Double Cut Pork Chops with Apples and Raisins #SundayFundayBloggers

 This double cut pork chop, browned and then roasted before being topped with apples and raisins is a carnivore's dream.  

The Sunday Funday Bloggers are celebrating National Raisin Day.......

Chicken with Mushrooms inspired by Remarkably Bright Creatures and The Weekly Menu #LitHappens

Chicken cutlets smothered in a mushroom sauce that has no cream.  Time to lighten meals up for the warmer weather.  

I was inspired to make this recipe while reading the fun, quirky novel Remarkably Bright Creatures.....

Spring Berry Gelato #LitHappens

Creamy, delicious gelato made with blueberries, blackberries and strawberries is the perfect spring treat as the weather starts to warm.

I was inspired to make this Gelato while reading Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert.

Magdalenas #MuffinMonday

These citrusy, little, pop in your mouth muffins are a delightful addition to a Spring Brunch.  I grabbed a few and ate them while on my morning walk.  Perfect.....

It's time for Muffin Monday........

Torijas with Orange Honey Syrup #SundayFunday

This Spanish Style French Toast is soaked in milk and cream flavored with orange and cinnamon, then dipped in egg and fried before being topped with an Orange Honey Syrup.  Perfect for Spring Brunch or as the start to your Cinco de Mayo Fiesta.

The Sunday Funday Bloggers are sharing Spring Brunch Recipes today.

Hopefully Spring is Back to Stay; Either Way....Here is the Weekly Menu

So last week we had summer and winter here in Michigan.....not only in the same week but on the same day.  As I sit and plan next week's menu I am not sure what to expect.  Hopefully Spring will return and stick around for a while.

Tonight we are having a Mass for my dear friend Kirsten who passed away from COVID on April 26, 2021.  We will go have dinner out afterwards.

Oysters in Herb Butter with a Veramonte Chardonnay and a Book Review #WorldWineTravel

I received 3 lovely bottles of wine from Veramonte as samples of Organic Chilean Wines for our World Wine Travel group this month. I received no monetary compensation and all opinions are strictly my own.

Today I am sharing my tasting notes on the Veramonte Chardonnay.....

Concorde Chocolate and Meringue Mousse Cake #CakeSliceBakers

This decadent, delicious dessert is time consuming to make but oh sooooo worth it.  With layers of chocolate Meringue and Chocolate Mousse topped with shaved dark chocolate, you will feel like you are in Chocolate Heaven.

It's time for the Cake Slice Bakers......

Zucchini Lasagna and a Book Review for Meatless Monday

This lasagna is so scrumptious that your family will never miss the meat nor the noodles.  Perfect when serving a vegetarian meal or celebrating Meatless Monday.  

I was inspired to make this dish after reading the last book of the Tuscan Mystery Series for our Wine-Down Wednesday group......

Introducing the Chipati.....a Michigan Street Food #SundayFunday

Whole Wheat Flatbread stuffed with a chopped vegetable salad with a tart spicy red sauce.

The Sunday Funday Gang are sharing Local Street Food Recipes......

Printemps Accueillant et le Menu de la Semaine #Winophiles

The French Winophiles are celebrating Springtime in Paris.  I decided to bring Strawberries in Cremant with Chantilly Cream to the party.

Crespelle to Nourish the Body #Movies and Munchies

Crespelle are savory Italian Crepes.  They are the easiest of pastas and wrapped around filling make wonderful cannelloni.  I used them to make Cheese Cannelloni so I had a meatless option on my dinner party buffet.

I was inspired to make this pasta after watching our Movies and Munchie film this month.....

Ham and Havarti Grilled Cheese Sandwich #NationalGrilledCheeseDay

Baked Ham Slices and Havarti Cheese on Whole Wheat Bread, grilled to a golden brown outside and gooey, creamy inside.

It's National Grilled Cheese Day........

