Roasted Cauliflower Soup ♥

 Hello Lovely Friends! ♥

Well, I finally got around to putting away my Valentine's Day decorations this weekend.  It always makes me a little sad because I love them so much and they are only on display for a short period of time. Pink hearts and vintage Valentines are nostalgic to me because they remind me of my childhood.  That's what makes them special I guess : ) 

 But we press on!  It's almost March, and SPRING and St. Patrick's day are coming.  It's funny how every month, every season, every holiday has a feel.  You know what I mean. You can feel them coming just by looking around and smelling the smells.  Right now it's all about new beginnings, all things green, fresh, and pretty. 

(well, inside anyway....outside it's gray and slushy, but I'm ignoring that...lol)

Here's a peek at my little plant corner in the kitchen.  An ongoing work in progress. 

It's the brightest spot I have and I think my plants like it here ♥

So with Spring coming I've been trying to incorporate more veggies into my diet lately (gotta balance the nachos and brownies...#truth).  Anyway, I'm also on a mission to try NEW veggies and try recipes that incorporate ones that I don't usually make.  The produce department is chock FULL of beautiful healthy fruits and veggies that I totally ignore on my way to the bakery department.  What am I missing here?! 

This cauliflower looked interesting to me (and it was on sale!).  I've really only eaten cauliflower on a veggie platter drenched in ranch dip! Yes it's delicious that way, but I wanted to try something else.  I remembered a recipe I pinned for roasted cauliflower soup and since it's still soup season....

Let's try it! ♥

First we cut and wash it.  Then toss in olive oil and a little salt.  

Now roast! ♥

The result are these crispy salty nuggets that are so yummy I thought about stopping right here and just eating the cauliflower like this. 

(even John snagged a few from the table as he passed through the kitchen : ) 

 

Next I sautéed some onion and garlic in olive oil.  

Then added vegetable broth and the cauliflower.  Let all that simmer for a bit..... 

Now it's looking like soup! 

This is where the magic happens ♥

Add everything to blender.  I added a little butter, a squeeze of lemon juice, and a dash of nutmeg! 

(Just like the makeup influencers on TikTok say "blend, blend, blend!")

It turned out so creamy and delicious!!!!  I was truly amazed because I added NO cream or milk!  It's just the natural smoothness of the blended cauliflower that thickened the soup.  The flavor was....hmmm...I'm kissing the tips of my fingers and throwing them in the air....can you picture that? That's how it was.  Really! 

Here is a link to the recipe I used (here).  

My only complaint is that it only made about four bowls.  I think next time I will roast 2 cauliflowers and double the recipe.  I will definitely be making this soup again.  We all loved it!  

Could cauliflower now be one of my top favorite vegetables? 

Maybe! ♥

I hope you enjoy this recipe and thanks for stopping by today.  I'm off to get yet another cup of coffee, put my earbuds in, and get some work done for the day.  I just heard John has a two hour delay for school today because of snow.  He'll be disappointed they didn't cancel the whole day! Wish me luck as I'm off to deliver this news! Haha! 

Stay cozy everyone! Byeeee! xoxoxoxo 

Friday Funnies! ♥

Hello Friends! Happy Friday! ♥

The end of another week already.  Its not even 8:30 am here and I'm on my second cup of coffee.  I have fish thawing in the fridge for dinner and a load of laundry in the wash.  So far a good start.  I'll probably crash by lunch time! LOL

We have nothing on the agenda this weekend and I couldn't be happier! My favorite weekends are the ones where we have absolutely nothing to do and no where to be.  We may take advantage of a gift certificate we got for Christmas and go out to lunch tomorrow.  We'll see if we feel motivated to do that or if staying in our sweats on the couch is more appealing.  Stay tuned : ) 

Here are some Friday funnies to make you smile today.

Some (actually ALL) are so relatable! ♥

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I hope you all have a happy Friday and a cozy weekend!  I'll be around to visit your blogs soon!  See you back here on Monday.  I'm trying a new soup recipe today and if it's good (fingers crossed) I'll share the recipe.  Soup season is not over! ♥

Byeeee! xooxox

Fruit Galette ♥

Hello Friends! Happy Wednesday!  ♥

I wanted to share this quick dessert I whipped up last night.  It's wonderful what you can do with some frozen fruit and store bought puff pastry! I like to call this a rustic fruit tart, but if you're fancy you can call it a galette : )

I like the word "rustic" because that means it doesn't have to be perfect. 

