Let me start by saying. This. Is. Awesome. AND more importantly, I’m not really a bean eater. Some beans are OK, black beans, chili beans, but I don’t seek them out… this recipe changed my outlook on beans. This is one quick dish that is out of this world good. This tastes like it came straight from Italy. The only thing you heat is the oil and mainly to infuse the garlic into it. Trust me, this recipe will quickly become a family favorite!
Click HERE to go directly to Martha Stewart’s site to easily print the recipe, or see below… either way… ENJOY!
MARTHA’S TOMATO, BASIL and WHITE BEAN SALAD
Prep/10 min. Total Time/35 min. Serves: 4
Ingredients
2 cans (19 ounces each) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 pound small roma (plum) tomatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, torn into 1/2-inch pieces
1 teaspoon coarse salt
Freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 small garlic cloves, minced
Directions
Combine beans, tomatoes, basil, and salt in a bowl, and season with pepper.
Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, and cook, stirring, until fragrant but not browned, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Pour over bean mixture, and gently toss. Let stand 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld. Salad can be covered and kept at room temperature up to 4 hours.
Magnificent homes on the West Bluff, Mackinac Island, MI
I know I said the East Bluff was my favorite… but… the West Bluff is also my favorite. These homes are impeccable and pristinely maintained, and that can’t be an easy (or cheap) job. It takes a lot of love to keep them looking like they do. The flowers are breathtaking. These are homes to be proud of for sure (as are many on Mackinac Island!). Ironically one of my favorite homes is the second from the left in the photo, the smaller one (which truly isn’t a small house, the others are just very large). It’s the sweetest home I’ve ever seen with a view that’s to die for. I would love to live in this house year round…. Ah, a nice dream for sure! On my Mac I can double click on the image to enlarge… hopefully PC users have that same capability… its nice to be able to see it a little closer! If you ever get a chance to visit Mackinac Island, MI I highly suggest it, it will be unlike anywhere you’ve ever visited in your life!
I love the word “bluff”, it’s such a cool word, I guess because we don’t have any bluffs in our area… the East Bluff on Mackinac Island is one of my all time favorites. The homes are magnificent. In this photo you see the Island House Hotel (the white building with red roof) and the East Bluff the road above. Mackinac Island is an island I could live year around on and be so very happy. It might get a little crowded in the summer, but I think it would be definitely worth it! If you ever get a chance to go to Mackinac Island I highly suggest it. It’s perfect for those who like to hike, bike, walk (no cars), there are horses (for taxi’s), so don’t be put off entirely if walking isn’t your thing! The food (at the Island House… heavens… I cannot get it out of my mind!), the great places to stay… Island House Hotel is my personal favorite, the fudge and now… even Starbuck’s! Check it out if you get a chance!
Woohoo! A special day indeed! It’s my mom’s (also known as Sheila Fidler) birthday! I love this picture of her. When we were young my parents had a sailboat, we would cruise for three weeks in the summer to Georgian Bay (Canada), beautiful coast! My parents both raced sailboats, we had the best time. This picture was obviously taken on a sailboat, this is an old photo, one that I believe my dad developed in the basement of our first house. It’s gotten stained over time and a bit wrinkled, but the image is still awesome, just like my mom!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!
I WISH YOU THE HAPPIEST BIRTHDAY EVER, YOU CERTAINLY DESERVE IT!
I love you and miss you… ! Here’s to MANY more HAPPY birthdays! xxoo me
Ok, this is a heads up to everyone out there who can help make a difference. The Lowcountry Komen Race for the Cure is next Saturday, October 15 on Daniel Island.
If you can’t be there to run or walk, there are other options, check out their website it’s a good one. A site that offers not only race information but breast cancer information as well.
Check it out HERE – here’s to everyone making a difference. Somethings got to happen!
