50th Birthday Luau

Last Thursday was my luau at the beach house.  We arrived home from Vermont on Saturday night and my husband drove the mini van to the  house that same night, packed tightly with boxes of my luau decorations.  We went back home after emptying the van and on Sunday afternoon, the boys and I moved back into the beach house.  My friend Cindy helped blow up 6 foot palm trees and other assorted decorations and I sorted through some of the boxes. 

Mikey, David and I were able to squeeze in some afternoon beach time, mornings were utilized for shopping, nights for food preparation.  On Monday night, we put together the straws, lanterns and the table top tiki bar.  

I had tried out the recipes during our July stay at the house, but we hadn't tried any scorpion bowl recipes.  I found one online and we decided to try it.

Scorpion Bowl

1 oz gold rum

1 oz dark rum

1 oz 151 rum

2 oz vodka

2 oz gin

4 oz pinapple juice (adjusted to 12 oz)

4 oz orange juice (adjusted to 6 oz)

4 oz grenadine (adjusted to 3 oz, but also cut the grenadine and add maraschino cherry juice)

I looked at this recipe and thought this didn't sound right, but I grabbed the various liquors at the store and mixed it as directed.  My friends Linda and Cindy, who were helping me out each tried a sip.  It was really tasty, but too strong!  Linda said "I can't drink this, there's too much alcohol in this."  We all agreed, and I added more pineapple juice.  We only drank about an inch or so of the drink and were all pretty buzzed.  I doctored up the recipe and adjusted to 6 oz orange juice and 12 oz pineapple juice.  To fit in my 3 1/2 gallon dispenser, we timed the recipe x 15 and it was delicious.  We even made garnishes for the drinks!

And washed out plastic pineapple cups to serve them in...

The tent was delivered on Wednesday and my daughter and I decorated the tables with grass skirts and tropical themed plastic table cloths.  

Linda and I prepared the dishes of food on Thursday, while my daughter, Cindy and two other friends (Valerie and Lori) worked on the outside decorations.  We were running a little late, but by 6:30, the party was underway and I am happy to report that the food was wonderful, the drinks were divine and a good time was had by all!  I guess we should do it again next year!

Our Favorite Vermont 'Hot Spots'

We have been fortunate to have the opportunity to spend a week at Smugglers Notch in Vermont every year for the past five years.  While the 'Notch' runs family oriented activities and programs, we utilize the condo as a base and travel extensively through northern and central Vermont.  

Vermont is a truly beautiful state.  The people are very friendly and engaging.  In addition to spending some time seeking out and exploring Vermont's covered bridges, we have made some friends in the past five years that we visit annually. 

Mr. and Mrs. Walker live in Underhill, VT and they make maple syrup.  Many years ago, my uncle and aunt gave us a bottle of their maple syrup.  They purchased several bottles as Christmas gifts while their son and daughter attended St. Michael's College in Burlington.  We looked forward to that bottle every year and once my sons began to eat waffles and pancakes, I needed more than that one bottle.  I called the number on the bottle's sticker and Mrs. Walker filled an order or me, shipping out a gallon bottle and told me if we were ever in the area, stop by and say hello.  She said her husband would give us a tour of their farm.  About five years later, during our first trip to Vermont, we showed up on their doorstep, restocked our dwindling supply of maple syrup and sure enough, as promised, Mr. Walker showed us around their property, explaining how they gather the syrup and then finishing with a tour of the sugar house, where the raw syrup is made into the finished product.

The Sugar House, where the magic is made!

The Walkers have a stunning view of Mt. Mansfield from their home.

During that first visit to Vermont, while exploring the area close to the Notch, we discovered a quaint country store, Miller's Country Outfitters in Morrisville, Vermont.  They had a sign in the window saying Vermont Sweatshirts $10.00, so we stopped in.  The store had an extensive selection of clothing, from Levis and Lee jeans to high end knitted sweaters.  They also had a wonderful selection of men's shoes and my husband wound up with a couple of pairs, some sweatshirts, hats and I got some jeans and shirts.  We struck up a conversation with the owners Brent and Jan and have visited them every year.  A couple of years ago, their daughter Jamie took our sons next door to their farm to see their dairy cows.  She had married and moved to the Burlington area, but happened to be at the store this week when we stopped in for our annual visit.

