Foodie Friday – New Year’s Traditional Meal

Posted on December 29, 2023 by Debi Walter

It is two days until 2024 and I always look forward to our New Year’s Day menu:

Hoppin’ John, Collard Greens and cornbread

Hoppin’ John is a southern dish that makes black-eyed peas exceptional. Sop it up with some cornbread and it will warm your soul.

It’s a simple dish really, just takes time to allow all the flavors to come together—like a hearty soup.

My Collards recipe is made with apples sliced in thin strips like fries, which I believe adds a sweetness to the greens. It’s so delicious!

I won’t make you wait any longer…

Hoppin’ John

2 c. dried black-eyed peas
1/2 lb. ham
2 qts. water
1 c. uncooked white rice
1 c. chopped onion
1 c. chopped celery
2 t. butter or margarine
1/2 – 1 t. Italian seasoning
1 t. sugar
2 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper

Sort and wash peas; place in a heavy saucepan. Cover with water, and bring to a boil; cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Cover and let soak for 1 hour, drain.

Combine ham and 2 qts. water in a large dutch oven. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

Add peas; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 45 minutes. Add remaining ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer an additional 30 minutes or until black-eyed peas are done. Remove ham; cut into small pieces. Stir ham into mixture.

Serves 8

Fried Collards with Apples and Bacon

INGREDIENTS:

2 lbs. Collard Greens, washed and cut in 1/4″ thick slices, tough center stalk removed
1/4 c. hot vegetable oil
1/2 c. chicken stock
1 tsp. salt
4 tsp. apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp. dried crushed red pepper flakes
2 small Fuji apples, cored and sliced thin like matchsticks
4 slices bacon, cooked but not crisp and cut into fourths

DIRECTIONS:

Stir-fry collards in oil in large dutch oven over medium-high heat stirring often until wilted.
Add chicken broth, salt, apple cider vinegar and pepper flakes.
Stir-fry 3 minutes or until greens are crisp tender.
Gently stir in bacon and apples and cook stirring often until tender, about 2 minutes. Note: I like to simmer these longer on the stove for more tender greens. But both ways are delicious.

Food has always been Tom’s love language, so any food I make is to bless him. I hope it blesses your family—Happy New Year!

Posted in Christian Marriage, Foodie Fridays | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Christmas Reflections

Posted on December 24, 2023 by Debi Walter

No matter how long you’ve been married, there is something special about pausing to remember.

Christmas provides a great opportunity to do so, since it happens the end of the year.

Our pastor always asks these questions in December, “Look back at where you were this time last year? How have you grown? How has your perspective changed? What challenges have you endured? What victories have you faced? What has made you happy or sad? And why?”

These are good questions to ponder together as a couple. We are on this journey of marriage for the purpose of growing in our relationship to the Father and reflecting that love in how we treat each other.

Our marriage is an expression of the love Jesus has for His church, His bride.

We encourage you to set aside some time after the kids are in bed. Sit together in the quiet with the lights flickering and talk about these things.

We often assume our spouse knows us so well we don’t have to tell them what we’re thinking, but this is an unfair assumption. Only the Holy Spirit knows the thoughts we have. Make this time a priority and see how God increases the intimacy you share as friends and lovers.

We will have a slow Christmas that’s a bit quieter than usual. Rather than feel sorry for the distance there is between us and most of our grandchildren, we will use this time to lean in and love each other well in this season. And we’ll have Elias to enjoy as he experiences this Christmas as a three year old without cancer-our biggest victory this year!

Merry Christmas!

Posted in Christian Marriage, Christmas, communication, Growing Strong Marriages, Intimacy | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Foodie Fridays – Kahlua for “Youa” and a Cake to Bake

Posted on December 22, 2023 by Debi Walter

I haven’t made it in years, mainly because it makes so much—2 liters. But this year I was ready to make some as gifts and this time provide a recipe for Kahlua cake. Sweet!

I realize not everyone enjoys a White Russian Cocktail or a chocolate martini, so Kahlua cake is the perfect way to enjoy this gift without the alcohol.

Confession though—this is my first time baking this cake with a silky smooth ganache. I have never made ganache, pronounced “guh-nosh”, but it might be my new favorite chocolate creation. And Tom had a slice of this cake for breakfast which is always a good sign. After all, a Bundt cake is just a giant donut, right?

Homemade Kahlua

Ingredients:

  • 1 – 12 cup pot of very strong, Chocolate flavored coffee. I use Starbucks mocha coffee
  • One shot of strong espresso
  • 1 lb light brown sugar (you can use up the 2 lbs., but I prefer a less sweet Kahlua)
  • 4-6 T. Vanilla extract
  • 1 bottle 190 proof Clear Grain alcohol

Directions:

Bring brewed coffee to a boil in a Dutch oven or large pot. Gradually add the brown sugar and return to a boil stirring constantly. Let cool to room temperature.