Fall is in the air… or at least in Charleston, SC it will be soon! What do you think of when you think of fall? I think of apple cider, I think of Yate’s Cider Mill in Rochester, MI. One of my all time favorite places to grab some great crisp, sweet apples, a cup of apple cider, aaaaahhhhhh, and one of those sinful cider mill doughnuts rolled in granulated sugar and cinnamon. Ah, wish they were right around the corner, but its probably a good thing they are far away… VERY far away. If you want a dessert that isn’t too bad for you and has the bonus of making your house smell FAN-TAS-TIC! This is the recipe for you!
Talk about spectacular paintings. Ohmygosh! I love Betty’s work. I love her style, her GREAT colors and fantastic subject matter. Most of the time what Betty paints is what she looks at from her studio, on the water in Meggett, SC. A setting that makes you think you’re back in time with the big old oak trees, the water, the cottage that has been restored beyond preciousness… the fabulous porch, the backyard, it’s a mecca of beauty! The most perfect spot for an artist to paint!
Betty’s paintings have presence. You notice them. They’re beautiful on brown walls :), they’re beautiful on ANY color wall! My husband and I are both big fans. We have so many favorites, well, Betty is just one of our very special favorite artists. You know how I’ve mentioned before that we just can’t buy a painting from someone we don’t admire, respect or at least like? Betty is the absolute nicest woman, she’s a blast to talk to, we love catching up with her about her painting trips around the country. Check out their (Betty and her triplet kids, two painters and a photographer, all amazing!) website, they’re in a gorgeous gallery downtown Charleston, SC. It’s like a movie set, a perfect backdrop for beautiful paintings!
If you’re in Charleston you simply cannot miss Betty’s show… OCTOBER SKIES will be in the gallery for the art walk on October 7, 2011… check with the gallery if you have any questions. Click HERE to go to the Smith Killian Gallery website.
A blip about the artist from the Smith Killian Website:
A native of the Carolinas, Smith has firmly established herself in Charleston’s artistic community. With a style consisting of large brush strokes and bold, vibrant colors, Smith has grown exceptionally accomplished at capturing the expansive marsh vistas, beaches and waterways that are an integral part of the Lowcountry landscape. Following the birth of her children, who incidentally are triplets, Smith enrolled in art classes at the Gibbes Museum of Art in downtown Charleston, where she further developed her love of painting. “I really became serious about it immediately”, Smith recalls. “It was like a part of me that I had not been able to fulfill yet. I was lost in it.” For the past twenty-five years, Smith has dedicated herself to painting, and though her subject matter frequently reflects the Lowcountry landscape, her success has far outgrown the confines of South Carolina. Her work has been shown in prominent galleries across the nation, from New York, Washington D.C. and Martha’s Vineyard, MA, to San Francisco, and Carmel, CA. In addition, many of her pieces are included in some of the nation’s finest corporate collections such as Walt Disney World, IBM, and Johnson and Johnson. But despite being a native of South Carolina, her love of broad and encompassing landscapes, which are frequently the subject of her work, grew out of a trip she took to Santa Fe, New Mexico in the late seventies. The tidal landscapes of the Lowcountry presented Smith with different challenges to the ones she encountered in New Mexico. Rocky Mountains, awe-inspiring canyons and windswept deserts were suddenly replaced with mile-upon-mile of flat marshland – a world seemingly void of the diagonal lines that artists use to balance a painting and add depth. Seeking out diagonal lines in a predominantly flat environment forced Smith to examine the Lowcountry more closely. It was then that she discovered that the lines were to be found in the colorful shifting clouds and meandering creeks. Using large brushstrokes and eye-catching colors, Smith has grown adept at capturing not just the physical nature of a place, but the feeling as well. Her paintings, whether they depict vibrant sunsets or the sweeping expanses of the Lowcountry marshland, give the viewer a sense of the immediacy of the moment as though Smith, working against the clock, was able to capture the essence of her subject. “I can’t emphasize enough just how much I want my work to look quick, impulsive, and spontaneous, like it just happened and flowed, as opposed to appearing overworked”, Smith explains. She adds that the bold colors she uses give the paintings an element of surprise “so that you are not looking at something you have seen a thousand times before. It is making you more aware of the colors that are actually in the landscape”, Smith explains. “These colors are there, I just exaggerate them as much as possible. I want my work to be expressionistic, whilst also remaining in the realm of reality.”