Miller Country Outfitters
Morrisville,VT

Montpelier, the state's capital is an interesting place to visit.  There is a small museum on Main Street that the boys enjoyed, and we have visited the capital twice.  Last year, we took a free tour of the state house and our tour guide who is a volunteer, took us into the house and senate chambers and even the governor's office where she took a photo of me sitting at the governor's desk.  

Me, sitting at the Governor of Vermont's desk, Montpelier, VT

J. Morgan's Steakhouse is a must do if ever in Montpelier.  The food is wonderful, the service is impeccable and the restaurant was recently redecorated and is gorgeous inside.  

Inside of J. Morgan's Steakhouse, Montpelier, VT

If you are lucky enough to have Rod as your bartender and Josh as your server, you will go back there again and again, as we have done.

Rod's Cosmo with Champagne Floater
 if you like Cosmo's, you will LOVE this one.

Chicken Mediterranean is scrumptious!

Creme Brûlée trios are just a perfect for a sweet treat.

Burlington offers a lot to do and see, including a children's museum on the waterfront and the Spirit of Ethan boat tour of Lake Champlain.  

If you like Mexican food, Madeiras is fantastic.  It is currently on the waterfront, however, our waitress told us this week that they were moving about a block away.  The food is fantastic!  They have a great selection of margaritas, entrees and deserts, although their flan is so good that we never try any other deserts.

Fajita Burrito - Madeiras in Burlington, VT

Flan - Madeiras, Burlington, VT

Just this year we were looking for a late night dinner which is nearly impossible to find in Vermont as most restaurants are closed by 9:00pm.  We found a place called Sweetwaters on Church Street in Burlington which had a limited menu from 9pm - 11pm.  My husband and I ordered French Onion soup, he ordered a specialty salad and I ordered a tomato and mozzarella salad.  The food was so good, we will be going back on our trip next year for a full dinner.

French Onion Soup
Sweetwaters, Burlington, VT

Tomato & Mozzarella Salad with Balsamic Glaze
Sweetwaters, Burlington, VT

Smugglers Notch is near Stowe.  The town before Stowe is Waterbury which is the home of Ben & Jerry's.  They offer tours and beautiful grounds where people visit the graveyard of discontinued flavors as well as a factory tour of their ice cream making process. (no photos are allowed inside the factory, but there are fabulous photo backgrounds outside!) This is a must see for young and old!

Ben & Jerry's - Waterbury, VT

Great Photo Backgrounds at Ben & Jerry's
Waterbury, VT

These are a few of our favorite places. Hope you have enjoyed looking at them and perhaps you will have the opportunity to visit yourself!

We're Having a LUAU!

I’ve always wanted to host a Luau, preferably in Hawaii, but that’s not happening in the foreseeable future.  With my 50^th birthday looming in the nearer future, my close friend Linda, my daughter Jaime and I were tossing around ideas for a party this August while hanging out on the beach last summer.  Linda offered to have a party at her beach house.  I also considered renting a house for the birthday week next August and there were a couple of houses that were options, from the house we rent in July to the house across the street from Linda.  Ideas were loosely thrown out, but no concrete plans were made…until January.

I had been racking my brain as to a theme, when it just hit me:  LUAU.  I started surfing the net for Luau party ideas, decorations and menu suggestions.  One of my international customers from eBay had placing some large orders so I began ordering Luau items from Rhode Island Novelties, Oriental Trading, eBay and a couple of other online sites.  For the next eight weeks, I ordered plastic coconut cups, hula girl straws, hibiscus hair clips, leis, table grass skirts, tiki men wine goblets and an assortment of other decorations.  Linda and I separated all the shipments, then boxed and labeled everything to make it easy to sort out once we get back to the beach.  My landlords of the house I rent in July told me I could have the birthday week in August as well.  The tent rental was arranged in July.

I selected a couple recipes to try ahead of time and it was decided against roasting a pig.  (Maybe I’ll do it when I get to Hawaii, but for this party, no pig).  So, Barbequed pork ribs (done in the crockpot so it will actually be like pulled pork) will be the stand in for the pig.  Boneless pork ribs are slow cooked in barbeque sauce and a can of crushed pineapple for a Hawaiian touch.  

The Chicken Luau dish I found online was delicious and easy to make. 

Chicken Luau

2 ½ lbs of chicken thighs

1 can of coconut milk

2 packages of frozen chopped spinach, thawed

onion chips (I used French friend onions

In a baking pan I put the chicken thighs in one layer.  I evenly spread a can of French fried onions.  I topped the onions and chicken with the thawed chopped spinach then poured the can of coconut milk over the top.  Baked for approximately and hour in a 350 degree oven.

