Category Archives: Food

Quick Family Fun in Huntington Beach

We had a last minute party in Huntington Beach on Saturday because our brother Leonard came into town from Dallas, unexpectedly. It’s his and Lana’s birthday on Sunday so we got everyone together for a meal and fun. (Lana was in Seattle so she couldn’t come to her party!)

Dear and I had to drive South for 2 hours to Huntington Beach because of …

traffic! Where are all these people going?

We had the mini birthday cake for Leonard.

Leonard always the life of the party!

Mom and Pop brought the lamb chops to barbecue. Nick (Mr. T.) barbecued the chops after marinating them in rosemary and mint.

The young T’s were there to join in the fun.

The guys (Levi, Caleb and Ryan) being nonchalant because of the camera, were discussing Caleb’s new (old) Fender Telecaster that he bought.

Michelle and Jack enjoying Unca’s cake.

I had to include this photo of my parents. Nadz (baba, mom) is stylin’ with her capri’s!

The moon from Huntington Beach when we left.

 

The moon from Camarillo when we arrived home.

I didn’t get photos of everyone there, but no worries we never pass up an excuse for a party so there are always photo opportunities in the future, Lord willing….

My photos are being held hostage at the Photobucket site as of July 2017.

Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Bars with Chocolate/Butterscotch Topping

To make these wonderful bars you will need 1 cup sugar, 1 cup Karo Light Corn Syrup, 1 cup Creamy Peanut Butter, 6 cups Rice Krispies, 1 cup Butterscotch Chips and a cup of Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips. Bring 1 cup sugar and 1 cup karo light syrup just to a boil mixing well. Take off heat and add 1 cup peanut butter and mix till smooth.

Add 6 cups Rice Krispies and mix till all the krispies are coated well.

Put this mixture into a well greased 9×12 pan and press down evenly into the pan. Empty both cups of chips into a microwaveable bowl and microwave at 3-30second intervals, mixing well after each 30 seconds. Mix together till smooth. (You can use the double boiler method to melt your chips if you prefer). Pour entire mixture on top of the pressed down Rice Krispies and spread to cover.

Give it some time to cool and set then cut and serve. Enjoy!

Baba and Deda’s with the Girls and Jack

Deda and Baba

Niece Michelle, Daughter Katie, and SIL Kelly

We had a family “girls night out” gathering at my parent’s apartment since Katie is here for a short visit. As usual my mother went “over the top” in preparing a wonderful meal for all of us. We were doubly blessed this time because my SIL’s Kelly and Letty were able to make it.

Sister Vera, SIL Letty, and Sister Kathy

 

We had Apricot Chicken, a Honeydew Spinach Salad with a wonderful mint dressing, a mixed veggie basmati rice, not to mention appetizers. Now for that fabulous cake pictured above, yummy Pistachio Cream Angel Food Cake.

 

The sisters enjoying a laugh. What a blessing to have loving, joyful sisters with peace between us.

Vera, Lana, Kathy and Ellen

Nana Kathy with grandson Jack. “It’s a high mountain goat.” My nieces Debbee and Melissa were there but didn’t get into a photo shoot.

My photos are being held hostage at the Photobucket site as of July 2017.

Recipe Round-Up ~ Summer Salads ~ Applesauce-Raspberry Jello

 Applesauce-Raspberry Jello

1 – 3oz. pkg. raspberry jello
1   cup hot water
1 – 10oz. pkg. frozen raspberries
1 – Cup applesauce
1 – Cup sour cream
1 – Cup miniature marshmallows

Dissolve Jello in hot water. Add frozen raspberries and blend carefully. Add applesauce. Pour into 9-inch square pan. Chill until set. Combine sour cream and marshmallows and spread over top of set Jello. Cover and Chill. Serves 6-8. I have doubled this recipe and put it in a 9 x 13 pan. Refreshingly cool salad!

Now for more great salad recipes head on over to Violet’s at Promptings.

Pub Reunion in Snohomish

Beautiful Snohomish in Washington State

 

We met up with our Great Britain walking buddies at an English Pub in Snohomish. Not only are they our walking buddies but we have had many a great traveling experience with this group of six.