See you at the art walk! Catch you back here tomorrow!
Mackinac Island, MI… ahhh the memories. It’s one of the most magical places on earth. It’s like you’re back in time (no cars, bikes and horses only) with modern conveniences (AC for the warm months, great coffee shops, fabulous food, amazing scenery everywhere you look… fantastic hiking/biking trails, the list goes on and on)… My mom, sister and I headed out for a three day vacation, something we had never done before. Now I wonder what took us so long?! What a great time we had. Due in great part to the Island House Hotel. We had a fabulous room that overlooked the marina/Straits of Mackinac and wrapped around for views of downtown. It was magical. If you haven’t been to Mackinac Island, MI, it’s a place YOU MUST put on your bucket list. If you want a truly special stay, I would hands down choose the Island House Hotel. With it’s wide sweeping porches full of rocking chairs, a view that simply cannot be beat, the comfortable, clean and beautiful rooms, the dining room (1852 Grill Room) that will make your head spin it’s so good… I’m a bit of a drama queen but not in this case. Trust me. I know a lot of you are artists… this is a beautiful place to paint, it’s a small island with a rocky coast and beautiful views. It’s much like Maine in the way the coast looks, especially on the back side of the island. My sister and I took a ride around the island at sunset… like I said… heaven! A ride around the island is only about 8 miles.
Mackinac Island is situated between the upper and lower peninsula of Michigan. You reach it by ferry, there are three ferry lines, Sheplers, Arnold, and Star Line. Arnold is closest to the Island House, Shepler is the one that we’ve taken since we were kids, and I’m not that familiar with Star Line… but however you get here, you need to!!
Check out the 1852 Grill Room’s MENU – let me just say, there are a lot of restaurants on the island. We had dinner the first night at the Island House, and it was so delicious (out of this world good!) we went back the second night, and again the last night! The whitefish was to die for, as was the Greek Pasta Toss… the desserts, the coffee, oh heavens… and I didn’t even bring up the heavenly breakfast buffet did I? Let me just say, that put a smile on everyones face!
One of my favorite parts of the trip was getting up early each morning, heading to the lobby, pouring a cup of coffee and heading out to the porch to watch the dark sky lighten. I met a lot of nice people and we had a great time! Next trip will be with my husband! We haven’t been to the island together in about ten years!
The Island House Hotel is a beautiful historical hotel that is impeccably managed. Each and everyone was so kind, it was a real treat. Check out their website, it’s a good one! Click HERE to read about the history of the hotel which is fascinating! Here are a few pictures from our trip, the rest will appear on weekends on this blog… catch you back here tomorrow!
Me, Mom and Bridget waiting for the ferry home, ugh…
I am captivated by beautiful sunrises and sunsets. This was one of them. While the sky was not overly dramatic, the brilliance of the golden light from the sun was amazing. We were on bikes on the back side of Mackinac Island as the sun was setting. We pedaled like crazy to get back to civilization, ha ha… because once the sun sets it’s dark. Very dark, no street lights… it was a beautiful bike ride! Photos like this make me want to resume my Almost Daily Pic blog where I could have larger images… I am torn. Ugh!
There is the most fantastic island, Mackinac Island, located between the upper and lower peninsulas of Michigan. This picture was taken from the upper deck of Sheplers ferry as we approached the island. In this photo you see the beautiful Island House Hotel and above it the East Bluff with gorgeous homes. Now THIS is an island I could live on for the rest of my life! There is nothing like the smells of fudge and horse poop, ha… trust me, it’s the best!
