Meeting Luke

Today Nadine and I hung around at home until it was time to go to Emily's.  We were supposed to Skype with Gerry but he forgot that we had a 3 hour time difference since he was in California, so we're going to do it tomorrow.

Nadine on the far side of the pond

Max and goldfish
It was pretty cloudy most of the day and also a lot cooler than yesterday.  We left at 2:00 and Nadine was going to show me her office at Harcum but by the time we got there, Em was already there to pick up Luke from Day Care so we went there instead.  

I don't think I had ever been to a baby day care before where there were all these cribs.  It was nap time and almost everyone was sleeping.  It was so cute to see all these babies.  Em woke up Luke and then we headed to her house.

The house she and Jon have used to be a barn and still has barn wood inside for the beams and in other areas.  They just had their kitchen redone and have a faucet for their kitchen sink that you can just tap and the water turns on and then tap again and it shuts off.  It's very English cottagy from the outside.

Luke opened his presents and we played with him downstairs and upstairs.  He is such a good, happy little boy and didn't have any kind of meltdown the whole time we were together.  When Jon came home we all left to go have dinner at Peace of Pizza. I had a slice of Mediterranean Salad Pizza. "A bed of fresh spinach topped with diced tomatoes, artichokes, red onions, feta cheese, roasted red peppers, kalamata olives, oil and vinegar dressing and seasonings"

and then Nadine and I shared a piece of white pizza which is what Luke and Emily were having.

Way over the top as far as richness. "A harmony of crème fraiche, ricotta, mozzarella and parmesan cheeses seasoned with garlic"
Next it was cookies from Hope's Cookies which is in the same building as the Peace A Pizza and enjoying the sun which finally came out now that it was only a couple of hours until sunset.

Once we got home it was rest time.

Murdock and the back of Max

 Gerry and Max watching TV

For Luke

Tomorrow I'm driving to Nadine's and the next day we go to Em's to see Luke.  This is one thing I'm bringing for him.

Meal in a Glass

I normally don't like to drink my calories (Points Plus) but sometimes it's good, especially if it's something cold on a hot day.
Well, today wasn't hot but I was in the mood for a smoothie and I knew Larry would take me up on the offer to make one for him too.  I haven't made one of these in a long time but I still had a lot of fruit left over from bridge the other night and this was a good way to enjoy it.  I usually have a bag of frozen mixed fresh fruit that I buy from BJs.  Is that right, can frozen be fresh?  Anyway, I think it's fast frozen fresh fruit, no anything added but I didn't have that this time but I did have a bag of just strawberries.  I like to use the frozen fruit because it helps make the smoothie colder and thicker.  This is the recipe I made today.

Strawberry Banana+ Smoothie
1 pkg Weight Watchers Strawberry Banana smoothie (these are available at WW meeting locations)
1/2 cup skim milk plus enough ice to bring it up to 1 cup
Handful of blueberries 
Handful of strawberries
1/2 banana 
Pineapple equivalent to handful (too messy to grab a handful)
1/2 container (3 oz) Blueberry nonfat Greek yogurt        
    (I like the Greek yogurt better because it is thicker)
1/2 tsp vanilla
Splenda to taste
Put all ingredients into blender and process at Frappe setting (next to the highest on my machine) until all the ingredients are blended and the ice is completely dissolved.  Better without any ice pieces in it.  Sometimes I can taste tiny little pieces of ice and I just throw it all back in the blender until smooth.  It makes a large, thick, cold, filling, and delicious drink good for a snack or meal.  4.5 Points Plus

Zucchini Soup and Pico de Gallo

I went to Wegmans the other day and they were giving out samples of Zucchini Soup.   If they weren't giving out samples, I don't think I would have been tempted to make it. But after I tasted it I couldn't believe how good it was.  I bought all the ingredients and went home and made it for dinner.  Since I bought a bunch of cilantro for the soup, the next day I made Pico de Gallo, and that story I already told about the jalapeno and my contacts.



BEFORE

AFTER   

Wegmans Zucchini Soup

Click here for the original

Makes: 8 cups
Active Time: 35 mins
Total Time: 45 mins

• 1 Tbsp Wegmans Pure Olive Oil
• 1 pkg (8 oz) Food You Feel Good About Cleaned & Cut Chopped Onions
• 1 Tbsp chopped Food You Feel Good About Peeled Garlic
• 4 small (2 lbs) zucchini, 1/2-inch dice (about 6 cups), divided
• 1 carton (32 oz) Food You Feel Good About Chicken Culinary Stock
• 1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced (about 1 cup), divided
• 1/2 bunch cilantro, stemmed, chopped (about 1 1/4 cups)
• Salt and pepper to taste

You'll Need: Handheld blender
Directions

1. Heat olive oil in stockpot on MEDIUM-LOW. Add onion and garlic; reduce heat to LOW. Cook, stirring often, about 10 min, until onion is soft and translucent, but not browned.