I am not normally a fan of chicken thighs, but these were so tender and the flavors blended nicely together.  Glad to have tried this ahead of time, as I will add extra coconut milk to accommodate liquid loss from the chafing dish. 

The Waikiki Meatball recipe I found is a tried and true Betty Crocker favorite and got rave reviews on many of the online recipe sites.  It was easy to assemble, and I could use soy milk and egg substitute so it is allergy friendly for my kids.  The other nice thing is I can mix the meatballs and freeze ahead of time, then pop the thawed meatballs on cookie sheets the day of the party, mix the sauce and heat through.

Waikiki Meatballs

1 ½ lbs ground beef

2/3 cup cracker crumbs (I used Ritz)

1/3 cup minced onions

1 egg (1 egg substitute)

1 ½ tsp salt

¼ tsp ginger

1 tbsp shortening (I omitted as I chose to bake the meatballs on a cookie sheet)

2 tbsp cornstarch

½ cup brown sugar packed

1 can 13 ½ oz pineapple tidbits (reserve syrup)

1/3 cup vinegar

1 tbsp soy sauce

1/3 cup chopped green pepper

Mix beef, cracker crumbs, onions, salt, ginger, egg, milk.  Form into tablespoon size balls.  Melt shortening, brown and cook meatballs – I omitted this step, instead baking the meatballs at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes.  Mix cornstarch and brown sugar.  Stir in reserved syrup, soy sauce, vinegar and cook over medium heat, stirring until mixture boils.  I then put cooked meatballs in a crockpot, added the pepper and pineapple tidbits then poured sauce over and heated on low for 3 hours.  

Again, this was easy to assemble, tasted wonderful.  I will make batches of the meatballs and freeze ahead of time.  An extra portion of sauce to account for liquid loss in the chafing dish and this will be a simple, quick and tasty entrée, served with rice.

My friend Valerie offered to make Hawaiian chicken skewers (not sure what they are, but she is a good cook, so I’m sure they’ll be delicious. Fruit salads prepared in hollowed watermelon shells cut out to look like waves and a cheese and cracker tray will be offered as well.  There will also be tossed salad. Ham & Pineapple Skewers will be served in hollowed out pineapple shells.

For desert, we will have two cupcake towers with assorted cupcakes (made egg and dairy free so my boys can enjoy).  With the exception of the cheese tray and coconut chicken, my sons can eat mostly everything on the menu. 

We’ll keep it simple for drinks, water, beer, a couple varieties of sodas, sangria and scorpion bowls.  I have a 3 ½ gallon spouted dispenser for sangria and my neighbor has one we can mix scorpion bowls in.  (I just need to find a good scorpion bowl recipe and try it out before the party and am open to any of your recipes if you have one to share).

2 weeks and counting…

I'll Drink To That...

Rhode Island and Nearby Massachusetts has some wonderful restaurants.  And it's always nice to accompany a good meal with a refreshing cocktail.  Here are a few of my favorites!  

Strawberry Martini - Cheesecake Factory

You can't go wrong with a Strawberry Martini at Cheesecake Factory in Providence, especially if Angela is tending bar.  Spring Rolls and Avocado Egg Rolls are a delicious accompaniment. 

Espresso Martini - Cafe Itri

Michelle and James make awesome espresso martinis at Cafe Itri in Cranston, RI.  They have a secret, (Godiva chocolate liquor) but don't tell anyone.  The food is consistently excellent and I LOVE their arugula salads.

Scorpion Bowl - Quan's Kitchen

Shrimp Tempora - Quan's Kitchen

Beef Satay - Quan's Kitchen

Quan's Kitchen in South Attleboro, MA has fresh Chinese food, outstanding sushi  and Cindy our waitress provides impeccable service.  Danny makes fabulous scorpion bowls!  All in all, a perfect night out.

Key Lime Martini - home recipe

A friend gave me the recipe for a killer key lime martini which I adjusted a bit to my taste.  The secret to this is the Ke Ke liquor, which is a key lime cream liquor.  It is not sold in RI, but luckily we can get it in Massachusetts.

Key Lime Martini

2 1/2 oz vanilla vodka

2 1/2 oz Ke Ke Liquor (key lime cream liquor)

2 1/2 tbsp pinapple juice

1 tbsp light cream

lime slices

crushed graham cracker crumbs

Serve in a rimmed martini glass rubbed with lime and dipped in crushed graham cracker crumbs.

