice – Rinsed until white water is practically gone
1 Can Coconut Milk
2-3 Tbsp. Coconut Cream – Cream of Coconut (Crema De Coco)
Chicken Broth – as much as needed to have liquid 1 inch above the rice
~3/4 Cup Red Onion – diced
1 tsp. Sea Salt
Jalapeno, Banana, and Red Peppers from our garden – to taste

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The Banana Pepper (Yellow and Orange) and the UFO looking Pepper are from our garden!  The UFO looking Pepper is our Mad Hatter Pepper.

Here I am washing the rice.  This is done to remove the rice & #39;s natural starch.  To wash the rice, add water
and mix the rice around in it.  Then pour off the milky water and repeat about four times or until the
water in the rice runs clear.

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Here I have rinsed my rice and it is ready to accept the flavors.

First add your Coconut Milk to your rice cooker bowl.

Then add some of your Coconut Cream.

Now add enough Chicken Broth to have the liquid be about 1 inch above the rice.

This is when you add your diced Red Onion,

followed by a touch of Sea Salt.

Slice your peppers to the same dice size of your Red Onions.

Here is the diced Banana Pepper… taste them to see how much heat they have. Then add as much or as
little as you like.

For the hotter peppers, you may want to use gloves to prevent the hot juices from getting under your
fingernails causing you some pain. Add as much or as little as you like!

Do the same with the last pepper. I like the various colors the vegetables bring to the dish.

Give everything a good mix.

Rice is Ready for the Rice Cooker

Then let your rice cooker do its thing! This is how it looks when done.

Beautiful When Done  🙂

Added Crab Cakes

(We didn’t make these ourselves.  We bought the Crab Cakes ready made.)

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Gordon Preparing the Asparagus for the Grill

Here I have my tongs ready to move things to the grill.

Not shown, I rinsed the Asparagus then cut off the woody end near the root. Most of the time
you can cut all of them at once as they are all from the same planting area. Place them on a
cookie sheet and give them a good dose of Olive Oil… just enough to coat all the Asparagus.

Lemon Pepper is a favorite seasoning of ours for Asparagus.

I added about 1 Tbsp. or so then mix all the ingredients together as shown.

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At this time, I am letting my wings get their final bake using the upper part of my grill. I then
have a baking/ cooling rack down on the grill to prevent the Asparagus from falling into the grill.

Grill the Asparagus turning occasionally until they are slightly charred as shown. Turn them
using your tongs.

I then placed them back on the cookie sheet and turned them into the Olive Oil and Lemon
Pepper seasoning to add some extra flavor to the Asparagus. When done, plate and serve!

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Also Check Out:

A Happy Christmas CLUEDO For 007

The Bond/Whann Franchise Continues….

AND,

A Proper English Breakfast For 00Whann From (Your) Valentine

AND,

00Whann Way Father’s Day

AND,

Let Me Make You A Sandwich (Bond Style)

AND,

I’ve Got A License To Grill

AND,

Outside Movie Night with Bond

AND,

You Only Live Twice

AND,

Steamin” and Pickin’ Crab, w/ Recipes

 

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Outside Movie Night with Bond

Outside Movie Night with Bond

              How To Create An Outdoor Movie Theater In Your Own Backyard Area DOCTOR NO Released in 1962 Dr. No is the first movie to be released in the James Bond Franchise, written by Ian Fleming.  Dr. No was 

I’ve Got a Licence to Grill

I’ve Got a Licence to Grill

        (We have Licence/License spelled the two different ways because it is spelled one way in the U.K. and the other way here in America.) —————————————————————————-   JUST ASSIGNED TO DR. NO IN CRAB KEY, JAMAICA I Have A License To Grill, 

Even More Italian (Just For You)

Even More Italian (Just For You)

 

 

 

 

Ciao e Benvenuto

Il Mio Piccolo Pezzo D’Italia

(My Little Tiny Piece of Italy)

Actually, very tiny!  Just a barrel, a barrel lid turned into a Lazy Susan, and some clay pots.

This is more about the food presentation, and is it ever good!

We made all of this in 2023 for Super Bowl Sunday LVII (57 years)

Kansas City Chiefs 38-35 Philadelphia Eagles

Our Italian Wings Topped with Pesto

Our Roasted Garlic and Goat Cheese Italian Spread Topped with Olives and Thyme

Not to Mention, the Best Tasting Bread to go With

This is soooooo DELIZIOSA!

ARRIVEDERCI!

Julie and Gordon

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Like I said, My Little Piece of Italy  🙂

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Recipes Start Here

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Our Italian Wings

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Pictured are the wings we used for this recipe.

28 Wings – Do not separate, wash well.

Here are the seasonings we used.

Ingredients:

2 Large Ziplock Bags
~1/2 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tbsp. Hawaiian Sea Salt
2 Tbsp. Garlic Powder
1 1/2 Tbsp. Dried Oregano
1 Tbsp. Paprika
3 Tbsp. Dried Basil Leaves
1 Tbsp. Italian Bread Dip Seasoning (Tuscan)
2 Tbsp. Italian Herb Seasoning
1 Tbsp. Onion Powder
2 Tbsp. Raw Cane Sugar

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Pictured is the Olive Oil we used for this recipe. Add your Extra Virgin Olive Oil to the
bags.

All the above seasonings should be doubled as each amount goes into each Zip lock
bag.

Now add your Sea Salt and Garlic Powder to the bags. Then your Oregano.

Now the Paprika and Dried Basil. Then your Tuscan Bread Dip Seasoning.

Add your Dried Italian Seasoning to the bag along with your Onion Powder.

Now for a touch of sweetness, add your Raw Cane Sugar.

Mix all the seasoning in the bag and taste the seasonings. Adjust the mixture until it is
the way you like it.

Here I have the wings ready to be washed. You want to wash your chicken as it could
have some dried blood, loose feathers, or bone fragments which need to be removed.

Rinse the wings well with cold water as shown.

Let the wings drain on a plate or you can pat them dry with paper towels.

Place the uncut wings in the bag with the seasonings.

Then mix the chicken with the seasonings. Do this for both bags of chicken. Let the
chicken marinate overnight in the refrigerator.

Mixing Well The Chicken and Marinade

Into The Refrigerator They Go!