When completely cool, add vanilla and alcohol. It’s ready to serve, no need for it to age. But the older it gets the better it is. There is no expiration date.

Pour into bottles of your choice.

Yields 2 liters (Recipe from Cooks.com but I’ve tweaked it enough to call it my own.)

And now for the amazing…

Kahlua Cake

Rather than type out the recipe, I’m sharing the link from Chew Out Loud blog. What a great name for a food blog. I have to give credit where it is due, and this cake is a new favorite. I may be making more Kahlua than usual just to make this dessert all year.

This would be a great addition to your New Year’s celebration, which is only a week away!

Merry Christmas from our table to yours.

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Foodie Friday – A Family Classic

Posted on December 8, 2023 by Debi Walter
1947 Vintage Cookbook

My Mom went home to be with her Savior 11 years ago next week at the age of 90. How I miss her. There is one recipe our family has made every Christmas since I was born, and maybe longer. I found the original in her Better Homes and Gardens cookbook from 1947–the year my parents were married.

I believe food has a way of touching those longing places in the heart like no other. You may have similar memories of foods that bring you comfort. When I smell these roasted pecans my mind is transported right back to my Mom’s kitchen.

Today I made my second batch of Sugared Pecans., just like Mom’s. Although in the original recipe, walnuts are used, here in the south pecans are the nut of choice.

If you’ve not seen one, pecan trees are huge with a large, tall canopy. My grandparents had one in their backyard between the orange grove and their house. I spent many a Christmas cracking the pecans hard outer shell with my grandfather’s nutcracker. Maybe that’s why I love pecans, they remind me of family.

Tom and I just drove through southern Alabama and Georgia where pecan orchards are; you can’t miss them. They stand at attention on either side of the road like sentinels, row after row on mission to keep our southern recipes alive.

I’m certain at every road side stand in the south one can find—pecan logs, pecan pralines, pecan pies, butter pecan ice cream or shelled pecans sold by the pound—It is a true Southern staple.

Today I’ll share with you our family recipe. They make great gifts or additions to your holiday charcuterie board. But be warned you may eat a pound as they’re cooling on the rack.

Sugared Pecans

While the water, sugar and cinnamon are heating do not stir. Set the timer for 15-20 minutes. To check for “soft-ball stage” take a little from the pot and put in a cup of cold water. When it holds together in a soft ball (not hard or not fall apart) you’ll know it’s time to add the vanilla then the pecans.

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Foodie Friday – Langostino Nachos

Posted on December 1, 2023 by Debi Walter

Years ago we were a part of a trial group testing out new recipes for a restaurant chain. We were paid for our opinion which made this a fun date night.

We had never heard of langostinos before and maybe you haven’t either. They are Scotland’s native prawn that taste oh so good!

For years we have duplicated this recipe using baby shrimp. When we recently discovered that our local Publix sells langostinos wild caught and frozen, we couldn’t wait to try it.

Obviously it was a success or it wouldn’t make it on our blog. Right now Publix has them on sale too if you’d like to try them.

Langostino Nachos

Ingredients:

  • 1 bag frozen langostinos
  • Mozzarella cheese, shredded
  • 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced
  • 1 scallion, diced
  • Tortilla chips
  • Lemon, optional for garnish

Layer tortillas in baking sheet. Then cover with mozzarella cheese. Add jalapeno, then langostinos then green onions.

Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes.

Serve hot, adding a squirt of lemon, if desired.

We love any nachos, but these take it to a new level. Let us know what you think.

Until next time…

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Roots Remain

Posted on November 15, 2023 by Debi Walter

Oak trees are beautiful. We moved into our neighborhood 31 years ago because of the mature oak trees. They provide much needed shade from our intense Florida heat.

Tom had a tree removed out of necessity in our front yard last month. It was the tree right outside my office window; the one I would stare at when writer’s block had me in its grip. It was also the on-ramp for the local squirrel population to access our roof.

But now it is gone. It was diseased and unsafe for the high winds we often have blow over us. It’s good that Tom no longer has to worry about a falling branch landing on our car or house.

Instead of staring at my tree this morning, I’m staring at the level ground where it once stood.

As I was caught in this mindless gaze, I heard a truth whispered to me that I’ve been pondering ever since…

Though the tree is gone, it’s roots remain.

The roots that provided nourishment and support through every storm and powerful hurricane. The roots that were also there as the first green shoots were breaking through the soil.

Healthy roots provide fruit.

In our lives, Tom and I have seen family members whom we love leave this life for the next. They once stood as a tall oak embracing whatever blew their way. They provided us direction, comfort and support when needed.

Though the tree is gone, their roots remain.