Grape Martini - Zooma Restaurant

This grape martini was spectacular, however I think it depends on who is tending bar.  The second time I went, the martini was not as good and quite honestly, the food is so-so.

Salem Witch Martini - Rockafellas, Salem, MA

A tasty treat at Halloween, you can't go wrong with a Salem Witch Martini at Rockafella's in Salem, MA.  The place is always hopping and the food is consistently great!

Pomegranite Margarita - Longhorn Steakhouse

L-R - Wild West Shrimp, Firecracker Chicken Wraps, White Cheddar Stuffed Mushrooms

Longhorn Steakhouse features a terrific Pomegranite Margarita on their drink menu.  Longhorn has many locations, but the bartender in Warwick, RI served mine with a watermelon sugar rim and it was total perfection. We had these with appetizers including the White Cheddar Stuffed Mushrooms and Wild West Shrimp, which is shrimp made like fried calamari.  The Firecracker Chicken Wraps looked better than they tasted.

Margaritas - Cancun Restaurant, Johnston, RI
  

Warm Bean Dip - Cancun Restaurant

Flan - Cancun Restaurant

Cancun Restaurant in Johnston, RI has an extensive menu of margaritas.  Their mexican cuisine is fantastic.  They serve a complimentary warm bean dip and salsa with chips.  We always save room for their delectable flan for desert.

So if you're in town, be sure to check out these great places.

BOTTOMS UP!

City Living With A Country Flair

We live in the city.  I'd rather live near the beach.  But I do love our house.  It is an undersized raised ranch on a small city lot, however, my husband purchased the lot next door about a dozen years ago which doubled the size of our property. A wooden fence and some of my landscaping later, our city lot looks more like a city park.

For the past five years, we planned on replacing the deck, which actually was just steps to the back door with a very small landing, not even large enough for a small table and chair set.  The steps wobbled, wood was rotting and the rails had been so rough with splinters that my husband took it off.  We found a reputable contractor and our new deck was built in May.  Not only did we replace the small deck at the side door, but we wrapped it around the back of the house.  

I planted a small vegetable and herb garden utilizing two raised bed kits from Home Depot and large containers dug halfway into the ground to rein in the herbs from spreading wildly.  I was even able to put a small row of corn on the back fence.

A small pond with a waterfall gives a nice soothing backdrop with the sound of running water and a massive butterfly bush attracts butterflies and even an occasional hummingbird.  We have a variety of birds visit the bird bath and come buy for an occasional suet treat!  And although I haven't seen him lately, a frog had taken up residence in the pond area this spring.

There is an 18ft above-ground pool in the back of the original lot which I opened this year in spite of the fact that we were at the beach last month.  We have been home now for a week, but I have been on house arrest.  My husband's car is stubbornly holding out for a reasonable explanation on why it keeps overheating and he had been using mine while it's in the shop, forcing me to do (the dreaded) housework.  But the boys are enjoying the pool, and we have been barbecuing and enjoying s'mores in the evening. 

 And I've been enjoying my homemade sangria while also catching up on some summer reading courtesy of some of my twitter friends!

And while I would rather be at the beach, home isn't really so bad.  And, since I am still on home confinement, I think I'll move on to trying a couple of new LUAU recipes for my 50th birthday bash next month!!


(Psst:  Don't tell anyone, but this is the Sangria recipe from a local restaurant that one of the waiters gave my hairdresser, and he passed it along to me):

SANGRIA 

made in 8 parts (ounces, cups, etc.)

3 parts ORANGE JUICE  (pulped or not)

3 parts RED OR WHITE WINE

1 part TRIPLE SEC

1 part PEACHTREE

cut up fruit to taste (I like apples and oranges)

Mix, Stir, ENJOY!!

I hope everyone is enjoying a great summer!! 

It Went By In A Flash!

It seems like yesterday that my sons and I moved to the Rhode Island coast to spend four weeks at the beach.  This past Saturday, car packed practically to the roof, we headed back home. And I am once again amazed at how fast the time flew by. 


My husband came down a couple of times on the weekends, but he didn't stay long and didn't go to the beach.  The first week was pretty relaxing, breakfast at the house, an early walk on the private beach between Galilee and Sand Hill Cove, watching the fishing boats and ferries come in and go out at Point Judith, then the afternoons at the beach.  The weather was perfect, almost every day was sunny and hot, maybe an occasional shower, but nothing like the rain that fell in spring. 

