I spend A LOT of time on Pinterest, collecting images of stuff I want to do. They don't call me Downeast DOING STUFF for nothing! ( Well, I call myself that....) But I find that I collect more stuff than I'll ever do.
After going to the lawyers today to draft a will, etc. I realized how times flies and now I'm paying someone and telling someone what to do when I'm DEAD!
Working on the Risotto. It's a full time, 20 minute job.
Saute some chopped onions ( supposed to be Shallots, but I didn't have any.) in butter and Olive Oil, to get ready for the scallops.
Add Parmesan Cheese to the rice.
Wilt the Spinach in the butter left from cooking the Scallops.
Seared Scallops.
(Jersey girl, me, pronounced Scallops
Mainiacs say Scollops, or something like that.)
Spinach with a big dollop of Risotto and then the Scallops.
DEEEE lish!!
We have lots of cukes in the garden, so I thinly sliced them (on a box grater), salted them and let them sit in a colander for a while to withdraw a lot of the liquid, add thinly sliced onions, pepper, sugar to taste and vinegar. Makes a sort of sweet and sour dressing. Toss. I served this with the Scallops.
I would have served this with wine, but we already had two Pina Coladas each, so we had water.
Thank you Pinterest. One down, 4 million to go....
Update: I'm in a place where the internet is sketchy at best. I thought I scheduled this post to appear after midnight on the 15th, but alas, it didn't. So here it is.....
Sorry Birdman.....
Typical image of the Birdman aka Mr. Downeastdoingstuff. Camera in hand....
Sadly I am not with my Birdman on his birthday. He's in Maine and I'm in Florida, but the miles do not mean anything. I am always with you, my sweetie and always will be.
Wishing you a wonderful day. Miss you and will see you soon....
Much love, Elenka xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxooooooooooooooooooooooxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxooooooooooooooooooooooooooxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxoooooooooooooooooooooooxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxoooooooooooooooooooooooxxxxxxxxxxxxxx etc.
8:17 PM. July 9, 1986. You entered this world. Little did I know that we would end up with the cutest little baby on earth! Dad and I were so proud....
Nana and Babka were proud, too.....
Papa? Well, he didn't even know what to say! (or was it Daj mi Pivo?)
Grandpa loved to come visit you!
Just you and Wiz.
Papa and Grandpa were together with you because Babka and Papa came up from Florida to see you perform a lead in.....
the musical, "The Secret Garden". (Colin Craven)
Keep smiling my little bird, keep smiling......I love you forever.
Happy Birthday my sweet angel.
Race you to the top of the morning Come sit on my shoulders and ride Run and hide, I'll come find you Climb hills to remind you I love you, my boy at my side.
So today Mr. Downeastdoingstuff, aka Birdman, announces he wants to make some Mojitos. Mojitos??
"Do you know how to make one?", I ask.
"No", he replies.
"Well, I know you have muddle some mint leaves in the bottom of a glass first.", I inform him.
"???"
":-/"
"Muddle?"
(blink...blink)
"Let's just not use mint leaves!", he declares
"No, I'm pretty sure that's an integral part of the recipe.", I say.
So, off I go to my best friend......Google.
Come to find out we need to make something called 'simple syrup'. It's a good thing that this idea of Birdman's came just after breakfast because to make simple syrup you have to make it hot and then let it cool before you actually use it.
I found a recipe and emailed it to Birdman's computer. He's the drink maker around here.
Late afternoon I went to Hannaford's and got the ingredients.
(I picked up 3 Lobsters, too...just in case.)
Here we go:
Rum, simple syrup, mint leaves, lime and club soda.
Muddle the leaves first.
"???"
Next step? You Tube.
(we'd be in big trouble without the computer)
Important fact learned. Do NOT muddle it too much. Be gentle. Key to a great Mojito.
Easy on the muddling.
Twenty minutes later, 2 great Mojitos. Here's one. (I photographed Birdman's Mojito because mine was half gone already at this point.) ;-/
:-)
:-) :-) :-) :-p
Drinking the Mojito, Birdman is playing with his i-phone.
Next thing I know he tells me that he's looking at the weather radar map. We are having a few storms coming through the area, as you can see....
Then he tells me that he decided to scroll to the right to see if he can get to the other side of the Atlantic Ocean on his i-phone.
I'm, like, whatever.
This is what he finds....
(apparently the Atlantic Ocean...)
After more scrolling, more apparent Atlantic Ocean. And then....and THEN...here's what he finds!
It's really there! Great Britain.
Chance of a few showers and no Mojitos in sight.
But then again, it's not cocktail hour there anymore.
....or maybe it's just beginning.....
As Jimmy Buffet says, "It's 5 o'clock somewhere."
Cheers.
the recipe:
Bacardi Mojito
Ingredients
12 fresh spearmint leaves
1/2 lime
2 tablespoons simple syrup (equal amounts sugar and water heated until sugar dissolves, cooled) or 4 teaspoons sugar
In a tall glass, muddle or mash together the mint leaves and lime. Add the simple syrup or sugar and fill the glass with ice. Add the rum and top with club soda, stir well.Garnish with a lime wedge and a sprig of mint.