Sunshine, blue skies, warming temps and light steady rains are making my garden “pop” back to life, with blooms emerging from under last autumn’s leaves. Here’s a few flowers that brightened my Tuesday.
In the Garden
Laura’s Pretty Foods
On March 9th I started a new Instagram account featuring photos of meals I’ve prepared and food enjoyed during my travels. With our world in crisis this account has connected me with chefs and foodies around the globe – and right now we can all use more connections. You can find me on Instagram at laurasprettyfood
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Mediterranean Veggies & Shells Salad
Mediterranean Veggies & Shells Salad
- 1 c uncooked medium pasta shells
- 1/2 c kidney beans
- 1/2 c garbanzo beans
- 1/2 c navy beans
- 1 c Haricots Verts (fresh or frozen)
- 1/4 c minced onion
- 1 c chopped bell peppers (I used yellow, orange & red)
- 1 small chopped jalapeño
- 1/2 c chopped celery
- 2 T capers
- 3-4 T chopped fresh herbs – I used parsley, cilantro & thyme
Boil pasta in 6 cups heavily salted water for twelve minutes. Place the Haricots Verts in a colander. When the pasta is cooked pour into the colander with the beans, draining the pasta while blanching the beans. Set aside to cool. Place the rest of the ingredients into a large bowl and stir to combine. Add the pasta and Haricots Verts to the bowl and combine. Pour the dressing (recipe below) over the mixture and stir to combine. Eat now or refrigerate for later.
Dressing:
- 3-4 T fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 c olive oil
- 2 t sugar
- 1 T dijon mustard
- 1/2 t garlic powder
- red pepper flakes, salt and pepper to taste
I mixed this together in a Mason jar, shaking it vigorously before lightly dressing the salad.
Depending on what you have on hand, you could substitute ingredients for some of these:
- cucumber
- chopped carrots
- green olives
- basil, mint, oregano or chives
So go crazy and create your own combination- it’s all about having fun while making delicious, healthy food right?
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Happy New Year!
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Scenes from Death Valley
On a recent trip to Nevada, my sister and I took a three day/two night girl’s trip which included a day spent in Death Valley. The weather was perfection with the sun adding warmth, color, light and shadows. It was a magical place and a dream to photograph. The photos below are my favorites.
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Returning to Tennessee – part eight
When visiting the Smokies the food is a major part of the appeal. There are endless choices – I’m highlighting a few that I love.
My longtime favorite bbq spot, Smokin Joe’s in Townsend never disappoints. While I’ve had their brisket and ribs this time I ordered the pulled pork with fried okra and corn nuggets (fried cream corn). OMG.
A new find was Trailhead Steak and Trout House also in Townsend. I started with fried green tomatoes, a Caesar salad followed by their grilled trout that was perfectly prepared. While I neglected to photograph those meals (too hungry?) I did manage to capture the following:
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Returning to Tennessee – part six
Driving the Cades Cove Loop you’ll find several churches with small cemeteries. It was early Sunday morning when I came upon them and I was able to hear parts of the sermons and hymns at each as I walked with reverence around the graveside pathways. It was peaceful and I was in awe of the history in this place.
Cades Cove
Methodist Church
Lazarus Oliver
1827-1902
William Hamby
1744-1840
The Dan Lawson Place, which was originally constructed in 1856, is a transitional piece of architecture – the home features both sawn lumber and hewn logs. In addition, the pioneer cabin featured a modern chimney made out of bricks.
Over the years, Lawson expanded both his land holdings and his residence. By the time of his death, the cabin had been expanded to have a large porch and an additional second story. The large, covered porch was used as a post office that Dan ran from his house.
I visited Cades Cove on three occasions this trip and my posts only provide a glimpse of the beauty. The peaceful meandering loop road connects you to nature. At any hour of the day you’re assured of unforgettable scenic views and often wildlife sightings making it a must-see when you’re visiting the Smoky Mountains.
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Returning to Tennessee – part five
Since my last visit in 2016, the Foothills Parkway was completed. The Wears Valley entrance was less than a mile from my cabin and I decided to check it out. I drove it several times during my stay; it’s scenic with many turnouts for taking pictures and little to no traffic.
”The Foothills Parkway is a national parkway which traverses the foothills of the northern Great Smoky Mountains in East Tennessee, located in the southeastern United States”. Wikipedia
I pulled off on a side road to take this shot. This is Wears Valley.
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Returning to Tennessee – part four
A trip to the Smoky Mountains isn’t complete without driving the Cades Cove Loop. I drove it three times during the trip choosing daybreak, midday and late afternoon to experience the changing light and wildlife sightings. It’s a one-way 11 mile drive that progresses slowly as you savor the scenery, take photos and stop for animals.
I get a thrill seeing the black bears that are a beloved fixture in Tennessee. I’d been following several Facebook groups in the weeks before my trip with numerous posts of mother bears with multiple cubs. I’ve always had multiple bear sightings on past trips – my hopes were high. I saw one bear cub on my late morning drive. He scampered across the road in front of me and was gone before I could get a photo. He was my only bear on this trip but there’s always next time.
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Returning to Tennessee-part three
I was a tad early for the full array of fall colors but managed to capture the beauty of autumn surrounding my Wears Valley cabin.