I fondly refer to this as 'my' private beach

When my daughter Jaime came down during the second week, we spent more time at the private beach and also made my son's Surfin' USA music video.  David, who is completely tone-deaf, loves to sing.  And the more he likes the song, the louder he sings.  Some friends of ours said we should put him on You Tube, that his video would go viral (it hasn't), but he heard that comment and decided he wanted to make a video for You Tube.  The choice was between Toto's Rosanna or The Beach Boys' Surfin' USA.  Since we were at the beach, we decided on Surfin' USA.  We set up camp about midway down the private beach, and hopefully the waves drowned out the 'singing' for the unsuspecting residents!  Tripod up, an audio and video test and Take 1 was underway.  

Some of the early morning walkers went by, and several laughed, one gave a thumbs up and David was absolutely thrilled.  Another take and we decided to go with that!  Check it out, it's pretty funny!  Mikey was the back up dancer and he was pretty hilarious too, especially when he put his hands over his ears as he swayed back and forth!

David Sings Surfin' USA

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-tLkFOgHTo

Last year, we met a family originally from RI but who now lives in Connecticut.  Their three boys are a little younger than David & Mikey, but they all became fast friends last July.  Thanks to Facebook, their mom Mary & I kept in touch, meeting up at the beach in late August for one last 2011 beach day, and even planning a day trip this spring at Mystic Seaport.  


Mary's mother Marcia rents a house in Narragansett for five weeks but only three of their weeks coincide with ours.  Mary's sister Marci was also at the house and several of her eight brothers and sisters popped in for some family time throughout July.  


Mary and the boys arrived right before 4th of July and the kids picked up right where they left off last year, boogie boarding for hours and playing in the sand.  The baby, Nicholas, now nearly 3, kept up with the other boys and even acclimated himself to a boogie board!  They flew kites, played on the beach well after the lifeguards went home, played with a rocket blaster (nerf type) and nerf like air guns with foam bullets.  Mary, Jaime and I went to Champlins for seafood dinners and margaritas, and we saw some beautiful sunsets and even a couple of rainbows.

Fried Clams Dinner and Lobster Roll at Champlins in Galilee

Fishing Boats at Sunset in Galilee

Double Rainbow over the water at Scarborough Beach
Looked like the rainbow was sitting on the water.

Marcia, Marci and her two daughters, Jaime and I set up a little camp on the beach every afternoon.  Umbrellas went up, blankets were laid out, coolers got lined up, beers and Mike's Lemonades flowed freely for the hours of debates, conversation and just plain old sunbathing.  Linda, one of my closest friends who also lives at the beach for the summer and Cindy, the daughter of my landlords, also met up with us on the beach.  


Another close friend of mine, Lori, rented a house in nearby Bonnet Shores.  She and her daughter Gianna joined me, Cindy, Cindy's friend Cheryl and our kids for a Lighthouse Sunset Tour around Narragansett Bay.  The ride took almost 2 hours and we went through Newport Harbor which was absolutely gorgeous.  In addition to the massive yachts and various sized sailboats in the harbor, we also saw Eric Clapton's boat the Blue Guitar, although no sign of Clapton himself.

Plum Beach Lighthouse - Near Jamestown Bridge

The Blue Guitar - Eric Clapton's boat.

There were a couple of nights playing Mexican Train Dominos at Linda's house, and espresso martinis.  I held three movie nights, featuring 80's comedies that the boys could watch:  Weekend at Bernies 1 & 2 and Tootsie, complete with microwave popcorn and pina coladas for the adults.  

I remembered Mary mentioning breakfast in Galilee and there was a small snack bar called Salty's Landing right in the beach pavilion, so Jaime and I decided to try it.  There were young kids working the cash register in the front, but an older gentleman in the back who prepared the food.  And the breakfasts were wonderful.  French toast and bacon, egg & cheese sandwiches as well as a full egg, bacon, home fries and toast dish were all made fresh and tasted heavenly.  I can't believe it took us this long to give Salty's Landing a try!.

And our last week was almost done.  What had happened? A few months ago, summer seemed to be illusive, with the weather unseasonal even for New England.  But as I sit here scanning through photos, reflecting on our perfectly hot and sunny beach days and writing about our adventures, I am incredulous as to how again the time went by in a flash!