Many of you have heard of Eric Hopkins. He’s got a fabulous gallery in Rockland, Maine. An exquisite space full of his paintings, most of which are large and a few are VERY large… If you think he seems familiar but haven’t been to his gallery perhaps you’ve seen his paintings on the cover of the LL Bean catalog? He’s got a fun element to his work. This painting is entitled FLYING OVER BLUE BAY. If you’re in Rockland, ME, you’ve GOT to go in the gallery. I LOVE how (at least last time we were there) Eric used an old door with glass panes as a palette. BRILLIANT!?
With the eyes of an artist, the words of a poet, and the mind of a scientist, Eric Hopkins has engaged numerous people through his art and with his thoughts about life on this Big Blue Planet. He captures the dynamic forces and rhythms of nature in watercolors, oils, blown glass, mixed media, and photography. His vision focuses on the Big Picture of the natural world, geological and geographical forms, and the exchange of energy between Earth, Water, and Sky. From this intimate study of nature, Eric has developed a keen awareness of light, form, color, and pattern, which is reflected in all of his work.
“I was lucky enough to spend my early days on North Haven,” says Eric, “where my worldview consisted of roaming the woods, fields, shorelines and exploring the edges where land, water, and sky meet. I was drawn to shapes, spaces, patterns, and the rhythms of nature. I was and still am fascinated by the incredible variety of life forms and forces on this Planet.”
Eric is a graduate of Rhode Island School of Design and has taught at Haystack Mountain School of Crafts and Pilchuck Glass School. He has exhibited at the Farnsworth Art Museum, Portland Museum of Art, Center for Maine Contemporary Art, Waterfall Arts Center, University of Maine Museum of Art, and a number of galleries nationally.
We are wrapping up a great segment of Foods That Should Never Cross Your Lips (very insightful article by Prevention magazine). I’ve tried to present this to you one food at a time so that you can adjust and make the switch (at least on those that are meaningful to you)… I realize it’s difficult to make a big change all at once, but little by little it seems to be more possible! This week’s food to avoid? Conventional apples. Ugh. It’s one of the harder ones for me, just because organic apples cost so much more than conventional, but after you read this I think you’ll agree, it’s worth saving up for your apples… unless you want to wash and peel… then you lose some of the vitamins and fiber, but at least you are also losing the chemicals!
Conventional Apples
Mark Kastel, former executive for agribusiness and codirector of the Cornucopia Institute, a farm-policy research group that supports organic foods, gives us the scoop:
The problem: If fall fruits held a “most doused in pesticides contest,” apples would win. Why? They are individually grafted (descended from a single tree) so that each variety maintains its distinctive flavor. As such, apples don’t develop resistance to pests and are sprayed frequently. The industry maintains that these residues are not harmful. But Kastel counters that it’s just common sense to minimize exposure by avoiding the most doused produce, like apples. “Farm workers have higher rates of many cancers,” he says. And increasing numbers of studies are starting to link a higher body burden of pesticides (from all sources) with Parkinson’s disease.
The solution: Buy organic apples.
Budget tip: If you can’t afford organic, be sure to wash and peel them. But Kastel personally refuses to compromise. “I would rather see the trade-off being that I don’t buy that expensive electronic gadget,” he says. “Just a few of these decisions will accommodate an organic diet for a family.”
Whatever you may decide, I just wanted you to have the latest information. For now, unless I hear otherwise, organic apples it is…
I am excited to try this… long ago, Oprah Winfrey had her chef, Rosie talk about the different recipes she made for Oprah, she then came out with a cookbook, I bought it and one of my favorite recipes was the unfried fried chicken. It was fabulous. This one is different and worth trying! This recipe came to me in an email from Doctor Oz. No, I don’t know Dr. Oz personally, but I do subscribe to his newsletter, full of fabulous information, and here’s a great recipe to try… It’s from Paula Deen’s sons… From the newsletter:
When Jamie and Bobby Deen heard how unhealthy Vita’s fried chicken recipe was, they had no choice but to show up at her door. Below is their alternate recipe: a healthy twist with un-fried chicken that still packs a satisfying crunch. Click here to purchase your copy ofThe Deen Bros. Get Fired Up.