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The next day, I started the grill with the burners on high. This will heat the grill and
clean it from the residue left behind. Use a grill brush to clean the grates.

After about 5 minutes turn the grill down to Medium and place your chicken on the
grates.

Grill the chicken for about 12 min. on both sides or until the internal temperature
reaches 160’F.

I like to grill the chicken and then place it on the top shelf, the chicken will bake the rest of
the way to 160’F. Doing this keeps it away from the direct heat.

Here you can see the wings after they have been grilled.
We hope you enjoy these wings as much as we did!

Now, Just Add a Little Pesto!

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Roasted Garlic and Goat Cheese Spread

Deliziosa With Some Great Bread

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Start by roasting your 35-40 Garlic Cloves in butter in a 400F oven for about 55 min. or until
golden brown. Julie likes to check them and move the garlic cloves around every 20
min. or so of cooking.

Ingredients:

~40 Garlic cloves
1 Stick of butter or about 8 Tbsp.
½ Cup Asiago Cheese
½ Cup Parmesan Cheese
4 – 10.5 oz. Goat Cheese – 2 Garlic and 2 Plain
1 Tbsp. Dried Thyme
1 Cup Ricotta Cheese
½ Cup Milk
Garnish with Stuffed Olives and Fresh Thyme Sprigs

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Serve with sliced bread that has been buttered and baked/broiled until golden brown.

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The Ricotta Cheese we Used

Use some of the butter from the roasted garlic to butter the baking dish. Use a paper
towel to spread out the butter all over.

Place your Goat Cheese into a large Bowl

Add your Dried Thyme to the bowl.

Now add your Roasted Garlic to the bowl.

Then add your shredded Asiago and Parmesan Cheese, and mix the ingredients with a
potato masher or Fork.

Add your milk to the cheese mixture and mix the ingredients again.

Place the baking dish on a sheet pan just in case it overflows. Place the baking dish in
a 400’F oven for about 35 to 40 min. or until the top browns.

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Garnish the top of the cheese with your olives, then bake.

Here we have sliced a baguette into semi-thin pieces and buttered them.  After which….

Broil them in your oven until golden brown.

Garnish the cheese with some fresh Thyme sprigs.

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An Aperitizo

A Nice Little Merenda Before Dinner

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All you will need for this is some lovely Mozzarella Pearls, and some Prosciutto Ham.

You just want to cut the ham into strips to wrap around the Mozzarella Pearls, then secure with some sort of toothpick or cocktail pick.

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Place onto a Platter and top with a Pesto or other Italian Sauce

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Buon Appitito!

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An Old Florida Jezebel (Sauce)

An Old Florida Jezebel (Sauce)

  (The picture above not only showcases my Old Florida Jezebel Sauce, I also depict our daughter Veronica’s art from when she was a Fine Arts student in college.  Any chance I get to do that, I do!)       Let The Sunshine In 

Grillin’ Italian

Grillin’ Italian

              Ciao and Buongiorno! Welcome to Grillin’ Italian We love to grill, we love Italian, therefore it makes sense that we would create a page dedicated to Grillin’ Italian. Italian food showcases a lot of food that we love.  

DIY Home Function Upgrades

DIY Home Function Upgrades

 

 

 

Welcome to DIY Home Function Upgrades

This is our first project for this website page. 

We do plan on bringing you more.

What you see here is the side of our house.  There was grass here at one time but our yard guys ruined it all.  This part of our yard was always dark, and muddy, and wet.  What grass we had here was no longer coming back.  Therefore, we decided to hire someone to pave this area.  We wanted to turn it into a patio area.

You Can See Our Pavers In Progress

We have two gates to our front gate.  That is how I wanted it.  I wanted our A/C and Trash and Recycling/Yard Debris Pick Up containers, behind the first gate.  The second gate would close off those containers from our view.  And, the side of our house, we would keep our canoe and kayaks.

The Side of Our House

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The pavers on the side of the house look great!

I have my post hole digger, and buckets ready for the project.

You can see the AC drainage pipe. Mine came apart making it easy for me to remove and dig the

hole. It only needs to be as deep as the bucket you are using.

I am going to use some of this weed cloth inside the bucket to prevent and weeds from growing up

through the bottom.

I used a large drill bit to poke holes in the bottom of the bucket.

Place your weed preventing material in the bottom of the bucket.

You can see the pipe goes almost to the center of the bucket. The bucket’s rim is just above the

level of the dirt. This will prevent the surrounding dirt from entering.

Fill the bucket almost full with rocks. I like the white ones.

I then used some decorative stones to surround the bucket and you are done!

I think it looks great and was a simple way to drain your AC’s excess water.  Try this DIY project as I believe most everyone can do it.

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Our New Air Conditioner, and Gordon’s A/C Project

This is an easy project that can be completed in about an hour or less. Completing this will let your AC unit drain in one defined spot and not just getting a vast area of your lawn soaked and muddy. This was my issue in that before we had the pavers in place, our lawn was constantly being soaked which turned into a muddy mess.

Whenever I walked by the AC unit, my feet would sink down a few inches in the grass. I got the idea from my sprinkler guy and since we were going to have the pavers installed, I thought it would be a good idea. Also, once the pavers were installed this project helped to keep the area clean and dry.

To complete the project, you will need a 5-gallon bucket, a bag of rocks, a drill with a half inch bit, a hack saw, and a post hole digger.

Start by measuring straight out from your drain line about 2 ft. or at least in an area not to obstruct your path around your A/C unit. Move your drain line out of the way then place the bucket in the area on top of the dirt which gives you an imprint to use as a guide. Dig a hole using the post hole digger about deeper than the depth of the bucket and just as wide. Check for a good seal around the bucket when done ensuring the drain line is not touching the bucket when moved back over top of it.

Now, drill some holes in the bottom of the bucket to let the water escape easily.

Fill your bucket with the rocks about ¾ the way up. Place your bucket in the hole. Cut your drain line with the hack saw so it ends in the center of your bucket. Move the drain line in place and you are done. I took it a step further and placed some ornate rocks around the bucket as shown.

Try this easy DIY project making what was something ugly to something beautiful.

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MAINTENANCE

77

Although a bit hard to see, the Temp in our House is 77.

