The Men in my Life...Can't Live Without Them!

Are these the best looking guys in the world or what? The family was over for Sunday dinner this afternoon and of course, my guys were enjoying the pool and the "beverages" to keep them hydrated! I often speak of the women in my life but I couldn't be where I am right now without these men. They have completely taken care of every need in the world for me this summer. Emilio, Stefano, Giovanni and my brother Michael. What would I do without them? I don't even want to think about it. My son is the best, my brother has never refused a call to fix or repair anything and my son in laws check EVERYTHING when they come over. They don't miss a beat.They are the epitome of what a great husband and father should be. I am so very blessed to have strong men in my life and am so grateful that I, (I mean my girls) picked such fabulous husbands. These men courted one women when they were dating my girls but they captured two hearts...

We had a delicious dinner today. Spiedinis (stuffed meat rolls), eggplant parmigiana, pasta with clams and a fresh salad. We celebrated my mom's birthday too with a great spice cake from Angela and homemade s'mores from Grace. That's right. She made the freakin' graham crackers and homemade marshmallows and melted the chocolate over a double boiler! Are they their mother's daughters or WHAT? I'm in heaven with my family! Happy Birthday Mom! I hope you have many, many more to share with all of us! Make a wish!

The Cundina Girls!

Above are the girls that showed up ON TIME!

Below are the BAD GIRLS...but they are so cute, too!!! Every month for the past 10 years, I have joined eleven other women for a CUNDINA evening. Sometimes we don't always show up on time. Boy, do we all have a problem with that "arriving on time." So what if we eat at 10:30 PM?. We are all having a BLAST in the meantime anyway! We all get together for an evening of laughter, friendship and a great meal. Sometimes there are themes...like when we all dressed up as Audrey Hepburn and sometimes we sit in the backyard such as this and sip wine and talk about life. We also save money! Let me explain...The word CUNDINA comes from the Spanish word, "cundir" which means "to spread." Each woman brings a certain predetermined amount of money (usually anywhere from $50-$100) to the home of the host for that particular month and that host pays for the meal. The hosts rotate each month so that all 12 women will receive the same amount of money each year when it is their month to host. Basically, it is a poor excuse for having a fabulous time every month with friends that you love. I wouldn't give it up for anything!

Oh, and by the way, I wore my size 4 pants this evening! Thank God for my new... HEALTHY LIFESTYLE!!!
It's part of keeping HEALTHY, HAPPY AND FULL OF LIFE!

How about a Quickie Quiche?

Nothing difficult about this, that's for sure! Make the basic recipe for quiche which for a 9" pie plate is 6 eggs and 1 and 1/2 cups half and half and salt and pepper. You can substitue Egg Beaters for the eggs, just follow directions on carton for equal amounts to eggs. I totally lowered myself and bought the pie crust...I might lose sleep over this tonight! Anyway...Sprinkle about 1 and 1/2 cups Gruyere on the bottom of the unbaked pie crust. Top it with some pre-sauteed mushrooms. (I cooked mine with a little butter and added about a tablespoon of Marsala) Top those off with about 1/2 cup of chopped red peppers and then pour the egg mixture over the filling. Bake at about 400 degrees until set. Usually it takes about 30 minutes. Let cool a little and cut into 8 wedges and serve.

My other filling is cooked broccoli, sharp cheddar cheese and brown sugar bacon. You can substitute Splenda's Brown Sugar for the regular. It's not bad at all. Same sequence except for the bacon. Line a cookie sheet with foil. Place about 4 slices of thick cut bacon on the foil. Sprinkle with cinnamon and about 2 tablespoons of brown sugar. Bake at 350 degrees until halfway cooked. Turn and sprinkle with another 2 tablespoons of brown sugar and a little cinnamon. Continue to bake until almost done. Don't overcook or get too crisp. Let cool and then tear into bite size pieces. Layer just like the recipe.

A little Proseco with this on a Sunday morning is just what the doctor ordered to start your day off right! Enjoy... and then go for walk at the beach or a park to burn off those delicious calories!

A Perfect Meal after a Great Workout!

I was hungry after a run and some laps in the pool! So.....I made myself a great fish dinner. No protein powder and carrots tonight! Who says you can't cook for one? Well...I used to say that.... but NOT ANYMORE! I deserve to have a great meal even if it's just for me! I always have some cooked brown rice in the fridge and I had some leftover coleslaw so it was so easy just to bake up some fish. I put some chili sauce with a little spray of olive oil on the fish and baked it for about 20 minutes. What a wonderful evening!

Remember to Feed Your Heart and Your Soul!

Oten times we forget that our HEART and our SOUL need nourishment. It is EASY to satisfy our stomach as we hear a grumbling when hungry or a hunger pang in our gut. But what about listening very quietly to the hunger of our heart and the thirst of our soul? How do we know when and how to feed them? Be STILL. Be OPEN. Be ready to feel an appetite that you might not have had for awhile.