Wild Mushroom Flatbread #BreadBakers

This Flatbread is covered with an assortment of Mushrooms, Red Onions, and Fresh Mozzarella Cheese before being baked and drizzled with a Pesto Olive Oil. A topping of fresh baby Arugula is the final touch to this delicous treat.

The Bread Bakers are celebrating Mushrooms today.......

Kachumbari #EattheWorld

This African Salad from the Repulic of the Congo is a wonderful addition to any meal that you are serving.  A mixture of red onions, tomatoes and avocados dressed simply in fresh lime and flavored with fresh cilantro.  What's not to love.

The Eat the World group is traveling to the Democratic Republic of the Congo today.......

Sicilian Pesto and a Book Review #SundayFunday

Happy Easter!!!!

Sicilian Pesto contains the basil, olive oil, garlic, parmesan cheese and pine nuts that we have come to know and love but it also contains tomatoes and fresh ricotta cheese.  It is creamy and delicious and turns your favorite pasta into a quick and easy meal.

The Sunday Funday Bloggers are sharing Homemade Spice/Herb Blends today....

A Woman Wine Maker in My Own Backyard #WinePW

So there is a new winery that recently opened in our neighboring town of Marine City, Michigan called 2 Rivers.

We recently attended a fundraiser there and while tasting the wines and visiting with the wait staff who were running the fundraiser, I learned that the owners lived locally.  The wife was the winemaker and made the wines in the back of the tasting room while her husband was in charge of marketing and the front of the house.

Preparing for Easter with our Dinner Menu and Weekly Menu using Leftovers

Easter is my favorite Holiday.  The Resurrection of our Lord promises Eternal Life for all who have faith and follow him.  Spring arrives and new life is bursting forth from the ground and trees that were dormant just days ago.  Birds and wildlife are active, feathering their nests and creating safe havens for their young that will arrive this season.  The promise of new beginnings surrounds us.  Happy Easter!!!!

A Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole and a Lesson in Chemistry #CooktheBooks

This casserole is assembled, cooked and served all in one skillet, making it a perfect weekday meal.  It is coated in a homemade cream sauce instead of the canned cream soup often used in casseroles.  It is a great way to use up leftover chicken.

I was inspired to make this casserole after reading our Cook the Books Club selection......

One Pot Penne Alfredo #NationalGarlicMonth

This creamy, garlicky, delicious alfredo is made using just on pan getting dinner on the table in less than half an hour and saving on cleanup.  It is a perfect Meatless Monday or Lenten Friday Meal.

The Festive Foodies are celebrating National Garlic Month.......

Garlic Ginger Chicken Nuggets #NationalGarlicMonth

 Store bought chicken nuggets drenched in a sweet and spicy sauce.  The Teen was in heaven.

The Foodie Extravaganza Gang are celebrating National Garlic Month.......

Celebrating Spring with Salmon Wellington

This Salmon Wellington is a perfect alternative to meat this Easter.  It is also a perfect meal for a Mother's Day Brunch, needing nothing more than a salad and a glass of crisp white wine as an accompaniment.

Apple, Walnut and Mushroom Salad and a Book Review

Mixed Baby Greens topped with sliced Green Apple, Mushrooms and Candied Walnuts dressed in a Balsamic Vinaigrette.

I was inspired to make this salad after reading The Bitter Taste of Murder, Book 2 in the Murder in Tuscany Trilogy by Camilla Trinchieri.

Lamb Empanadas #SundayFunday

 Ground lamb and warm spices wrapped in pie pastry and deep fried to a crispy golden brown.  

The Sunday Funday Bloggers are getting ready for National Empanada Day.......

Planning a Trip to France with our Son from Germany while Sipping a Wine from Sardegna and The Weekly Menu #ItalianFWT

Marinated Artichoke Hearts and shaved Pecorino Cheese makes the perfect topping for crisp toasts.  I paired it with a bottle of  Palmalias Vermentino from Sardenia.

The Italian Food Wine and Travel Club are visiting Calabria and Sardegna today.......