Sunday, May 20, 2012
Looking to make a crowd pleasing dessert for your next gathering? Look no further. This easy to make trifle is sure to satisfy everyone's sweet tooth.
"It would be spiteful to put a Jellyfish in a trifle." ~Karl Pilkington I love my trifle bowl but don't often get to use it, so I typically offer to make a dessert when invited to a party. So when Mother's Day rolled around last weekend I knew I would have to make a trifle. The trifle I make is some combination of cake, chocolate, crushed candy bar and whipped cream but I wanted to try something a little different. I stumbled upon a recipe that used the standard cake and candy but to add a new note of flavor instant coffee was added to the mix. The grocery store had hazelnut instant coffee on sale so I chose that instead of regular, substitued vanilla pudding for chocolate and in lieu of yellow cake I bought pound cake. I'm sure my trifle …
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
And sending him my love.
My cousin Johnny, who turned 40 yesterday, lies in an extended care facility in western Massachusetts. He has been there for sixteen years, languishing in a coma, more specifically a persistent vegetative state. The year John was born, May 14 fell on Mother’s Day. What landed Johnny in this exclusive club of unfortunates? Car accident, of course. Statistics alone would probably tell you that. Late on a snowy night, in early February, Johnny dashed into his car upon receiving an invitation to earn some extra money. “The first four guys to show up will get to plow.” The race was on. The seatbelt, however, was not. You can guess what happened next. Johnny’s car met with a patch of black ice and then with a tree. His head violently hit the …
Sunday, May 13, 2012
This lovely chicken salad makes a great topping for crackers or in a sandwich. It fits in perfectly with a Mother's Day brunch.
"Love, like a chicken salad a restaurant has, must be taken with blind faith or it loses its flavor." ~Helen Rowland It's Mother's Day and like most of us I'm sure your plans revolve around visiting with the women in your life. And eating. Don't most of our plans revolve around food? I am having my family over tomorrow for an afternoon of laughs, food and celebrating the moms in the family (we have big family so there are quite a few). Since the weather is going to be so beautiful we'll be outdoors, grilling. The usual suspects will be in attendance; hot dogs, hamburgers, various salads, chips and dips. I am also making a great curried chicken salad to serve with crackers. This chicken salad is light and tasty, with just a bit of punch …
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
That which we call a rose would smell as sweet.
Not long ago, while picking up my nine-year-old daughter from a play date, I found myself standing in the kitchen of her friend’s house, writing a check for one thing or another, the Girl Scouts, soccer or PTA. As I placed the check on the table, my daughter’s little friend picked it up, read it, then asked: “Why is your last name different from Christina’s?” “Well,” I responded, happy to elucidate the options available to modern women. “When a woman gets married, she has a choice concerning her last name. She can choose to take her husband’s name, to keep her own name, or to somehow hyphenate the two names.” Thinking the conversation had ended, I gathered my purse, Christina’s backpack and headed toward the door. “But wait,” she said. “…
Sunday, May 6, 2012
Chicken Marsala is a delicious, easy to make at home dish. A little chicken, a few mushrooms, some wine...piece of cake.
"One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating." ~Luciano Pavarotti One of my favorite Italian dishes is Chicken Marsala. For some reason though, nine out of ten times I end up ordering something else when I go out. The same scene plays out every time; I whittle my choices down to the Marsala and one other dish and that other dish always wins out. Because of this, I tend to make Chicken Marsala quite a bit at home. Don't let the fancy pants name deter you from trying your hand at it...the dish is quick enough to whip up on a weeknight, yet elegant enough to serve at a dinner party. It is also easy to change up. Add some cream to the sauce or throw …
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Newly-elected School Committee member recognizes residents for their vote.
To the Town of Belmont, It is such a humbling honor to be elected in a contested race for School Committee. I learned a great deal through the process of campaigning, and I had the great pleasure of meeting many of you. As you all know, one does not get elected alone, but by the efforts and support of many people. I humbly thank every person who met with me and shared their advice and their account of Belmont History with me. I thank every person who held a sign, hosted one on their lawn, said a good thing about me, made a donation, wrote a letter of endorsement on my behalf, passed out flyers, or graciously hosted a coffee so I could meet more of our neighbors and learn the concerns of our town. I thank every person who actively worked…
But another one always waits in the wings
The weather for the first part of April vacation was, if you recall, simply summer-like. As the thermometer inched upward, the week ahead loomed with painfully little to do; many families had already left town. On the spur of the moment, I decided to pack up the kids and head to our favorite beach in Rhode Island for a quick overnight. My kids were more excited for the hotel pool and hot tub than for a romp on the beach and splash in the ocean. We spent a lovely afternoon playing by the seaside, ate a fresh fish and chips dinner outdoors, and by evening the kids were eager to hit the pool deck. Other than two boisterous young women in the hot tub, the pool itself was pleasantly empty. As we grabbed towels and chairs, I noticed four or …
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Give this creamy tomato sauce a whirl on your next pasta night.
"Everything you see I owe to spaghetti." ~Sophia Loren I was tired of the same spaghetti and meatballs dinner last week so I searched around for a new pasta recipe to try. I wanted it to be pretty basic and easy to make and still be based around tomatoes. After weeding through dozens of pasta salad recipes and about a million spaghetti and meatballs recipes, I came across one that sounded pretty darn interesting. It called for a bit of spice, a bit of sweetness and a bunch of cream. I was sold. I've never met a cream sauce I didn't like. We were pretty happy with the outcome and it'll now get thrown into the dinner rotation. If you prefer a spicier sauce use hot sausages and more red pepper flakes. Or you can leave the hot flakes out …
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
I won’t be surprised if the ocean’s behind Caleigh's disappearance
As a native Rhode Islander, I grew up spending a lot of time by the ocean. Because archetypal vacations exceeded our family’s budget, my mother was determined to get us to a beach on a weekly basis. As a result of her commitment to this goal, I spent many summer afternoons riding waves at Newport Beach, in the Narragansett area, and at Horseneck Beach in nearby Westport, Massachusetts. It was during these years that I gained a full and absolute respect for the power of the ocean. Many would think that someone with a lot of ocean experience might be inured to its lethal potential. For me, the opposite is true. I love the ocean, but I approach it as one approaches a hot stove. It was perhaps for this reason that, in spite of my consistent …
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Looking for an interesting appetizer to bring to a party? Look no further! Try making these easy delicious egg rolls.
“It may be the way the cookie crumbles on Madison Avenue, but in Hong Kong it's the way the egg rolls.” ~Robert Orben Every couple of months a group of girls known as "The BBs" get together to eat, laugh and catch up. I am lucky enough to be a part of this little crew and though I love to get together I always find myself a bit stressed as to what to bring. I consider myself to be a decent cook but for some reason I always bring food to the BB conventions that is pretty lame. To the first gathering I brought a brie-phyllo dough debacle. It turned out sort of Hot Pocket-esque (meaning it was hot on the outside and freezing in the middle). Ugh. To the second gathering I brought a dip that was just plain boring. For the rest of our get …
Joanna Dunn
1:38 pm on Wednesday, May 16, 2012
This is a very beautiful piece, Lisa. What a delicate organ the human brain is. My heart goes out to all families affected by brain injury. more ›