Cabin Fever

I'm tired of sitting at home! (picture me stomping my foot, temper-tantrum-style here). Today Les and I were going to get out and do a bit of sightseeing, but it didn't happen. I made him stay home and sleep. He's been pushing himself way too hard. Between his music, taking two college courses, and work he's gotten himself sick (he claims its allergies, but walking just a short block should make you out of breath, should it?). He needs to get better, fast. We leave next week for Germany!

By around 4pm this afternoon I was about to go nuts. I'm tired of cleaning, doing laundry and playing solitaire on my computer. Ugh. I considered going to the gym but decided it could wait. There were still a couple of hours of daylight left and I intended to enjoy them. I woke my hubbie up long enough (he slept most of the afternoon) to tell him I was going for a drive. I grabbed my camera gear, cell phone and GPS and headed into the hills.

Finally, I felt like I could breathe! I think living in military housing can be suffocating. Sometimes I need (not just want, but need) to get out of the barbed-wire fence compound that we call home. As my car carried me up into the hills, I found a new surprise around every turn. Spring has come to Sicily. It is gorgeous! The hills are flowing with green grass and wildflowers are popping up everywhere.

The best part about my drive was that the little roads that I traveled were empty. I passed maybe three cars in the two hours or so that I was out. I pulled off to the side of the road often to snap pictures, and sometimes, when there wasn't a pullout, I just stopped in the middle of the road. As I drove my smile got bigger, my heart got lighter, and I was amazed at the beauty around me. Here are the highlights:

A herd of geep (an American term for mixed herd of goats and sheep) blocking the road.

A lot of Americans here seem annoyed by the herds of geep, cows, etc. that we share the road with but I love them. They always make me smile. Definitely not something I saw much (or any) of in California.

Yep, that is Mt. Etna in the background.

Another awesome shot with Mt. Etna in the background.

A Shepard and his herd.

I had so much fun last night! Les' band played for a BBQ sponsored by MWR for a group of British, German and Greek (I think) naval ships that were visiting Sicily. I almost didn't go, but I'm so glad that I did. I haven't smiled that much and laughed that hard in a long time! I spent most of the evening mingling with the British guys. Most of them were around the same age as my little brother and reminded me a lot of him (I miss you Ivan!) Here are a handful of pictures from the evening:

Posing for the camera

"It Doesn't Matter" rocked last night! Probably their best performance yet. The crowd loved them!

One of many tables (only halfway through the evening) covered with empty beer cans. They were definitely having fun!

Betsy (Terry, the drummer's wife) guest starred with the band for a few songs

One of the British guys took the stage on the drums and was really good! The crowd loved seeing one of their own in the spotlight.

The tallest and smallest from one of the British ships.

One of my buddies from the evening, and the only one whose name I remember...sort of. I think his nickname was Kigsy (and I know I probably didn't spell that right).

This is what happens when "pissed" guys try to build a beer can pyramid....but don't check to see if the beer cans are empty....

If anyone I met last night happens to visit my blog, I had a great time and hope to meet up with you again one day. Leave a comment and keep in touch! If you want to see the rest of the pics from the evening visit the entire album at: http://picasaweb.google.com/anglouise/ItDoesnTMatterAugustaGig

Perfect Popcorn

How often do perfect moments come around? When they do, do you recognize them when they happen? Sometimes, the thought will hit me that I could live in the current moment forever. It is an amazing feeling. I hold on to it as long as possible and enjoy it while it lasts. When I take the time to recognize this feeling not only do I enjoy that moment more (because I know it is fleeting) I have those moments to look back when things aren't as perfect and know that life (even in the not so perfect moments) is still good.

I had one of these moments last night. It was simply sitting on the sofa with my hubbie, drinking delicious wine and eating the best popcorn ever. He had his arm comfortably around me and the bowl of popcorn was nestled on our laps between us. We were watching Seinfeld reruns. It was peaceful, safe, and full of warm, comfortable love. It was one of those perfect moments that I want to be able to look back on and remember vividly.

I also wanted to share the recipe for the awesome popcorn. We are totally addicted. I found the recipe on Bitten. The only change I made from the orignial was to cut the recipe in half (the original had 1/2 c of corn and 4tbsp of butter). I could eat a massive bowl (or three) of this...its that addicting...but I'm trying to be a little bit good with what I eat.


