The Overzealous Blogger

In my overanxious state of posting my first week’s-worth of blog entries, I failed to accurately use the labels to their fullest potential. For the most-part, their fullest potential was not realized as I failed to include the information! Yet another lesson learned on my way to blog-ville! Since I have only been blogging for a week, I will front-load this particular blog with lots of labels, which if you have the desire to follow the path – will lead you to one of my five previous posts!

A Summer’s Harvest
Chicken with Lime Dressing
Recipe
Produce
Avocados
Just One Year Ago…
France
Provence
Sablet
Le Four à Chaux
Vaucluse Region
Purging is Good for the Soul
Cleaning
Memories
Scrapbooking
Lauren
Practice Makes Perfect
Lessons Learned
Posting Photos
First Blog
First Blog

A Summer's Harvest

Now that summer has come to a close – I still can’t let go of the bounty of fresh, in-season produce found at my local farmer’s stand. I’m a sucker for the bright colored fruits and vegetables that look so perky and fresh longing for me to pick them, smell them & place them in my basket only to retire on my table in just a few short hours. I look forward to the change of the seasons – as the next season brings a new assortment of fresh goodies at the market. But before I totally bid adieu to summer – there are a few favorite dishes incorporating some of my favorite flavor profiles that I must have one last time before the summer produce is replaced with winter squash, winter kale and pumpkins!

One of these flavor combos would have to be mix of cilantro, lime and avocados. And yes, there are more recipes than guacamole that combine these ingredients! My favorite recipe that marries these flavors together would be Chicken with Lime Dressing. A yummy combination of chicken breast with mashed avocados, sautéed peppers with almonds all topped with a citrusy lime dressing. This dish is great fresh, hot with a green vegetable and even better served at room temperature the next day with a green salad. Sometimes I make extra lime dressing to have when using the leftovers as salad mixings – it really perks up those salad greens!

Get one more trip to your local produce stand and enjoy!



Yummy Chicken with Lime Dressing

Chicken with Lime Dressing

Lime Dressing
1/3 C Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice
¼ C Chopped Fresh Cilantro
1 TBSP Chopped Scallion
1 TBSP Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Chicken
4 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast Halves (pounded to ½” thickness)
2 Medium Avocados, Peeled and Pitted
1 TBSP Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice
2 tsp Salsa
1 tsp + 1 TBSP Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Medium Red Pepper, Finely Chopped
1 Clove Garlic, Minced
¼ C Sliced Almonds, Toasted

To make the dressing:
In a large bowl, combine the lime juice, cilantro, scallion and olive oil; set aside.

To make the chicken:
In a large glass dish, combine the chicken with 3 TBSP of the lime dressing. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

In a medium bowl, mash the avocados with 2 TBSP of the lime dressing. Stir in the lemon juice and salsa. Reserve the remaining lime dressing.

Heat 1 tsp of the oil in a large nonstick skillet. Add the pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, for 6 minutes, or until the pepper is tender and lightly browned. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Remove to a bowl and add the almonds.

Heat the remaining 1 TBSP olive oil in a large skillet over medium – high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 6 minutes on each side, or until a thermometer inserted in the thickest portion registers 170°F and the juices run clear. Place the chicken on 4 serving plates and equally divide the pepper mixture, sprinkling over the chicken. Drizzle the reserved dressing over each serving. Serve with a side of the mashed avocados.

Adapted from The South Beach Diet Cookbook, by Arthur Agatston, MD

Just One Year Ago...

I was breathing fresh air at every moment of every day.

I was drinking wine made with grapes harvested from vineyards within view.

I was dining al fresco with fish and produce purchased from our daily visit to a local market.

I was basking in the sunshine in the south of France.

I was in heaven.

Is it possible that the trip I had been planning for too many years to count has come and gone? The goal was to travel to Provence and celebrate a milestone birthday by renting a residence for a week before touring to Paris (again) before returning home. I scoured websites to find that perfect residence that blended the needs and met the expectations of me and my friends. I found the perfect property, Le Four à Chaux. We booked our week for the last week in September 2006. Perfect.

