Even as August ends, my garden continues to bloom. While enjoying a glass of wine last evening in my oasis I grabbed my iPhone to capture the beauty….
In my garden this week
Savory Spinach Quiche
Ever have a day when you wake up with a craving for something savory? In a quick perusal of my fridge I realized I had all the makings of a quiche. Here’s what I created!
Savory Spinach Quiche
- 1 pie crust
- 5 eggs
- 1 c half and half
- 5 slices cooked bacon, chopped
- 12 cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
- 2 c fresh baby spinach
- 1 T chopped Vidalia onion
- 1 1/2 c shredded sharp cheddar
- 1/2 t thyme
- 1 t seasoned salt
- 1 t cracked black pepper
- Red pepper flakes to taste (optional)
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Using a 9 inch pie plate unroll the pie crust and press into place. Layer the spinach, covering the bottom of the crust, scatter the onion, bacon and tomatoes over the top, followed by the cheese. In a large bowl add the eggs, half and half, thyme, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes, mix together thoroughly (I used my immersion blender). Pour the egg mixture over the filling. Bake on the lowest rack of your oven for 30-35 minutes until set. Rest for 10 minutes and serve.
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My little garden harvest
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Prosciutto, Brie & Apricot Flatbread
My latest flatbread creation, using ingredients I had on hand. And it may be my new favorite dinner for one!
Prosciutto, Brie & Apricot Flatbread
- 1 flatbread
- 2 oz cubed Brie
- 1-2 t fresh thyme
- 2 slices prosciutto, rolled and sliced into ribbons
- 6-8 chopped dried apricots, cut into 3-4 pieces
- Garlic Aioli (see below)
- Crunchy onions, crumbled
- Fresh Italian parsley, for garnish
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Brush flatbread on both sides with olive oil and place into a skillet then into the oven for 10 minutes. Remove and top with a light spread of the garlic aioli, followed by the apricots, brie, thyme and prosciutto. Return to the oven for 6-8 minutes. Remove and add the crunchy onions and parsley. Serve and enjoy!
Garlic Aioli
- 1 garlic clove
- 3 T mayonnaise
- 1/4 t lemon juice
- salt and pepper to taste
Using a micro plane, grate the garlic clove over the mayonnaise, stir in lemon juice, salt and pepper. This is delicious on any number of sandwiches and burgers as well as a base for the flatbread recipe above and is even better made a day or two ahead!
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In my garden this week
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Self Care, part thirteen & my second solo trip
In my last post I talked about my first solo trip since losing Spence and how empowering it felt to reconnect with my love of travel and regain the confidence to do it alone.
The winter of 2018 seemed longer, colder and drearier than any in the past. Spurred on by the successful trip to Scottsdale I asked myself “where next?”
My next hurdle was to return to a place where Spence and I had many fun times, Laughlin Nevada. I needed find out if I could go back and create new memories.
By now, I’d passed the one year mark since my loss, had one solo trip under my belt and knew that the time was right. I felt Spence’s presence at every turn as though he was sending me good luck.
Just a few of my slot winnings over the course of my stay!
Situated along the Colorado River with Bullhead City Arizona across the way, Laughlin was a balmy and beautiful respite from the cold and snow I’d left behind. The hotel pool and the riverwalk were perfect breaks from the casino as was a spa day at Laughlin Ranch.
Of course I had to post a few fine dining photos……
They say “you can’t go home again”. They would be wrong – my trip to Laughlin made me realize that it’s all about timing, readiness and a desire to reclaim my happiness.
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Self Care, part twelve – and my first solo trip
Having been with Spence for 26 years, it was a shock to the system to find myself alone. It’s taken a lot of time to figure out who I am without him. Part of self care involves getting comfortable with navigating all aspects of life successfully by yourself.
I took my first of two solo vacations in early 2018. Travel was a passion for Spence and I whether a spontaneous road trip or an international vacation, we were utterly simpatico. I needed to know that could travel alone and find myself along the way.
For the first trip I chose Scottsdale, somewhere I’d never been. I stayed at the Omni Scottsdale Resort and Spa at Montelucia. It was a magical escape from the bitter cold Michigan winter, with daily spa treatments, fabulous meals, hikes and a few visits to a nearby casino. I had nothing but time to be alone and reflect on my life. The true test was the last night which fell on Valentine’s Day. I’d thought I might be sad seeing happy couples celebrating over dinner and considered ordering room service. Instead I put on a pretty dress, jewelry and makeup and went to their fanciest restaurant where I enjoyed an amazing meal and attentive service. I took a long walk after dinner, enjoying the beauty surrounding me and realized, I was okay. In fact, I felt happy. It was empowering to feel that spark reignite.
A few scenes from the resort and spa.
This hike was on a warm, breezy day and allowed me to immerse myself in new surroundings, nature, silence and reflect on all the good things in my life.
Long before I started blogging, I was photographing (and journaling about) food. Spence always found this funny and would title our trips, “Laura’s Eating and Drinking Vacations”. That said, I had to include a few pics of the delicious food and adult beverages I enjoyed on this first solo vacation.