Sweet & Salty Popcorn
Adapted from Bitten

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  
• 1/4 c popping corn
• 2 tbsp butter
• sea salt
• sugar

1. Put the oil in the bottom of a large, deep saucepan (6 quarts or so) with a cover; turn the heat to medium. Add 3 kernels of corn and cover.
2. When the kernels pop, remove the cover and add the remaining corn. Cover and shake the pot, holding the lid on as you do so. Cook, shaking the pot occasionally, until there are a few seconds between popping sounds (a few unpopped kernels are inevitable). Meanwhile, melt the butter (here’s where the microwave comes in handy) if you're using it.
3. Turn the popcorn into a large bowl; drizzle with the butter and sprinkle with about 1/2 teaspoon of salt and about a tablespoon of sugar; taste, add more seasoning as needed; toss and serve.

What Spice Are You?

A fun little quiz I found:

You Are Black Pepper

You may be considered ordinary by some, but you're far from boring. You elevate the mood of any discussion, and people miss you when you're not around. You are secretly very dominant and powerful. Most can only take you in small doses.

What Spice Are You?

What do you think? Am I black pepper?

20 Things To Remember

Today I am cleaning up my "to file" pile in my office. I came across a sheet of paper with 20 things to remember. I'm pretty sure my mom sent it to me. They are good thoughts to keep in mind so I thought I'd share them:

1. Faith is the ability to not panic.
2. If you worry, you didn't pray. If you prayed, don't worry.
3. As a child of God, prayer is like calling home every day.
4. Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape.
5. When we get tangled up in our problems, be still. God wants us to be still so He can untangle the knot.
6. Do the math. Count your blessings.
7. God wants spiritual fruit, not religious nuts.
8. Dear God: I have a problem. It's me.
9. Silence is often misinterpreted but never misquoted.
10. Laugh every day - it's like inner jogging.
11. The most important things in your home are the people.
12. Growing old is inevitable, growing up is optional
13. There is no key to happiness. The door is always open.
14. A grudge is a heavy thing to carry.
15. He who dies with the most toys is still dead.
16. We do not remember days, but moments. Life moves too fast, so enjoy your precious moments.
17. Nothing is real to you until you experience it; otherwise it's just hearsay.
18. It's alright to sit on your pity pot every now and again. Just be sure to flush when you are done.
19. Surviving and living your life successfully require courage. The goals and dreams you're seeking require courage and risk-taking. Learn from the turtle, it only makes progress when it sticks out its neck.
20. Be more concerned with your character than your reputation. Your character is what you really are, while your reputation is...merely what others think you are.

I hope these thoughts bring a smile to your face and a spring to your step as they did for me.

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Now playing: Augustana - Feel Fine
via FoxyTunes

Beautiful, but...

I saw these dishes in my January copy of Real Simple magazine. I fell in love with them. Then, of course, read the find print and discovered they were Hermès.


Yep...just the set of two cups and saucers is $300. Ouch. They are gorgeous but I'd be afraid to use them!

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Now playing: No Doubt - Hella Good
via FoxyTunes

I should be cleaning the house...

I should be cleaning the house or doing something productive but playing on my blog is so much more fun! I decided that it was time to give my blog a whole new look. Pictures, and especially food pictures tend to look best on a neutral background (not so much with the pink). Let me know what you think and if you have any suggestions for improvements. Thanks!

Don't knock it 'till you've tried it

Free! From class, that is. On Monday I finished my fifth MBA class and have now officially reached the halfway point in my degree. This last class, Managerial Decision Making (MBA510) was a toughie, but I survived and got a decent grade. (yippee!!)

The last few days have been spent trying to catch up on a few things around the house. Yesterday was supposed to be a big cleaning day, but around 10:30A my friend Betsy called to see if I wanted to go shopping with her in Palagonia. I jumped at the opportunity to get out of the house for awhile.

We went to the supermercados in Palagonia and then decided it was time for lunch. As we drove up through Palagonia looking for a restaurant a sign caught my eye. It was partially blocked as we approached so all I could see was Buon Vino. I mentioned it to Betsy and said I needed to come back and check it out. Betsy, another wine lover, immediately pulled off to the side of the road and asked "where!?" I pointed it out and much to our surprise and delight it turned out to be a wine shop! We immediately agreed that lunch could wait, we had to check it out.


As we entered we were ecstatic. It was the first local wine shop either of us had found. Along one wall they had a selection of local bottled wine, and along the other they had several tapped barrels and a selection of different sized plastic bottles to choose from to fill from the barrels. They had Nero D'Avola, Cabernet Sauvignon, Rosso (just a basic red table wine), Rosato, and Zibibbo.

When Les and I first arrived in Sicilia several people told us about the local wines that could be purchased and were often sold in plastic bottles. The one time (about a year ago) we stepped out and purchased some it was awful. The California wine snob in the back of my head was telling me wine in a plastic bottle is as bad as wine in a box. I was a bit skeptical about buying wine in a plastic bottle, but as soon as I tasted it at this shop I was sold.

