This blog is all about me......I come here for respite in between caring for JoJo (our Daughter who has Special Needs)......I am addicted to starting new projects......I am becoming a fabric-a-holic... I love to try out recipes... take a beach walk and breathe in that salty blue air......love to have coffee...sip a glass of champagne......read a book......I am Queen of the Armchair and am inspired by all the wonderful blogs out there!!!

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Cook Up with Vicki No 4...An Anniversary Dinner!!!

Here I am...back again for another Cook Up with Vicki...I had every intention of doing this for our Wedding Anniversary last week...went into town...got all the ingredients...took some Respite Care for JoJo to do all this and be properly organized...but what happened instead!!!


Got all distracted in there...bought myself the latest edition of Homespun to read over a Caesar Salad and coffee...went and had a pedicure...I think I was just enjoying these couple of hours off...then had more coffee...Needless to say I didn't make dinner that night, we had Chinese take away instead!!!






Come Saturday night...JoJo set the table under Hubby's prompting...

Recipe chosen from the latest issue of Donna Hay magazine...


But first...a little Happy Hour...Pate from Maggie Beer...my favourite at the moment!!!
For Anniversary Dinner for 3...all our celebrations are for 3...JoJo just loves to celebrate with us...being a couple just seems so long ago for us now...
For tonight I chose Sumac Pork with Apple and Celery Salad
Sesame and Snow Pea Salad

To this I added Potato Roesti and a Lemon Cheesecake...adapted for Gluten Free


Golden Walnuts toasting for Snow Pea Salad...


Roasted Walnuts along with Roasted Flaked Almonds and Sesame Seeds...


The Sesame and Snow Pea Salad...


Apple and Celery Salad...


Sumac Pork with Apple and Celery Salad
Potato Roesti and Sesame and Snow Pea Salad...


Under Hubby's watchful eye JoJo proudly lit the candles she had bought the week before...


And finished off with Lemon Cheesecake (gluten free)...
I have put the recipe up for this Cheesecake here on my other blog My Dolce Vita...

Anyone is welcome to join us in our Cook Ups...nothing formal...just cook a meal from the latest Donna Hay magazine and blog it...Easy!!!
And to you Vicki enjoy your very special Thanksgiving this year with all your family...
HAPPY THANKSGIVING to you and to all who celebrate!!!
And while the Cheesecake was setting look at these tea towels I bought at a Craft Fair that Saturday morning...the one above says Joy...but I didn't see that...all I could see was Jo...with an Angel next to her...which I just had to bring home with me for her...


I couldn't choose between these 2...so both came home with me also!!!



The next day I went for a beach walk to walk off the cheesecake...and went back later that day for my first swim of the season...absolutely beautiful...22c!!!

Looking forward to more 'salty blue days'...and many more swims over Summer...bring it on!!! Next post I'll show you more scenes from the beach...and what I was contemplating on!!!


HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO US!!!



Rich is not how much you have

or who you are

or even where you are going

Rich is who you have beside you.


Quote from Dave Wood


Can you believe we bought this beautiful framed quote in calligraphy from Dave Wood's Calligraphy Art Gallery before moving here...he lived not too far from us but has since moved to Queensland...must be meant to be!!!


16 comments:

Castles Crowns and Cottages said...

Oh Dzzintra,
This blog is just as tantalizing as your other one!!! And what a lovely thing to have a pedicure...you deserve it! Anita

Sue said...

Happy Anniversary. Dinner looks delish. Thanks for inviting us to share it.

Kath said...

What a wonderfull meal! I still can't get my head round Christmas in the hot weather and swimming in the sea in November! Glad you had a lovely time on your anniversary and many more happy years together XX

Jane said...

Happy Anniversary my friend. The table looks wonderful and the food - well mouth watering - Thank you for sharing this lovely day with us. Lucky you at the beach, I can almost smell the sea, and almost feel the sun, nothing warm here, only gales and rain, with a bit of weak sunshine in between. Love and hugs xxx

Nat Palaskas said...

I am glad you had sometimes to treat yourself. You are now got beautiful toe nails for your Anniversary. Nice table setting - Credit to JoJo - Happy Anniversary - Hugs Nat

RitaGri said...

Sveicieni jūsu jubilejā!Svētku mielasts ir bijis gards un skaists. Laimīgie, jums ir pastaigas siltā pludmalē...Pie mums ir pelēkākais gada laiks -novembris.Bet var rast daudzus mirkļus, kas šo pelēkumu padara košāku!Piemēram, palasīt tavu blogu!
Ar sviecieniem
Rita

Fer said...

The toes say it all!

Happy Anniversary, looks like you enjoyed every second of it!

Micki said...

Happy Anniversary Dzintra! The dinner looked great; your toes looked happy, and all was just perfect! If I had been there, I would have taken JoJo out for a night out, so you could have been that couple again.Anyways, many more happy anniversaries!
Micki

Bev C said...

Hello Dzintra, A lovely meal prepared with love,it all looks so yummy. Until you pointed out the y on joy I thought it said Jo as well so it was meant to be.It has to be a bit warmer than 22 for me to swim,you are very brave. Have a lovely Friday.Loved the quote at the end of the posting.

Simone de Klerk said...

What a wonderful post, Dzintra! It really made me happy while reading and looking at the pictures. The meal you made for your anniversary looks so pretty with the candles from JoJo!
How wonderful to have had your first swim. Many more to come, while we are ready for our winter coats (O:

Pooch Purple Reign said...

happy anniversary !... and nice pedi!!... beautiful meal, looks colourful and delicious
~ laura

Relyn Lawson said...

cheesecake and a beach walk??

I am jealous!

Susan McShannon-Monteith said...

Leave it to you to have your toes awash in golden sand in crystal blue water while we await the first snowfall here...
The menu looked yummy and I didn't even have to worry about the calories.
Hope all is well in the land downunder and you are not suffering yet from the heat.
xo Susan

a good yarn said...

Happy Anniversary. That's a fabulous meal. Fancy finding that nice tea towel with Jo's name on it and an angel. *wink*wink*. It was meant to be. Ann :)

catita said...

wow!!!!! what a fantastic dinner!!!
so jealous..
have you seen juia/julie movie
you will love it!
i highly recommend it

Vicki's Bit-o-earth said...

Happy Anniversary Dzintra and lucky husband! (: I'm SO late getting back to blogging after Thanksgiving. Your Donna Hay dinner is just perfect for that sizzling summer you're having Dzintra! Deeelish! and now I have to get to mine... fast! (: I'll jump right over to your other blog and get that recipe! (I made gluten-free for our Thanksgiving too... I don't even feel like I'm missing anything anymore!)

And your pedicure looks perfect on the beach Dzintra! You're making me wish for summer already, and we're just getting started with winter! xxx Vicki

Welcome To My World

Hello, my name is Dzintra Ingrid ... have been known as Ingrid and since our Sea Change I have started to use Dzintra ... pronounced without the D ... (but still known as Ingrid, I know, it's confusing ...)

Welcome to my world ... a journal of our Sea Change ... Mum to three wonderful children ... bringing up a daughter with a disability and seeing life through her eyes ... being a new Nanna ... photos ... inspiring quotes ... taking on a cookery course ... the odd recipe ... and trying to get some stitching done amongst all this ...