Summer Spinach Salad

~ Summer Spinach Salad / with Balsamic Vinaigrette ~

I am a spinach fan and always welcome new ways to enjoy it!  I like using spinach in recipes, and I also enjoy using fresh spinach in salads.  The idea for this salad came about when I had some left over watermelon on hand.  Luckily I had just paid a visit to the local farmer's market, and among other things had purchased fresh spinach and blueberries.  Mmm, my mouth was watering when I thought up this tasty salad.  The sweet watermelon and blueberries were perfect together along with the crunch of sliced almonds, and tangy parmigiano reggiano cheese shavings.  A light drizzle of balsamic vinaigrette completed the blend of flavors.

Salads are such a great combination of foods, and it's good that they can be served as an appetizer, a side dish, or even the main attraction.  With the heat of summer, and when not wanting anything heavy, it's nice to have a salad for lunch, or dinner and it be perfectly satisfying.  This summer spinach salad definitely satisfied me and my taste buds!  I prepared a basic Balsamic Honey Vinaigrette to go with this salad, it added a nice blend of flavors with enough sweetness to compliment the mix of spinach, cheese, almonds and fruits.

Summer Spinach Salad  

Ingredients:
(Amounts to your liking, or)
Serving for 4:

6 oz (approx 6 cups) fresh baby spinach leaves

2 cups fresh watermelon, cubed

1 pint fresh ripe blueberries

1/2 cup Almond slices

1/4 cup Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, shavings or shreds

Directions:

Layer spinach, watermelon, blueberries, almonds and cheese on salad plate or bowl.  Drizzle with  balsamic vinaigrette.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper if desired. Serve  

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My Basic

Balsamic Honey Vinaigrette 

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Olive oil
1/4 cup Balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. Honey



Directions:
Combine the ingredients thoroughly in a bowl using a whisk, or shake together in a container with lid.
-If not using right away, cover and refrigerate, whisk or shake again before using.

Enjoy...

Balsamic Honey Dijon & Herb Vinaigrette

This is one of my favorite homemade salad dressings.  Simple, yet flavorful and delicious!  I use a good balsamic vinegar and I like the use of dried herbs in the preparation. Fresh herbs could be used if preferred and I recommend using half the amounts of the dried variety.  I prefer to make this in smaller amounts so I can make it fresh as needed.  It's always good when you make you own salad dressing since you get to know what is in it!  I especially love this vinaigrette on spinach salads, arugula, or other more flavorful and pungent, greens and lettuces.  Give my Balsamic Honey Dijon & Herb Vinaigrette a try, I hope you will like it as much as I do!

Balsamic Honey Dijon & Herb Vinaigrette 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Olive oil

1/4 cup Balsamic vinegar

1 tsp. Honey

1 tsp. Dijon Mustard

1/2 tsp. Garlic powder

1/2 tsp. Onion powder

1/2 tsp. dried basil

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

Directions:

Combine the ingredients thoroughly in a bowl using a whisk, or shake together in a container with lid.

-If not using right away, cover and refrigerate, whisk or shake again before using.

Enjoy!...

Balsamic Honey Vinaigrette

This Balsamic Honey Vinaigrette is my basic go-to salad dressing when I want something just a little sweet and tangy.  It is very basic and only requires three ingredients.  You can prepare this in equal parts oil to vinegar, but I prefer the two-to-one ratio with two parts olive oil, to one part balsamic vinegar.  Some balsamic vinegars already have a sweet taste, but I like to add honey for extra sweetness and flavor.  I enjoy this on salads that contain fruit because it really seems to add to them and bring out all of the flavors.  Measure, mix, and enjoy, it's as easy as that!    

Balsamic Honey Vinaigrette 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Olive oil

1/4 cup Balsamic vinegar

1 tsp. Honey

Directions:

Combine the ingredients thoroughly in a bowl using a whisk, or shake together in a container with lid.

-If not using right away, cover and refrigerate, whisk or shake again before using.

Enjoy!...

National Dog Day

In honor of 

~ National Dog Day ~ 

today

Our sweet, handsome boy, ever faithful companion, giver of smiles, unconditional love and a vast amount of kisses daily...Aeon!