Perfect is so boring.  Who wants to be perfect anyway? 

Certainly not me  ♥

 

Here's the link to the recipe.  It's SO easy!  

You can use any frozen fruit you want.  Mixed berries, peaches, and strawberries are my favorite!  For this one I used strawberries & blueberries because that's what I had on hand.  

Note to self: Always keep puff pastry in the freezer.  There are so many things you can do with it when the mood strikes! 

RUSTIC = FANCY 

I cut mine just like a pizza, top with whip cream, and eat up! YUM!

Today is Ash Wednesday. 

I'm making eggs for dinner and then we are going to an evening mass to get ashes. It will be Easter before we know it.  It's hard to believe that time of year is just around the corner.  Wasn't it just Christmas?  John is making his confirmation in two weeks and today I saw signs of crocus buds sprouting up from the dirt.  It's 44 degrees out and Spring is in the air! 

Have a wonderful day friends, and a beautiful start to the Lenten season  ♥

As always, stay cozy! xoxo 

Current Favorite things! ♥

Hello Friends and happy Monday! ♥

 I hope you all had a great week and a restful weekend.

 I had a long to-do list of chores to get done around the house this weekend and guess what? None of it got done. My heart wasn't in it and that's ok.  That's how it goes sometimes.  Taking John to the movies was more appealing than washing the bathroom floor.  I have no regrets.  So I'm starting this week off still looking at Valentines Day decorations (because they didn't get put away) and a mound of laundry that's going in the wash as soon as I finish this post.  It will all get done.  Eventually : ) 

 I was thinking about what to post today and I had a thought that I haven't done a current favorites post in a while.  

So without further adieu here are 10 of my current favorite things:

 1. Homemade pasta ♥

Recently I've started making my own pasta.  It's so much easier than people think and tastes so much better than store bought.  All you need are eggs, flour, salt and a little time.  I have a stand alone "crank" pasta maker, not an attachment to my stand mixer.

It takes very little time to mix up the dough and crank it through the machine.  Something about that last step where the dough is cut into spaghetti is so satisfying!  My love language is feeding my family and this method certainly fills my heart with joy!  Here is a the basic pasta recipe I've been following.  I think I'm ready to move on to raviolis! 

(link to recipe)

2. Walking ♥

The weather has been unseasonably warm here.  Here we are in February and last week it was 60 degrees!  I'm not sure what's going on...  I've been taking advantage of the warm days and trying to get out for walks when I can. It's still chilly, but no where near where it usually is in February.  I like to walk this beach that's near me.  I'm not a fan of exercise but knowing I get an ocean view motives me to get out of the house.  I always feel better when I get home. I'll put on a podcast or my current audio book and walk for 30 minutes.  It ends up being a lovely experience.  

(and before you ask, there are plenty of other walkers there like me so it's completely safe:) 

 

3. Neutrogena eye cream ♥

Taking good care of my skin has always been a priority for me.  I have very dry, sensitive skin and I break out easily.  Because of that, I have a morning and evening skin care routine that I follow religiously (or try to anyway:).  Over the past year I have noticed a lot of changes to my skin.  The natural process of aging is happening and that's ok.  My eye area is a particular concern of mine.  I have dark circles that even the strongest Columbian coffee can't fix.  Also crows feet and fine lines.  We all have them.  It's just life.  Keeping my skin moisturized is vital.  I use an exfoliating cleanser, face serum, eye cream, and moisturizer. I would like to do a whole post on skin care sometime, but for now I need to tell you about this eye cream.  Because I love it. It's transformed my eye area and makes the makeup around my eyes look so much better.  I use it twice a day.  Definitely a holy grail beauty product for me.  

Love Love Love! 

Trader Joes Flowers ♥

I think everyone already knows this by now, but just incase you don't - if you have a Trader Joes near you, you must stop in for a dose of spring! They have the best selection of cut flowers at the best prices!  I stopped in on Saturday to get blueberries (for Sunday pancakes :) and I couldn't resist coming home with some beautiful carnations (see picture above).  They have so many beautiful bouquets to pick from.  Note to self: I think I'll go every week. 

