Tomato, Mozzarella, and Basil Skewer

This week was a fun and exciting week.  Mr. P and I were both working but were able to get out of work on time, and enjoy some time with friends and each other.

We had a date night and went to the Yardley Inn:

http://www.yardleyinn.com/

It was a great restaurant..I had Crab soup, and a delicious beet salad with fresh apples, and for my entree filet Mignon with creamed spinach, Potatoes Au Gratin.  Everything was homemade and delicious.

Than we headed onto Shady Brook Farm, for their Christmas Light Show:

It was so NICE!!!  You drive in your car through the farm.
Watch this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uh4tAWXxf_M

And no I did not take this video, it was on Shady Brook Farm's web-site as a promotion.
If you are in the Philadelphia area I would stop on by!
I also got to meet my good Friends new baby this week at our annual Christmas Event, I was in charge of bringing an appetizer.

Now this idea came from a fellow Facebook friend:

Basil, tomato, and Fresh Mozzarella.

1 Pint of Grape Tomatoes-rinsed
1 Container of Fresh Mozzarella-drained of the water
1 Bunch of Fresh Basil-rinsed
1 Container of toothpicks
olive oil to taste
salt to taste
pepper to taste

I believe the best way to stack is:  I placed a grape Tomato first, weaved on a basil leaf, and than followed with a mozzarella ball.  As the fresh Mozzarella may still be wet, and you do not want it dripping on the ingredients.

I than lined a container with paper towels, and arranged my toothpicks, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle salt and pepper, and that's it.

These are so good and tasty, I love them!!!

Enjoy!!

Anyone making something special for New years Eve parties?

Day after Christmas Shopping!!

I love the day after Christmas shopping!  I have been going out ever since I was a little girl with my mom.  Back than we went to some small stores and Hallmark.

For the last 5 Years, Mr. P and I have started a new tradition of Target, Neiman Marcus, and than the Lilly Store!

We also had to add Best buy to the list.  Mr. P had to get his new Xbox!!!

At target this year, I got decorations for next year!  They had these great fuscia plastic christmas tree balls, I can't wait to use them next year on my front porch! 

We also got some gift boxes for next year, funfetti mix, and some foam art crafts.  I love making gift tags out of these for my friends!

Neiman Marcus was very small this year, and did not have the normal selection.  This is my brother's first Christmas married, and I wanted to get them some nice ornaments for there tree!
I love Neiman Marcus Ornaments!

What are your traditions for the day after Christmas???

Merry Christmas

I hope you and your families Christmas is spectacular.

That you eat tons of delicious food and goodies,
Remembered to do a good deed this Holiday Season,
Spent quality time with friends and Family,

And Enjoyed the Christmas Season!

Merry Christmas enjoy your time with family and friends!!!

Gingerbread Houses

A family tradition while growing up was my Mom would always have our friends over to make Gingerbread houses.  I have done it once at a Christmas Party with my High School friends, they still talk aobut it today.  I am excited for when our friends children are old enough to make them!

There was a very distinct smell that would hit you as soon as you walked into the Christmas Markets.  I am not sure if it was the Gluwein or the Gingerbread or the Marzipan, or all of the Deserts, it was probably a mixture of all!

Someone is very paitent to make these!!

The Gingerbread House at the Brenner's Park Hotel..they had little package of cookies nearby to take!

Gingerbread for sale!!

Now I read a lot of blogs...and am in love with this idea!! 

I want to have a Christmas tea, and make a lot of these!!

http://www.notmartha.org/archives/2009/12/18/a-gingerbread-house-that-perches-on-the-rim-of-your-mug/

Merry Christmas!!

Sweets and Treats --- Christkindlemarket -- Munich, Germany

Beautiful items at the Christmas Market...I loved this trip..and am so greatful that I was able to experience Christmas season in Germany...

Cookie Cutters

Springerle Cookie Molds

Now I wish I brought some...has anyone ever used them???

We bought the Cherry so good!!!

Fresh Fruit Stands were all over the market--I wish I had a kitchen to can!

Dragonfruit is below..the pink fruit, with the white pulp and little black seeds

Gingerbread

The pictures do not do the stands justice!  Truly a Christmas Wonderland!

Does size matter????

Well according to Americans it does...

I have been doing some research, and have read the bigger the tree, the more affluent you are. 

Now how many of us feel that the the Christmas tree is the center of our Christmas?

To be honest, I have not put up a Christmas tree this year, Mr. P and I are debating real or fake?  I am pro real, and he is pro fake.  Now our reasoning for each differ, and I am not sure what team will win!

