Comfort Winter Food

So it's winter. The time of year where most states get a beautiful white blanket of snow. And along with that beautiful vision comes the very flipping cold temperatures! My brother knows how much I love the snow! He lives in North Carolina and sends me those beautiful pictures of snow!

Here in Central Florida, East Coast, we have what I call 'Florida snow flowers'. They kinda look like snow and it's the closest I'll get to the snow look! Defiantly not the white blanket as my brothers back yard. But I still think it's pretty, in its own right. I enjoy my Florida snow flowers so much I won't mow for weeks! They bring in the bees and butterflies! I love sitting outside in chilly weather (not freezing, mind you) and watch these little creatures while enjoying a hot beverage.

Of course along with the cold weather brings warm comfort winter food.

Cooking just changed around here!

I invested in a product that will change the way I cook.....for the better! Who doesn't want that? I placed my Amazon order and waiting patiently for the 2 day shipping. (I know, tough, right?) It's always nice to finally open the front door to this....

And what's inside is even better. Or so far I think. I mean, how should I really know if I've never had or used one before. But I'm that excited! Like it's Christmas! Oh wait, this is my Christmas gift. These days I have to buy my own gifts. So I bought this! Whoot whoot!!

Lets talk food - yum!

So this post is gonna be on some of the food I made. We enjoy eating! Who doesn't?! I don't take pictures of everything I cook but might start. That way I can continue with recipes like I did in the past. These of course are based around the way we eat now - plant based and sometimes vegan. So I'll start with what I made for our Thanksgiving meal.......

August to Now Catch-up Post

Oh boy! Seems like we've been busy. But sometimes doesn't feel like it. Can't explain how I haven't been up to date on the blog! But none the less here we are. I think sometimes it's cause I really don't have anything to post and figure I'll wait. Then before I know it time has went and I have more than enough to post. Oh well, it is what it is. So Imma use this post to catch up and see how it all goes from here. Enjoy!!

Homemade Hummus.....Yum!!

Because I stay away from added oils I can't have store bought hummus. This is a really good condiment for us. It can be used as a spread on bread, on oil free pretzels and you can even put it on salads and potatoes! It's just wonderful to have on hand. So my homemade hummus is oil free but full of flavor! And one of the good parts? It's so easy to make! Lets start....

Girls Weekend!

I visited a dear friend of mine, Judith, over the weekend. We had such a wonderful time! I don't get to see her much but now that I live closer hopefully that will change. Our day started Friday. We sat around and talked non stop, of course. Then we went to her photo group meeting that evening. So no pictures on this day, just her and I catching up.

Ocean Therapy

Just wanted to post some of the therapy I love to get! Not all the pictures are from the same day tho. I have to take a picture every time we go to the ocean. There is just something about it. Could be I'm Pisces and or that I was raised on the ocean and am bonded to it. Either way this is my happy place: relax, rejuvenate, cleanse, balance, energize, heal, center. I LOVE IT!!

Fluffy Pancakes Anyone?

Today I made a double batch of pancakes. I always make a double batch tho. I made them cause school is back in an my boy walks to and from school. It's one mile one way. And sometimes he likes to have a snack because he's not totally hungry after getting up and ready in the mornings. So I figured if I made pancakes he could carry those for an easy snack if he gets hungry on his way to school. Anywho, I've decided to share my pancake recipe with y'all. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Hot Tea and Dinner

My daughter was visiting one day and we went to the thrift store. They had this cute, little loose leaf tea pot that I liked. She told me to get it even tho I didn't think I would use it. But for the price I took her advice and got it. I found some loose leaf tea at the grocery store and decided to try it in my little tea pot. I must say I really like it! The flavor of the fresh tea leaves are so nice also.

