We always have leftover buns when we do a hot dog or sausage barbecue with friends. And not being big bread eaters, they sit until I either feed to the ducks in the marina, throw away or make into bread pudding. All of these ingredients are available at our local Grocery Outlet and I generally have aboard our boat.
This is a nice make-ahead breakfast or dessert that can be popped in the oven an hour before guests arrive. I like to serve it warm, but it’s also good cold or at room temperature.
This easy-to-make sangria is chock-full of summer fruit which makes for not only wonderful flavor, but a tasty snack. It’s perfect for barbecues and picnics, refreshing and travels easily in a container with a lid. It does take a bit of prep as it’s best with at least 12 hours of marinating time for the fruit to infuse the wine. I made mine on July 3rd for an Independence Day party and a week later I finished the last of the batch: Delish! All of these ingredients are readily available at our local Grocery Outlet, which always has a great selection of wine, spirits and fruit.
Don’t bother with expensive wines as the fruit will significantly change the flavor. Instead choose the type based on the flavor profile that will complement your choice of fruit. I find that a big Cabernet Sauvignon generally has hints of blackcurrent and blackberry and marries well with stone fruit. If you prefer a more medium-bodied wine go with Merlot and if you are aiming for a light, fruity taste you’ll like Pinot Noir. As with the wine, opt for an inexpensive brandy.
Many people aren’t big fans of traditional red, canned beets and so pass over beets in general. But these marinated orange beets have a less earthy, sweet flavor enhanced with tangerines and are so delish that they can be eaten alone. I like them over spring mix and also sliced into thin pieces and served with crackers and goat cheese. They’ll last for two months in the refrigerator but I find they’re gone long before that and even my beet-hating hubby is a fan!
Beets in general are chock full of antioxidants and vitamins such as potassium,magnesium and vitamin C. Orange beets get their pigment from betaxanthins, which are an anti-inflammatory and also help to cleanse your kidneys and lower cholesterol. For more info on the health benefits, check out LiveStrong.com.
June 14, 1987
The day before …
Too young
Irritated by the heat
Wanting relief.
Swollen belly, huge boobs
Destroyed career
Trapped.
The Day …
Pain beyond relief
Rush of emotion
Delayed cry.
Life changed
My heart
Outside my body.
The day after …
Best job ever
Meghan’s Mommy
Sigh of relief.
I can do this
Because Love
Is always enough.
Meghan Elizabeth Ortez
June 14, 1987, 8 lbs 6 oz, 21 inches
Written for the To Live and Write in Alameda 2019 “Flash Lit February” Challenge 10. We had three days to write a poem or short story (of 500 words or less) or draw a piece of art to the theme “The Day Before” and submit.
“When you turn the wheel right, the boat goes right” he said patiently. “Think of it as driving a car.”
“It’s not at all like driving a car. And it’s STARBOARD, not right,” she snapped back. “I KNOW how to STEER a boat with a tiller, just not a fancy schmancy “yacht” with a wheel.”
“Well, then try STEERING to a compass heading. Follow the chartplotter course and keep it on the straight and narrow,” he suggested.
“Straight and narrow? This is the Pacific Ocean, not the friggin’ Pacific Coast Highway! Take it, I’m done.”
I always prefer fresh ingredients to canned or frozen, but there will be times when we are out to sea and run out of fresh goods. I’ve been exploring some healthy options that aren’t full of preservatives and are easy to make and these quesadillas fit the bill nicely. They would also be a great meal for the kids to help with and to make when camping. All of the ingredients are readily available at our Alameda Grocery Outlet and you may even find many of them in the organic aisle.
Variations: So many. You can leave out the chicken if you want to go vegetarian and of course swap out the canned items for fresh.
You live on a boat?! How is that? Does it move all the time? How does the weather affect you? Where do you keep your stuff? Do you have electricity? How about fresh water? How’s the sleeping situation? How do you deal with waste? Are you connected to cable and WiFi? Does your dog like living on a boat? What happens when you go sailing?”
Yes, it’s true. Sleeping on a boat is like being rocked to sleep every night. We keep our stateroom hatch open a crack year-round and can hear the waves and seabirds as we drift off and awaken. When it’s stormy it can be a wild ride, but still so comfy to be cocooned in our bunk while Mother Nature and Father Neptune battle it out.
After nine years of doing the “mattress mambo” and changing out varieties of foam combinations, we made the investment in a real mattress for our bunk! This is not a “run down to the local mattress store, spend a few hours laying on samples, move a few pieces of furniture to clear a path for the delivery guys to set up” kind of situation. As everything else on a boat, it is more complicated and expensive than that.
To start with, boat beds are not like home beds. At all. Boat beds, called bunks or berths, are in staterooms (bedrooms) built into the superstructure of the boat. They are a wooden or fiberglass box frame usually built on top of drawers and/or storage space and are immobile.
Spring had finally arrived. The stark branches were dotted with pink flower buds and these little signs of life gave her hope. It had been a harsh winter and her husband had been laid off, making it twice as miserable.
“You’re late again. Got a boyfriend?” he shot at her from the living room recliner as she walked through the front door.
“Sorry. I worked late. Thought we could use the overtime,” she answered, balancing two full bags of grocery and her purse.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” he jumped up, blocking her way. “I’m a highly skilled plumber and deserve top pay. I’ll get a job when I’m good and ready. You trying to piss me off?”
I needed fresh ginger for a dinner recipe and our Grocery Outlet had a 6 oz organic bag for the same price of a small piece at the big supermarkets. (This is very common at G.O. Their prices on organic items are incredible!) I figured I’d come up with something to do with the 95 percent of the bag that I had left over.
Ginger is well-known for treating seasickness, and is also used for reducing inflammation, osteoarthritis pain and indigestion, and improving brain function. I’ve mainly used it in savory Asian dishes, but love ginger-ale and ginger-tea. I had decided to bake a rhubarb cake and thought that candied ginger would add a nice flavor compliment.
“X marks the spot. Well, if that isn’t cliche,” Sarah rolled her eyes at her boyfriend as she studied the map that was poorly made to look like a pirate’s treasure map.
“C’mon, it’ll be fun. Treasure hunts are all the rage right now. And I got a deal on GroupOn. You always say we do the same things. I wanted to shake it up.”
“I’m sorry. This will be fun and I’m assuming there’ll be drinks and lunch at the end. Let’s do this!”
Glenn unfolded the instructions and read Clue #1:
It’s been said that there is no there there. But here you will find your first and last chance to sip a hot beverage. Ask Tom for your next clue.