Le Four à Chaux, Front Exterior
Sablet, France – 2008

Le Four à Chaux, Rear Terrace off Bedrooms
Sablet, France – 2008

Well no, not so perfect. As my friends and family recall so vividly, I experienced a freak accident (another story for another day!) just 17 days prior to our departure that resulted in a severe compound fracture to my left ankle. Needles to say – we did not make the trip. Luckily for us, the owners of the property were extremely understanding and allowed us to postpone our trip with no penalties.

So, in September of last year, we journeyed to the village of Sablet, a tiny village tucked between Nyons and Orange, just a short drive from Vaison La Romaine. It was just wonderful. We woke to locals picking grapes in the backyard – first time for everything! We spent most days trolling about the region, learning about the culture and people that populate this corner of the Vaucluse region of provence. I can not say enough about the house, our experience, the people, the food, the scenery – it truly was an unforgettable trip. I can’t wait to return. I will return.

Grape Harvest in Vineyard at Le Four à Chaux
Sablet, France – 2008

Purging is Good for the Soul

Wanting to relocate back to Center City for the past 12+ months, I have been in a sporadic mindset of preparing for the “move”. Boxes have started to litter my closets in anticipation of the impending change, a temporary inconvenience I can live with; keeping my eye on the ultimate goal. With this infrequent task fitting between business travel and desire, I have spent snippets of time cleaning out drawers, closets, cabinets – filling many trash bags ultimately retiring at the curb or Goodwill.

Purging is good for the soul. It allows one, at least for me, the chance to breathe a sigh of relief; a sense of accomplishment knowing that unused, worn, and unneeded stuff has been removed from my surroundings. Less is more. I’m finding as I get older I yearn for simplifying my life: purging the unwanted, removing unnecessary anxiety, acquiring only must-have possessions and ultimately, relocating to Center City. I find no need to harbor “things” that serve no purpose; keep it simple is my new mantra. Purge. Purge. Purge.

My ongoing purging process has also provided free entertainment; I have enjoyed many laughs, smiles and moments of reflection. Sifting through photos, cards, and random postcards and notes, I am able to relive captured moments of time; my memories. Luckily for me, my most treasured keepsakes are maintained and archived for future viewing pleasure, but my purging exercise has revealed I have more work to complete! Enjoy my purging prize (a scrapbook layout of my almost-adult goddaughter, Lauren) and no, it will not find its way to the curb!

This was a snapshot that I captured the morning of my goddaughter's first birthday. (For those who know Lauren, yes - she's 17 now; I don't scrapbook chronologically!!)

Journaling Reads: Your beautiful face brings me joy each and every day. May 1993.

Practice Makes Perfect

Now that I have lost my blog virginity – I have come to learn that this will be a constant learning experience. I’m ok with that. Besides, how else will I learn to navigate the waters of blogging?

My first post went off without a hitch, or so I thought, until I went to view it. Unfortunately, the full photo was not realized, and while some may think “no biggy”, I, on the other hand feel as though the image fell short. The whole reason for selecting the photo for my first post was to show this beautiful composition made up of ordinary umbrellas, hedges and skylights found in a Parisian courtyard – you know – that beautiful simple pleasure; which due to my poor blogging navigation skills, was unseen. So, without further adieu – let’s try this again!

Paris, France. May 2009. View from hotel (Renaissance Paris Vendome Hotel) room to courtyard below.

First Post

The time has come.

I set up the graphic portion of my blog some months back; and for those who know me, can appreciate the time I spent determining which background and associated text fonts and colors were just the right combination to represent ME – not to mention the countless choices of photos and gadgets! So here I am, months later just now posting my FIRST post!

After first thinking that I would BLOG, I did some research by perusing those blogs that I find either inspirational or those I turn to for reference and/or guidance. What was it that attracted me to that particular blog? No doubt there was a certain aesthetic quality that made me smile, but in the end it was the presentation of information, the content.

So, now that I have embarked on this new venture you may be asking yourself what topic exactly will I tackle on my blog? As a commercial interior designer, one would think that I would have daily opportunities to fulfill my inner creative soul however, having to accommodate client’s wants and needs – my soul yearns for something more tangible; something produced by my own two hands, cutting and pasting, chopping and stirring or possibly witnessed by my two eyes on my latest adventure by touring and viewing. Get the picture?

Welcome to Life’s Simple Pleasures! So grab a latte & join my adventure! Thanks for stopping by!

Paris, France. May 2009. View from hotel (Renaissance Paris Vendome Hotel) room to courtyard below.