Betsy and I each bought two two-liter bottles. She purchased a Cabernet and a Nero D'Avola and I purchased a Cabernet and a Zibibbo. The Cabernet, although young, had a great flavor. It wasn't overly acidic or tannic as young red wines can be. The Zibibbo, a sweet dessert wine similar to Moscato, was delicious. I spent a grand total of 10euro for four liters of wine! The Cabernet was 4euro (about $6.00) and the Zibibbo was 6euro (about $9.00). Finding this store, with quality wines at phenomenal prices was awesome! I will definitely be going back...often.


After our awesome wine find we finally made our way to lunch and then home. We decided that our new wine needed to be enjoyed immediately so as soon as we had put our groceries away Betsy came over and we enjoyed a glass of wine. That is where Les found me when he came home from work. He was anxious to get in on the action and poured himself a glass while we told him the story. Shortly after Les got home Betsy's husband called and we invited him over for a glass as well. We enjoyed the wine and the company for a couple of hours in the late afternoon. What a great way to spend a day!

Once

I read a lot of books and watch a lot of movies but I rarely take the time to sound off on them here. I'm not great at writing movie reviews, but I will say you should see Once. Les and I watched it last night and it was great! A bit slow at first, but definitely worth it, and the soundtrack is awesome. I bought it on iTunes today and am listening to it right now. Check it out if you like movies that aren't mainstream and have a bit of depth.

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Now playing: Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova - If You Want Me
via FoxyTunes

Nope, Not Scallions

They look like green onions (scallions) right?

My vendor at the market this morning said they were aglio. I didn't believe him until he cut one open for me to smell.

I've never seen garlic (aglio) like this before but I can't wait to try it! Now...how does one best prepare garlic that looks like scallions?

Winter Pesto

Yesterday, after I finished making the cheesecakes I was in desperate need of "real" food. (I ate way too much batter!) I decided to try a recipe I found on the Orangette blog for Winter Pesto. Her recipe calls for almonds, but since I didn't have almonds on hand I tried walnuts instead. It was delicious! I served my pesto over fresh pasta for a decadent yet simple lunch.

Winter Pesto
Adapted from Orangette Blog

• 4 tbsp. walnut pieces
• 1 cup Italian parsley - packed
• 4 - 6 tbsp. olive oil
• 1/2 of a lemon
• ¼ tsp. salt
• 1 small garlic clove

1. In a small food processor, pulse the walnuts until finely ground. Add the parsley, 4 tablespoons of the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and garlic and process to a paste. Taste and, if needed, adjust salt, lemon juice, and/or olive oil.

On an entirely different note I'm thinking about starting a new blog just for sharing my ideas on food and wine. I'm not entirely sold on the idea and would like to know what you think. There is a poll on the right hand side of the page - please let me know your opinion. If you have anything else to add you can always leave me a comment or message me on Meebo (also on the right hand side of the page).

Ciao!

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Now playing: Josh Groban - Vincent (Starry, Starry Night)
via FoxyTunes

Heart Shaped Cheesecakes

Yesterday I decided to break out the heart shaped spring form pans that I bought at Target several years ago. I had never used them and decided that it was time. I searched through several cheesecake recipes looking for just the right one and finally gave up and made up my own. I took a bit from one recipe, a bit from another, and then put my own spin on it.

I started out by making a chocolate wafer cookie crust. I attempted to divide the crust crumbs evenly between my three heart-shaped pans. I thought that the three heart pans would hold about the same amount of cheesecake as a normal cheesecake pan. I was wrong. Even though I made thick crusts I still had crumbs left over. I pulled out a couple of ramekins and baked a couple of extra crusts.

Next, I prepared the batter. Since this cheesecake was for my sweetheart on Valentine's day I decided to forgo the reduced-guilt route and made a super rich cheesecake, complete with full-fat cream cheese, sour cream and whipping cream...yeah, oh so good! I filled up my heart shaped pans first and still had a ton of batter left. I worked on the next two ramekins that had crust...still had a ton of batter. I ended up using every single ramekin that I own!

Bunches of Baking Cheesecakes

A Heart-Shaped Cheesecake, Cooling

All sorts of ramekins filled with cheesecake

The finished product, just before we devoured it last night

Yep, that's right. We celebrated Valentine's day a day early since Les has to work tonight. We savored our cheesecake with a bottle of Prosecco (Italian sparkling wine). We had a great evening. Les even made me a homemade card! It was so sweet!