2. Add about 4 cups zucchini to pot. Cook 5 min. Add stock; bring to a simmer on HIGH.

3. Add half the green onions. Reduce heat to MEDIUM; simmer 2 min. Remove from heat; add cilantro.

4. Puree soup carefully with handheld blender until smooth. Return to MEDIUM heat. Add remaining 2 cups zucchini. Simmer 8-10 min until zucchini is tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper; ladle into warm bowls. Garnish with remaining green onions.


Option(s):
Garnish with Vermont Creamery Goat Cheese and thinly sliced radishes.


Nutrition Info: Each serving (1 Cup) contains 60 calories, 7 g carbohydrate, (2 g fiber), 3 g protein, 2 g fat, (0 g saturated fat), 0 mg cholesterol, and 230 mg sodium.
Zucchini Soup
Ingredients

Pico de Gallo

I didn't really know what the difference was between Pico de Gallo and Salsa until I looked it up today. All I knew was that I wanted to make Pico de Gallo like we had in Mexico but maybe not quite as hot so my lips and mouth wouldn't burn for an hour afterwards. Well, the difference is that salsa is cooked and pico de gallo is fresh.
Here is my recipe for the pico de gallo. You can really add whatever you like and make it to the degree of hotness that is good for you. When we had it at Kris's she had corn in it which was really good but I wanted to keep this at a Zero Points Plus level. If I wanted to make it more hearty I would add the corn and some beans too, either black, white or kidney. Then it would be a good vegetarian meal. The amounts are up to you but put in a lot of everything because it isn't all about the tomatoes. The following recipe list what I used.  I almost forgot to mention that I wasn't sure what type of hot pepper I would like so I bought a few different ones to try.  There was one that was just called hot pepper and that burned as soon as you put it near your lip.  But when we used the Jalapeno in the recipe it didn't add much hotness so we took out some of the salsa and put it in a separate dish with 2 large pieces of the hot pepper and let it soak overnigt.  Then I added the hot salsa back into the rest but not the pieces of pepper.

Pico de Gallo

• 6 Tomatoes
• 1/2 Lg Onion
• 1 Red Pepper
• 1 Jalapeno, seeds removed
• 2 Green Onions
• Fresh Cilantro
• Fresh lime juice
• Salt to taste

Dice the tomatoes, onions, red pepper, green onions, and jalapeno into a bowl.  Chop up fresh cilantro but leave off the long stems  and add that too.  Mix in the cilantro then squeeze in lime juice add salt and mix again.

I got Coco Chips at BJs, 23 for 3 Points Plus and they taste great with the pico de gallo.

You Know You're Old When . . .

Well, yesterday was the day for feeling like maybe I'm getting up there a little.
Bridge was at my house last night so I had to go to the store to buy some things.  I came out of BJs and all of a sudden I saw what looked like a cobweb going back and forth in front of my right eye.  I tried to brush it away but there wasn't anything there.   I was wearing my glasses instead of contacts because of something I did the day before, more about that later, so I took them off and brushed around some more in front of my eyes and then cleaned my glasses.  Still didn't do anything.  


Then I thought this had something to do with the night before.  I made salsa and added some jalepeno peppers.  I ignored the instruction about wearing gloves since I used a knife and fork and barely touched them.  Many hours later when it was time to go to bed I had to take my contacts out.  OUCH!!!  Now I understood the warning for wearing gloves.  Burn, burn but fortunately not long and I washed my eyes with solution.  This probably didn't have anything to do with it . . . or did it?  Next time I cut hot peppers I'll take my contacts out first AND wear gloves.


Anyway, after awhile, the cobweb went away and became a black bug that just comes and goes at random.  When everyone was over I asked if any of them had experienced floaters, I of course had looked it up online to see what I was experiencing.  Most everyone had them at one time or another and from reading online they don't go away but your brain sort of ignores them after awhile.  The brain is an amazing thing like the way it can fool your eyes when you wear monovision contact lenses.  One contact fixes the vision for closeness and the other contact corrects the distance.  It's usually the dominant eye that gets the distance contact.  When I first got monovision lenses I had them for the wrong eyes, or at least according to the new eye doctor I went to.  I was able to see fine both ways, it just takes a little while for your brain to adjust.