Aeon is a special member of our family and has given us so much joy.  We love him dearly and we're so happy having him be a part of our lives!...

Monday Message

~ My Monday Message ~

Knowing they are happy, makes me happy too!...

Jewelry Helpers - Put on a Bracelet easily by yourself!

~ Tammy's Tip Today ~

Do you ever struggle with trying to put on a bracelet all by yourself?  

Here's a tip that is going to change your life for the better!  Well, that or at least it will change your attitude about putting on a bracelet by yourself, that's for sure...

Sometimes there isn't anyone near by to lend a hand at this time when three hands are surely better than one!  I certainly know it can be so frustrating to the point of just saying to myself, "never mind, I'll just not wear it!"  You know what I mean?  You may have experienced this before as well.

I love bracelets and have made many for myself, and next in line to earrings bracelets are a favorite jewelry item that I enjoy wearing, or to accessorize with.  It can be a real challenge though to put certain bracelets on using just one hand, as I clumsily try, and try, and try.  Have you been there too?

Don't struggle with that bracelet anymore!

My clever, yet frustrated mind came up with a helpful tool that most of us probably already have lying around, perhaps near a desk or in a junk drawer even.  The ever handy paperclip.  A larger one is better if you have it, but you could make-do with a regular sized one.  And another great tip along with this tip is you can keep one in your purse or handbag.  Or hey, you just might have one in there already!  Nice to have it handy after going to the gym perhaps, maybe after doing dishes, or when you need to re-decorate your wrist.

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[I needed my other hand to take the photo]  As you can see here the paper clip is holding one end of the bracelet, then I am able to use the other hand to connect the clasp to it.  Thanks to my handy paperclip, I can now put on my bracelet without frustration and I'm all smiles to that!  Brilliant!   

...__________________...

I also just recently found and purchased a great tool to use.  It's actually called a Jewelry tool, it's simply a metal rod with an alligator clip on one end.  Have you seen one or heard of them?  It works very well I have to say, as you can see in the photo below.  It wasn't expensive at only $3.95 and it is very helpful with putting on a bracelet too.

This to me is of course one of those duh items, as in, "Duh, now why didn't I think of that?"

...__________________...

Lastly, I have one more helper!  If all else fails, there is always good old Scotch tape to help you out next time you are in need of a handy helper to get that bracelet on, all by yourself!  That works too!

And once again, this is something we all usually have on hand somewhere around the house also.

And not to mention all of these are pretty cheap, cheap too, ...I mean, very inexpensive!

I hope you'll feel empowered to achieve putting on those bracelets now with the use of one of these handy helpers!  

I sure do.  

It really is so simple for me now!... 

Tammy's - Lemon Breeze

As the summer temps are rising it makes one thirsty and it adds to the need to quench a thirst all the more. Sometimes you need a good cocktail or adult beverage to do that too.  So when happy hour rolls around I've got a real treat to enjoy!   Are ya thirsty?  Well, I have a saying, one that you've no doubt heard before ..."It's five o'clock somewhere!"

Summer wouldn't be complete without some refreshing lemonade.  Lemons just go so well with summer and sunshine don't they?  And their beautiful color is a perfect sunny yellow.  When I found myself wanting a refreshing "adult" beverage I started thinking about spiked hard lemonades and lemon drop martinis.  Another favorite of mine is Limoncello, and I keep it in the freezer so it is a very refreshing, ice cold sipper to enjoy anytime.  

A great idea came to mind when I was thinking about a sparkling drink as I thought that sounded so refreshing.  It was then that it came to me, why not try a lemon drink with a new twist?  A twist of all the things I mentioned and a twist of lemon too!  I wanted to keep it simple, but wanted it to be special so I basically added a bit of each and came up with my new favorite lemon adult beverage.  The Lemon Breeze!  Refreshing as a breeze on a summer afternoon!

Just a few ingredients needed for this delicious beverage.  Lemon Drop Mix, Limoncello, Sparkling Water, and Vodka.  I used my regular vodka, but lemon flavored vodka would be good also.  I've noticed there sure are a lot of flavored vodkas out there these days.  I've only tried a couple flavors, but I need to give a few other flavors a try soon too.  

