My daughter works for AT&T, and she invites me to attend their annual AT&T Summit rewards ceremony when she wins and she has won 9 times in 11 years!! I have an amazing daughter!
The pics below were taken on the Hyatt Resort property. We did a spa day that not only included the massage (simply amazing!), but lunch and all day access to the spa facility. The pics of the fish were taken at the entrance to the spa. Did I mention the hotel was across the street from the beach!!
Between The Dashes
If you have more than one child, you realize they are all different with different needs. Well, my daughters taught me this. At the time, it wasn’t funny, but years later I can look back on it and laugh. My daughter was about six years old, a time when kids enjoyed spending the night over a friends’ house. I didn’t always let her spend the night with friends, but this night, I decided to let her go. I made sure the parents were home, and that I could reach them in case of an emergency.
Anyway, my house phone rang about midnight. Phone calls this late can be really scary. I wondered if it was my Mom telling me someone was ill, or worse yet, someone had died. I was almost afraid to answer the phone since it was so late.
This is a list of ingredients from my daughter, Lyndsey. She is one of those cooks that does not keep track of the actual amounts of the ingredients, just the fact that an ingredient was added. So, I can’t be held responsible if it does not come out just right – there’s no way to follow the recipe. Having said all of that, the concept of using a pot roast for your meat filling is amazing!!! I know first hand because I tried it. So here’s a recipe for cooks that know what they’re doing!
Ingredients:
Directions:
Combine a container of cottage cheese, 2 eggs, a small container of ricotta cheese, fresh parsley, basil, and garlic with the Italian blend shredded cheese for filing. Use your favorite sauce and a box of frozen spinach (optional) with fresh mushrooms; green peppers, onions, and a little sugar to taste.
Let the sauce cook for about an hour and season with Tony’s creole seasoning
Use the no cook lasagna shells and just layer it up… Sauce, noodle, cheese mix, and repeat until the pan is full.
Bake for about an hour and 15 min until cheese is brown.
Between The Dashes
In 1964, my family moved to Chicago, Illinois in an effort to make a better living. Our first home was in a third floor apartment on the South Side of Chicago at 68th and Harper. We lived in the midst of the Black Stone Rangers’ neighborhood.
The Black Stone Rangers originated on the south side of Chicago, around 65th and Black Stone Avenue, four blocks away from where we lived. The Black Stone Rangers were estimated to have more than 23,000 members. Years later I asked my mother about the Black Stone Rangers, and she said they had a bad reputation with the police and the FBI, but they actually tried to help people.
Eventually, my parents purchased their first home, still on the south side of Chicago, near 93rd and Jeffery. When Eva and I attended James Bowen High School, we convinced our dad to let us have a house party. Eva and I were very excited. My mother helped plan the party. She made sure we had enough food and drinks. I remember my mother frying chicken and making potato salad. We decorated the basement of our new home. The basement was a finished, full length basement with a full length bar, a kitchen with all the works, and a half bath. The bar lights could be dimmed gradually. Everything was going very well. Eva knew a lot of people, so people came from everywhere.
Around 9:30 pm, my dad told my mother he saw someone smoking in the house. My dad said he was not going to have anyone smoking in His house. Then, my dad said someone spiked the punch with alcohol. Next thing we knew, our father threw everyone out of the house and the party was over in a matter of about 30 minutes. It was our first and last house party we had at our home.
Years later, Eva and I would remember this house party. It was held during a time when house parties were the going thing in Chicago.
Between The Dashes
We celebrated our 13th wedding anniversary by visiting the Shenandoah area. Besides seeing the sites, one of the other treats was the fabulous food we tasted along the way. Below are some of the highlights:
Joe’s Steakhouse In Front Royal, VA
Scallops Beurre Blanc – pan seared sea scallops with shallot, mushrooms and tomato in a beurre blanc sauce
Stuffed Haddock with crab and cream cheese, finished with a light tomato-basil cream sauce, brown rice and mixed veggies
Claire’s At The Depot in Warrenton, VA
Mediterranean Lamb Chops on a Bed of CousCous – the chops were cooked with fresh herbs grown in their own garden!
Claire’s At The Depot Herb Garden
Southern Shrimp Salad – Yummy!
Aunt Beatty’s Decadent Chocolate Cake – for the chocolate lovers!
Between The Dashes 