We keep it on a steady 75 at all times.  So, when it starts to get hotter, then there is something wrong with the A/C.

Usually, it is a simple fix.

This Vacuum can be purchased at any Home Depot or Lowe’s.

You simply place the nozzle over the pipe and turn the vacuum on.  It will then suck out the gunk,

thus unstopping the A/C.

You Can See The Gunk Here

The A/C will start working normally once you do this.

Imagine all the money you are saving by doing this yourself and not having to call in a professional?  Trust me, the vacuum is worth it!

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Gordon and Julie

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pizza, Pizza

Pizza, Pizza

      Pizza:  Latin for “to pound, or stamp.”  The Lombardic word bizzo, or pizzo, meaning mouthful.   Was brought to Italy by the Lombards in the middle of the 6th. century A.D. A Pizza consists of a base of dough with a selection of 

Let Us Eat Cake, (Julie’s Cakes Continues)

Let Us Eat Cake, (Julie’s Cakes Continues)

          Currently Baking Until You Can Insert a Toothpick and it Comes Out Clean  🙂 Strawberry Jalapeno Sheet Cake ———————————————————— Gordon and Julie, Charlotte, North Carolina, 1982 in Gordon’s parents kitchen. We are baking Christmas Cakes/Breads for his parents to give 

Amiamo I’italiano

Amiamo I’italiano

 

 

 

Benvenuto

Stiamo Iniziando Un’Altra Pagina Di Cibo Italiano

(Welcome, We Are Starting Yet Another Italian Food Page.)

Olio D’Oliva, Pomodori Secchi, Pasta, Salsa….

(Olive Oil’s, Sundried Tomatoes, Pasta’s, Sauces…)

We Love It ALL!!!

Amiamo I’italiano

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Julie and Gordon’s Spagett

(Recipe Down Below)

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Buona Giornata,

Julie and Gordon

We Also Have:

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Julie’s Pasta Italiano Casserole

(Because I can’t think of what else to call it.)  🙂

With Puff Pastry

This has everything that we love in it!

(Recipe Down Below)

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Julie’s Italiano Dip

(Recipe Down Below)

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Gordon and Mackenzie’s Marinated Artichoke Risotto

(It was a joint collaboration.)

(Recipe Down Below)

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Bread Basket Timbale

Meat, Veggies, Bread, All in ONE Bite!

(Recipe Down Below)

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I LOVE GARLIC!!!!

Roasted Garlic

(And now Fried Garlic.)

If you know me at all, then you know that I LOVE Roasted Garlic!  I also have it featured quite a bit throughout this website.

All that I do is to turn on the oven to 400F.  I then add as many garlic cloves as I like to a small baking dish.  I then add as many pats of butter to that dish, cover with foil, and then place into the oven for about 20 minutes.  I do cook this garlic for about 50 minutes to an hour but removing from the oven every 20 minutes to stir together until nice and done.  I love it nice and tan/brown and caramelized.

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I can pretty much eat this about 3 meals a week.  However, I noticed in one of my cookbooks where they were frying garlic and I decided that I wanted to try that.

Sliced Thin Fried Garlic

I pretty much told Gordon that this is what I want and he went to work creating it for me.  I knew that I wanted to try fried garlic, but I wanted it to have some spice and crispness to it.  Which was not mentioned in the cookbook I got the idea from.

Gordon sliced the garlic and then added some olive oil to a pan…..

He then added some Italian Pizza Spices to the oil….

Then, some dried oregano…..

Now add the chopped garlic to a medium-low heat in a saucepan to cook.

Cooking Away, You Want It To Cook, Not Burn

Simmer Away on the Stove for About 10 Minutes, While Stirring

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Our Italian Appetizers

This is also a favorite meal for me:

Sun Dried Tomatoes, Feta Cheese, Pesto, Marinated Artichoke Hearts, Cheese Stuffed Peppers, Bruschetta, Roasted Garlic, and now Fried Garlic, along with some Toasted sliced Sour Dough Bread with a drizzling of Olive Oil.

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Gordon’s Italian Appetizer Plate

We do so love all the little tasty apps.  🙂

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Julie’s Pasta Italiano Casserole

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Gathering All of My Ingredients

Fresh Basil, Parsley, Chives and Oregano from my Herb Garden

My Herbs Enhance Everything Italian

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Jars Full of Goodness

I Even Got out a Few Casserole Dishes for This Delicious Experiment

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The ingredients that you see above ended up making 2 large casseroles.  I also didn’t use all that I have pictured.  At least in amounts, I did use most of it though, but I did not use all of the ingredients that you see pictured.  But, I give you the exact ingredients and amounts in the write up.  The casseroles were delicious!  This is definitely a keeper, it was also an experiment, just like any recipe that you create or expand upon.  Even when you base it on something simple, it is still an experiment when you add so many other ingredients.  You don’t know that it is going to taste good, you just assume that it will.  And this recipe did!

The Ingredients:

2 Boxes of Frozen Puff Pastry, Thawed

Pasta:  In one casserole I used my leftover Vegetable Dyed Autumn Pasta, and in another casserole I used Orzo.   I eyeballed the amounts as you will see.

4, 8 oz. Packages of Cream Cheese, Room Temperature

1 1/2 Jars of Sundried Tomatoes in Olive Oil, 8.5 oz. Jars, Drained (Save the Oil.)

Grated Cheeses:  Parmesan, Parmigliano Reggiano, and Asiago (They are around 8 oz. each, I used half of each block of cheese.)

Kalamata Olives, Pitted, Drained and Chopped (I used half of a 16 oz. jar, so 8 oz.)

Leftover Roasted Garlic:  About 20 Cloves Smashed

7-8 Eggs

(And an additional egg to brush over the puff pastry in the oven.)

Half of a 14.8 oz. Jar of Artichoke Bruschetta

Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Your Tastes

Fresh Herbs:  Bunches of Parsley, Chives, Basil, and Oregano 

Also, Basil as a Garnish

I Washed and am now Drying my Fresh Herbs from my Garden.

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You need a clean surface for the Puff Pastry.  Here I am using a cutting board with a sprinkling of All Purpose Flour to prevent the pastry from sticking.  It is also still in the process of thawing out.

In the Meantime….

I ADORE these Sundried Tomatoes packed in this delicious Olive Oil!