BBQ Jackfruit

Learning this new way of eating real whole foods, I have heard of and found Jackfruit. This is a fruit that can be eaten ripe or unripe. When ripe it is....well, a fruit. We have tried it and really don't care for the flavor and texture. When young green unripe it is used by non-meat eaters as a meat substitute. I am not one who cares to substitute meat. I was never a big meat eater anyway. Plus I think if I'm changing my lifestyle to not eat animals then why do I want something that is like it.

Anywho, I sometimes find healthy things that is used to substitutes meat. As long as it's a healthier alternative I'll try the recipe. So hearing of Jackfruit I decided to give it a try by using it in place of BBQ Pulled Pork. But it can also be used to replace tuna salad, flaked crabmeat for, say....crab cakes. But this is just a recipe for the BBQ Jackfruit. Of course, if I try the others I will make sure to post.

Homemade Pizza

Who doesn't like pizza?! I make an animal and oil free version that we think is just as good! Plus we can eat as much as we want without worrying about fat and cholesterol. Can't beat that.

Name Change

We will be doing a name change of the blog. Our son has pointed it out to our attention that because it uses our last name it is hard to find in the search engines. When someone tries to search it it comes up looking for Patrick and not our last name - Parrick. So we have been brain storming different names and will be changing it soon. Any ideas will be nice ;-)

For the Love of Food

This post is about change. A big change. A food change. I have been wanting to do this post for a while now but really didn't know how to start. So I will just tell you what has happened, give information the best I can and provide information so anyone curious can research for themselves.

So here it goes...........


WARNING: This is a very long post.

Thrift Stores, Tattoo and Extra Things

This is a little of several things thru the weeks. One is Hubby's tattoo! A few weeks back I got one and then it was his turn. I think it turned out really awesome! Plus things we found at thrift store and other items we purchased. Like I said, a little of several things. Enjoy!

A flower on my desert rose plant. I finally put it in the ground so it can grow as big as it wants!

Strange that every time it bloomed the flowers were pinkish. This one is such a pretty red!

Tattoo Time

I have been wanting another tattoo for the last 25 years! Yeah that's how long it's been since my last one...bummer. But finally got one! It is a custom tattoo and has a reason behind it. I'll explain, for those that want to know. For the ones that don't, just skip this section.

I have a granddaughter. And since the day she was born I have called her Bug, Hailey Bug or Bug-a-boo. She is also a virgo. The virgo is a lady with wings holding wheat. Her birthstone is peridot. So with all that I decided to do a fairy with wheat incorporated in to represent the virgo; make her green for the peridot birthstone and have ladybug color wings for my Bug. The artist took my ideas and came up with my tattoo that I think is wonderful. So without further ado.

Family Zoo Time!

Once again we go to the zoo. This time it is with our children and grand babies!!! We had such a good time. Hubby and I decided to get a yearly pass this go around. Now we can get in for free anytime we want to go all year long!

Here and There

This post is just some miscellaneous things that I have pictures of and stories for them. I really don't know if they matter but I have them so I'll post them.

Garden Update

What's going on in the garden? Lots! As in lots have died...😒

But lets focus on the ones still hanging in there and doing good....so far.

Plus some other plants in the yard just because they are nice!

Here we'll start with the corn. So pretty! And these are older pictures that are over due to be posted. I'll have to get newer ones to show you the cobs that are now on the stalks!!

Rain Rain...don't go away!

Things in the yard aren't surviving to well. Everything was starting to struggle because of much needed rain. I would water them the best I could but things were getting dry! Then finally...........RAIN!!! Yay, we got rain!!

Bike Ride

There is a boat ramp area down with road from us. We are at the end of the city and the road turns into a dirt road then dead ends at this boat ramp area. It's really nice. We have been there before and posted about it. We finally went on a bike ride and I took these pictures while biking. We biked about 4 miles. Two miles out and two back in. It was so peaceful and beautiful!! Really enjoyed it.

Bug week!