An English transplant from Manchester opened this Pub over a year ago. It is called Piccadilly. We had Fish and Chips, Chicken and Veggie Pastie, Toad in the Hole, and Lentil Rosemary soup. Guinness on draught and good conversation. We were back in Great Britain for a couple of hours enjoying each others company.

Seattle is sizzling these days. They are threatening 97 degrees for today. That’s H-O-T for Seattle and don’t you know it’s the news here!

Photobucket is holding all the photos of mine from this post hostage as of July 2017.

I Finally Learned How to Post These Quizzes ~ Thanks Lana!

This might be bad news for some of you but I finally learned how to post these mundane, brainless, fun quizzes. I am taking baby steps in learning how to do things on the computer with this bloggy deal. Every little thing I learn makes me a little giddy. So here you are. Now I need to learn to do the Mr. Linky thing and some of those sidebar widget dealies. I’m so happy that you are a kind bunch of bloggity bloggers. Blessings on your heads!

You Are Italian Food

Comforting yet overwhelming.
People love you, but sometimes you’re just too much.

What Kind of Food Are You?

 

You Are a Plain Ole Cup of Joe

But don’t think plain – instead think, uncomplicated
You’re a low maintenance kind of girl… who can hang with the guys
Down to earth, easy going, and fun! Yup, that’s you: the friend everyone invites.
And your dependable too. Both for a laugh and a sympathetic ear.

What Kind of Coffee Girl Are You?

Now if you decide to play, let me know how you score…

Ht: Lux Venit for the Coffee Quiz and Above the Clouds for the Food Quiz

More of Seattle In July

We had a wonderful time with family and friends on the fourth. Check out Lana G’s picture collages taken at the party. I’m thrilled she took photos to capture the day. Fellowship, burgers, salads, gazpacho, yummy desserts and continuous games of Mexican Train the Chicken foot version. Today I’m posting photos from our Tuesday tour of downtown Seattle and beyond with my brother Leonard and his wife Mandy from Dallas.

First stop was Piroshky, Piroshky across the street from the main market and a few doors from the original Starbucks.

Here’s a little Russian lady making some of our favorites. I had the Cabbage and Onion, Dear & Mandy had the Potato and Cheese, and Leonard had the Beef and Cheese. A great way to start our tour.

We saw some fish being tossed and L & M bought me a beautiful bouquet of flowers.

Then we had some liquid refreshments with Leonard’s caramel apple.

The view of West Seattle on our way to the car.

Across town to Queen Anne Hill and Kerry Park.

This was another beautiful sunny day in Seattle.

 

You can even see Mt. Ranier!

We walked down to the end of the street to see the Western view across Elliot Bay.

There was a little garden where these beautiful hydrangeas were blooming…

 

and this lovely Dogwood variety.

Off the hill to Fremont and we discovered that the troll is still there. Unfortunately Lenin is still there, also.

Home again, home again, jiggety jig.

These are my flowers from the market. They smell wonderful.

Photobucket is holding all the photos of mine from this post hostage as of July 2017.

Seattle Continued ~ Whidbey Island

Photobucket is holding all the photos of mine from this post hostage as of July 2017.

Monday Dear, my brother Leonard, his wife Mandy, and I took a ferry to Whidbey Island.

The car and passenger ferry is a short 20 minute ride from Mukilteo to Clinton on the South end of Whidbey Island.

Heading for the dock at Clinton.

We drove about 10 minutes to the great little town of Langley. Our first stop was Garibyan Brothers Cafe for a Lamb Kebab Sandwich, a ground Leg of Lamb Burger, Hummus platter and Stuffed Grape Leaves. We had the Russian Raspberry Creme for dessert.

Leonard and Mandy in the restaurant.

Views of Camano Island and Saratoga Passage.

This is the main street in this town with restaurants, antique shops, general stores, bakeries, and art shops, to name a few.

We drove north to Greenbank Farm and took a walk in their fields to get to these glorious views.

The day was so mild we could stand on the ferry outdoor deck on our way home.

The Puget Sound with the Cascade Mountains in the background.

Come to Seattle ~ A Little Tour

Dear arrived last night to Seattle for two whole weeks of vacation so we have a lot of relational, family, friend, and fellowship time in store for us. My and Lana G.‘s brother Leonard and his wife Mandy arrive Sunday night to visit us all for the week. My brother Leonard is Lana’s twin and my baby brother. He’s younger than Lana by 7 minutes and me by 12 years.

