Salad Week, Day 1

I thought I would try making salads every night for dinner this week.  It was actually DRS' idea but my execution.  Here was night one.  It comes from a cookbook by Sara Foster.  She began her career as a chef for Martha Stewart's catering company before going on to open her own take-out business, Foster's Market, in Durham.  We love having lunch at Fosters, it is another place to check out if you are in the area.  The cookbook is called Causal Cooking.    

Shrimp Salad with Sugar Snap Peas

Add 8oz of snap peas to boiling water for about 15-30 seconds, until they are bright green and just tender.  Drain them under cold water and pat dry.

To make the vinaigrette, combine 1/4 cup cilantro, 2 mined scallions, 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons honey, 1 tablespoon ground cumin, juice from one lime and one garlic clove in a food processor and puree until smooth.  Add 1/2 cup olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Puree until mixed.

Put 1-2 lbs of cooked shrimp in a large bowl with the snap peas and 2 medium cucumbers that are peeled and thinly sliced.  Drizzle the salad with half of the dressing and toss to coat.  Add more dressing if desired.

Enjoy!

Blueberry Streusel Muffins

I usually try to bake something about once a week.  Sunday morning I saw that I had some fresh blueberries in the refrigerator, so blueberry muffins it was.  I love a recipe by Ina Garten in Barefoot Contessa Back to Baics, Blueberry Streusel muffins.  They are so yummy!

I make a half batch and substitute skim milk for the buttermilk.   

Let me know if you are interested in the recipe, I would be happy to send it to you!

  

Saturday Outing

DRS and I had a great Saturday!  He had the golf itch so we decided to get up early (before the heat hit) and play 18 holes of golf.  By we, I mean DRS plays while I ride in the cart for moral support!  We had a great time at a local golf course that is public and pretty close to your home.  After golfing, we went to Guglhupf for lunch.  It is a cute european inspired cafe with a beautiful outdoor patio.  In addition to their restaurant, they have a bakery which sells fresh bread, pastries and hot coffee drinks.  If you are even in the area you have to check it out!  Here are a few photos from our day.

  

MLB Draft 2012

Congrats to my cousin Paul who was drafted yesterday in the MLB 2012 Draft!

He was picked up as a first baseman by the LA Dodgers in the 24th round.  He got the news yesterday and was already on a his way to LA today.  This isn't the first time Paul was drafted.  He was drafted as a High School senior to the Detroit Tigers but decided to play college ball instead.  Smart boy!  He played 4 years of college baseball at the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee.      

We are so proud of you Paul!

You can read more about Paul being drafted here and here.

Downtown Durham

I took this picture a few weeks ago while DRS and I were walking around downtown.  I had never seen this beautiful building as it seemed hidden among many abandoned storefronts.  It appears to be an old bank.  I wonder what it's history holds?

Memorial Day Trip

Last weekend DRS and I went to Charleston, SC for Memorial Day weekend.  We are only about 4 hours away so it made for a perfect getaway.

We got up early Saturday morning and drove straight to the beach.  We spent the day at the county park public beach in Isle of Palms.  That night we had dinner at Hymans Seafood in downtown Charleston.  It is always ranked in the top seafood restaurants in the south and has been an establishment since 1890.  Sunday we spent all day walking around downtown Charleston.  The city is so beautiful with it's cobblestone streets and bright colored buildings and houses.  That afternoon we had a late lunch at Fleet Landing, a waterfront seafood restaurant downtown.  It is housed in a retired naval building from the 1940s.  The view and food were delicious!  Monday we visited Magnolia Plantation, an old rice plantation.  Magnolia Plantation was founded in 1676 by the Drayton family.  It was a part of both the American Revolution and the Civil War.  It is the oldest public gardens in America, first opening its doors to visitors in 1870.   We had a wonderful time walking the gardens.  We even got to take a boat ride in the swamp and saw about 15 alligators!  

DRS driving over the bridge to Isle of Palms

South Carolina swamp

Isle of Palms

Fresh Seafood at Hymans

DRS trying boiled peanuts

King Street in Charleston

Downtown Charleston

Oak tree at Magnolia Plantation

Magnolia Plantation

Me and my handsome husband

Alligator! 

 

Grandpa

This is my grandpa and his twin brother.  What a cutie pie!  Grandpa, you have been on my mind and in my heart the past week.  I love you!

NC Snake

There are snakes in North Carolina.  This is not something I was aware of before moving here.  I first discovered this not so fun fact, at the Fort Fisher Aquarium last summer.  They had a while NC snake exhibit.    There were pictures and stories about all of the types of snakes that live in our area, venomous included.  Luckily we had not come across any snakes.......until this spring.

This guy was hanging out by our mailbox.  Yuck!  

Basil

My mom and I went to the Durham Farmers Market a few weeks ago while she was here to visit.  We came home with strawberries, rhubarb and basil!  I wanted to grow basil this spring and summer since I love cooking with it and it can get somewhat expensive buying it from the store each week.  We came home with two regular basil plants along with a lemon and lime basil plant.  They started out quite small but since the weather has been so nice here they have grown tremendously over the past few weeks.  I was really excited to find uses for the lime and lemon basil and found that it works in most recipes that call for regular basil.  If you have any recipes that call for lemon or lime basil send them my way!

What will I grow next?

Healing

Living in North Carolina has been a blessing and a curse after our recent loss.  It is hard not having our family here for us when we need them.  But it has been nice not having to face people who know our story on a regular basis.  I have felt very safe with DRS and sometimes facing others has been difficult, both in person and on the phone.

I just finished reading a wonderful book recommended by my cousin, Heaven is Here, by Stephanie Nielson.  I wanted to share one of my favorite quotes from her book about healing.

"You're a butterfly held captive
Small and safe in your cocoon
Go on, you can take your time,
Time is said to heal all wounds."

I believe that time will heal my wounds.  But in the meantime, I have been grateful for my cocoon, North Carolina.