Our grand daughter (Bug) stayed the week of easter with us. She is such a cutie and a pain in the rear...lol. But what kid isn't? I love my babies no matter what and I love my grand babies no matter what. Pain and all! She's almost 3 years old and such a good girl. We had fun this week and Uncle Logan had off school this week for Spring Break, so bonus.

She loves eating fruits and veggies!! On her first day she ate us out of blackberries and grapes.

Eckbunk

Well we finally got an eckbunk. As far as I know that is German for corner nook. We have always wanted on but didn't really have the kind of kitchen or dinning room for one. Here in our new home tho, it made sense to have one. This home is smaller than any of our pervious homes and the layout makes it the best table for us. So....yay....we finally can get one. Hubby and son put it together and we so love it! Of course with my big boys it kinda looks really small when they sit at it. But when it's by it's self or just me it seems a really good size. Okay, on to the eckbunk!

Garden and Yard Project

The home we bought had no landscape going on in the back yard. None! It is an open canvas for planning and planting. Good and bad for us. Bad cause we have to do all the work of planning and the cost of planting. Good for us cause we can make it our way. Which I am liking more even with the cost of the plants. So we have decided to plant most of the items in our yard edible. Some of the plants we brought with us and aren't edible but they were ours already so that's fine. We're just going for the majority of the plants to be edible, not all. It has been fun planning things out and planting. With the pictures I'll walk y'all threw what we have as of now, March 20, 2017.

Okay, to start we put in a square foot garden. And went from there. Lets go.....

WARNING: THIS IS A LONG POSTING.

Just a Swinging!

We have always wanted a swing. So now that we have a yard again, we have decided it was time to get one. Since the day we got it up we have been using it! If you have always wanted one and didn't want to pay the price don't worry, just get it. We bought ours off Walmart dot com and it was around $170. Way cheaper than most and so worth the price!! It even holds up to 750 pounds.

Happy Anniversary!

Hubby and I celebrated our 17th wedding anniversary March 15th! We have been together a total of 19 years tho. Still happy as ever and couldn't be happier! He always takes the week of our anniversary off work! What a sweetheart!

Park time

We wanted to explore a local park. The website says it's over 300 acres (if my memory serves me right). Anywho, it was a very nice park! It has a senior center, stables, playground, campground, fishing ponds, horseshoes, Frisbee golf, grilling areas with tables and pavilions, horse trails, bike trails, walking trails, the list goes on and on....We were enjoying it I forgot to take pictures. I did get a few buy not nearly enough to show this park off! I really thought the horse area was awesome! Most parts don't have a place to bring horses. Well, here is the pictures I got.

Beach time!

It's still too cold for us to go swimming in the ocean. But we do enjoy just being on the beach. Hubby wants to bring our timeshare chairs out here and just sit. I'm game! I don't know if it's cause I was raised on this ocean, but it relaxes me. It always has. My dad says it's cause I'm a water sign. Maybe it's both. It's the best relaxation for me tho!

Wonderful Visit

Now that we don't live near any relatives we have to visit. My in-laws came to visit for a weekend. Had a really good time. Enjoyed dinning out and going to the beach. The beach was really cold tho! But we had fun none the less.

My Brother and North Carolina

My brother is now living up north. I love the northern states. They get all the seasons!! So I asked him to make sure he sends pictures!! My favorite is autumn and winter. So far he had been able to send pictures. This is the autumn pictures of the beautiful trees and landscape changing color.

New Life!

WE MOVED!! We are very excited to announce that we moved in Nov. 2016 and have been enjoying our new life on the east coast of Florida! So as we have already been here for 3 months I don't have much photos to share. But we do love it here. I did get photos of a park at the end of the city we live in. We are close to the end of the city ourselves so the park is fairly close to us. We are planning on saving to buy kayaks. This park is a place to go kayaking, canoeing, air boating or biking. It is such a pretty park. We are going to make plans to go biking there and once we get our kayaks we'll try that out too! So that's what these pictures are. I'll take pictures when we go biking and kayaking. Enjoy.