Baked Avocado & Egg

A few weeks ago, I came across a recipe for baked avocado & egg on a different blog.  Click here to see the recipe.  I LOVE avocados and I LOVE eggs, and the picture looked amazing, so I decided to give it a try.

The result was visually appealing, but I didn't really like the flavor.  Here are a few additional pictures I took of my baked avocado and egg.  For me personally, I would rather just slice my avocado, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and eat.  Baking avocado, did not improve it in any way.

Hawaiian Themed Dinner

Yesterday around noon, my friend Adriana told me she had received an apron as a souvenir from some family members who had traveled to Hawaii.  She then said that she wanted to do a Hawaiian themed meal, so that she had a good reason to wear her new tropical print apron.



By 4:30 we had thrown together an impromptu "Hawaiian" meal!

Our menu featured a pork roast, seasoned with fresh herbs; a freshly made salsa that included fresh mango, pineapple, tomatoes, peppers of assorted colors, freshly picked herbs and some seasonings, garnished with fresh picked mint; rice noodles cooked with sausage, cabbage and coconut milk and a tropical inspired mixed drink that included tequila and orange liquer, garnished fresh strawberries and pineapple.

DELICIOUS!

Fresh From the Garden - Turnips

Those of you who know me, know that not only do I have a fondness for plants and gardening, I also LOVE to cook!  This past week, while visiting family in South Eastern Georgia, I was fortunate enough to receive some fresh picked veggies from my uncle's garden.

One of the items I received was some turnips.  I know a lot of people do not like turnips and the truth is, if they are not cooked correctly, I don't particularly like them either.

However, if they ARE cooked correctly they can be delicious!  And being the fantastic cook that I am, they were delicious!  I even fed them to 3 children who had never had turnips before and they all loved them and ate seconds!

Smashed turnips & potatoes with onion and bacon....a HUGE hit!

Round Robin Photo Challenge: Sign of the Times

This is a photo that I took of a sign, the week of Father's Day...it made me smile, so I thought I would share it!

To see the other entries in this week's Round Robin Photo Challenge, click here.

Wendy's Wild Berry Tea

When it comes to iced tea and fast food restaurants, I would have to say that McDonald's wins, hands down.  However, with the temperature feeling like close to 100 degrees, when I pulled off the interstate today to get some gas, all I cared about was getting something to drink, there was a Wendy's next door to the gas station.  I pulled through the drive through and saw their advertisement for Wild Berry Tea, "infused with a natural puree of real summer berries," I KNEW I had to try it!

All I can say, is it is quite possibly the most delicious tea that my taste buds have ever experienced!  It was so good, that 2 hours later, as I was still on I-4, in the midst of the heat and craziness of Orlando rush hour traffic, I intentionally looked for an exit with a Wendy's so that I could quench my thirst with another Wild Berry Tea.  Two in one day, a repeat customer....that is the best review a person can give!

McDonald's Mango Pineapple Smoothie

Today while going through the drivethrough at McDonald's to get my daily large unsweetened ice tea, I noticed this picture prominently displayed.


Now, I enjoy a good smoothie, and when I order or make a smoothie, 9 times out of 10, it is going to contain mango and/or pineapple.  So I decided to give this product a try and added one to my order.


I would like to preface my review of this product by saying that while I have tried the strawberry and mixed berry smoothies at McDonalds, my opinion of them was not high...in fact, they were downright disappointing.  So it was with some trepidation that I decided to give the Mango Pineapple Smoothie a try.

Great color, great smell....now for the real test...a sip through the straw... WOW!!! Fantastic!  This has to be the best tasting drink I have ever gotten from McDonalds!  Homemade smoothies not included, this is one of the best mango smoothies I have ever had.  The texture is perfect, it really tastes like fresh mangos and I thouroughly enjoyed every sip!

Perfect for a hot summer day! :)

Coconut Milk Health Benefits | eHow.com

Coconut...it's not just for cookies!

Here's a little insight into the benefits of the coconut....more to come soon! :)

Coconut Milk Health Benefits | eHow.com

Around Town - Blue Bird Bake Shop

Rarely do I walk into a retail shop and find myself truly impressed with the entire experience, with every, individual detail.  However, that is exactly how I felt the first time that I found myself at Blue Bird Bake Shop, located at 3122 Corrine Drive, Orlando FL 32803.  Even more extraordinary is the fact that each of my subsequent visits have been equally or even more impressive than the first!

This little shop is located less than a mile from my apartment and yet somehow I managed to live in such close vicinity for about 8 months before I stumbled upon it.  I was driving by and thought it looked "cute", so I decided to stop in.  When I entered the shop, my first feeling was surprise.  Surpise at the decor, surprise at the decidedly small case of baked goods, I actually looked around to make sure it was open.  Sure enough, there were customers sitting, drinking coffee and chatting....it was open.

It was open...and it was CHARMING!  From the decor to the chalk drawn menu boards, everything about this little place screamed "Vintage Chic!"

Besides homemade cupcakes, brownies & coffee, the Blue Bird Bake Shop also offers a very small selection of vintage gum and mints.  Is there any other place in metro Orlando that sells Violet scented mints?  Probably, but I don't know where it is!

I remember thinking, "I wish I had my camera."  But I didn't have my camera, so I walked up to the counter and took a closer look at the bakery case.  It was late in the day, and they only had two varieties left.  I ordered my PB&J cupcake and was delighted at the careful attention to detail and presentation that was given to my one little cupcake.  And then when I took a bite....WOW!  It was absolutely fantastic!  Perfectly moist, homemade peanut butter cake with light, smooth, creamy peanut butter frosting....with a jelly filled center.

On my short drive home, my internal conversation with myself (yes, I do talk to myself ) centered on the fact that if I had a blog, I would post about this experience.  But alas, I did not have a blog.

Since my first visit to the Blue Bird Bake Shop, I have been back a handful of times and I have enjoyed every visit.  The staff is helpful and courteous, the customers are friendly, and the ambiance makes me yearn for the days of yesteryear, when times were simpler and no one made cake from boxed mixes.

Which brings me to today....I now have a blog, so today, when I stopped in I made sure to bring my camera!  I ordered two cupcakes today (one for today and one for tomorrow.)  My choices today were strawberry and blueberry lemon...and as I bit into the homemade cupcake, with real blueberries in the batter and homemade lemon buttercream icing, topped with a fresh blueberry, I said, "Mmmm....exquisite!"

So if you live in Orlando or if you ever find yourself in town, head on over to Blue Bird Bake Shop.  I HIGHLY recommend it!