They whisper reminders, “My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭121‬:‭2‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Our marriage stands on strong roots, a tree planted in fertile ground. Although life has thrown us some difficult storms, we are still standing strong for God’s glory.

““But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.””
‭‭

Jeremiah 17:7-8

There is a song out now that has provided much needed encouragement to us.

Firm Foundation, by Cody Carnes

Christ is our firm foundation. The rock on which I stand. When everything around me is shaken, I’ve never been more glad.

That I put my faith in Jesus, ‘cause He’s never let me down. He’s faithful through generations. So why would He fail now?

He won’t!

This song has been our anthem in this season of loss and pain.

All marriages face hard times. The question is, how are your roots? Are they wrapped around Christ? He won’t fail. He won’t!

Posted in Biblical Encouragement, Christian Marriage, Difficulty, Growing Strong Marriages, Keeping It Real, Music, Worship | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments

Foodie Friday – Best of Vacation Food

Posted on October 27, 2023 by Debi Walter

We are on a much needed and anticipated vacation. Being from Florida the only Autumn beauty we encounter is store bought. This is why we decided to chase the leaves for two weeks in North Carolina and enjoy the cool air.

Town square, Burnsville, NC

Tom and I love trying new places and since we sold our cabin a year ago, “We are now free,” as Tom says, “to move about the country.”

We have had some amazing food. We found each restaurant using my Yelp app. These pictures say it all. I’ve listed the restaurant and location in case you’d like to visit one day.

Wondering if you can guess my favorite dish. I wanted it so badly that when I heard they were sold out on our first visit, we came back three days later so I could get it. Guess I’m comments. 🥰

Jay’s Original Fish and Chicken, Brunswick, GA
Pulled Pork at Old Hampton BBQ, Linville, NC
Philly Cheesesteak, Garden Deli, Burnsville, NC
Chicken Enchiladas, Las Salsas, Marion, NC
Mountain Trout BLT with Fried Green Tomatoes, Live Oak Gastropub, Spruce Pine, NC
Black and White soup with turmeric crema & salsa, Live Oak Gastropub, Spruce Pine, NC
Eggplant Parmesan, Vale 243 Southern Italian,
Clyde, NC
Garlic Knots & marinara, Vale 243 Southern Italian, Clyde, NC

So far we have had quite the culinary tour mixed with lots of fresh air and peak fall color. And we still have a week to go!

Chasing leaves is fun and so is finding the next good restaurant to try. Stay tuned…

Our porch view, Waynesville, NC
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Foodie Fridays – Passport Dinner Club

Posted on October 20, 2023 by Debi Walter

We began our first dinner club with four other couples who enjoyed food as much as us, and who also happened to be dear friends. We enjoyed our season of Dinner Club while it lasted, about 7 years.

The idea we had was to travel the world one meal at a time. I even made little passports for us to stamp for the different countries we “visited.”

We decided to rotate homes, and whoever was hosting got to choose which country we would visit. The host would also make the main dish. All others would sign up to bring an appetizer, side dish or dessert. Each recipe had to be authentic to the country.

We had no idea how much we would learn about other cultures and how much fun we would have doing it.

Our Dinner Club lasted so long that we exhausted all the countries we wanted to visit. We even tried a few countries whose food we didn’t like.

The ones that made the best memories for us were, Japan—We set up on the living room with a folding table, flat set on top of bricks. All of us sat on pillows with Japanese paper lanterns hung from the ceiling to make it cozy. We ate sushi with chopsticks and drank saki and green tea. It was such fun.

Another memorable one was Peru. This was a country many of us had not considered for we knew nothing about their cuisine. We were pleasantly surprised. I remember bringing the dessert—Poached Pears with a caramel sauce. It was fantastic!

Our final year we added another couple and traveled different areas of the USA, instead of the world. My favorite was the low-country of South Carolina.

The new couple vacationed there often and she made the best Shrimp and Grits I’ve had in my life! She was generous to share her recipe, but like most good cooks, it wasn’t written down. I had to figure out amounts and I’m happy to say I nailed it.

Our final dinner together was a good but sad one; one of the couples was moving out of state and it was their turn to host. The theme they chose was Wild West with the main course, Bison Steak. It was so delicious and the perfect way to end our dinner club with a “Happy Trails…to you…until we meet again…” We are all still friends, and we cherish those years we had together around the table.

In marriage not only is it important to be good friends, it’s just as important to have good friends. The kind of friends who not only laugh with you, but will help walk with you through difficulty. The kind of friends who will ask good questions when you’re struggling with your spouse. The ones who will be honest even when they know it will be hard to hear. Friends like these will help your marriage not only survive, but thrive. We thank God for the friends He’s given us, most of them for decades.

Good food, good fun, good friends. The best way to enjoy life.