If you don't have Lemon Drop Mix, Sweet and Sour would probably work also.  You could rim the glass with sugar for an added sweet treat, and a sweet presentation too.  Of course you can add more or less with any of the ingredients or liquors.  Such as, if you don't like Limoncello, leave it out.  That's a great thing about being your own bartender, make it the way you like!

  

Lemon Breeze 

Ingredients:
1 oz vodka
1 oz limoncello
1 oz lemon drop mix, sweet and sour, or use simple syrup and squirt of lemon juice
sparkling water, plain or lemon  flavored, or lemon-lime soda
sugar to rim glass
lemon slices for garnish


Directions:
(To sugar rim glass, rim glass with lemon or water then turn glass over and dip in sugar.)
Pour  vodka, limoncello, and lemon drop mix in shaker with ice.  shake well, then pour into glass over ice, add sparkling water to top off, and lemon slice garnish.

    Enjoy!...

Stuffed Jalapeno Peppers

I thought I'd spice things up a bit today and share something hot!  These Stuffed Jalapeno Peppers are a must have lately when we are grilling up something outdoors.  We like to enjoy them as an appetizer while we are grilling other items, or before hand.  I mixed up a yummy cheese filling using cream cheese and some of my favorite store bought pimento cheese spread, because it is the perfect addition I discovered (and actually it's what I had on hand the first time I made them), along with some bacon bits, and a few other ingredients.  We really liked the results and enjoyed every bit of them.  Sometimes you just work with what you've got and then ...'new recipe' to enjoy!

I like the mix of cheeses for the filling with the added smokiness of the bacon bits, but if you prefer, you can always make them more vegetarian-friendly without bacon.  Also using shredded sharp cheddar cheese and a bit of mayo would work instead of the pimento cheese spread.  I look for nice medium to large sized jalapenos to use for preparing this.

We enjoy eating spicy foods and don't usually shy away from anything spicy, or on the hot scale.  Although, on one occasion when I made these I used one red jalapeno, and let me tell you it was like a five-alarm fire that I thought I would never extinguish, and I like hot!  But wow...that was flaming hot!  The green jalapenos are the right amount of heat for us!

I feel the jalapenos do mellow a bit and become milder during the cooking process, and also having removed the seeds helps in that as well.  Mild chili peppers or poblano peppers would most likely work well too, if jalapenos are not to your liking, or are too hot.  I have served these yummy Stuffed Jalapeno Peppers to family, and friends.  They are usually surprised by how good these really are, and that they are not as hot, as they are thought to be.  We love 'em!  

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Stuffed Jalapeno Peppers

*this recipe makes 10 stuffed jalapeno halves
Ingredients:
5 jalapeno peppers, halved - *seeds and membranes removed
3/4 cup pimento cheese spread, (or 3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese, mixed with 1 tbsp mayo)
1/4 cup cream cheese, softened
1/2 clove fresh garlic, minced, or 1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp onion powder
1 tbsp cooked bacon bits


Directions:

Prepare peppers by slicing each pepper lengthwise, then remove seeds and membranes. *Note: Careful with the juices, seeds, and membranes and don't touch your eyes after handling these cut jalapenos! (I often use disposable gloves when preparing these), wash hands thoroughly after prep.

Mix cheeses and the other ingredients in a bowl.

Divide the cheese mixture equally among the peppers, filling each about level.

Grill the stuffed peppers over medium indirect heat (300 to 350 F) until they are warmed through, slightly tender but still crisp, about 15-20 minutes. Serve warm, and enjoy after a couple minutes of cooling.

Enjoy!...

Fun Gift Idea

I put together a little surprise of a birthday package that I hoped would be fun and unusual.  I came up with the idea because I wanted to do something different, and also fun, for my sister for her birthday.  Today is actually her birthday by-the-way, so a great big "Happy Birthday" shout-out to her! :)  

I had a few little gift items for her, and decided to add to what I already had by getting a few more.  There were practical items and some were more novelty items, or something for a laugh, a giggle, or a smile!  I do love a good laugh and I know she does too, so this was fun for me to put together as I thought it would also be fun for her to receive too!  We live in separate states so I knew I would need to ship a gift anyway, and small, light-weight items would work well for this plan.

