Summer Vacation

It's not that I have stopped cooking. Like that would ever happen. It's just I've had other stuff going on. Grand kids needing French Toast, popsicles, sleep overs, and fried potatoes. Their mom needing some laundry done and a little respite. Parents to check in on, family dinners, family visits, and the planning of cooking classes in our community for the food pantry recipients.

Mother's Day, Weddings, Graduations, Birthdays, Father's Day, 4th of July, and a death in the neighborhood.

A niece is planning a life change by moving to the Midwest from the West Coast. Yes, she will be suffering culture shock. Auntie will help get her through it. I did the very same thing thirty eight years ago when I moved to the Midwest from the West Coast. Never to live any where else. The Midwest is the best of all worlds. Life goes on.

I will not forget the blog during the summer, because it is a way in which I communicate with friends and family across the country. I just will be not writing so much during the Summer.

So, here is some info for the niece I'd like to pass on. A few thoughts to keep in mind about the Midwest:

Nella's Top Ten of the Midwest

10. Even though we are geographically far from any ocean, we have the best sunsets I have ever seen. (and I've seen sunsets from all over the world)

9. Kansas City barbecue is quite possibly the best in the world.

8. We have have every kind of weather. That's all I'm saying.

7. Life can be slower paced and the freeway can be fast.

6. Our food choices reflect the world. The center of the melting pot of the United States.

5. Real estate is moving slow, but moving....house values have declined, but much less than the rest of the country.

4. Great culture of art, music, theater, and professional sports.

3. Great hunting and fishing, hiking, camping, boating, and biking.

2. Travel to either coast can be found affordable and can be done in good time.

and......

1. Prime time is an hour earlier and the news comes on at 10 o'clock.

All kidding aside, I do love the Kansas City area.

Home may mean Nevada, but I'm all about the home on the range. Nella

A Wine Review: Alice White 2007 Red Lexia

I picked up this bottle of wine on a whim. It was under ten dollars and it looked like a great summer veranda wine. Sometimes I find a great wine doing this. Sometimes I find a great wine for somebody else. This wine is definitely for somebody else. Surprisingly sweet. It was my own fault...I didn't read the label. However, that being said, somebody may just love this wine! I will do my best to describe it.

Rule #1

Read the label. The label tells it all. It will tell you what kind of grape or what varieties of grapes were used. It will give you an idea of the flavors. It will tell you where the wine was made.

If I had read the label in its entirety, I would have seen the word Muscat. To all my loyal readers who are relatively new to wines, a Muscat grape means a sweet wine. Enough said.

This was not a bad wine, don't get me wrong. It was just not what I was expecting. It was one of those "Whoa! That sure is sweet!" when expecting a fruity, dry (not sweet) wine. My bad. I decided right then and there that this was going be an unbiased wine review. Here goes.

This beautifully bright Australian wine would be great if you were making a wine cooler, a champagne cocktail, a wine punch, or even a hot mulled wine. It would have been just fine on its own if it were chilled to the max and you were a beginner red wine drinker. The label mentioned something about a dessert of almond cookies. I think this would make a terrific dessert wine. However, I can't say that I have ever had almond cookies for dessert. Chocolate anything, pie, cakes, fruit, and puddings, but never almond cookies.

Served cold, this wine has the flavor of a cherry Jolly Rancher candy. Served at room temperature, the finish has a musky, fruity flavor. If you enjoy a sweeter tasting wine, you will love, love, love this one. There is a place for a crisp, sweet wine. (Just not with Mr. Wii and I when serving barbecue beef sandwiches and baked beans.)

Orange Carrots and the "just because" picture

This picture of my oldest grand daughter does not have anything to do with today's recipe. I just love it so very much. Mr. Wii was watching this older runt (yes, he let her play in the mud) while I was with the little runt. Their parents were trying to watch the older brother play baseball. When I saw this girl in the mud, I wanted Mr. Wii to get a picture of her. He's the one in the family with the iPhone that takes the clearest pictures I've ever seen. Every time this picture pops up on my laptop screen, I start laughing. My eyes want to tear up every time. If I put it here, I can see it even more often. It's one of those pictures that needs no caption.

I started to do this recipe for the blog back in February. Life happened and I was sidetracked. Nothing drastic or horrible...just life. Grand kids, family, art projects, and the neighborhood garage sale. Also, my computer. As I was starting to download the pictures, my hard drive maxed out. Don't you just hate that? Anyway, I had to archive about three thousand of my favorite pictures from the last three years. I am pretty sure this happens to other people. It hasn't happened to anyone I know, but then, my friends are not as attached to their laptop and camera as I am.

This recipe is pretty good. It is colorful when you need a dish to pack a punch of color. I have also discovered, much to my surprise, that a lot of guys like this. Who knew?

Here is the recipe:

Orange Carrots



6 medium sized carrots, approximatelly 1 pound; cut in about 1/2 inch slices

1 good sized orange: 1/4 cup of juice and 1 teaspoon of zest

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 Tablespoons of butter or margerine (I prefer the butter)



Zest the orange first. I use what zest I need, then put the rest in a baggie and put it in the freezer for future use.

Juice the orange. If there is any juice left from what you use in the recipe, drink it. I love fresh squeezed orange juice. See the juicer and the measuring cup? I found those at a flea market and just love them. My mom and my grandma both had stuff like that.

Put all of the ingredients into a skillet and bring to a boil on medium high heat. When it comes to a boil, reduce the heat down and let it simmer until tender.

It will take about twenty minutes. If the carrots need more cooking time, put a lid on the pan and simmer until they are as done as you like.

I like my carrots cooked rather soft. That way, more of the buttery, sugary goodness gets cooked in.

They really are orange carrots! Enjoy.