For me, my HEALTHY LIFESTYLE came right before another transition in my life. I was lucky enough to have all of my "food" ready to be served to my heart and soul. It wasn't easy but at least it was there! What I am suggesting is this. When challenges hit and they WILL hit...have what comforts you and is there for the taking. For me, it is a blue chair that I have in my bedroom. I bought it for $25 at an "estate" sale...(fancy word for garage sale) and then recovered it in a beautiful blue velvet. It is heaven when I sit in it. Beside it, I have a table of photographs with my children and my parents AND some fresh flowers from my garden...the stephanotis flower. I feel such comfort when I sit beside this table. It is all about what makes me alive. You will also see my rosary that belonged to my father's mother. I say it daily to feed my soul. That's right...MY FAMILY...MY FAITH...and MY FLOWERS! I need nothing else for my heart and my soul to stay full.

Now you go prepare a feast when YOUR heart and soul need feeding!!!

Sunday Dinner in the Summer...Hurray!

What defines summer more than a Sunday barbeque with watermelon on the side? NOTHIN' !
We had a ball today...swimming and barbequing and laughing with the family. Nothing special...still healthy but simple. Barbequed chicken thighs, coleslaw with a delicious dressing, roasted new potatoes with Herbs de Provence and WATERMELON! Isn't LIFE fabulous?
AND ICE CREAM and GUMMY WORMS FOR DESSERT! I had a glass of wine....SHHHH

We had my niece here from Austin with her fiance and it was a joy to see her and spend time with her before her wedding in November. I'm gettin' my boots ready for some dancin' in Austin!

Sunday dinners are what life was made for....HURRAY for FAMILY!!!

Sunday Pranza Al Fresco with the Family

Does it get any better when you are having an al fresco lunch with your family? NO! But if you're having delicious food, a great bottle of red wine and laughter with your family...it pretty much is heaven on earth! Today Angela and Stefano started out by serving FRESH ricotta that we served on bread drizzled with olive oil and salt and pepper, grilled eggplant, Italian meats and cheeses and olives. It was wonderful. Sundays are for families and I have the best in the world!

Now...you're asking how I did this if I am still living my "healthy lifestyle?" Well, let me tell you that I worked out with Emily Reynolds today. She is on the cover of "Fitness Gurls" magazine this month. Wow!!! We went up to Carlsbad and worked out a couple blocks from the beach. She practically killed me. Great butt and thigh workout! It's all about balance!

Eggplant Caponata or as we Sicilians say...Caponatina

If I say so myself...THIS IS AMAZING!!! Hands down, my family and friends go CRAZY for this dish. It is pretty much a staple in my house. I can't keep it around very long. I used to fry the eggplant but NOT ANY MORE! Actually, I have thought about roasting the onions and celery too but I am taking baby steps to adjust this recipe because it is just so good. I will say that I don't eat the bread with it anymore. I slice up carrots on the diagonal and they look and taste great with it. Once through the lips...forever on the hips. I have worked too hard to get to my size 6! Nothing like the taste of feeling thin! Oh...I serve this at room temp. If, for any reason, you might have some leftovers, you can serve it as a pasta sauce or in my case....over some tofu shiratake noodles. My father is definetely going to turn over in his grave with that last "tofu noodle" remark.

Caponatina

Eggplant is sometimes a vegetable that you either love or hate. I love it. It has a pleasant, somewhat bitter taste and a spongy texture. When you add the ingredients that follow to this dish you will absolutely be amazed at how wonderful this vegetable is to your palette. The nice thing about this dish is that you can freeze it and use it a million ways. Try it on a sandwich as the spread, as a side dish, or a topping for bruschetta. Just let your imagination go! This makes approximately 4 cups so you will have enough to last for awhile! Just try it.

Ingredients
2 eggplant (chopped into cubes)
¼ cup olive oil (divided in 2 increments)
3 onions (finely chopped)
3 ribs of celery (finely diced)
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/3 cup of currants
1/4 cup capers
1 cup green olives (finely chopped)
2 tablespoons white vinegar
6 oz can of tomato paste
3 tablespoons sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon oregano

Place eggplant on cookie sheet lined with foil and dabble with olive oil. Roast at 400 degrees until lightly browned and soft. Coat sauté pan with olive oil and sauté onions and celery until caramelized. Don’t add more oil, just add water if you need to cook them more. Add pine nuts, currants, capers and green olives. Stir. Add vinegar, tomato paste. Add cooked eggplant. Sprinkle in oregano and sugar. Season with salt and pepper. It should have a sweet, yet savory taste.

Happy 4th of July!

Had a fabulous weekend with my family! Jogged, swam, and worked my tail off with weights. Now...the bad news! Had sangria, margaritas and wine! Was it worth it? You know it baby! The best part was being with my family and friends the whole weekend. I am the luckiest girl in the world!!! The good news is that for appetizers today I served carrots with capanatina which is an eggplant tapenade that is delicious, some jalapeno yogurt dip and olives and cheese. DO NOT ASK ME WHAT I MADE FOR DINNER! Ok...you know I can't lie! I HAD A PIZZA PARTY! My grandkids got to make their own big sheet pan of pizza and boy, did we have fun. I sauteed bulk sausage, had sliced pepperoni, tons of different cheeses and other toppings. The kids had a ball! A nice salad and some baked pasta and OMG... I love living in the US of A!

Recipe for Capanatina will be up tomorrow!