I purchased brown paper lunch bags to place the individual gifts in, and I wrote little personal notes on the outside of each bag, to give an explanation, hint of what was inside, or a little note of humor.  Just stapling the bags closed was simply not going to do, or be a pleasing look...uh-uh no way!  So I used my handy one hole punch to add a couple holes, then I threaded curly ribbon through them, tied the ribbon into bows and curled the ends.  So cute and easy too!

Sauteed Spinach

We like spinach, and so I look for new ways to use and prepare it.  Plus, with it being a healthy 'green' addition to our daily meals, that makes it an extra incentive to try to do so. This dish was the result of a simple throw together that I created by adding crispy cooked bacon and a touch of garlic for big flavor, along with the sweetness of caramelized onions, with fresh spinach.   

I tried to keep it a on the lighter side, even though I used cooked bacon in it, by using olive oil instead of bacon grease.  By all means if you want to put it in there it would only add to the flavor I am sure!   We often use the pre-cooked bacon that we finish in the microwave, and that is what I had on hand, but cooking up fresh bacon pieces first and using the bacon drippings to prepare this recipe can be done instead.

The caramelized onion with the bacon really makes this sauteed spinach a delicious and tasty treat.  It's easy and quick to prepare too, so when I am in need of something quick this comes to mind, and I know it will be a tasty addition to about any meal!

Sauteed Spinach

Ingredients:

4 cooked bacon slices, crumbled into pieces

1 garlic glove, minced

1/2 cup chopped sweet onion

3 tbsp olive oil

1 lb fresh clean spinach

Directions:

Heat a medium to large skillet over medium high heat, add 2 tbsp olive oil and onion, cook the onion stirring occasionally until caramelized.  Remove the onion from pan with slotted spoon and set aside.  Add remaining olive oil to skillet, then add garlic and cook over medium heat for 1 minute.   Add the spinach, the bacon crumbles and onions.  Remove pan from heat and toss spinach with tongs until slightly wilted.  Season with salt and pepper.  Serve.

Enjoy!...

Monday Message

~ My Monday Message ~

Those sweet and precious memories held dear to the heart!...

Family Fun Time at Stone Mountain Park Laser Show

Fun times with Family on a visit to Stone Mountain Park.
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We had the two Granddaughters staying with us for a few days and we had a great time having them here with us.  We spent the last evening with the Grands doing something we all enjoyed by going to Stone Mountain Park for the Laser Show which is described as "spectacular", and it lives up to that!  

The Laser Show is projected onto the mountain and it's famous carving.  It's been around for years and it is a great time for all ages.  The Laser Show is a memorable experience with music choreographed to the laser effects along with the added bonus of fireworks!  Bringing your own chairs and a blanket, along with picnic foods and a cooler you park yourselves on the lawn in view of the mountain, and then you're all set for an enjoyable evening to remember!

      

Ready for the show!

Welcome August!

I don't want to believe it's August already!  It truly is amazing how the time flies by, leaving me wondering where has it gone?  Here we are smack-dab in the middle of summer.  What?  How?  I always want it to be summer...all year long!  You'll rarely hear me complain about the heat!  Although we have been fortunate thus far with having relatively milder temperatures.  This summer lovin' lady is perfectly content with long, warm, sunny days and those starry, warm evenings that are to me, summer at it's best!  Even the 'summer' rain is more enjoyable!  Oh and how I do love the smell after it rains and that everything just looks so refreshed!  This morning is especially true to that since we had a little light rain over night.

This beautiful hibiscus flower from my yard looks lovely and refreshed after the morning rain.  

Welcome August!  We will no doubt with it have more of those glorious days of sunshine and beautiful evenings.  And I will be the one still saying, "I love it!"  I saw a bumper sticker recently with the words, "I support Global Warming", I laughed as I read it!  My thoughts on that are, "I do too!"

Happy August!...