If my blogging is sporadic next week you’ll know why. We are off seeing the sights, eating out, and laughing our heads off. With your head off it’s hard to post anything of importance. I wanted to show you some fun sights that we might visit. I’m sure later I’ll have some actual shots of what we did. Blessings on your week with the 4th stuck right in the middle! Oh and to my Canadian friends Happy Canada Day tomorrow!

These are the beautiful grounds of Chateau Ste Michelle, a winery very close to our home.

They offer wine tours on the hour and are a great tourist destination. There is another winery across the road called Columbia. Then next door to the Columbia Winery is the Redhook Brewery that offers tours and has a restaurant and outdoor movies in the summer. Next door to the Redhook brewery is the renowned Herbfarm Restaurant and the Willows Lodge. The restaurant serves a several course meal (different each night) paired with wines and you will probably dish out $400 per couple for the evening. Dear and I won’t be going there in this lifetime. Redhook’s a lot cheaper with sandwiches and salads, etc. 🙂

Meanwhile, back at the Chateau, you’ll see ponds and flowers and peacocks.

This is the doorway to the main entrance. If you don’t drink wine but are interested in the tour they also offer grape juice at the end of the tour of the winery.

But now let’s go to the fun neighborhood of Fremont. Close to downtown Seattle and just across the Fremont bridge from Seattle Pacific University.

This is our famous troll that lives under the Aurora bridge. It’s huge. That’s an actual VW bug that it has it’s hand over. These are 3 of my nephews posing…

Why on earth does Fremont have the largest statue in the U.S. of the worst Russian leader of all time?!

 

This is  Kerry Park where you can see this famous view of Seattle and Elliot Bay. This was taken in the Fall. If we’d step to the left about 4 feet you could see more of downtown!

This is the Edmond’s Ferry Dock (I stole this photo from my son’s blog). We have several ferry routes around the area that  you can take to the Olympic Peninsula or many of the Washington Islands. Being surrounded by water, islands, and mountains makes Seattle unique and a great adventure. So make sure you put Seattle on your list of destinations to visit before you die. Come in July or August if you want more sunshine!

Photobucket is holding all the photos of mine from this post hostage as of July 2017.

Fellowship ~ Food ~ Family ~ Friends ~ Fun

Father’s Day weekend was filled with time enjoying family and friends. On Saturday Ken and Heidi traveled North from Orange county and Jim and Jeanie traveled South from Central California to enjoy the day with us.

Heidi, Ken, Dear, Jim and Jeanie.

Heidi is an friend of mine from the Russian Baptist Church. We have had many traveling adventures together. She was living with Greg and me in Huntington Beach when she met Ken. I was the matron of honor in their wedding in 1978.

Jim is my cousin. His father and my father are brothers. I met Jeanie in college and we became good friends. I introduced her to Jim. They were married in 1974, eight months before us. For a few years all three of us couples lived in Huntington Beach and attended the same church.

Ellen and Dear

We have always enjoyed each others company and can laugh and cry together. This is the “front row” inside joke that got us chuckling. Jim, it’s true by the way…(call me)

The guys enjoyed talking about new digital camera capabilities, stereo high and low sounds, contractor woes, and the importance of accountability.

Still friends after all these years…

More family made their way to Camarillo yesterday and we christened the Condo pool! My sister Kathy, niece Michelle and her son Jackson came for lunch and a swim.

Jackson giving me the smile!

Enjoying the pool in Mommy’s arms.

Yippee!

Nana sitting close by…

until she’s needed!

Chicken nuggets at Great Aunties.

A lovely steamed pear and date dessert for the ladies made by niece Michelle.

My company left and I was off to pick up Dear from work.

Straight to California Grill in Camarillo to use the Father’s Day gift card from our children to their dad. Thanks Josh, Laura, Dan and Katie. Dinner was wonderful and we still have money left on the card!

Today I head North to the Seattle area for the next three weeks. We’ll be having a grand celebration over the 4th with Dear home for 2 weeks and family flying in. I’ll be posting from the North. Blessings on the rest of your weekend!

Photobucket blacked out all my photos and is holding all my photos hostage as of July 2017.