Friday Food Romance

So you're planing a sexy dinner with your honey.  

Candles? Check

Playlist? Check

]Sexy lingerie? Check

 Hooker heels? Check

You have desert covered, let's focus on food and wine.

  

Have you ever eaten a meal where the wine and food were so good that you could not forget about it? Then, did you later have that same wine with a different dish or the same dish with a different wine only to be disappointed?

Count yourself fortunate to have experienced the perfect marriage of wine and food. When the wine balances with the food in flavor, texture and taste, both food and wine enhance each other.

These are a few hints to help make food and wine pairing simple. But remember that if you like a certain wine with a particular food that is all that matters.

1. Use the same wine in the recipe as you will be serving with the meal.

2. Mask salty dishes with slightly sweet wines.

3. Serve cool, sweet, low alcohol wines with hot, spicy foods. Higher alcohol accentuates heat.

4. Balance acidic foods with sweet wines or round, dry, low acid wines.

5. Combine sweet wines with desserts. Make sure the wine is always sweeter than the dessert.

Combos for Beef

Beef roast, steak, hamburgers

Classic Red

Merlot

Classic Blush

Cab/Merlot

Cabernet Sauvignon

Wild mushroom sauce

Merlot

Cab/Merlot

Cabernet Sauvignon

Red wine sauces, stew, short ribs, beef stroganoff

Cabernet Sauvignon

Merlot

Cab/Merlot

Stir fry, chili

Pinot Noir

Classic Red

Brisket, meatloaf

Merlot

Classic Red

Beef Wellington

Classic Blush

Cab/Merlot

Beef Bourguignon

Merlot

Cabernet Sauvignon

Cab/Merlot

#Thursday13 - Rewards of Romance

 We all know romance is an important element in a relationship.

"Real-life romance is something I encourage you to engage in every day. Just give it a try. Many times it's all about the little things and just going with your heart. Trust that your desire to create romance is enough to get things started, and give it your own spin." - Barton Goldsmith Ph. D, Emotional Fitness

Just letting her know you think she's wonderful can become a romantic moment.

Here are some key rewards of being romantic.

1. Adds spice, sparkle and zest to our lives

2. Hugs, kisses, caressing

3. Makes us feel sexy and attractive

4. Helps love grow

5. Helps a couple feel closer

6. Provides intimacy

7. Keeps things fresh

8. Makes daily routines bearable

9. Brings fun and joy into a relationship

10. Provides an atmosphere of mutual support

11. Let’s a couple hear the little things that are important

12. Makes us feel special and valued

13. Reminds us how lucky we are to be sharing life and love together

******

Many people don't try to do anything romantic because they simply don't know how. 

Super hint: There are NO Secrets to romance. Most of the time, people are doing romantic gestures without even realizing. After all, anyone who has read a romance book or watch a romantic movie have a general idea about romance. Grand gestures are needed and simple things are appreciated. For example, a daisy freshly picked from a field is just as romantic as a dozen long-stemmed roses. 

My favorite romantic gesture is when my honey reaches out to hold my hand. 

It tickles me pink when I see Mom and Dad holding hands.

Check out more Thursday 13 posts from some of my amazing friends HERE

No Crazy Cat Lady Here

 I never thought a cat would be a part of my family. My sister usually has at least 5 cats at any given time. She fosters momma cats with kittens and has kept a few over the years. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate cats but I'm more of a big dog person.

Momma cat when she first came to us.

Six years ago, we allowed son #3 to foster a momma cat and kitten. The kitten was adopted and nobody wanted poor Mom. She and her boy fell in love so she joined our pack.

Mona and the dogs became fur sisters. She often acts like a dog as she waits by the door to be let outside and "barks" at squirrels.

He insists he hates cats. Yeah, right. We can tell.

Usually Maggie joins me for morning yoga but today Mona participated. 

Mona waits patiently for treats.

Studies show cats can benefit your health.

* Relieve stress

*Reduce rodents in your home

* Help you recover from trauma 

* Help you stay in shape - they love routines filled with activity

All in all, we've enjoyed having Mona as a member of our family. 

I've read several books featuring the main characters rescuing a dog or cat. Love it!!! I must say, it's been enjoyable reading Pippa Grant's romantic comedies featuring lovable critters. (Dogs, raccoon, hedgehog, foul-mouthed parrot, monkey, cats and I probably forgot some.)

Have you ever had a pet you didn't expect and ended up enjoying more than you thought?

Do you have a favorite book featuring a unique cat or memorable animal?

#TastyTuesday - Dessert for Breakfast? Hell Yeah!

Apple a day keeps the doctor away, especially when it's in a dish you can eat any time of the day!

Grandma Williams was the only member of her family to be born in the United States. Her parents and siblings were from Lund, Sweden. As the youngest of her grandchildren, I managed to spend some quality time with her and she shared many of her favorite Swedish dishes with me. 

Gram said apples were good any time of the day. We'd make apple crisp or strudel at night to have with dinner, eat again heated up with ice cream before bed, then again with cream for breakfast.

SWEDISH APPLE CRISP

8 apples 1 tsp. cinnamon 1/4 c. water 1 1/2 c. flour 1/2 c. brown sugar 1/2 c. white sugar 1/2 c. butter Pare and slice apples. Place apples and brown sugar in 8x12 pan. Add water and sprinkle with cinnamon. For topping, sift flour and white sugar together. Cut in butter with pastry cutter. Mix and sprinkle over top of apples. Bake 40 to 45 minutes at 400 degrees. Serve crisp side up with whipped cream.

Labor Days of the Past

 Labor Day weekends as a youth were spent in front of the television watching Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon. We were pretty excited when we were old enough to stay up all night. Whoot-whoot! 

Neighborhood kids would group together to host fun carnival games raising funds to donate then our parents would drive us to the Holiday Inn where the telethon was live on air. If we were lucky we met the local celebrities who were hosting. Neighborhood police officers and firefighters helped with friendly competitions between communities.

Other times, I was at our family cottage with my cousins. We watched the telethon until the fish started biting or the sun rose high and the lake called to us. Back in the day, school didn't start until AFTER Labor Day so my cousins and I would often "run away" into the woods with plans of survival. Uncle Charlie always waiting for us as we exited the forest on the edge of the gravel pits to take us home. 

What memories do you have of Labor Days past?

Labor Day is a federal holiday in the United States celebrated on the first Monday in September to honor and recognize the American labor movement and the works and contributions of laborers to the development and achievements of the United States. It is the Monday of the long weekend known as Labor Day Weekend. - Wikipedia