In case you want to make something similar, here is my recipe:

Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake

Crust

• 1.5 c chocolate wafer cookie crumbs
• 3 tbsp butter - melted
• 2 tbsp sugar

Filling

• 3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 3 eggs
• 1 package REESE'S Premier Baking Pieces Milk Chocolate filled with Peanut Butter Créme

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F . In 9x3 springform pan, combine cookie crumbs, melted butter, and sugar; stir with fork until evenly moistened. With hand, press mexture firmly onto bottom of pan. Bake 10 minutes. Cook completely in pan on wire rack.
2. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar together until smooth. Beat in sour cream and heavy cream. Blend in the flour and vanilla. With mixer on low speed, add eggs one at a time. Fold in Reese's Baking Pieces. Pour batter over crust.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 60 to 70 minutes, or until center is almost set (filling will be soft). Refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight before removing from pan.

Happy Valentine's Day!

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Now playing: Josh Groban - You're Still You
via FoxyTunes

Giddy

I wrote a huge paper for school last week - around 25 pages. As I was nearing the end I went back to read through the requirements one more time and realized that I was missing a few things. The paper was supposed to include certain statistical concepts and probably corresponding calculations. I had covered a few of the topics but didn't have any calculations.

I nearly panicked as I flipped back to the syllabus to see what percentage of my grade would suffer if I turned it in the way it was. It was only 5% of my overall grade so I decided to take the chance. I finished it up, proofed it, and, other than missing a few things was very happy with the way it turned out. Off it went to the professor.

Today I opened up my messages for class and noticed that my grade had been updated. gulp. I felt those nervous butterflies start to act up in my tummy and wondered how bad the damage was. (It was a feeling similar to knowing that you need to look at the credit card bill after vacation but you aren't looking forward to it.)

When I opened the message I was completely flabbergasted! I got a 100%!!!! The professor even made "very good" type comments with exclamation points! All I could do was laugh. I couldn't believe it. I'm totally giddy and happy right now and had to share. :)

Mmmm...Soup

Remember the episode of Friends where Joey was auditioning for a soup commercial and he couldn't get the right line? He was supposed to say "mmm, soup" but he kept saying "mmmm, noodle soup". As I sat down to dinner tonight I found myself saying the same thing, or at least what he was supposed to say, "mmm...soup".

I found a delicious recipe for Smoky Corn Chowder in this month's Real Simple Magazine. I made a few adjustments so I could use the ingredients I had on hand and it was delicious! It could also be easily adapted for my vegetarian and vegan friends.

Smoky Corn Chowder
Adapted from Real Simple Magazine, February 2008

• 8 ounces diced pancetta
  
• 1 large sweet onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 10-ounce packages frozen corn
• 2 14 oz. cans vegetable broth
• 1 cup whipping cream or half-and-half
• Kosher salt and pepper
• 4 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced

1. Cook the pancetta in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
2. Spoon off and discard all but 2 tablespoons of the drippings and return the pot to medium heat. If you are a bit short on the drippings add a bit of olive oil until you have about 2 tbsp of oil. Cook the onion, stirring occasionally, until soft, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic, paprika, and red pepper and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Stir in the corn, broth, and half-and-half and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
3. Transfer half the soup to a blender and puree until smooth. Return to the pot, add 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and stir to combine.
4. Divide the soup among individual bowls and top with the scallions and reserved pancetta.

To make this meal vegan friendly omit the pancetta and step one and begin by cooking the onions in olive oil. Replace the cream with unsweetened soy milk. If anyone tries the vegan version let me know how it turns out.

This soup was easy to make and sooo good! I will definitely make it again (and again and...you get the pictures).

It Doesn't Matter Rocks Applebee's Pub

Last night Les' band performed at Applebee's pub Superbowl Pre-game Party. They sounded great! Here are a few pictures:





They have more gigs coming up in February so if you want the dates let me know!

Sharing Smiles & Laughter

As I turned the page of my calendar from January to February I noticed that the picture of the month could have been my cousin and I as little girls. It looks like the kind of mischief we would have created to amuse ourselves.


And a funny from Reader's Digest that Les & I found hilarious:

• My wife found this flyer taped to a neighborhood telephone pole: "Found, make yellow Lab, very friendly. Loves to play with kids and eat Bubbles. Bubbles is our cat. Please come get your dog." Submitted by Robert Chapman, Reader's Digest, February 2008, p. 125

I hope these funnies bring a smile to your face as they did to mine!

My Poor Tired Shredder

I should be in Acireale at Carnivale right now. Unfortunately it didn't work out tonight. Les came home feeling a bit under the weather, and with a gig coming up this weekend he really doesn't want to get sick. I don't blame him. A late night out wouldn't have been the healthiest option.

I spent a good deal of time last night and this morning shredding paper to use as confetti so I wouldn't have to spend a ton of euro buying it like I did last year. My poor shredder is not making happy noises. Maybe I shouldn't have shredded so many magazines... Hopefully we'll still get out for Carnivale this year and my shredder's sacrifice won't be in vain. Maybe this weekend? It goes through February 5 (I think) so I'll keep my fingers crossed.