Anna’s Low-Country Shrimp and Grits

Ingredients for Shrimp and Sausage

  • 1 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 1 lb. Andouille sausage, sliced in 2″ pieces
  • olive oil for frying
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 1/2 green and red bell pepper diced
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • Thyme, salt and pepper to taste
  • Heavy cream

Ingredients for Grits

  • Grits, stone ground (not instant)
  • Chicken broth
  • 4 oz. cream cheese, cut in small cubes
  • Heavy cream
  • Green onions, chopped for garnish

Directions:

Sauté sausage until heated through and remove from pan; set aside. Sauté shrimp in same pan until halfway cooked and remove from pan.

Sauté onion, bell peppers, garlic together until cooked and onions are translucent. Add seasonings to taste. Add cream to cover and cook down about half. Place in blender or food processor and add cream cheese. Blend to desired thickness.

Place back in pan with shrimp and sausage. Simmer until ready to serve.

Served over cooked grits made by following directions on package substituting chicken broth for the water. Once fully cooked add heavy cream to desired consistency and heat.

Serve with shrimp and sausage over grits and garnish with chopped green onions (green part only)

Posted in Christian Marriage, Foodie Fridays, Growing Strong Marriages | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Foodie Fridays – Making Do

Posted on October 13, 2023 by Debi Walter
Photo from Barefoot Contessa website

We have had a busy month and it’s only the 13th! We haven’t had a chance to go grocery shopping so I thawed a package of chicken thighs hoping I could come up with something good with what I had on hand.

When this happens I like to do a Google search for chicken thigh recipes to see what sounds good. This time it was Ina Garten, The Barefoot Contessa, who got me started.

Her recipe, Chicken Thighs with Creamy Mustard sauce, sounded good. I was grateful I could make do without having to go to the grocery store at rush hour.

As the sauce was simmering, I thought it was missing something, so I looked up other mustard sauce recipes to see what spices they used. I added ground coriander (the seed of cilantro), cayenne pepper to add depth of flavor, raw honey to balance the tanginess of the mustard, and some leftover bacon slices because, well it’s BACON! For garnish a chopped up fresh spinach since I had no parsley.

I made white rice to soak up the creamy sauce and seasoned green beans. It was so good and might become a new favorite. I’ve also heard that when you change three ingredients to a recipe it becomes a new original. I like that.

Thank you Ina and Google. You helped me make do in a pinch.

Do you have favorite chicken thigh recipe?

Simmering sauce

Debi’s Crispy Chicken Thighs with Creamy Honey Mustard Sauce

Ingredients:

• 8 medium bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (2¼ pounds)

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

• Good olive oil

• 2 cups halved and thinly sliced yellow onion (2 onions)

• 2 tablespoons dry white wine

• 8 ounces crème fraîche (I substituted with whole milk Greek yogurt because it’s what I had)

• 1 tablespoon good Dijon mustard

• 1 teaspoon whole-grain mustard (I omitted since I didn’t have this and doubled the Dijon mustard)

• 1/2 t. Garlic Salt

• 1/2 t. Coriander

• 1/4 t. Cayenne pepper

• 1/2 T. Honey

• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh spinach, for garnish

Instructions:

Heat a large cast iron skillet (this insures a crispy skin) on medium high.

While waiting for pan to heat Pat dry the thigh on both sides and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.

Add olive oil to heated pan and once hot place chicken thighs skin-side down. Do not disturb and cook for 15 minutes. Using tongs flip chicken and add sliced onions to pan stirring often. Turn heat down to medium and cook for another 15 minutes or until the chicken reaches 165 with meat thermometer.

Remove chicken from pan and add white wine to the onions to deglaze the pan. Add the additional ingredients except the honey. Simmer and stir for 5 minutes on low.

Add honey to the sauce and chicken thighs crispy side up.

Serve with your favorite sides and enjoy!

Makes 6- 8 servings

Voila

Welcome to all our new friends. It is nice to meet like-minded people who share a love of life and food with their loved ones.

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Foodie Friday – Root Down

Posted on October 6, 2023 by Debi Walter
Waiting for a table

We just returned from a week-long trip out west with my sister, Bettie, and her husband, Dennis, as well as my sister-in-law, Sherry, you can read all about our trip on my personal blog, Write From The Heart. The five of us really enjoyed our time, and food was a big part of it.

Denver International Airport

As we made it to the “C” Terminal we wanted to eat before our flight. There were only two options. We picked the one with the best ratings on Yelp, of course; It’s my mode of operandi. 🥰

Root Down had a long waiting list for a table, but since we had plenty of time we opted to wait. I have never been so glad we did.

David, our friendly server, took our drink order.