There's a test to determine the dominant eye.
This is how you do it:

• Extend your arms in front of you with your palms facing away.
• Bring your hands together, forming a small hole by crossing the thumbs and fore fingers.
• Choose a small object about 15-20 feet away from you. With both eyes open, focus on the object as you look through the small hole.
• Close one eye and then the other. When you close one eye, the object will be stationary. When you close the other eye, the object should disappear from the hole or jump to one side.
• If the object does not move when you cover one eye, then that eye is dominant. The eye that sees the object and does not move is the dominant eye.

So anyway, now my eyes are going, which reminds me to call the eye doctor for an appointment which is needed anyway.  An hour before everyone was coming over I realized I didn't have any decaf coffee.  It wasn't that I forgot to get it, it never even crossed my mind to get it until I started thinking about getting the coffee pot ready.  Back to Wegmans for some coffee.  Quick trip in and out.  On my way out I said to myself, out loud, ". %*@ you forgot to remember to remember" (that's not a duplication of words I did forget 'to remember to remember' "where you parked the car."  Not only do I need to remember where I park before I go into the store so I can find my car when I come out, I need to remember to do it in the first place.  I eventually figured it out and came home.  Bridge was a success.  Everyone liked my food and we have lots of leftovers of healthy fruits and vegetables.  No longer like the old days when we had tons of junk food.  Laura and Greta used to love when I had bridge when they were young just for all the snacks.

We called Ginny last night who was home recuperating from hip replacement surgery and today I stopped over to see her with a "grabber" I borrowed from the Damascus Center.  I should get one of those for myself just to reach the high things that are becoming increasingly out of reach as I shrink back into myself.  When I got there, Ginny was outside with her walker and raking.  No pain and getting around great.  You go girl!

New Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

I updated my strawberry rhubarb crisp recipe today but haven't tested it yet to see how it came out.  I'm having bridge club here tomorrow night so I made two.  One for them and one for Larry.  

In looking over Emeril's recipes, and other recipes such as Quaker Oatmeal cookies, it seems like everyone has been trying to take some of the fat and sugar out of their recipes.  I noticed that corn starch has less Points Plus than flour so I substituted that in my recipe and also decreased some of the brown sugar in the topping.

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp (makes 2)


Preheat oven to 375°F
Spray Pam on bottom of 2 baking dishes


Filling
2 lbs rhubarb, cut in 1/2 inch pieces
2 lbs strawberries, halved or quartered if large
1 cup splenda
4 tbls cornstarch
4 tsp fresh squeezed lemon juice (I used limes because I had them)
2 tsp cinnamon
 
Place rhubarb and strawberries in a large bowl. Sprinkle with lemon juice, sugar, and cornstarch toss lightly to mix.

Pour 1/2 of filling into deep pie plate or other deep baking dish.

Cover with crumbled topping.
Topping
1 cup oatmeal
1 cup flour
1/2 can Almond paste (4 oz)
1 stick unsalted butter
1/2 cup brown sugar 
pinch salt


Cut up almond paste into small pieces and put in food processor together with oats, flour, sugar, butter pieces and salt. Pulse until just crumbly. DO NOT OVER PULSE! 

Sprinkle over fruit and bake in oven for 40-45 minutes.

Welcome Parker!!

Parker Anthony John Rudy entered the world today.
8 lbs. 6 oz.
19 3/4 in.

Parker - Day 1

 The proud parents - Marge and Darren
and then we all got a chance to hold him

Connor's Graduation

We went to Connor's graduation from McQuaid today.  Congrats Connor.

First we went to dinner at Max's Chophouse and then to the Eastman.

Kaitlyn's Graduation

Friday we drove to Cranberry Township outside of Pittsburgh for granddaughter Kaitlyn's graduation.  Kris outdid herself with the variety of food (before graduation which was at 6:00 PM) and desserts.  I didn't take a picture of the food table but she had all of Kaitlyn's favorites which are also mine.
Let's see how much I can remember, salsa, nacho dip, chips, chicken wing dip, tossed salad, cucumber sandwiches on party pumpernickel, pulled pork, chicken salad sandwiches on Italian bread, veggie tray, watermelon and all homemade.
It was a beautiful day for an outdoor graduation and it only took an hour and getting out of the parking lot wasn't a problem at all.