Oh, and for those of you who were wondering what my hubbie had up his sleeve for Tuesday night it was a masked ball at the Catania opera house. We weren't able to make it, but hey, at least my husband wants to take me to a masked ball! Next time :)

Mmmm...Muffins

The last couple of weeks have been crazy. I'm taking a class called Managerial Decision Making. I had no idea when I started the class that it was all about statistics...a subject that I haven't touched since undergrad. It has been more of a challenge than my other MBA classes. I'm only halfway through! The next three weeks will be tough.

Les has also been really busy with his band. They have taken to practicing in my dining room, which most of the time I don't mind. But they have a gig this weekend...and that means they will be here a lot this week. Last night...tonight...and Friday. Usually I make dinner for them but I got off the hook tonight because the drummer's wife offered to take care of dinner. I am so glad! I had no idea what to make. I wasn't planning on doing that much cooking this week.

Once I found out that I wasn't responsible for dinner I felt inspired to bake (even though I really should have been studying). I found a few recipes last week that I've been wanting to try. Today I decided to try Whole Wheat Orange Spice Muffins. They were soooooo good! Very hearty. I was actually pretty full after eating just one. I used my last two blood oranges that I bought at the local market on Friday.


Whole Wheat Orange Spice Muffins
From Pinch My Salt

• 2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup flax seed meal
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 eggs - lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• 2 tablespoons fresh orange zest
• 1/3 cup canola or vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup lightly packed brown sugar
• 1 t. vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup chopped walnuts

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees; grease 12 muffin cups or line with paper baking cups. Zest and juice 2 or 3 medium oranges, measure out juice and zest; set aside. Chop and measure walnuts; set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, flax seed meal, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Using a wire whisk, blend ingredients together very well. This is your dry mixture. Set it aside.
3. In a separate bowl, combine beaten eggs, buttermilk, orange juice and zest, oil, brown sugar, and vanilla. Whisk together well. This is your wet mixture.
4. Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and stir with a wooden spoon just until all the flour has been incorporated. Make sure to scrape up all the flour from the bottom of the bowl as you are mixing. Once you no longer see any pockets of flour remaining, gently fold in the walnuts.
5. Using a large spoon or an ice cream scoop, fill each muffin cup almost to the top. Divide any remaining batter between the cups so that they are somewhat equal. Put the muffins in a preheated 375 degree oven and bake for 20 minutes. Check to see if they are done by inserting a toothpick into the center of a muffin. If the toothpick comes out clean, they are done. If not, let the muffins bake an additional 2 minutes and check again. When muffins are done, let cool on a wire rack for five minutes then remove muffins from pan and let cool completely on the wire rack.

Now that I have breakfast taken care of for the next few days I best be getting back to my statistics book...ugh.

Trying to Tame the Grocery Budget

Without burdening you with the numbers I'll suffice to say that our grocery bill has significantly increased since we moved overseas.

One reason is that we buy our food at the commissary. They carry mostly American brands that have been shipped over from the States so, once the cost of getting them here is added in they are a bit more pricey than they would be back home.

Now, you may be asking yourself why I drive all the way to the commissary to buy such expensive food? Its not that the American brands are so much better, it is that buying there is still cheaper than buying food out in town. Why? The exchange rate. Every euro we spend costs us about $1.50, so things that are really reasonably priced for the locals are expensive for us because we are paid in dollars, not euros.

The final reason my budget is stretched to the limit is that the commissary doesn't always sell the best quality products. Packged dry goods are fine, but their produce leaves much to be desired. Sometimes I find good stuff there but often if it isn't already going bad in the store it will go bad soon after I bring it home. This is one of the main reasons I've taken to shopping at the local outdoor market, hence I pay for most of my fresh produce in euro.

Lately I've been trying to find ways to tame my budget. I've been trying to utilize leftovers more. I'm not a huge leftover fan, but as long as I use them within a day or two they are fine. I get really picky after day two. The downside is that I rarely want the same thing for dinner two nights in a row. Oh well. This is the downside to trying to save money, right?

So, in addition to making sure I don't let things go bad in my fridge before we consume them I've also been experimenting with less expensive ingredients. Meat is very expensive here. A pack of two (albeit, large) chicken breasts go for around $6-7! Beef is even more expensive unless we stick with ground beef..but really, how many meatloaves can I make? I enjoy meatloaf once in a while, but certainly not once a week, let alone more often than that! I just can't think of many recipes for using ground beef. I put it in spaghetti sauce, which is great, but beyond that I'm often stumped.

Anyway, I've been trying to incorporate more non-meat protein into our diets. Specifically I've recently been very fond of beans and rice. With some fresh vegies and some spices, served with fresh bread or a tortilla, beans and rice make a fantastic and flavorful meal.