I placed them into a small colander with a Tupperware Bowl beneath to catch the oil.

Now I am Chopping the Contents of 1 1/2 Jars

Saving the Oil

This is delicious and will go well with what I have planned.  🙂

Here I’ve Placed All the Chopped Sundried Tomatoes in a Large Bowl.

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Now For The Kalamata Olives

I think this is a 16 oz. jar and I only used half of it.

Drain the olives of the liquid and then chop.

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The Chopped Sundried Tomatoes and the Chopped Kalamata Olives

Next, Add Your Room Temperature Cream Cheese

This is just some leftover Roasted Garlic that we always seem to have on hand in the refrigerator. 

Roasted Garlic

I added about 20 cloves.  Because they were roasted I ended up just smashing them and adding them to the bowl.

Everything Mixed Together….

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Time For The Puff Pastry Sheets

Remember the Oil from the Sundried Tomatoes that we saved?  I have a Baking Sheet here lined with Aluminum Foil.  I did drizzle some of the Oil.  I then placed 5 Sections of the Puff Pastry on top of it.

PREHEAT OVEN TO 400F

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Using a Fork Poke Holes into the Pastry

This will prevent it from baking all funky.

Place in the Oven to Bake for 8 Minutes

While that is Baking…..

Time to Grate the Cheeses

I Grated about Half of Each of Them and Added Them to the Mixing Bowl

Puff Pastry Out of the Oven and Looking Golden

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Now It’s Time to Add Our EGGS

I realize that I have about 10 of them pictured but I didn’t use all of them.  I used about 7.

Next, I added an excellent Artichoke Bruschetta, about half of the jar.

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Now For The Pasta

I had this beautiful pasta leftover and wanted to use it up.  I thought it looked wonderful here!  The colors were magnificent.  I probably have about 2 cups here.  I just boiled it in water until al dente.

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While that is Cooking…..

 

All of My Ingredients Mixed Together

Time To Add The Herbs

Parsley, Chives, and Oregano

Boiling My Beautiful Autumn Colored Pasta

(They are actually vegetable dyed and healthy.)

When Al Dente, then Drain into a Colander

Adding the Freshly Ground Black Pepper and a few Basil Herbs

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Time to Split the Ingredients In Two

Because I am making two casseroles I wanted to split the ingredients into two different bowls.

In this bowl I am adding the Autumn Colored Pasta to these Ingredients.

Remember my Sundried Tomato Oil from above?  Here I am adding it to the bottom of the casserole dish.

Then I add the baked Puff Pastry fitting it in as I can. 

Making a few cutting adjustments.

Now it is time to add the mixture with our Autumn Pasta stirred into it.

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Cooking More of the Puff Pastry

Again, place the Sundried Tomato Oil on the Aluminum Foil and just poke holes in the Puff Pastry with a fork and place into a 400F Oven for 8 minutes.

Here I am Placing Some of the Puff Pastry on top of one of my casseroles.

Set Aside….to be baked in a bit.

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My Second Casserole

Orzo is the Pasta I use Here

I just placed it into a pot and boiled it until Al Dente. 

Then I drained into a Colander.

I probably used about 1 1/2 – 2 Cups of Orzo.

Now, place the Orzo into the remaining mixing bowl and stir together.

I placed some of our Sundried Tomato Oil into the Casserole Dish here. 

I then added some of our Puff Pastry on top of the Oil.

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The Puff Pastry All in the Bottom of the Casserole Dish

Now it is time to place the remaining mixture into this casserole dish on top of the Puff Pastry.

Because I didn’t have enough to fit it exactly, I cut it into squares and rectangles to place on top.

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Now it is time to cover with foil and place into a 350F Oven for about 35 – 40 minutes.

Into the Oven they Go!

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Here I am using a jar to capture the leftover oil that I love so much and can use it in other recipes.

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Creating an Egg Wash

I simply cracked and egg and added a teeny bit of water to it.  Then used a fork to whip it into a frenzy, and then spread it onto the top of my Puff Pastry.

I do this right before the casserole are ready.  About 5 minutes prior.  Just smear the Egg Wash onto the top of the Puff Pastry and then place back into the oven for an additional 5 minutes uncovered from foil.

Back into the Oven They go!

(With the Egg Wash)

Out of the Oven

Cooling on a Rack

Just Look At That!  🙂  YUM!

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This is what I came up with by using all the leftovers from above, plus adding a few more ingredients.  It was when I was making the casserole above that Gordon came home and remarked that this would be a great tasting dip.  That’s when it dawned on me to just use the leftovers and create something that we can eat as an appetizer before dinner. 

Here is that Appetizer:

Julie’s Orzo Italiano Dip

(I did NOT use the Red Onion in the photo above.)

Ingredients:

Orzo Pasta, About a Cup Full, Boiled to Al Dente

2, 8 oz. Cream Cheeses, Room Temperature

1, 8.5 oz. Jar of Sundried Tomatoes in Olive Oil, Chopped (Save the Oil)

4, 6 oz. Cans Tomato Paste

My Leftover Grated Cheeses:  Parmesan, Parmigliano Reggiano, and Asiago

Kalamata Olives, the leftover jar, Drained, Pitted, and Chopped

Leftover Roasted Garlic, about 10 Smooshy Cloves, Smashed

4 EGGS

A Few Heaping Spoonfuls of the leftover Artichoke Bruschetta

Freshly Ground Black Pepper, to Taste

Fresh Herbs: 

Oregano, Chives, Parsley and Garnish with Basil Leaves

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My Leftover Cheeses, Left

(Again, I did NOT use the Red Onion in the photo above.)

Draining the Sundried Tomatoes into a Colander and Saving the Oil

Chopping the Sundried Tomatoes and Smashing the Roasted Garlic Cloves

Chopping the Remainder of the Kalamata Olives

Place Everything into a Mixing Bowl

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Time to Boil about a Cup of Orzo till Al Dente

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Adding a Few Heaping Spoonfuls of the Artichoke Bruschetta

Tomato Paste

Although I only have 2 cans featured here I did use about 4 of them.

Orzo Boiling Away

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Time to Add the Room Temperature Cream Cheeses

Grating the Remainder of the Cheeses

Draining the Orzo into a Colander

Time to Place all of the Ingredients Together

Mix Well and Add your Eggs and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Now It’s Time to add the Al Dente Orzo to the Mix

This is also where I added some of my Fresh Herbs that I chopped into small bits.