The Program

Claire and Mark on the other side of the stadium

Kaitlyn walking in

And another

Kaitlyn receives her diploma

Family shot at home

Kaitlyn, Mark and Claire

Claire painted this picture for Kaitlyn
"Sisters by birth . . . friends by choice" 
is written on the painting

Desserts

Potato Salad - No Mayo

We played golf today.  It was 86 degrees when we drove over.  It was a beautiful day.  Too bad my golf playing was so pathetic.  We came home and had some margaritas, can't get away from that Mexican influence.  Then we cooked the dinner we were supposed to have last night.  
After I went to Wegmans yesterday to get the missing ingredients for our dinner, I saw Audrey outside and went over to say hello.  Jane was out on her deck and said hi too.  Then Larry came outside and Jane invited us over for a glass of wine.  Audrey and Steve didn't come because they had their granddaughter Heather with them.  Larry and I did go, and 3+ hours later we went home.  By then it was too late for dinner so we just had some ice cream for dessert.

Now we could have our dinner.  It was our first official summer dinner.  Hamburgs cooked on the grill, corn on the cob, and potato salad.  The potato salad is my favorite potato salad that I got from Terry probably 40 years ago but now I leave out the mayonnaise and milk and it is still delicious.  Below is the original recipe.

Terry's Potato Salad 
8 cups diced cooked potatoes

Mix together and let stand 
1/4 cup instant minced onion 
1/4 cup water 
2 Tbl vinegar
Add to above 
1⁄4 cup prepared mustard 
1 Tbs sugar 
1⁄4 cup salad oil 
1 Tbs season salt 
1 tsp celery seed 
black pepper

Add potatoes 
Let chill several hours or over night

Add 
2 cups diced crisp celery 
1⁄4 cup diced sweet pickles

====================================

I leave out these ingredients:
4 hard cooked eggs

Blend together and pour over potatoes 

1 cup mayonnaise 

1⁄2 cup milk

====================================
Toss to mix 
Chill

Makes 2 1⁄2 quarts

These tulips were in our garden.  We were surprised that they were still in bloom, but because it was so cold this year, they waited for us to return from Cancun so we could bring them in the house.

Last Day Before We Leave

Today was our last full day in Cancun and once again the weather was incredible.  The wind was still relatively calm which meant the water was not that wavy so it was perfect for taking my tube in and bob around.
We had our Margaritas on the beach in the afternoon

and then some Dos Equis later on.  What can I say, we had a lot of beverages left over.  As it was, we left a full bottle of wine behind.

We went to Puerto Madero for dinner again tonight and this time I took pictures.

We started with complimentary margaritas.

I loved the purse holder that they brought over to our table.

The funny thing is we had less to eat tonight than the last time but felt so much fuller, or at least I did.  I was in pain from how full I was so instead of taking the bus back to the hotel we walked.  Even once we got back, all I could do was lie down because my stomach was too full to stay in an upright position.

Here are some of the pictures from this night. 

 We got there in time for a beautiful sunset

We knew we wanted fish so the waiter brought over the raw selections that we had for that day. 

 Above is the special tuna for the day, I think it was bigeye and is what I ordered.  The last time we were there I got the ahi tuna, which is on the left of the plate below

Larry got the sea bass which is on the right of the plate above.  Lobsters were another choice of the day.

Above is the sea bass that came with shitake mushrooms and asparagus.  We also got a side of roasted vegetables.

Next to Last

For a day that started out with Larry not feeling well, it turned out to be a good one.  Larry had a stomach ache this morning so I went to Starbucks by myself and got a coffee.  Later in the morning we went for a walk on the beach and then got out towels and sat on the beach (after going in the water to cool off) until 3:00 when we went to the Couples Game, like the Newlywed Game, but not as good as the one on the cruise so we left before it was over.  We showered and got dressed to go to the Tequila tasting.  We learned the process of making Tequila and tasted a variety of them including a cream tequila that was like Baileys and a Pomegranate Tequila.

After that we stopped on our way back at Fish Fritango for a wonderful dinner.  From the street you would never know that this restaurant was in the back of the tiny little building in the front.  We sat at tables on the sand

 and had margaritas with chips to start

followed by a fish dinner for two that included lobster, shrimp wrapped in bacon and cheese, grilled shrimp, fried calamari, grilled fish (grouper), refried beans, guacomorle, rice and vegetables.

 We did a real good job of cleaning our plate.

On the walk home we saw our first sunset of this vacation.  The last time we faced the lagoon was the previous Wednesday when we went to  Puerto Madero, but it was cloudy that night.

The final "piece de resitance" for the evening was that we stopped at Ben & Jerry's and Starbucks.