A few days ago, as I was blog-surfing I found an interesting post on Orangette, a blog that I often read. She shared a recipe for quick and easy black beans. I decided to give her recipe a try today for lunch and served the beans with a bit of bread that I bought at the market yesterday (I think it was a ciabatta). It was a delicious meal!

Quick Black Beans with Cumin and Oregano
Serves 2
From Orangette Blog

• Olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• ½ tsp. dried oregano
• ½ tsp. hot sauce - to taste
• 1 small clove garlic - pressed
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans
• ¼ tsp. salt - or to taste

1. Pour a glug of olive oil into a medium saucepan, and warm it over medium heat. Add the onion, increase the heat to medium-high, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent and pale golden. It should be just starting to caramelize; it might scorch a bit in areas too, and that’s just fine.
   
2. Add the ground cumin and oregano, and stir well. Add the hot sauce, and stir well again. Add the garlic, followed by the beans and their can juices.
   
3. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook until the beans are soft and warmed through. (Some brands of beans are softer than others; some will be ready as soon as they’re warm, but some need more time.) Taste, and salt as needed.
4. Note: This recipe doubles easily. There’s no need to double the onion, though; one is plenty for two cans of beans.

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as Les and I did. It took me a whole maybe 15 minutes from start to finish.

Something Up His Sleeve

Sometime yesterday afternoon cabin fever started to set in. As I was contemplating taking a nap from boredom my husband suggested we take a drive down to Ragusa and go shopping. Money is tight right now so that didn't sound very fun to me. Window shopping just isn't that fun if I can't buy a little something now and then. He mentioned that there was some thing that he wanted to buy for me and that I wanted to go shopping. I decided the potential of a present from my hubbie was worth getting my butt in gear for.

When we arrived in Ragusa (about an hour away from our home) Les announced that he was in charge of the shopping trip and that I couldn't buy anything for myself until he found what he was looking for. My curious mind was feverishly trying to figure out what he was looking for. We meandered in and out of various clothing stores, not really stopping. There wasn't a pattern to the shops he would go into. They were all clothing stores, but he would go into some and pass by others and I wasn't sure why. After about an hour of this I was starting to get a bit frustrated. I wasn't given much of an option to stop and look at things that interested me. I was just following him around.

He didn't find what he was looking for at the first mall so we moved on to the second mall. I was really perplexed at this point. We made it through the majority of the second mall and then as we were meandering around a store he pulled out a dress and said I needed to try it on. It was a tea-length black silk dress. Pretty. So - then I was really curious! Why was he looking to buy me a dress? And a nice one at that?

I tried on the dress, but it didn't quite work out. One size was a bit snug - he liked it but I felt a bit too self conscious. The size up was definitely more comfortable, but he wasn't thrilled with the bagginess. It wasn't the most flattering. We moved on. In the next store we hit the jackpot! I tried on five or so different dresses and LOVED two of them. He bought them both for me! Both are black and hang to just below my knees. One is an empire waist, flowy chiffon and the other is a taffeta with box pleats and little bit of toole as a petticoat and a cute belted waist.

He gave me a date for next week and told me not to plan anything. He let me know that his plans were still pending, but hopefully I'll have a reason to wear one of my new dresses!

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Now playing: Sara Bareilles - Many the Miles
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San Luis Obispo Art Center

For the past couple of months my mom has been encouraging me to join the San Luis Obispo Art Center. A few weeks ago I finally downloaded the application and sent in my check. Yesterday, while she was in the gallery checking on some of her own pieces, she checked to see if I was in the computer. I am officially a member!

The main reason I decided to join the Art Center was to have a venue to sell my artwork. Several months ago I sent 36 of my original art photo note cards to my mom to have them placed in a store where she was selling her work. Unfortunately, shortly thereafter, we decided to pull our artwork from the store. (The store owner had a fondness for unprofessional drama). Ever since, my cards have been sitting in my parent's house collecting dust. The Art Center takes a steep cut of the profits in their gallery, but hopefully some my cards will sell. I'd love to have an excuse to make more!

My second reason for joining the Art Center is that San Luis Obispo, CA is my hometown and hopefully I will live there again someday. I'm happy to support the local art community and promote my work at the same time.

Sicilian Gold

My weekly dose of Sicilian culture comes in the form of the weekly market in a nearby town. Even though I live in little America (aka military housing) I try to embrace the local way of life in the snippets that are available to me.

As the seasons change so do the fruits and vegetables available at the market. Right now it is orange season, and specifically blood oranges! I've been buying a kilo or two every week for the past few weeks. This week I had a few left over from last week and decided to juice them to free up room in my fruit bowl for the fresh ones I bought this morning. Nothing beats fresh squeezed orange juice! It is my Sicilian gold.