PS here's a picture of the pancakes I grilled in my cast iron pan (another favorite thing).  

SO YUMMY! 

4. Evening Tea ♥

I've mention before how much I love my afternoon tea time.  Lately I've been pushing it to later in the evening.  It's wonderful to wind down with a cup of tea, especially on a winter's night.  I'm also trying to have my herbal teas without sugar.  So far so good : ) 

Here's the one I'm currently loving from Bigelow ♥

I have an idea to do a future blog post on my favorite teas and favorite coffees so stay tuned for that : ) 

5. Twice Bake Potatoes ♥

Just like with the pasta, I'm learning to try things that I have always assumed to be too difficult.  Especially with recipes, just because there may be a few more steps than I'm normally used to, I can manage it.  For our Valentines Day dinner John requested twice baked potatoes.  He'd had them once in a restaurant and loved them.  I gave them a go, and guess what?! I did it and they were delicious! A big hit for all of us!  I will definitely make them again.  Here's the recipe I used (I left out the bacon)

(link to recipe)

6. Breaking Bad & Better Call Saul ♥

So what have you been watching?  I just finished watching the entire series of Breaking Bad and it's prequel Better Call Saul.  AMAZING!!! Both had me on the edge of my seat.  For a certified lover of Hallmark movies this was big stretch for me and do you know what? I couldn't get enough of this world. I can't decided which series I loved best because they were both so good.  The acting is phenomenal!  Both are available on Netflix! Highly recommend! 

 

7. Chicken Piccada ♥

One of the easiest recipes I know and still one of our favorites.  I've been making this alot this winter and we haven't gotten sick of it yet.  If you use the thin chicken breasts you won't need a knife to cut them! 30 minutes is all it takes.  It's my go to recipe for when I have no idea what to make.  In fact, it's what's for dinner tonight! LOL 

(blog post with recipe linked here)

8. The Body Shop Boost Hand Lotion ♥

I purchased this hand cream for myself at Christmastime.  My hands get SO DRY and cracked that sometimes they actually hurt.  I've been using this hand lotion at night (it's on my nightstand so I remember) and it's helped so much!!  I rub it on my cuticles and in the morning my hands feel soft and pain free!!! Whatever is left on my hands I will rub onto my heels as well.  Heavenly!  

The citrus scent is also very nice :) 

9. I Love Lucy on Pluto TV ♥

Pluto TV now as an I Love Lucy channel (under classic TV).  Finally!!! 

Now I can watch my favorite show anytime I want, 24 hours a day!  Whenever I need a little Lucy, she's there for me.  It's been my favorite show since I was 12 years old.  I love it so so much.  

10. This quote which has stuck with me this past week...

#quoteoftheweek

It's so true! Thanks for the reminder, Your Majesty ♥  

And there you have it! 10 current favorite things.  

What are some of yours? 

Have a wonderful week, friends! Thanks for stopping by today! 

Stay cozy!! xoxoxo 

Lemon Scones (heart shaped for Valentine's Day ♥)

Good Morning and happy Monday! ♥

I hope you all had a nice weekend! Did you stay up and watch the Super bowl last night?  I'll be completely honest.  I didn't watch it.  Rob was enjoying it in the living room and John (who is also not a diehard football fan) and I were watching TV in the bedroom (Better Call Saul on Netflix.  It's amazing!).  I popped in every once in a while to see the score and catch a commercial or two.  When I went to bed it was 4th quarter and tied.  I found out who won this morning! I'm no football fan but that seemed stressful : )

 

And now we're here.  Another Monday morning already.  This week I have a few things on my agenda -  like Valentine's Day, a doctor's appointment with a new doctor, and taxes.  Fun.  I feel like this week is going to by fast so for my sanity's sake, I'm starting the day slowly with coffee, a scone, and some deep breaths. We can do this ♥

Speaking of....I made lemon scones yesterday.  I have shared this recipe before, so I'll repost the link here (yummy lemon scones).

I first made them last fall.  I was deep into watching the Crown and thus, craving scones.  Ironically, I just finished the Prince Harry book SPARE, which I thoroughly enjoyed 

(more than I thought I would). I still have mixed feelings on the situation but I feel like I have a little better insight now to certain things, if that makes sense.  I'm still processing....

Anyway, back to the scones...

