The Café is temporarily closed. Well maybe its better to say we're taking a little ......... siesta! It's not a closing or siesta of our own volition. Just one of those things that happens; my beloved Mac iBook is in the shop because, somehow, every last picture we've taken in the last year has disappeared. Yup, you heard that right. All of our family, food, vacation, etc. pictures are ...
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Chicken Tortilla Appetizer Soup
Sisters are the best! Most of you don't know this, but I have three sisters. Sadly, we're spread out all over the country, though we do love to get together whenever we have the opportunity. We have a zillion things in common and can spend hours together talking, laughing and reminiscing; but one of our favorite things to do together is .......... cook! Yup, we're all quite crazy about ...
Read More →California Coast Road Trip
I'm turning over the Café reins today to Scott, my favorite photographer (best buddy, husband and cohort in crime also). ~ Chris Hey Crew! Scott here! Since The Café has just returned from our California Coast Road Trip, we thought we'd share some simple, practical things that were helpful to us as we traveled throughout California and Arizona these past two weeks. Along with some "Travel ...
Read More →Baked Buttermilk Donuts with Fresh Strawberry Glaze
Baked Buttermilk Donuts with Fresh Strawberry Glaze Have you heard all the hubbub about baked donuts? I’d been reading rave reviews for years, but always dismissed the glowing reports, thinking baked donuts couldn’t be that great. I imagined them as muffins with a hole in the center. Though I don't make homemade donuts very often, I'm a “real” donut maker, which in my mind involves yeast, ...
Read More →Five Fabulous Avocado Recipes
You might not be aware of this, but besides being the beginning of the lovely summer season, June is also California Avocado Month! The harvest is in full swing right now and it's the peak of the avocado season. Guess what? Scott and I just happen to be visiting California and have had the amazing opportunity to visit a beautiful avocado ranch in Southern California a few days ago. Prior ...
Read More →Greek-Style Avocado and Barley Salad
My daughter-in-law, Lindsay served this lovely Greek-Style Avocado and Barley Salad recently at a family get-together. "This has to be the prettiest salad ever!" I said, as it was passed around the table. Then I tasted it. Wow! Not only was it beautiful, but fabulously delicious too. It's become one of our favorite salads, one that I know I'll be making again and again. And you know what? ...
Read More →How Avocados Grow - A California Avocado Ranch Tour
The air in Raleigh was already hot and muggy at 5:15 a.m. when my son, Nick picked me up for the airport. I worked my way through security and sat, waiting for the boarding call,thinking about this long anticipated trip to California. I had no clue about the wonderful experience that awaited me just twenty-four hours later. Scott had made the trip a day ahead and was waiting on the other end when ...
Read More →Strawberry Protein Smoothie
Have you ever pulled out the new season's wardrobe and found everything fitting just a wee bit tight? .......... That was me about a month ago. It made me mad. I'd eaten a little too much comfort food over the long winter and indulged my sweet tooth too many times. I could "suck in" and close the zippers, buttons etc. but nothing felt very comfortable. Like I said, it made me mad, because I was ...
Read More →Favorite Summer Recipes
Summer is here, if not officially on the calendar, definitely in spirit, as we celebrate this Memorial Day weekend here in the U.S. It's a weekend to break out the flip flops, swimsuits and sunscreen; but more importantly, to cherish the real reason for this holiday: honoring and thanking the brave and dedicated members of our armed forces who have courageously and selflessly served our country. ...
Read More →Blueberry Arugula Salad with Honey-Lemon Dressing
I've served this Blueberry Arugula Salad with Honey-Lemon Dressing several times lately and everyone seems to love it. I have a feeling you will too! I've been making the super simple salad dressing just about forever. I almost always make it up fresh, since it takes less than five minutes to put together, and tastes best that way. I never measured the ingredients before, just made it as I ...
Read More →A Trio of Pasta Salads
Do you ever feel like something is sneaking up on you? ......... That's exactly the way I'm feeling about summer right now. The calendar say's it's right around the corner but I just haven't wrapped my mind around the idea of swimsuits, flip flops and beach hats. Have you? This article: A Trio of Pasta Salads on Parade.com will help you get in the swing of summer. It helped me, as I went ...
Read More →Lemon, Rosemary, Thyme Focaccia
I know that you would probably NEVER want to do this, but just in case there might be a time when you have the inclination, I thought I'd clue you in. I'm talking about driving your neighbors crazy, as in out-of-their-minds-crazy. It's simple, all you have to do is whip up a batch of this Lemon, Rosemary, Thyme Focaccia. You'll see exactly what I mean: the aroma that will waft from your ...
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