Vivo O Sonho

Tag: Tayana

• GO To Tuesday: Spiced Chickpea Stew

  Posted at 4:35 am by SV Sonho, on March 26, 2019

  My weekly menu always builds upon like ingredients in the meals to save space and waste. So when I buy a bag of spinach to use 2 cups for one recipe, there will be other recipes using spinach a well, until the bag is gone. This way I can buy in larger quantities for the week and save some money. (Hubby’s not so thrilled when I buy a big bag of carrots, but they add color, crunch and get hidden in most recipes.)

  Alameda’s Grocery Outlet keeps all of these ingredients regularly stocked, with the exception of the turmeric and dried ginger. The mint is in the organic veggie section, along with a nice assortment of other fresh herbs. I baked tandoori chicken thighs to go with, but it would make a full vegan main dish on its own. Total cost was $14 for just the stew; $21 with the chicken. It comes together quickly, but simmering for at least 30 minutes thickens the consistency and brings out the many exotic flavors.

  Continue reading →

  Posted in In the Galley | 0 Comments | Tagged AlamedaGroceryOutlet, BargainMarket, BoatingLife, Cruising, GalleyCooking, GOAlameda, GroceryOutlet, homeofWOW, LifeOnboard, LiveAboard, LivingTheDream, MarinaLife, shoplocal, Tayana, TinyKitchen, VivoOSonho

• Why I Wear Orange on St. Patrick’s Day

  Posted at 10:13 am by SV Sonho, on March 17, 2019

  

  

  My parents were both born in Belfast, Northern Ireland but St. Patrick’s day was never celebrated in our house. Why, you ask? Because we are proud Orange-Irish!

  Growing up, my sister Jacqueline and I were NEVER allowed to wear green to school. We would try to sneak out the door and Daddy would turn us about saying, “No child of mine is wearing green on St. Patrick’s Day. Go and put on your orange.” No matter how we pleaded about getting pinched, Daddy was always true to his heritage. And I passed that on to my children and grandchildren.

  And now, my annual explanation on why this 100% Irish, first generation American, wears Orange on St. Patrick’s Day.

  Continue reading →

  Posted in Story Shelf | 0 Comments | Tagged BoatingLife, GalleyCooking, LifeOnboard, LiveAboard, LivingTheDream, NorthernIreland, OrangeIrish, ShortStory, StPatricksDay, Tayana, TinyKitchen

• Living the Dream … One Year Delayed

  Posted at 4:21 pm by SV Sonho, on March 9, 2019

  

  Sonho on the mooring balls at Angel Island. Photo by HBS

  It still pains me to say it and I haven’t had the heart to change the countdown on this blogsite yet. It’s not a secret and the choice was made with love, but it doesn’t make it any less hard.

  We are not cutting the docklines and starting our circumnavigation on April 16, 2019 as we had planned for so many years.

  The reason? Our grandchildren. We adore those three more than anything in the world and we can’t, in good consciousness, leave them alone with their mommy while daddy is away for almost five months. It takes a village to raise that crazy clan and we are needed here to help keep Meghan sane and the kids alive. LOL.

  Continue reading →

  Posted in You Live on a Boat?! | 0 Comments | Tagged BoatingLife, Cruising, DogOnboard, LifeOnboard, LiveAboard, LivingTheDream, MarinaLife, Tayana, TLWA, ToLiveandWriteinAlameda, VivoOSonho

• GO To Tuesday: Chicken Parmesan Gnocchi

  Posted at 5:58 am by SV Sonho, on March 5, 2019

  I’m a big fan of one-pot meals. Living on a boat, I have very little counter space and the dishwasher is me for the most part so the less items, the better. My prep surfaces are on top of the sink, stove and fridge so I need to stage all ingredients, chop and measure, and be ready to go. This recipe comes together in about 20 minutes and thickens as it sits: serious comfort food!

  Our local Grocery Outlet has a nice assortment of gnocchi and I’ve tried several and don’t have a favorite. I’ve made my own gnocchi but it is a pretty big mess and takes time and just the right amount of kneading and boiling to get them just right. And honestly, once you cover those little dumplings with sauce, it’s all good! 

  The secret in this dish is definitely the roux. It’s important to get the butter-veggie-flour combo smooth, adding the flour slowly and stir, stir, stir to avoid lumps. This creates the base for the meal.