I have 2 small casserole dishes here that I am adding some of the Sundried Tomato Oil into the bottom of the dishes.  This is nice flavor and a good way to prevent the mixture from sticking to the bottom while it cooks.

Save The Oil, This Stuff is GOLD!  Or Rather, AMBER!

The Recipe Filled 2 Small Casserole Dishes Nicely

You can see some of the Green Herbs and the White Orzo Pasta Peeking

Place Into a 350F Oven for around 35-45 Minutes

Cover With Foil Until Ready to Brown the Last 10 Minutes or So, then Remove the Foil

Allow to Cool a Bit Before Eating

Garnish With Some Fresh Herbs and Serve with Little Toasts

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Gordon and Mackenzie’s

Marinated Artichoke Risotto

(During lockdown Gordon and our son Brodie’s girlfriend, Mackenzie created this together.)

Ingredients:

1 Qt. Chicken Stock

2-3 Tbsp. Olive Oil

1/2 Yellow Onion – sliced into a small dice

~2 1/2 Cups Arborio Rice

~3/4 Cup Pinot Grigio Wine – or other White Wine of your liking

3 Jars Marinated Artichoke Hearts – roughly chopped

1/2 Cup Parmesan Reggiano – Grated

3 Tbsp. Butter

2 Tbsp. Chives – chopped

Salt and Pepper to taste

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First, this is a recipe of patience.  It takes time to make a proper Risotto, so relax and enjoy the process.  Start by placing your Chicken Stock into a small pot and turn to medium heat.  Now, cut your Onion in half, then into thin small dice sections.

(Gordon’s Lockdown Beard)  🙂

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Add your Olive Oil into a large pan and turn to Medium heat.

Add your Onions to the pan to saute.

Here you see the Broth and Onions heating.  Be sure to not let the Broth boil over.

Here, you can saute the onion down to softened to where they are now, or cooked further to browned and caramelized.

When the Onions are cooked to your liking, add the Arborio Rice and mix well with the Olive Oil and Onions.

Continue to saute or “To Flip – in French” the rice during this cooking process.  If you can’t saute the rice, use a spatula.  You want to slightly brown the rice before the next step.

When browned, add your Wine.  We like this Barefoot Pinot Grigio as it give a nice flavor to the rice.  If you don’t like or drink wine, you can omit this step, but know that there will be No Alcohol in this dish when it finishes cooking.  Only the flavor of the wine will be left as the alcohol will cook out under the heat.

Continue to cook the rice until the wine is cooked down to half the volume.

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Now, add a ladle or two of your heated Chicken Stock to the rice and stir well.  You will need to almost constantly stir this now to make the risotto creamy.  It needed to be heated, so it doesn’t bring down the temperature of the rice while cooking.

While the rice is absorbing the Chicken Stock, drain your Marinated Artichoke Hearts and chop them into nice sized chunks as shown.

Add more of your stock (about a ladle at a time) to the rice and keep stirring.  This will likely take about 30 min. until the rice can’t absorb any more liquid and is a creamy state.  Then add your chopped Artichokes.  You should have some stock left over, as if this Risotto sits in your serving dish, it will absorb more liquid.  Add some more liquid to make the Risotto creamy again.

 Here the Risotto has absorbed most of my stock and is at a creamy state.  Now is the time to add your grated cheese and chopped chives.  Stir in the ingredients then add some freshly ground pepper and taste the rice.  Be sure the rice is soft and creamy and check your salt level.  If the cheese didn’t add enough to your taste, add more then taste again!

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Julie and Gordon’s Spagett

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I, Julie, had been craving Spaghetti but I didn’t want to do it the same old way that I would always make it.  I wanted it packed with green Spinach, along with everything Italian that we had on hand to throw in it.  It was delicious!  My only regret was when Gordon told me that I had added enough Spinach.  I knew that I should have put as much as I thought was necessary, and not what he thought was fine.

In looking at the photos above, do you think there is enough Spinach?  I didn’t think so.

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Our Ingredients:

Any Spaghetti Pasta You Desire

You will need some sort of Red Sauce:  I am using a Vegetable Sauce with Mushrooms

One Can of Diced Tomatoes

One Small Can of Tomato Paste

An Heirloom Tomato That Was Laying Around

Some Vegetable Dyed Pasta We Had in the Refrigerator

Leftover Roasted Garlic Cloves

Fresh Spinach Leaves

Parmesan Cheese, Grated

Toasted Pine Nuts, however many you so desire,

(Although I have no photo of them, add as many as you like.  Just toast in a saucepan for a few minutes until tanned.)

Freshly Ground Black Pepper, to taste

A Few Shakes of Turmeric

Fresh Herbs of Basil, Oregano, Parsley, and Chives

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Don’t Forget The Bread

You will need a large pot.  Turn the burner on a medium heat and add the Red Sauce that you will be using.  Then add the diced canned Tomatoes, Chop up any tomatoes that you may have laying around that you want add, and then add your Tomato Paste to the pot to simmer away.

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Now add the Freshly Ground Black Pepper to Taste

Add a Few Shakes of Turmeric

(Turmeric kills cancer cells.  It is also a bland spice.  So, add it to as many foods as you like.)

I am actually getting rid of some stray Italian that we had in the fridge. 

This was some of my Sundried Tomato and Feta Cheese leftovers. 

Also, add a few of the Roasted Garlic Cloves.  As many as you want.

Simmering Away

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Fresh Herbs From Our Garden

With our Red Sauce simmering away, I am adding our fresh Oregano and Chives to the pot.

In an additional pot, Gordon is adding our Spaghetti Pasta to the already boiling water.  I like to add a teaspoon or so of Olive Oil to the water just to make sure the pasta doesn’t stick together.

My Beautiful Herbs

Fresh Spinach and Leftover Pasta

Red Sauce and Pasta Cooking

When the Pasta is at Al Dente, drain into a Colander and set aside.

Now place the old leftover pasta in a pot of simmering water for just a few minutes to revive it. 

Then drain into a  colander. 

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With your sauce simmering away, add as much Fresh Spinach as you want.