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Why I Love Wine

As I was perusing the blogosphere this evening I came across an interesting post: We Are Transmitters on a blog entitled On the Wine Trail in Italy. The author made a comment that sums up why I love wine: " the gift we have been given to gather and tell stories and open bottles and eat and drink and laugh and love".

Some of my most cherished memories involve food, wine, friends, family, and laughter. Beer and liquor seem to bring out the obnoxious and vulgar in people. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy a mixed drink now and then, and I even sometimes drink a beer or two, but nothing brings out the love and laughter in a group of family or friends like a good bottle of wine.


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Photographers' Rights

Today I was flipping through Shutterbug Magazine and came across an article that my readers might find useful. It is entitled "Photography In The Real World" (Shutterbug November 2007) and talks about two U.S. cities that are considering laws against photography on city property, including public sidewalks!

The Shutterbug article gives the link to an article written by Attorney Bert P. Krages II entitled "The Photographer's Right" which talks about photographers' rights, places that are generally acceptable to photograph, and what to do if someone harasses you about your photography. You can download a PDF of the article on his website.

If you like taking pictures these articles are worth reading. I'd also recommend keeping a copy of Bert Krages' article in your camera bag in case a self-important rent-a-cop harasses you about taking pictures in a "restricted area" (like a sidewalk).

Overnight Escape to Sciacca

This weekend Les and I decided we needed a quick getaway before life really returns to normal. His holiday work schedule ends this week and I start another MBA class tomorrow. We decided to cover some new ground west of Agrigento. We left around 1pm on Sunday and headed west.

Agrigento's Valle Dei Templi (Valley of the Temples) is one of my favorite places in Sicily. The Doric temples overlooking the Mediterranean coast are spectacular. We pulled off the road to snap a few pictures. I brought my tripod and telephoto and put them to good use.

Tempio di Hera (Temple of Hera)

Tempio della Concordia (Temple of Concord)

Tempio di Hera (Temple of Hera)

After enjoying the view of the temples we continued west towards Eraclea Minoa. We had hoped to visit an archaeological sight containing the ruins of a theater, but even though we were there within the hours listed in our Lonely Planet book, it was closed.

We headed down to the Eraclea Minoa's beach town to look around. For the most part it was a ghost town. I'm guessing it is a lively place during the summer but most homes were locked up and gardens overgrown. As we were glancing down side streets we noticed quite a few cars at Lido Garibaldi. We decided to check it out and found a great beach! The cars belonged to the handful of locals (who live there year-round) enjoying the bar and the view. We grabbed a coffee and then headed outside to enjoy the sea.

Sunset on Lido Garibaldi and the Mediterranean Sea

Lido Garibaldi

I could have stayed an enjoyed the peaceful sound of the waves at Lido Garibaldi for hours, but since the sun was dipping low in the sky we decided to continue on to Sciacca - our destination for the evening.

As we made our way into Sciacca we started looking for the hotels listed in our Lonely Planet book. The first one, the least expensive, looked either very run down or closed so we moved on without stopping. The second option led us out of town and into the countryside. After a few wrong turns (and disagreements with the Garmin) we found Villa Palocla, a charming country hotel and ristorante. As we approached the entrance we weren't sure if they would be open. It was very quiet. Lucky for us we caught the receptionist just before she was about to lock up and secured a room for the evening.

As Les was taking our backpacks upstairs I poked my head into the office and asked where the ristorante was. Unfortunately, being low season, the ristorante was closed. The receptionist gave us a brochure for the city and said there were many places to eat in town. I had been looking forward to relaxing for the evening and being within walking distance of dinner, but we were in for more exploration.

After a short rest we made our way into the centro of Sciacca. I guess the rest of the town also thought that spending the evening in the centro was a grand idea and it took us almost an hour to find a place to park. By then we had definitely worked up an appetite.

As we walked through the centro we saw many shops and bars but no restaurants. Finally we saw a sign pointing down an alley for an Osteria and decided to check it out. We were peeking in the door and were noticed by one of the owners. In our stumbling Italian we asked to see a menu. Their specialty was fish, and being that is not Les' favorite we decided to move on.

As we turned to leave the gentleman asked us what we were looking for and we explained that Les doesn't like fish. He asked if he liked meat, sausage, etc. and offered to put a plate together for him. He wanted our business so bad and was so happy to accommodate us we decided to stay. I'm so glad we did!

