Things I Cant Get Enough Of...

This month my current obsessions are a very eccentric mix.

1) I can not get enough of Cat Power and Adele. Maybe I am feeling nostalgic but their smooth jazzy ways have won my heart over.

2) Coral lipsticks...Fun, flirty and just the right punch of summer for this dreary May we have been subjected to by a very witty and cunning mother nature.

3) Bake sales..I made three fudges this week for Kermesse at work, it is a book/bake sale fundraiser. I must say I am scoring 2-1 for my fudge baking abilities. Three different recipes and one has made me question my baking genius. It refused to set and I am sure it is still soft and not even a little bit set in the dumpster outside. Not to worry though, my other two were perfection.

4) Heavy gold jewellery of both the dress up and authentic variety.

5) Summery fruit...Yay for watermelon! Summery flowers...Yay for Lilacs!

6) Strange and quirky vintage store finds.

7)Cork soled platforms and anything nautical. Ahoy!

Heavy gold fun from mom!

Cute little vintage ruby slippers pin!

Summery flowers from the market!

...and fresh summer fruit!

..mmmm

For Mad Scientists...

"For mad scientists who keep brains in jars, here's a tip: why not add a slice of lemon to each jar, for added freshness"-Jack Handy

Inspired by my mom's mango salsa recipe she received from her friend Sonja, I decided to have a crack at it. Once the prep work is done, this is a simple recipe that makes me long for sunshine and tequila (especially with these dreary, rainy days we have had consistently all month). Mother Nature and I are in a fight. Anyway, I bought small mason jars and decided I would bring a serving of salsa (after my sister and I verified that it was both edible and outstanding) to my friends and neighbors if I ran into them. For the remainder of the jars, I slapped in some fresh rosemary and extra virgin olive oil. You never know when you may need a hostess gift or when you may have a large pork tenderloin desperately wishing for some rosemary olive oil, stranger things have happened.
-m

Mango Salsa (this is the doubled recipe)

-1 cup diced green or red pepper
-2 mango's peeled and diced
-1 cup of diced red onion
-2 tomato's diced and seeded
-2 tbs of cilantro (or less if you hate it as much as I do)
-1 lime juiced
-1/2 tsp cardamon
-1 tsp chilli's (I just threw them in..you could use black pepper if you don't like heat)

Toss it all together and let stand for about an hour for the juices to mix. Bright and summery salsa!

Ingredients..

Mix it up and let stand..

Rosemary and oil.

Rosemary oil, mango salsa and chili pepper oil (a staple in my kitchen cupboard)

Dessert Is Probably The Most Important..

"Dessert is probably the most important stage of the meal since it will be the last thing your guests remember before they pass out over the table."-William Powell

I love to host dinner parties and to entertain, so when some of my very best friends decided they were going to come and stay with me for two nights I was totally pumped. It is so nice to have company from home and on Sunday evening our little soiree went off without a hitch! Homemade zucchini sticks, spinach salad and a simmering pot of curry chicken made for the perfect meal to sit over and catch up. Warm nann bread, five bottles of wine and a dessert made of warm layered puff pastry left everyone in a warm and fuzzy place. We finished all of that off with a ridiculous night on the town in Halifax. I love my friends so very much!!

I will provide the rest of the recipe's eventually but for now I will offer up the dessert because it was delicious, simple and looks like a lot of work when it isn't! Enjoy!
-m

Simple Fruit Napoleons

(adapted and inspired by a recipe I read on night shift!)

-1 package of frozen puff pastry
-Countertop grill / panini press (I used my handy dandy George Foreman)
-1 cup of whipping cream
-1/2 cup of sour cream
-1tsp vanilla
-2tbs of marmalade (any jam would do, the citrus is just very nice)
-1 tbs of honey
-Fresh washed fruit of choice
-Icing sugar

Thaw and roll out puff pastry and cut into squares (3 " works). Set aside while your grill heats up! When good and hot place as many squares on without letting them overlap (you will have to do batches) and gently close lid. Allow squares to cook for approx. 4 mins. Set aside when finished. In a mixing bowl whip cream until stiff peaks form. Fold in sour cream, marmalade, honey and vanilla and gently mix until smooth. Layer your pastry with cream mixture and berries till they are three squares tall! Finish with berries and a light dusting of icing sugar. So simple, quick, pretty and tasty (too many adjectives...never..)!

Fancy right?

PEI in Halifax! Thanks for the road trip guys!

Always Write Angry Letters....

"Always write angry letters to your enemies, never mail them."- James Fallows

Or maybe one should never write angry letters to anyone and simply send long distance hugs in greeting cards to the people you love or care about. Just a thought. That said as I have already expressed my over-the-top love for sending and receiving mail, this post takes it one level further. Homemade cards, dun dun dun.. So simple anyone without even a single creative cell in their bodies can do it. All you need is pretty paper, glue, stamps and envelopes. Want to get extra fancy, throw in some glitter, pearls, ribbon and maybe a quote or two ( Walmart, Michaels and any local crafty spot will have all the supplies you need!). Slap it all together, address and stamp the envelope and stick it in that big red box that is on every few blocks. Bam, you totally just made someones day! Give it a try, someone will love you for it!
-m

Looks Tasty!

Details on the inside too!

Bright envelopes!

Pretty details make them even more exciting to get!

Supplies..

Cute stamps!

It's Like Spicy Food...