  Continue reading →

  Posted in In the Galley | 0 Comments | Tagged AlamedaGroceryOutlet, BargainMarket, BoatingLife, Cruising, GalleyCooking, GOAlameda, GroceryOutlet, homeofWOW, LifeOnboard, LiveAboard, LivingTheDream, MarinaLife, shoplocal, Tayana, TinyKitchen, VivoOSonho

• GO To Tuesday: Creamy Potato Salad

  Posted at 6:18 am by SV Sonho, on February 26, 2019

  Backyard barbecues and potato salad just go together. Everytime I make it, it’s slightly different depending on the guest list, and this is the basic recipe from my Nana. During the warm summer months our family spent many lazy afternoons in their backyard, with Papy barbecuing chicken and hotdogs and Nana making the side dishes and setting the picnic table while my sister and I played on the grass or on the beach. All of these ingredients are stocked at our local Grocery Outlet and you probably have on hand.

  Most potato salad connoisseurs will tell you it must be made the night before and allowed to sit to really meld the flavors and I agree. But that’s where the agreements end. There are strong camps for using mayonnaise versus Miracle Whip and certain potato varieties. And then the additions: onion, celery, sweet or dill relish. All I can say is that this recipe is universally loved!

  Continue reading →

  Posted in In the Galley | 0 Comments | Tagged AlamedaGroceryOutlet, BargainMarket, BoatingLife, Cruising, GalleyCooking, GOAlameda, GroceryOutlet, homeofWOW, LifeOnboard, LiveAboard, LivingTheDream, MarinaLife, shoplocal, Tayana, TinyKitchen, VivoOSonho

• Where it Went from Wrong to Right

  Posted at 2:52 am by SV Sonho, on February 21, 2019

  Amy stretched languidly, enjoying the morning quiet.

  Then it struck her: It’s Wednesday! Why didn’t the alarm go off?!

  She flew out of bed, glancing at the offensive clock: 8:13 am. Shit. No time for a shower or coffee and there was no way she’d make the express bus. Driving wasn’t an option either with the crowded highways at peak commute hour. She’d have to take the subway to get into the city. Ugh.

  Continue reading →

  Posted in Story Shelf | 0 Comments | Tagged 2LWA, LivingTheDream, ShortStory, Tayana, ToLiveandWriteinAlameda, VivoOSonho

• GO To Tuesday: Alfredo Sauce & Butter Poached Lobster Tails

  Posted at 6:36 am by SV Sonho, on February 19, 2019

  Sometimes the simplest meals are the most delicious. It’s all about using fresh ingredients that pair nicely together. Our local Grocery Outlet features a variety of seasonal seafood and I snagged these nice ocean-caught lobster tails to serve with New York strip steaks. I didn’t have time to make homemade gnocchi but a package of good quality butternut squash topped with homemade Alfredo sauce rounded the meal out beautifully. The total cost was about $25, a third of the cost of going out to eat and it impressed the hubby with both taste and presentation. 

  For the steaks, I let them come to room temperature then brushed with Worcestershire sauce and sprinkled with Montreal seasoning. For medium-rare, they take about 15 minutes on the grill so I start the sauce when they go on, followed by the ravioli’s and then the lobster tails. While the meat rests, I am doing the final tasting and ready to plate within five minutes. The key is to have the ingredients chopped and measured out so it comes together quickly.

  Continue reading →

  Posted in In the Galley | 0 Comments | Tagged AlamedaGroceryOutlet, BargainMarket, BoatingLife, Cruising, GalleyCooking, GOAlameda, GroceryOutlet, homeofWOW, LifeOnboard, LiveAboard, LivingTheDream, MarinaLife, shoplocal, Tayana, TinyKitchen, VivoOSonho

• GO To Tuesday: Meatball Soup

  Posted at 7:37 pm by SV Sonho, on February 12, 2019

  It has been brrrrrrr on our little piece of the Alameda Riviera in Northern California this week. We rarely dip below the mid-50s in the winter and we were seeing low-40s … This weather calls for soup! This meatball soup is inexpensive and easy to assemble. Our local Grocery Outlet always has these ingredients in stock with the whole meal costing $12. I simply added sourdough bread and butter on the side and it was a filling  meal with leftovers for lunch. And any time I have the opportunity to make a meal in my Nana’s Dutch oven makes me so happy … extra love in every bite.