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When the sauce is ready, add the Spaghetti Pasta.

We needed a large bowl so we placed everything in here. 

The Red Sauce, and all the Pastas.

Turn out onto a Platter and Grate as much Parmesan as you like.

Garnish with some Fresh Basil and some Parsley

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As for the Italian bread…

Just slice, butter, sprinkle with some Garlic Salt or Paprika, then broil in the oven until browned and then serve.

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Enjoy Al Fresco!

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Bread Basket Timbale

Meat, Veggies, and Bread, All in ONE Bite!

Slice as you Would a Pie

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Ingredients:

3 Tbsp. Olive Oil

1 1/2 Medium Onions – diced

4 Garlic Cloves – chopped thinly

Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper to taste – for the main dish

1.3 Lbs. Ground Turkey – 99% Fat Free

1 Lbs Sweet Italian Ground Sausage

3/4 Cup Marsala Cooking Wine – Holland House Brand

1 Tbsp. Sea Salt – for the pasta water

1, 6 oz. Can Tomato Paste

1 Jar Tomato Sauce – Classico Brand

8 oz. Pkg. Rigatoni Chickpea Pasta – Banza Brand

1 Cup Frozen Peas

Merlot BellaVitano Cheese – entire block

Don Wine – Goat Cheese soaked in Red Wine – entire block

3/4 Cup Shredded Parmesan Cheese

3/4 Cup Mozzarella Cheese – Creamy Melt

1/2 small block Parmesan Cheese – cut into 1 inch section

1/2 small block Shredded Parmesan Cheese

8-10 Basil Leaves

1 Large Eggplant – sliced into 1/2 to 3/4 inch slices

1 Medium Round Loaf of Bread – around 6 inches wide and 6 inches high

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All of our Ingredients

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Peel and slice your Onions in half then slice and dice them as shown.

Place your Olive Oil into a large saute pan and heat to medium heat.

Add your diced Onions and saute them until softened, about 6-8 min.

Peel and slice your Garlic thinly…

then chop the Garlic into small pieces.

When the Onions are cooked to your desired doneness, add your Garlic and continue to cook for another 5 min.

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Add Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper to taste.

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Now add your Ground Sausage to the Onion and Garlic mixture.

Using your spatula, chop the Sausage into small pieces and continue to cook into browned. 

This will take about 10 minutes.

When browned, drain off any fat then add your Marsala Wine to the pan and mix all the ingredients well.  To drain the fat, we use a large spatter screen to cover the mixture and turn the pan of its side over your sink or trash can.  We didn’t have really any fat to drain as we used very lean Ground Turnkey.

Cook the mixture until the Wine is almost gone. 

The alcohol within the wine will not be in the dish and will evaporate as it cooks.

Place about 8 Cups of water into a large pot and add ~ 1 Tbsp of Sea Salt. 

Turn the heat to High to boil the water.

Here you can see the Marsala Wine in the mixture beginning to cook away.

Add your Tomato Paste to the mixture when the Wine has mostly cooked away.

Mix the Tomato Paste into the meat as shown using your spatula.

Now, add your Tomato Sauce to the pan and mix well.

When the water is boiling add your pasta.

Boil the pasta as per the boxes directions.

Here is what the meat mixture looks like when done. 

Trust me, this is delicious now, and we still have more ingredients to add!

When your pasta is cooked, drain it well in a colander as shown.

Add your meat mixture into a large bowl.

Add your Frozen Peas to the bowl.

Then add your cooked Pasta.

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Here I am slicing our Merlot Cheese into 1 inch blocks.

Do the same with your Wine Goat Cheese.

Carefully fold in the ingredients being careful not to break them up.

Here I am adding the Pre-grated Parmesan and Mozzarella Cheeses.  You can grate your own if you like.

Again, fold in the cheese.

Here I am slicing a small block of Parmesan Cheese into small 1 inch pieces which I then added to the mixture.

Add some Fresh Basil Leaves to the bowl.

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Slice your Eggplant lengthwise into 1/2 to 3/4 inch sections as shown.

Spray your Eggplant slices with a little Olive Oil then grill them on medium high heat until browned and softened.  This will take about 5 minutes on each side.  Turn the slices half way through the grilling process to achieve the cross grill marks.

When done, set aside for later use.

Using a bread knife, slice the top section of your bread off as shown.

Using your fingers. remove most of the bread’s insides leaving a 1 inch barrier creating a bowl. 

Do the same with the top section of the bread.

In the background you can see the hollowed out bread bowl.

Line your bread bowl with a few slices of the your grilled Eggplant as shown.

Add your meat mixture into the bowl, gently pressing down to fill the entire cavity.

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When filled, add a few more slices of your grilled Eggplant to the top covering the meat.

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Now, grate some Parmesan Cheese to the top of the Eggplant and place the bowl onto a sheet pan.

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Add some more grated Parmesan Cheese to the underside of the top of the bread.

Bake the bowl and bread top in a 350’F oven for about 15 min. or until the cheese melts and the top of the bread is toasted.

To serve, add the breads top and display the Bread Basket Timbale on a large platter or dish.

Cut out a wedge of the Bread Basket Timbale and serve to your hungry guests.

Just Because I LOVE Repetition.  🙂

You Know it Tastes So Good!

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GRAZIE,

Julie and Gordon

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How To Repair and Rebuild a Retaining Wall

How To Repair and Rebuild a Retaining Wall

    Introduction to the Repair and Rebuilding of a Retaining Wall   Before Left, After Right ——————————————————————————- You Can Also See Here The After Photos Once Our Pavers Were Put In Place Spooky and Sparky Once all the Work is Done Even the Backyard 

Sixty’s, (Sensational or Surviving?)  We’ll see, right?

Sixty’s, (Sensational or Surviving?) We’ll see, right?

        Welcome to My Sixty’s Currently Aging to Perfection (Or Rotting and Disintegrating?  But I swear this to you, as long as there are moisturizers and Loreal Superior Performance Medium Blonde, I will always be here for you.)  🙂 When I look 

Barefoot Beach Teas

Barefoot Beach Teas

 

 

 

 

Welcome to Barefoot Beach Teas

I got the idea about 3 years ago to create a nice tea and have it look like the beach.  I even thought of putting some sort of seashell candy inside of the tea so that when you came across it you will squeal with delight at finding a pretty sea shell in your very own beach tea.  Hopefully, reminding you of that time long ago when you were on vacation at the beach and finding pretty beachy shell souvenir’s to take home and show your friends.