"It's like spicy food, sometimes you have to tone it down so others can enjoy it."-Kenneth Edmonds

My family always has a soft spot for hot things. The spicier the better when it comes to food and my dad is the king of this. His chili would have taken the lips off of a person who was less accustomed to the degree of heat we grew immune to as children. I still find it strange when people can't tolerate even mild heat and I sometimes have remind myself that not everyone likes it, especially when I am cooking for more than just my sister and I. What can I say, the Briands are Hot Tamales!

On my last visit home my sister urged Dad to make his famous spicy pasta for us...mmm it was so good! Crushed chilies sitting in olive oil for days in advance bring out the heat and the flavor. Combine that with crisp peppers, mushrooms, chicken, shrimp and linguine and we sure have ourselves a simple yet winning dish! Good food and good company is the best way to spend an evening in at home. Thanks dad!
-m

Chilies in Oil!

Peppers and onion..

Mushrooms..

Toss in a little protein!

The chef hard at work!

Voila! So good, almost need a glass of milk with this bad boy!

Breakfast at dad`s is equally as tasty!

Age is an Issue of Mind Over Matter....

"Age is an issue of mind over matter.. If you don't mind, It doesn't matter."-Mark Twain

About a month ago I wrote a post regarding my Nanny and how utterly wonderful and fabulous she is. Josephine herself read my blog and was thoroughly disappointed that I included only pictures of her presently and none from when she was a younger woman. To make up for that folly I have taken a few snap-its of my nanny from when she was a lovely young woman to share with you. You can note, she is just as lovey now as she was then.
-m

I am quite certain this is sixteen year old Josephine...

Beautiful on her wedding day..

Farmers Market Finds..

A couple of weeks ago I was home visiting friends and family. I luckily happened to be there for a weekend and made it to the Charlottetown Farmers Market. Yes, it may not be massive and it may not have the variety or the eclectic finds that larger markets have but I love going there. Perogies, smoked salmon, noodles and sausages are staples that I always find myself struggling to choose between for my Saturday morning munch at the market. The coffee is always fresh and Caledonia house coffee roasters mean I often end up with a bag of beans that I get to enjoy the smell of the entire drive back to Halifax. Fresh local produce, familiar faces and so many people to talk to and catch up with.  Growing up my parents always took me to the market on a Saturday, which was a tradition I continued when I moved into my own apartment and now even still in a different city. This trip to the Charlottetown market I found myself buying the most beautiful bunches of pussy willows. I purchased one for myself and one for mom...I have yet to find decent ones in Halifax so I was positively thrilled by this find (my dad thought I was ridiculous haha). Little did I know that I would get back to Halifax, arranged said willows in a big vase, think about how perfect they were only to have my sister call to tell me that my little demon cat was throwing up branches and pussy willows all day long. Damn cat. I guess I will make a wreath!

This week mom was in Halifax so the two of us ventured to the seaport market after a lovely breakfast of cinnamon french toast on light rye with my other favorite uncle Peter. It was delicious. We both picked up pretty spider mums and I had an awkward moment with the flower guy (lets just say a few too many beer were ingested on Sunday at the Lower Deck and I was positively thrilled when I saw him. Please note I do not know him and then try to picture me all "OHhh my god! Your the flower guy from the market!! Awkward...). We also found these cute little owls painted on little pieces of granite and mom bought me one as a treat. I always worry that I am a little too cluttered around my place and I probably didn't need a nick-knack but he was so cute we could not pass him up! Happy Weekend!
-m

...A cosy home by the fire at Mom's house.

Perfectly packaged.

..it's all in the details.

Before the cat got the munchies..

French toast on Rye! Mmmm...

Spider Mums!

Mixing it up with mauve!

Roses in the bathroom?

Sure,why not?

Cute little owl!

How could I say no to that face?

Gingerbread and All Things Nice...

When I was smaller and when my wonderful Uncle John (he really is the best!) lived on Fenwick street, he and my mother would walk the dog and stop by this tiny little bakery for coffee in the mornings. They would get steaming hot German Roasted coffee almost too strong to drink without an extra helping of milk or sugar or whatever one uses to dress their coffee up.They would also pick up small, chewy and deliciously spicy gingerbread men about the size of my palm for my sister and I. This cafe was called The Gingerbread Haus and the only thing that has changed is that I am no longer in junior high school and I now get a coffee and not the cookie. I also have a sneaky suspicion that their array of decadent German pastry's has expanded since then but I can not be certain as the details in my memory are faint. Located on Queen street on the corner of Fenwick this sweet little cafe smells enticingly of cinnamon and all things good. Fresh salads, hand made sandwiches and so many buttery pastry treats, it is a lovely place for an afternoon coffee or a light lunch with a friend or family member. Check it out at http://gingerbreadhausbakery.com/
-m

California Salad and coffee in a cute little coffee cup.

All Women Become Like Their Mothers...

"All women become like their mothers. That is their tragedy. No man does. That is his."-Oscar Wilde.

I have heard many people hope and wish and pray that they are nothing like their mothers when they are older. I would have to disagree with that. I hope I am just like my mother and am perfectly happy with becoming a younger, brunette version of her. When people tell me that I look like mom I take that as a compliment. Can many people say that? My mother is beautiful, all class, all style and has always been the coolest mom I know. At twenty-five I have never once stopped looking up to her.

Growing up she encouraged me to be myself, taught me to love and be compassionate. I get my crafty genes, my thrifty abilities and my fashion tendencies from watching her.I would not be who I am, where I am or have the values that I have without her encouragement . I also can't forget that she impressed the importance of washing my make-up off at night and the value of a really good hair cut. I love my mom. Happy Mother's day everyone!