  Variations: I used hot Italian sausage because Hubby and I both like spicy food. You can use the mild if you prefer. This particular brand is seasoned nicely and I didn’t need to add a single spice, other than a parsley garnish. I used chicken broth as it’s what I had on hand. Beef or vegetable broth would be good as well. I had a can of white chili beans that were already seasoned with onion, garlic and jalapeno, which also added to the flavor. You can use unseasoned white or great Northern beans instead and then gauge the seasoning level before adding the spinach.

  Continue reading →

  Posted in In the Galley | 0 Comments | Tagged AlamedaGroceryOutlet, BargainMarket, BoatingLife, Cruising, GalleyCooking, GOAlameda, GroceryOutlet, homeofWOW, LifeOnboard, LiveAboard, LivingTheDream, MarinaLife, shoplocal, Tayana, TinyKitchen, VivoOSonho

• GO To Tuesday: Baked Chicken Thighs with Cauliflower Rice & Roasted Snap Peas

  Posted at 9:00 am by SV Sonho, on February 5, 2019

  I take great pride in making colorful, nutritious meals but often don’t have time for prep or marinating. Thanks to our local Grocery Outlet I can always find fresh meat ready to pop into the oven. Last week I featured Tyson’s Orange Chicken Strips, this week it’s Urban Turban’s Garlic & Pepper Chicken Thighs. 

  Usually we prefer to grill our chicken, but it’s been pouring rain the last month so I’m using the oven more for cooking with the bonus of warming the boat. I didn’t get the brown skin I’d like because I didn’t leave the chicken under the broiler long enough, but it was juicy and delish anyway!

  Continue reading →

  Posted in In the Galley | 1 Comment | Tagged AlamedaGroceryOutlet, BargainMarket, BoatingLife, Cruising, GalleyCooking, GOAlameda, GroceryOutlet, homeofWOW, LifeOnboard, LiveAboard, LivingTheDream, MarinaLife, shoplocal, Tayana, TinyKitchen, VivoOSonho

• GO To Tuesday: Orange Chicken Saute Over Quinoa & Brown Rice

  Posted at 6:00 am by SV Sonho, on January 29, 2019

  Probably my favorite thing about our local Grocery Outlet is that I can whip together a healthy, flavorful meal without a plan, from staples I bought in my weekly shop. And it’s always tasty! The majority of the time I have recipes in mind for each of my weekday dinners. I do my prep before work so that when I get home I can quickly assemble our meal. I marinate meats, chop veggies and gather together non-perishable ingredients and the pots/pans necessary.

  But now and then I’m running late in the morning and find myself without a plan when I get home. Because of the great prices at G.O., I pick up a variety of different non-perishables that I can use as a base with whatever veggies I have on hand. And I generally buy a package of Tyson seasoned boneless, skinless chicken strips that I can use in a quick saute, a pasta dish, wraps or on a salad. Our Grocery Outlet features two or three flavors at any time and all are delish.

  Continue reading →

  Posted in In the Galley | 0 Comments | Tagged AlamedaGroceryOutlet, BargainMarket, BoatingLife, Cruising, GalleyCooking, GOAlameda, GroceryOutlet, homeofWOW, LifeOnboard, LiveAboard, LivingTheDream, MarinaLife, shoplocal, Tayana, TinyKitchen, VivoOSonho

• Archives

  Archives Select Month May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018

• Categories

  Categories Select Category 5779 Days of Awe In the Galley Random Topics Story Shelf You Live on a Boat?!

• Countdown to Living the Dream …

  Cutting the Docklines!April 16th, 2019

  Off to see the world ... Vivo O Sonho!
• Follow Vivo O Sonho on WordPress.com

• Tags

  2LWA AlamedaAnimalShelter AlamedaGroceryOutlet BargainMarket BeatrixPotter BoatingLife Books Inc Bridgewatch Angels Cruising DaysofAwe DogOnboard FAAS GalleyCooking GOAlameda GroceryOutlet homeofWOW LifeOnboard LiveAboard LivingTheDream MarinaLife MarinGeneralHospital NorthernIreland OrangeIrish RoshHashanah shoplocal ShortStory StPatricksDay SuicidePrevention Tayana Tiki TinyKitchen TLWA ToLiveandWriteinAlameda VivoOSonho