My original thoughts were to just make one type of tea, a sandy colored tea.  But I then realized that I would like to create a Varie-tea.  🙂  But as I put more thought into it, I realized how great it would be to make several teas and have them look like my most favorite beaches.  For example, here in Florida we have bright white powdered sand.  (Hence, a coconut tea.)  On some of the beaches in Hawaii, where we lived for 13 years, they have sandy colored thick sand beaches, as well as black sand beaches, and there is even some green colored sand beaches.  The black sand being powered volcanic rock on The Big Island and the green sand beach of Papakolea Beach, also located on The Big Island of Hawaii, it’s gets it’s green color from the Olivine sand eroding out of the enclosing volcanic cones. 

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At this Barefoot Beach Tea debut I still have a few more teas to add as I get around to it.

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Here are my Coral Beach and Sandy Beach Teas

with little Candy Sea Shells.

The Beach in a Jar

How many of you collect sand from the beach when you go on vacation? 

Perhaps placing it into a jar to bring home?  Well, that was my inspiration.

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My Sandy Beach Tea

This tea I based on that tall bottle full of sand and shells you see in the photos, top and bottom.  It is the sand that I collected from our beach when we lived in Ewa Beach, Hawaii.  Our home was right across the street from the beach.  Granted, there was a Marine barracks blocking our view of the beach but, we would walk a block away and enter our beach from there.  I collected that sand in several bottles to bring with us when we moved back to The Mainland.

I Decorated the Jars With Shell Stickers

This is a Ginger Tea, Meant to be Consumed Hot

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Coral Beach Tea

Based on a Lovely Pinkish Coral Beach

This Tea is Meant to be Consumed Cold

 

My Old Beach Diary and Classic Shades, Along with my Sandy Beach Tea

Our Sandy Beach Tea is a very Healthy Ginger Tea

(I gave this gift along with some Ginger Cookies.)

I like the presentation of the teas with the jars upside down so that you can see the candy sea shells on the “beach.”

Just place 1, 2, or 3 teaspoons of tea per 8 ounces of water. 

The ratio’s are up to you and your personal tastes.

If you find you would prefer them sweeter then add more sugar.  But I do ask that you learn to enjoy them as they are and not loaded with sugar.  Besides, lots of sugar makes you stupid and we are surrounded with sugar in all of our foods and beverages as it is. 

So, let’s try to enjoy something that is not as sweet.

——————————————————————-

Welcome to Cocoa Beach

Think Fancy Organic Hot Chocolate

I decorated the jar lids with some beach glass that I found in Hawaii.  Candy sea shells inside, but I also do like to give this tea as a gift with some coconut cookies and mini marshmallows.

This is a Healthy Hot Chocolate

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Our Russian Tea

(On top of Brodie’s old I SPY Sand Castle Puzzle that I found in our Garage)

This recipe goes back to when Gordon was 11 years old and attended his very first square dance in Charlotte, North Carolina, along with his brother Jeff, and sister Heather.  A lady was serving Russian Tea and Gordon loved it so much he asked her for the recipe and she gave it to him.  It’s been a Whann tradition ever since.

Enhancing our Russian Tea with some Nautical Rope and Knots

Lovely Gift of Tea

—————————————————————–

Some of the Ingredients We Used

Nuts.com

————————————————————

The Beginnings of Making the Teas

(I wanted to include my star fish bowl and some of my shells.)

When it came to the making of these teas I pretty much had it in my mind the ingredients that I wanted to use, I just didn’t know how they would taste together?  But, that was the fun part.  Putting the ingredients together and coming up with something that passed the taste test, but that was also healthy. 

In this Covid 19/Cold and Flu Season I wanted these teas to be something that would help to heal the sick.  Sooth that sore throat.  Give that boost to the immune system.  And not necessarily give in to your sweet tooth cravings.  For these teas are more about your health than your sweet pleasures.

Organic Ginger Powder, Organic Cocoa, Cocoa, Organic Acai Powder, Powdered Sugar, Coconut Water Powder, Watermelon Powder Tea, and Organic Pomegranate Powder

Organic Maca in Photo Top Right

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The Powdered Pomegranate tends to harden quite quickly when exposed to air. 

Remember that.

You will need lots of clean jars and lids.  We washed the jars in the dishwasher but didn’t touch the insides.  I did hand wash the jar lids and seals by hand and let them dry. 

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Welcome to Sandy Beach

Ingredients:

3 Cups Powdered Ginger

(If you aren’t a big fan of Ginger then you may want to reduce the amount here.)

2 Cups Confectioner’s Sugar

3 Cups Unsweetened Tea

3 Cups Sweet Tea

2 Cups Organic Maca

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Ignore the dry milk in the photo left, that didn’t go into this tea but the Nestea Sweet Iced Tea did.

Nestea Unsweetened Iced Tea

Organic Powdered Ginger

Just place all the ingredients into a large mixing bowl…..

…then TASTE.

Here we are adding a bit more of this, and a bit more of that….

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Adding the Confectioner’s Sugar….

I wanted to use Confectioner’s Sugar in these teas because I thought it would add to the texture.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Now place the Tea into the jars…….

And add a few Sea Shell Chocolates.

You don’t have to place the shell chocolates into the hot tea when you make it.

You can just snack on them as you find one.

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Spooky and Sparky

Cute Sleepy Doggy Break

————————————————————————

Welcome to Coral Beach

(I wanted this tea to be consumed iced cold on a hot day.)

————————————————————-

Ingredients:

7 Cups Powdered Coconut Water

3 Cups Watermelon Tea

3 1/2 Cups Confectioner’s Sugar

1 Cup Organic Pomegranate Powder

1 Cup Dry Milk

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Making The Coral Beach Tea

 

Photo left:  Our Organic Coconut Powder and Watermelon Tea.

Photo right:  Our Confectioner’s Sugar and our Organic Pomegranate Powder

Combining all of the Ingredients to a Large Mixing Bowl

This Organic Coconut Powder was Wonderful!

This is an ingredient that we would like to see how we can use it in other recipes.