Now… for the recipe! Click HEREto go directly to the link on Doctor Oz where you can easily print the recipe…
THE DEEN BROTHERS’ LIGHTER FRIED CHICKEN
Ingredients
Serves 8
8 skinless boneless chicken thighs, trimmed of all visible fat (about 1 1/2 lbs)
1/2 tsp Paula Deen’s House Seasoning (1/4 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp ground black pepper, 1/8 tsp garlic powder)
1/4 cup light mayonnaise
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 egg white
1/2 tsp hot sauce
1 1/4 cups cornflake crumbs
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray a large shallow baking pan with non-stick spray. Sprinkle the chicken with the house seasoning. In a large bowl, combine the mayonnaise, lemon zest, juice, egg white, and hot sauce. Add the chicken; toss to coat.
Place the cornflake crumbs on a sheet of wax paper. Dip the chicken into the crumbs pressing so the crumbs adhere. Place the chicken in the pan and lightly spray with nonstick spray.
Bake until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through, 40 – 45 minutes. Do not turn.
Nutrition Facts
Per Serving:
227 calorie
25g protein
11g total fat
3g saturated fat
4g monounsaturated fat
5g carbohydrates
0g fiber
0g sugar
13mg calcium
1mg iron
288mg sodium
87mg cholesterol
Original Recipe courtesy Paula Deen. Revised recipe courtesy of Bobby Deen and the Paula Deen Test Kitchen.
I think this is the sweetest little painting. I love the pop of red against the white, the shadows, the light… This makes for one happy painting. “THE LIST” is a watercolor on paper that measures 8 1/4″ x 5 1/2″. You will find it at the Haynes Galleries in Thomaston, ME (Note: they have another location in Franklin, TN). Click HERE to check out their website. THE LIST is a name that makes me think up all kinds of possible stories behind this painting… for me it would go something like this… I spend time to write out a list of things to pick up from the store… I’m in a hurry, grab my keys, jump in the car, once inside the store I reach into my purse to pull out THE LIST only to remember I left it sitting on the table next to the geranium while I locked the front door. Nice… Luckily trying to constantly remember what was on my list is keeping my memory sharp, ha ha…
Here’s a blip about the artist from the Haynes Galleries:
Accomplished in both watercolor and egg tempera painting, Gary Akers has received national recognition for his abilities in both mediums. He has exhibited widely in numerous institutions, including the Speed Art Museum in Kentucky, the Frye Museum of Art in Seattle, the Ogunquit Art Museum in Maine, the Asheville, N.C. Art Museum, the National Academy of Design in New York City, the Artists of America show at the Colorado History Museum, and the Great American Artists exhibition at the Cincinnati Museum Center.
Akers was born in Pikesville, Ky., and was educated at Morehead State University, graduating with a master’s degree in 1974. Since the 1970s, his paintings have been featured in numerous books and periodicals, including the two monographs about his art, Kentucky: Land of Beauty (1999) and Memories of Maine (2003). He is listed in Who’s Who in American Art, Who’s Who in Emerging Leaders in America, and American Artists of Renown. He currently paints and resides alternately in Kentucky and Maine.
If you’re in the area of Orleans, MA check out his work, otherwise check out their website! Great paintings!
Here is a recipe that will make you flip. It’s so easy. It’s healthy. It’s QUICK and DELICIOUS. This is another good one from Cooking Light Magazine! If you need a meatless Monday meal, here it is! It’s great paired with a small salad… enjoy, it’s one of my favorites! Click HERE to go directly to the MyRecipes.com website so it’s quick and easy to print, or see below!
ARTFOODHOME.COM 