Dennis discovered most restaurants don’t offer sweet tea. Yet he still asked this time. David said they only offered unsweet. But when he brought our drinks, he brought a glass of simple syrup for Dennis. We were shocked that he would do that without asking. He said, “It’s not hard to give you what you wanted.”

Family is the best

We all ordered the Philly Cheesesteak with fries or sweet potato waffle fries. Excellent food. The sweet potato fries came with a basil lime dipping sauce that was amazing (yellow cup on my plate). I will have to try and make it myself.

I ate half before I remembered to take a photo.

What made this place so special is the atmosphere Root Down has intentionally created. From their website they explain it well…

Essential elements of Root Down’s 4,000 square-foot space incorporates sustainable practices along with design aspects reminiscent of the energy, aesthetic and pulse of the 1960’s, when air travel was a luxury. Equipped with WiFi and eco-friendly fare, Root Down provides modern day conveniences in a retro-fitted environment.

Root Down website

We were amazed at the relaxing space located in one of the busiest International airports in the country.

From their website

We were seated in a round booth facing large plate glass windows through which we watched our Southwest airplane arrive for us to board.

Our table on the left

Travelers sit at reclaimed butcher-block tables and reupholstered, vintage chairs. Several aspects of the intricate design are locally sourced, including all cabinetry and steel work. A living wall of moss interspersed with tin can lids and airplane gauges adorns an entire dining room wall. Re-purposed suitcases, dozens of airplane flaps are all relics from America’s jet-setting past.

Root Down website
Wall of living moss and tin can covers

When we talked to our server about how impressed we were, he said they were named on the Top Ten list of the best airport restaurants in the nation, not surprising.

What a wonderful way to end to our family adventure.

If you make it to Denver in the future, there are two other locations in the city. You must give them a try. We are blessed we did!

Goodbye Denver
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Foodie Fridays – Magical Dining in Orlando

Posted on September 29, 2023 by Debi Walter
Welcome to Revello

This is the last week of our annual foodie celebration known as Magical Dining month. It’s the time when those of us who either can’t or choose not to spends hundreds of dollars on one meal are invited to these high-end restaurants for a Prix fix 3 course meal at a much lower cost.

We’ve had some unexpected physical set backs this year and didn’t think we’d be able to participate.

However…

We have good friends who will randomly call to see if we want to go out for dinner together. It just so happens this happened two times this past weekend; and it was to two different restaurants participating in MDM. Yay!!

Our first evening out was Friday where we visited the Four Seasons Hotel near Walt Disney World. You can’t get in the hotel without a room or dinner reservation, so we were excited to see one of Orlando’s poshest resorts. It did not disappoint.

The restaurant, Revello, serves Italian cuisine and even offers Italian hand-crafted cocktails. I’m a wine lover myself, so we didn’t try them. But they sounded enticing.

A pre-dinner stroll
Eye candy
Waiting for our table

We were seated on the outdoor terrace and were happy the temperature cooperated.

Our view

The food was delicious.

Mussels with crusty bread
Veal, Spinach and Ricotto Ravioli with Wild Mushrooms and Essence of Truffle
House made Hazelnut Chocolate Liqueur
Strawberry Lemon Verbena Sorbet

These pictures say it all. The ravioli is the executive Chef’s Grandmother’s recipe from Torino, Italy. It was mouth-wateringly good!

I will post our second Magical Dining meal soon. For now, just savor the photos.

We pray you find moments to savor this week as well.

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Foodie Fridays – Jalapeño Poppers with a Southern Twist

Posted on September 23, 2023 by Debi Walter

Once again I’m a day late, but for good reason. I didn’t have an idea for this week’s post. That was until now!

We are leaving for a week’s vacation and needing to use up all the fresh food we have in the fridge. With a bag of 8 jalapeño peppers and football on the TV, Poppers were begging to be made.

I also had a lot of pimento cheese with jalapeños to use up, and a new recipe was born. 🥰

Southern Jalapeño Poppers

Ingredients:

  • Fresh jalapeños, sliced lengthwise and seeded
  • Thin sliced salami or crumbled bacon
  • Pimento cheese – we used Costco’s jalapeño brand that is so yummy.
  • Chives
  • Pecans, chopped
  • Cheddar cheese
  • Salt, to taste
  • Honey

Preheat oven to 400.

Layer each jalapeño with the ingredients in the order listed, except the salt and honey.

Bake for 11 minutes or until fully melted. Sprinkle with salt and and drizzle with honey.

These turned out so delicious, but they have a kick! Have a cold drink ready to cool your palette.

See y’all next week.

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Foodie Fridays – Craving Fall

Posted on September 15, 2023 by Debi Walter
Maple Roasted Veggies

It’s nearly Fall but in Florida you’d never know it. Fall for us is the peak of Hurricane season. I love a good thunderstorm, but how I long for the cooler drier weather.