The Organic Pomegranate Powder Dries Fast so add to Recipe Quickly

Adding Our Watermelon Tea

Powdered Milk helped to make this recipe a bit creamy. 

I also recommend keeping Dry Milk in your pantry.  It has come in handy quite a few times during our self-isolation when we would run out of fresh milk.

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————————————————————-

Adding our Confectioner’s Sugar

Stir to Combine….

Time for a Taste Test

Then When Satisfied…

Time to Place into Jars and add the Candy Shells

———————————————————–

Making Our Organic Cocoa Beach Tea

This is a Healthy Organic Hot Chocolate

We topped the jars with some Candy Shells and some Shredded Coconut.

Everything Ready to Make This Tea

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Organic Cocoa and Acai Powders

This Acai Powder has so many health benefits. 

Gordon and I need to find other ways that we can consume it in the future.

Ingredients:

7 Cups Cocoa Powder

3 Cups Acai Powder

2 Cups Confectioner’s Sugar

2 Cups Organic Cocoa Powder

3 Cups Powdered Milk

3 1/2 Cups Powdered Coconut Water

5 Cups Granulated Sugar

——————————————————–

Combining All of Our Ingredients into a Large Mixing Bowl

We did use a combination of Organic Cocoa Powder as well as regular Cocoa Powder.

———————————————————-

—————————————————————–

The Confectioner’s Sugar

———————————————————–

The Last of our Powdered Coconut Water Being Added

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All of this Powdered Coconut Water is giving this drink a lovely coconut flavor.

————————————————————

Mix Together…..

————————————————–

Now It’s Time for a Taste Test

Needs More Granulated Sugar

—————————————————–

Now It’s Time to Create our Jars

——————————————————————

Here Gordon got the Idea to Add Shredded Coconut to Some

——————————————————————-

Deliciousness  🙂

————————————————————-

Another Cute Doggy Break

When Blankets are Right Out of the Dryer  🙂

———————————————————-

Making Russian Tea

—————————————————————

A Gordon Whann Tradition

——————————————————————-

Ingredients:

2, 18 oz. Orange Tang

2, 18 oz. Pineapple Orange Tang

3 oz. Jar Nestea Unsweetend Iced Tea Powder

3 Cups Nestea Sweet Iced Tea Mix with Lemon

3, 6 oz. pkgs. Orange Jell-O

2.37 oz. Cinnamon

3 Tbsp. Ground Cloves

2 Tbsp. Nutmeg

———————————————————

Add your Orange Tang, and Orange/Pineapple Tang to a large bowl.

Then add your Unsweetended Nestea Ice Tea powder to the bowl.

Now, add your Sweetened Nestea with Lemon to the bowl.

Then add your Jell-O to the bowl.

Here, we were thinking about making 2 batches of Russian Tea then saw that all the ingredients would fit into the one bowl.  This is why I am adding additional Tang to the bowl.  The initial recipe ingredients are correct to make this entire batch of tea.

Mix all the ingredients together using a slotted spoon.

Here you see the spices involved in making this tea.  These do not dissolve into the mix, so it is important that you don’t put too much of these into the mix.  They are important though to give the tea that holiday spiced flavor.

Add your Cinnamon to the bowl.

Now the Cloves and Nutmeg to the bowl.  Stir all the ingredients together well.

Here you see all of the clean and sterile jars and lids.

Use a large ladle and funnel to pour the tea into the jars.

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Here you can see all the jars we were able to make. 

These make great gifts for anyone.

Here, Julie dressed the jars with some pieces of white line or rope.

  What a simple detail to dress the jars up nicely!

Russian Tea automatically makes me think of Christmas and is one of our holiday traditions to drink this around those winter months.  Julie even sent me some when I was deployed overseas which helped both my mood and spirit with a taste of home.

—————————————————–

See you at the beach!

Julie and Gordon

————————————————————–

Check Out Our Other Hawaiian Pages:

Click Here For:  Whann Way Aloha

AND,

Click Here For:  Whann Way Aloha, Hapa Elua (Part 2)

AND,

Click Here For:  Blue Hawaiians and Huli Huli Chicken

AND,

Huli Huli Julie Caesar

AND,

Click Here For:  Sand Globes

AND,

Click Here For:  Weekend Spamin’ Spam Musubi

AND,

Click Here For:  Julie’s Lunchbox

AND,

Click Here For:  Gordon’s Hawaiian Potatoes and Huli Huli Pork Chops

AND,

Click Here For:  Whann’s In Not Always Paradise

AND,

Click Here For:  Julie Barefoot Cookies and Beachy Edible Gifts

AND,

Click Here For:  Grillin’ With Aloha

AND,

Click Here For:  Julie’s Vintage Hawaiian Mango-Mac Nut Bread Cake w/ Pasta Flowers

AND,

Click Here For:  Gordon’s Dole Pineapple Outrigger Canoe and Cocktail

AND,

Click Here For:  Hawaiian Hum Lum Sun Prunes

AND,

Click Here For:  Ono Hawaiian

AND,

May Day is Lei Day in Hawaii

AND,

Click Here For:  A Mother’s Day Aloha

AND,

Click Here For:  Aloha Wahine Jezebel Sauce

AND,

Click Here For:  Whann Way Hawaiian Luau

AND,

Click Here For:  Hawaiian Popcorn and Moana Maika I’ Loa

AND,

Click Here For:  Beachy Hawaiian Thanksgiving Pu Pu’s

AND,

Click Here For:  Barefoot Beach Teas

AND,

More Hawaiian Eats

AND,

Click Here For:  Hawaiian Kalikimaka

AND,

Click Here For:  Christmas/Kalikimaka Oysters on the Grill

AND,

Click Here For:  Tropical Hawaiian Cranberries and our Mele Kalikimaka Me Ka Hauoli Makahiki Hou

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fruit

Fruit

        Dessert, Anyone? I made a Fruit Salad yesterday and I was just fixing to spoon some over a nice Pound Cake I bought. Would you care to join me? ———————————————————–   There is nothing prettier to me in the Spring and 

Julie’s Italian Appetizers and Edible Gifts

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Home Rehab Projects

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Dips!

Dips!

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Gordon and Julie Renovations and Apps for Dinner

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Gordon and Julie Italian

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