I enjoyed a salad and a fillet of swordfish and Les had meatballs, sausage and potatoes, all covered with a delicious tomato sauce. Both meals were excellent but I think I liked Les' a bit better - the tomato sauce was outstanding. After dinner we decided to stick around for dessert. We asked for dolce and were brought fresh pastries (still hot) that were filled with sweet ricotta cheese and fried, then sprinkled with powdered sugar, absolutely delicious!!!

If you are ever in Sciacca we highly recommend Angelo's and Guiseppe's (brothers) hospitality at the Osteria Cappellino on Vicolo Cappellino, 24.

Happy and full we found our way back to the car and returned to the hotel for a good night of sleep.

We set the alarm this morning for 7am (not something I usually like to do on vacation) and decided to try and be on our way by 9am. Around 8am we went downstairs for breakfast and, once we found where it was served, were in awe. Even though we were the only guests that morning they had laid out fresh cornetti (croissants, still warm), fresh fruit (some off of the trees outside), fresh squeezed orange juice, and yogurt. On top of all that they also prepared cappuccinos for us when we came downstairs! Everything was delicious!

Full and happy we paid our bill and headed back into Sciacca. I wanted to explore the town in the daylight and hopefully get a few good pictures.

Our room's view from Villa Palocla

Looking the other way out of our room at Villa Palocla

Our room's beautifully painted ceiling

Chiesa del Carmine, Sciacca

Interior of Chiesa di San Domenico, Sciacca

Les was starting to get bored of going in and out of churches so after our 1 hour parking was up we moved on. We intended to go to Castello Incantato, but the Lonely Planet book didn't give directions to it (after an interesting write-up) and we didn't see any signs. Oh well, the next destination was Caltabellotta, a city high on a hill with ruins of a Norman Castle at the top.

As we wound our way through country roads the elevation increased as did the fog and mist. By the time we reached the parking area for the castle we couldn't see much of anything. We really weren't even sure where the castle was.

We started walking and found a park with open gates. We looked up at the rocks and thought maybe those were our ruins, so we started walking up steep, moss covered, wet steps.

Remains of the Castle - about 1/2 way up our climb

We finally made it to the top, huffing and puffing. I can blame the altitude, right? I'm glad I went all the way to the top but there wasn't much to see with all of the fog. We could hear voices, car horns, etc so we knew that civilization wasn't far but we couldn't see anything through the fog.

The walk down was a bit easier but still treacherous because of the mossy, wet, stone steps.

Can you find Les? That is how foggy it was.

A bench in the mist

We made our way out of the fog and down the hill toward Eraclea Minoa. We had planned to have lunch there but unfortunately the restaurant was closed. At that point we were starving and quickly made our way to the next town in hopes of finding food. We stumbled into a trattoria and enjoyed spaghetti carbonara and some bread.

After lunch the clock was showing signs of approaching mid-afternoon. Time to head towards home. On our way home we had some bad luck with an Esso station.

WARNING: Gas coupons aren't good at EVERY Esso station! Apparently, the Esso's in the Agrigento province are owned by another company and they won't accept gas coupons. We found this out AFTER putting 50L of fuel in our car and even after Les had a long debate with them we ended up putting €68 of fuel on our credit card. OUCH! (For those of you back in the states that comes out to just over $100 for not even a full tank of gas).

Overall we had a great trip, despite the Esso problem. Sciacca and the surrounding coastline is beautiful and I'd love to go back again.

A Date Night Classic - Dinner and a Movie

Last night Les and I got out of the house for a bit to spend some time together. We drove to base and saw National Treasure: Book of Secrets at the base theater. I really liked it! If you liked the first one you'll probably like the second one too.

After the movie we drove into Catania for dinner. Restaurants in Italy open late (usually around 8pm) so it worked for us to see the movie before dinner. We used our Garmin Nuvi 270 (a Christmas present from my parents, THANK YOU!) to help us find a Persian restaurant that we had seen advertised. I don't think we could have found it without the GPS (or found our way home for that matter).

Perla D'oriente was a great find! The food was delicious and the atmosphere was great. We were seated in the back at a short table on a platform covered with rugs and pillows. It was a fun and cozy way to dine. We enjoyed Persian tea and flat bread while we waited for our main courses. Les had lamb and saffron rice and I had grilled chicken (marinated in a lemony sauce) and saffron rice. Both plates of rice were sprinkled with tart dried red berries. Les' lamb wasn't quite what he was expecting, but my chicken was delicious! We both loved the saffron rice.

When we finished our meals Les asked the waitress about dessert. She described their sweets to us in her best English and we selected two. She offered to bring us samples of the others and we graciously accepted! Who turns down extra dessert? They were all very yummy, some of the flavors more exotic than others.

We had a great night out! It was so nice to find something other than Italian food! Now that we have a GPS it'll be a lot easier to find some new places. I'm really looking forward to exploring a bit more!

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