When this happens I go to the one place where the sites and smells of Autumn satisfy even in FL—the kitchen.

Tonight I roasted Brussel sprouts, shallots, sweet potatoes, cranberries and pecans for the side dish to salmon burgers glazed with maple syrup. Ahhh!

The smell was almost as filling as the food itself.

I must admit that the craisins I had on hand were a bit old, but they still tasted good. However, when I roasted them they were hard a marbles. Epic fail! I had to hand pick them out of the dish before serving.

Craisins to the left, veggies to the right

The recipe for the veggies is from Zest and Simmer blog and I can’t recommend it more highly. The recipe was easy to follow and the results will reward your every bite.

The recipe for the salmon burgers was actually for salmon filets, but it worked just as well on the burgers. I ended up frying them at the end to get a good sear on both sides. You can find the glaze recipe on the Simply Whisked blog.

This was so good I forgot to take a picture of our dinner plated.

We enjoyed our meal together on the couch as we’re both recovering. Tom from surgery, and me from a broken ankle.

What are your favorite Fall foods? Somehow these meals are romantic, like a cozy hug on a chilly day. Keeps you coming back for more!

Posted in Christian Marriage, Foodie Fridays, In Sickness, Seasons of Life | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

Foodie Friday – Pizza, Please

Posted on September 8, 2023 by Debi Walter

We awoke on Friday like any other Friday. But this one would be different, we just didn’t know it yet.

Our internet was down.

When we reported it we were notified it wouldn’t be restored until later tonight or in the morning. So much for writing my weekly Foodie Friday post. I hadn’t had a chance to even think about this week’s post anyway.

Since it’s 9:30 p.m. I’m assuming it will be restored in the morning. So what do I do when there’s no internet? Head to the kitchen to bake and cook.

First, I baked a pie for a dear friend who had just lost the love of her life. They were about to celebrate 68 years of marriage, and given that length it counts.

Strawberry Cream Cheese pie

We are a part of an Organic Co-op that delivers every 2 weeks. I am notified of the veggies available and can opt in or out based on what is offered.

This week they had mission figs which have a very short season, so I opted in. One of our favorite Italian restaurants has a Fig, Prosciutto and Gorgonzola pizza. It is so good I’ve always wanted to try to make it at home.

To save time I bought a premade pizza dough at Publix. The pizza has chopped figs, fig jam, caramelized shallots with garlic and thyme, and lemon juice rubbed arugula with a black fig balsamic drizzle.

It was so easy to make and tasted just like the restaurant’s version. Thank you Olive and Mango for this wonderful recipe, although I tweaked it a bit with what I had on hand. The pictures will leave your mouth watering.

Fig jam, Gorgonzola cheese and caramelized shallots
After baking add prosciutto
Then top with the Arugula
Ready to enjoy
So delicious

Losing the internet for a day has its advantages.

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Foodie Fridays – Tuscan Shrimp

Posted on September 1, 2023 by Debi Walter
One of the best parts of our week

To say our week has been a challenge would be a huge understatement. But one must eat.

My post is late today because of necessary reasons, but I’m excited to share one of our favorite and quick shrimp recipes. It’s from the 40 Aprons website, if you’d like to make it yourself. It’s very easy and requires only minimal prep.

I’ll let the photos speak for themselves because I’m tired.

Garlic, onions, butter (or ghee) with sun dried tomatoes and coconut cream
Add fresh spinach
Sprinkle with Parmesan Cheese (or ghee)
Toss in sautéed shrimp
Serve hot, over rice or cauliflower rice

Let us know if you try it.

Have a great holiday weekend as we bid adieu to Summer. I’m tempted to say, “Good riddance” with the dry, hot summer we’ve had in Central Florida!

Grateful for everyone of you we call friends.

Posted in Christian Marriage, Difficulty, Foodie Fridays | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Foodie Fridays – Food Becomes Art

Posted on August 25, 2023 by Debi Walter

We are on vacation, a much needed one. Even though I had just gotten out of my walking boot and am still limping, I insisted we get away.

Our destination? The high country of North Carolina where we have come for most of our 44 years of marriage. It is like home away from home to us.

Since you are now aware of our love for good food, you won’t be surprised that this is a big part of any get away for us, whether we’re cooking in or dining out. We love local food.

We enjoyed an amazing fish and chicken restaurant on our way North. It is right off I-95 in the town of Brunswick. The place isn’t fancy; It is set in an old Waffle House. The food is authentic Georgia cooking at its finest in the humblest of settings. But when it comes to good food it’s the heart of the chef that matters. If they love what they do, we’ll usually love what they cook. Jay’s Fish and Chicken is no exception.