It's a delicious scone!  Not dry like most and very lemon-y.  I LOVE them! 🍋

I used a heart shaped cookie cutter because everything taste better when it's heart shaped, right? 

Perfect for Valentine's Day! ♥

Aren't they cute?! ♥

 

A little glaze and some red sprinkles is all they needed to make them festive.  

Perfect with coffee or tea  ♥

I wish I could share with all of you! 

Well, I'm off to do some work and get this Monday started.  The quicker we do that, the closer we get to Friday.  

Have a great week and thanks for stopping by today! 

And I hope you try these scones ♥

(you'll thank me later!) 

 xoxoxo 

PS - Happy Valentines Day!!! 

Thoughts on Blogs...♥

My dear friend BJ at Afternoon Coffee and Evening Tea did a post the other day on "getting to know your blog friends" and she listed 10 facts about herself.  She invited her readers to list facts about themselves in the comments.  It was so much fun to read the responses! I love posts like that because they are so relatable.  Although we are all different, living in different locations, dealing with different life circumstances, and even in different stages of our lives, in some ways we are the same.  

I guess that's what brings us together and we share our lives here because of it. It's a hard thing to explain to people who don't understand blogs (I get it...the internet can be scary), but if you're reading this then I know you get me! We are more alike that you think : ) 

Anyway back to BJ....we met through our blogs. The funny thing is by the time we met in person (in Disney World in 2018) we had already been talking and sharing our lives with each other for years prior. Kind of like pen pals, but better. I felt like I already knew her family and she knew mine.  We clicked instantly and have been besties ever since.  I love reading friendship stories like mine and BJ's.  There are so many. How lucky we all are.  And had it not been for our little old blogs, we never would have known each other.  How wonderful is that?! 

I always say it's the little things in life that mean the most.  I'm grateful for this little blog and all the friends I've made here.  It breaks my heart a little that people don't blog as much as they used to. I hope it comes back into fashion again someday.  I'm sure I'll still be here, rambling on about this or that. When the world gets too much and I just can't stand the news anymore, it brings me peace to know you are all out there and I can catch up with you. We can talk recipes, family, decorating, movies, weather, anything at all.  I have never once regretting time spent reading blogs.  I love seeing your lives and sharing your days. The good, the bad, and sometimes (although not too often) the ugly.  It happens. 

If you've been here a while I'll bet you know I love Lucy, coffee, comfy slippers, and desserts. Whenever John catches me snapping a picture of my breakfast he says "mom, does anyone even care what your bagel looks like?" and I proudly say "yes they do!" 

So anyway, I just want to say thanks for being here ♥

Stay cozy friends and have a wonderful day!  

xoxox

Quote of the Week ♥

Good morning friends and happy Monday! 

How was your weekend?  Despite it being bitterly cold, mine was lovely. We saw family on Saturday night and Sunday I did my usual puttering around the house (which you know I love to do : )  

I read a quote the other day that I can't get out of my head.  It was this:

"Cultivate the life you love, not wait for it to happen" 

♥

These words repeated in my head over and over. 

So what exactly does this mean? 

Well, for me it means do the things I love, nurture the things, people, and relationships that are import to me, and create an environment and lifestyle that I am comfortable in.  

All the things I know in my heart to be true, but sometimes I need a little reminder.  

This was it ♥

Work on goals and hobbies, however big or small. Nothing will happen if I don't do it.  Nothing will change unless I change it.  I save so many things for "rainy days" that never come.  On Saturday I made these cute little pastry envelopes for no reason other than to bring me joy.  

It worked : )   

I'm creating a lifestyle that is truly me. 

So read the book, start the journal you've been thinking about, go on the trip, plant the garden.  Download your favorite music and go for a drive.  Stop for a coffee.  Get the extra whip cream.  Bake the cake, watch all the movies on your list, call your friends, visit them often, decorate the room, wear the lipstick and the pretty shirt, be polite, smile often, love much, and most of all, don't let others drag you down. 

Do all the things.  The only one that can make it happen is YOU.  We only get one shot at this life. Shouldn't it be beautiful? I think so too ♥

"Cultivate the life you love, not wait for it to happen" 

Wise words.  What does it mean to you? 

Have a wonderful and cozy day Friends! 

Thank you for visiting today! I'm glad you're here! 

xoxoxo