Heard if from a Friend

Last November I visited my friend Dee. You would have to know her, there isn't anything she can't cook, NOTHING! If you want Neapolitans, she has them ready when you get there, if you want the bestest pie crust on the planet, she will not only make you pies but show you how to cut up the butter perfectly with knives.

So while we were waiting for the pecan pie she made for dinner to finish cooking, I browsed through her pantry. I asked first. Along with the Barley Green and vitamins, parchment paper and foil I found the Tapenade. Tapenade is chopped up olives in a yummy dressing that is spread on Panini sandwiches. Yum, didn't know you could buy it, thought you had to make it, made the mental note. Thought it would be good on an Omlette. So I went to the fridge where she pulled out some Stir Fry for our dinner. It was amazing!

Like I said, she can make her cell phone empty the dishwasher and she can cook like a chef, so I wanted to know the secret to this Stir Fry. And wouldn't you know, it came in bottles! Basically she shreds chicken, throws in veggies and tops it all with sauce...naturally I had to have some of those bottles.



Since that visit we have Stir Fry 3-4 times a month. I chop up left over chicken, add sliced zucchini, broccoli and peppers, onions. About 1/4 cup of water in the bottom of my wok skillet and let all that simmer with a generous helping of these two bottles. Sometimes I add Soy sauce and Dee uses a concentrated sauce without so much sodium. Stir Fry is so flexible and yummy, you can mix and match to taste.


The Szechuan is hot, but fabulous and the Classic is just to die for! It's a great way to get your veggies and SO easy to clean up. I used left over Bird's Eye Stir Fry frozen veggies from Sam's Club and some frozen broccoli and added zucchini and squash and mushrooms. It made a fast Saturday lunch. You can make rice to go with it.



Well, it's time for lunch here! Then off to polish the Princess Palace.

Hugs to all of you,
Melissa

Girls Day Out

Photos of the wonderful shops my dear forever friend and I visited are locked in my cell phone. Yes, I know, I should have read the book or carried my camera...WHY didn't I carry my camera?


With or without a camera we had a wonderful day in McKinney, Texas!
We went here first, It's called Design Collection, located on the North East side of the square.
Beauty was everywhere in this shop, a little bit of something for everyone. My dear friend located the perfect cell phone carrier for me and I got some fabulous lotion! It's lavender and mint scented...yum!


She picked up an earthy toned sage pillar candle, it smelled HEAVENLY!

We moved to the other side of the square to a shop that was brimming with one piece of eye candy after another. I managed to escape with my debit card unused but my friend located the sweetest little birds and a nest.

After the birds were safely tucked in a sweet pink bag we toward the quilt shop we passed a beautiful Hearts topiary that was 10 feet tall and had the most amazing cyclamen growing around the base.

While admiring the cyclamen the sparkles from the window display at SHARLA'S caught our eye.

There were shelf liners promising a tea rose sent and rose petal soaps that had me nose to glass when the door flew open and we were lead inside by a sweet angelic pied piper.

Inside there were wonderful smells and bottles but we were captivated by the sparkly things. What we came out of there with were purse hangers.

Glitzy, shimmering, delightful, butterfly encrusted purse holders. We got a matching set that has a burgundy ground (not red like the photo) and they wrapped them in the sweetest burgundy organza bags to carry the purse hangers in our purse without them getting scratched. We LOVE them!

We made it to the quilt store and then headed off to our favorite restaurant for lunch where we had Tortilla soup, guacamole salad, and a hot chocolate éclair.

AND, I got to bring home all the shopping bags! She volunteered, what could I say?

And the next day....

Godfriend,


Thanks for your sweet comment! I could hear you say each word...made me smile. You are such an encourager.

You had asked when he came down with the flu and I couldn't remember exactly. Rereading 'As Monday's Go' reminded me.
Hubs came home shivering like a fearful chihuahua that following Wednesday night. Flu got him.

Then, a few days later, Son #1 the tummy version a couple more days Son Two had only the head/chest part...a viral cold or some such, the faux doc said.

January was a wash, we finally celebrated Hubs' B-Day with the Grands Feb 2.


Hugs,
Melissa