Fried shrimp, grits and collards
Fried chicken (dark), baked beans and fries

Last night we enjoyed the other end of the spectrum when it comes to dining out. It is our favorite high-end restaurant—Artisanal Restaurant in Banner Elk, NC.

The atmosphere is classy but comfortable. The service is impeccable. The food is like this blog title states—fine art that tastes as good as it looks.

This meal was special as we were celebrating Tom’s birthday. When we told our server she brought us complimentary champagne to toast the night. A nice touch!

An added bonus was meeting one of the owners, Anita Green. Her husband, Bill, is the Chef. We found out he is a native of Banner Elk and started in a humble location in 2009. Realizing where they are now is a result of his skills learned at the Culinary Institute of America—another favorite restaurant we enjoyed years ago on my birthday. Maybe I’ll share that in an upcoming post.

Photo from Get Lost in the USA website

Now for the food—We had a three course Prix fixe menu. I’ll let the photos speak for themselves.

Bite-sized crab cakes
Hot rolls
Calamari appetizer
Lamb with yellow rice and Brussel sprouts
Veal Osso Buco with risotto
Desserts for my man ❤️
Peach Galette with Blackberry Compote

What a feast for the eyes and the palate. We enjoyed everything about this night, but mostly the fact that we have still each other to celebrate such events.

As the sun sets on this evening, we are thanking God for another year of life.

Bon Appetit!

Posted in Christian Marriage, Foodie Fridays, Thankfulness, Travel, Vacations | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Foodie Fridays – Chilean Sea Bass

Posted on August 18, 2023 by Debi Walter

Our son-in-love had a birthday last week. Our tradition is to make whatever meal they desire, as far as it’s possible for me or Tom to make.

Matt chose fish and left it wide-open as to what kind and what to make with it. Ahh, my favorite challenge.

I got to work researching recipes once Tom came home with the fish—Wild caught Chilean Sea Bass from Ukraine.

He purchased it at Costco, in case you were wondering if Tom went to Ukraine to catch it himself. 😂 We also have dear friends in Ukraine which made this meal feel even more special.

Since it’s been so unbelievably hot this Summer—we’re talking heat indexes in the 110 degree mark and up—I chose a lemon herb butter sauce for the pan fried fish. It was refreshingly good and flaky.

Not to mention it was so easy to make.

Matt loved the dish making his birthday another one to remember. I now have a new favorite fish recipe to add to my Pinterest, Yes Chef, board.

If you’d like to make this yourself, I found it on Organically Addison’s blog. Thanks Addison!

Pan Seared Chilean Sea Bass

Oh, and today is Tom’s BD. We are excited to have another year together around the sun. I can’t wait to see what he wants me to make for his birthday dinner, but I already have an idea…stay tuned.

Posted in Christian Marriage, Dinner Dates, Foodie Fridays | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Help!

Posted on August 15, 2023 by Debi Walter

Sometimes the best advice you can give your spouse is a long embrace without words. Wisdom knows when it is needed most, and sincere love follows through.

Posted in Cherishing, Christian Marriage | Tagged | 4 Comments

Foodie Fridays – Dinner Date Ideas to Whet Your Appetite

Posted on August 11, 2023 by Debi Walter

We’ve all experienced the not-so-pleasant moments when you have a dinner date night scheduled, but nothing planned:

“Where do you want to go for dinner?”

“Oh, I don’t know, you pick!”

“I don’t really care one way or the other.”

Tom has learned that this type of conversation often spirals into an argument if we’re not careful.

We can easily fall into a rut of going to dinner to the same restaurant time after time and never venture out to try something new. There’s nothing wrong with having a favorite place, but to never try something different prevents you from finding new favorites.

Consider a traveler taking the same road year after year without ever trying a different road just to see what they’ve been missing.

One year on a family vacation to Breckinridge, CO, we decided to experience off-roading. Our three children were teens and didn’t want to go with us, so Tom and I got in our rented 4 x 4 and hit the trails – literally. We  had a blast! We followed one road that took us over a 14,000′ mountain and the view was incredible. It was mid-July and we were surprised to see glacial ice patches, called Perma Frost, due to the high altitude and lack of direct sunshine. It was something this Florida girl had never experienced before and I was thrilled!

Our kids missed out because they wanted to do the same old things: play video games and  such. It was their loss, but they didn’t know what they had missed.

Our date nights can become the same way–predictable and uneventful.

This is why we are offering some Dinner Date Ideas to help you break away from the highway and enjoy the new sights and sounds of a dining adventure.

  • Passport Dates – This is a way to travel the world without leaving your city. Pick a different country each date and explore the world one meal at a time by going to a asian, italian, mexican or vietnamese restaurant. Test your taste buds–you may find something you didn’t know you liked. Or if you love cooking together, this would be a fun at-home date. Add a travel video of your destination for added fun.
  • Alphabet Dates – Start at the beginning of the alphabet and eat your way through all 26 letters. You can go out for some and stay home to cook others. You could even buy take-out to bring home after the kids are in bed.
  • Quest For Your Favorite Dish – we did this for Fish and Chips trying them at different restaurants all over Orlando. It took a while, but we finally found our favorite – a small, family owned pub, St. Andrews Tavern. You could look for your favorite cake restaurant, steak, BBQ, Mexican, whatever. Or work your way through your own categories.
  • Classy Dinner Picnic – This is one of my favorites. Pack a card table, table cloth, real dishes and silver ware. Set up your table at a nearby park that is open in the evening. Don’t forget lighting and bug repellant. We have a park in the middle of one of our favorite towns – Winter Park – where great restaurants line the Avenue. Instead of packing the food, Tom walked across the street and ordered take out. When he got back we transferred the food to our dishes. This way our food was hot and fresh, and neither of us had to cook or clean up. Very romantic!
  • Round-Up Dinner Date – Try going to one restaurant for an appetizer, another one for your main entree and another one for dessert.
  • Finally – Use Yelp to find great restaurants wherever you are. Each restaurant has a  rating based on those who have actually eaten there, usually the locals. We have found those restaurants with a 90% or higher rating are usually always good. This greatly reduces the risk in trying a new place, plus you can use this when traveling to other cities too!

What Dinner Dates have you tried that were out-of-the-ordinary. We would love to hear what’s worked for you!

Photo by Christine Siracusa on Unsplash

Posted in Date Night Ideas, Dinner Dates, Foodie Fridays | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Foodie Fridays – Five Cooking Dates for Two

Posted on August 4, 2023 by Debi Walter

Tom and I love to cook. We love to cook for each other, and we love to cook together. When we had our kitchen renovated the designer laid out our kitchen to make the best use of space for us to both be in the kitchen. It was the best advice. Our kitchen is a great place for us to spend an evening together.

First, I’ll share a cooking date that didn’t work for us. You’ll need a bit of background to help—we enjoy watching cooking shows. One in particular is Master Chef where Gordon Ramsey and his team challenge home chefs with their culinary skills. The best one wins the title of Master Chef for the year.

There is one challenge he does called Mystery Box. Inside each chef’s mystery box are assorted ingredients each must use to make an inspiring meal. It’s fun to watch their creativity shine. 

Now for our unsuccessful date…

We made plans to go to the grocery store and buy our own mystery box ingredients to give to each other. The idea, which was a good one, was to each create a dish using the ingredients in our mystery box. The only problem was—we lacked the creativity to do anything with our items.

We bought such weird and unfamiliar items that we ended up donating them to a local food bank and ordered pizza delivery.

Failed date, but hilarious memory.

If you decide to do this, use more familiar ingredients to make it doable. This is still on the table for us to give it another try.

Below are five fun ways to enjoy time together in the kitchen…

Five Cooking Date Ideas for Two

  • Charcuterie Board with Wine Tasting – Buy four bottles of wine. Two red and two white. Cut up favorite assorted cheese, dried meats, olives, nuts, crackers, and fruit. Set up a card table in an area not normal for meals, play some smooth jazz and enjoy. Put each bottle of wine in a paper bag so you don’t know which is which. Rate your favorite wine by the taste. You may find a new wine you didn’t know you liked best!
  • Make your own pizza from Scratch – Try your hand a tossing your own pizza dough, spreading a favorite marinara sauce on top. Then each make a masterpiece for each other. Don’t forget to play classic Italian Cafe music to set the mood.
  • Low Country Boil – This is one of our favorite meals for the summer. You can make it on your gas grill outside to keep the seafood smell out of the house. Instead of sea weed, we line the bottom of a large pot with spinach. Fill with smoked sausage, halved cobs of corn, shrimp, lobster tail or crab legs and new potatoes. Sprinkle all with Old Bay seasoning for the most authentic taste. Don’t forget to line your table with newspaper. When ready to eat, pour it all out on the table and enjoy.
  • Filet Mignon with Roquefort Port Wine sauce – This is my all-time favorite meal that Tom cooks for me. I found it in my Williams-Sonoma French cookbook. It is so good you don’t need dessert – the sauce is so rich and mount-watering you’ll want to lick the plate. I may or may not have done this. 😉
  • Ice Cream Sandwich competition – Each of you plan to make your own cookies and fill them with the ice cream flavor of your choice. Wrap them in plastic wrap and chill. 

All of our recipes and ideas can be found on our Pinterest Board – Date Night Food. We would love to hear about your experience if you try any of these “at home” cooking dates. 

Bon Appetit!

Posted in Christian Marriage, Creative Dates, Date Night Ideas, Five Friday Favorites, Fun Dates | Tagged , , | 6 Comments