I can only speak to mine, but I want that real tree, I want the smell--and not the bath and body works Christmas Tree scent that I usually spray, I want a low key Christmas, I do not want to un-package all of my Neiman Marcus Christmas ornaments, I want a tree that speaks to how I am feeling this year:  real and chubby!

My fake Christmas tree ornaments have a pink and green motif, which I love.  I love the tree, from the ornaments, to the satin ribbon, to the glass ornaments, to my Neiman Marcus day after Christmas ornament finds!  However, I am just not feeling it this year:

I am feeling that the homemade/real tree is more my speed this year, compared to some transitions I tried to make this year for our home:

fresh made bread vs. the typical store brought,
homemade organic heirloom tomatoes vs. canned crushed tomatoes
Growing flowers for your home and others vs. the Grocery store flower Arrangement.

Well I will post who wins, and it is really not a matter of winning per say.  It is more like who has the time and energy to pick out the real tree vs. let's get the tree out of the garage  and decorate.
Also, the entire house needs to be cleaned to get the tree in the location.

Below are some beautiful Christmas trees that I snapped during our trip to Germany:

BMW Welt Store Tree

Brenner's hotel Lobby in Baden-Baden, Germany

Outside trees in Baden-Baden, Germany

 

Icicle tree in Stroudsburg, France

Chriskindlemarket Tree, Munich, Germany--The biggest tree we saw at the biggest Christmas Market!

Now what type of tree is in your home this year??



The flight and our checking in!

I have to say the entire experience of flying over to Germany was great.  I was nervous, as I was not on such a long flight since High School.

Mr. P hooked us up and now we are both members of the US Airways Clubs.  I could not fully enjoy the experience of the club as I was nervous about the length of the flight, but it did make the three hours before the flight enjoyable.  I would like to just be able to go there one day and hang out, to bad you need a ticket.

The bathrooms were very clean, you could have free drinks and snacks! 
Very positive plus side, the atmosphere was nicer than a crowded terminal! 

I am excited for our next flight, or should I say, I am excited for the two hours before the flight, and when we reach our final destination.

On a Friday night we flew from Philadelphia to Munich...and the flight lasted about 7 and a half hours.

Our flight left at 6:30 PM, I read my book a little, watched Grownups..such a funny movie, I was so excited it was on the plane, I have been waiting for the availibily on Netflix, and now I do not need to wait anymore!

And than slept until we saw the lights of Belgium below.

And I listened to this singer:

Now this artist kind of reminded me of Celine Dion, Laura Pausini!
I felt very cultured listening to her music, as it was in Italian, and I am high considering purchasing her CD!

Now aren't these clouds so beautiful...they reminded me of snow!

The Munich airport, I have to say was so so CLEAN!!!  I loved it, very modern, a great way to welcome you to Germany, compared to the Frankfurt Airport, while we were leaving.
 
We landed to snow, which was so wonderful! 

And than went straight to the hotel to see about early check-in.  My dad was able to get right in, Mr. P and I had to wait for our room as they had upgraded us to a suite!

We stayed at the:  Hilton Munich City hotel


Rosenheimer Strasse 15 81667 Munich, Germany

I loved this hotel, I know I am weird, but I love hotels that have some part of a room that is not carpet.  There was a wood entrance way/closet/dressing area, where we could store all of our suitcases, for some reason, I always feel that this is much cleaner.
 
The one thing I did not realize, that in Europe, they use a long of twin beds, and that was what ours was.  Two twin beds pushed together, I loved this!  You each get your own down blanket, so no fighting or stealing!
 
We also got access to the Hilton Honors Lounge, thanks Mr. P.  Where we could get free drinks and food-which was really good) and surf the Internet; this saved us a lot of money, because we could relax here for free, it was like being home!  I was not planning on having access to the Internet while I was away.  But it was a great chance to catch up on everything, as I have been lost without my net book while it is being sent out to get fixed.
 

 
Day 1 Part 1 complete!!

Christkindlmarkts of Germany

Mr. P and I tagged along on my Dad's business trip to Germany, and WOW...what a trip! 

The main reason that I wanted to go to Germany in December was to see the Christmas Markets; especially the main Christmas Market in Munich, Germany called:  Christkindlmarkt.  Another great reason was I got to spend time with my Dad!

Mr. P's main reason I believe was to drive me around Germany in a BMW 5 series.

This year we have been very blessed to experience many different cultures and Germany was a unique culture of it's own, and a great trip to close out 2010. 


Through the remaining days of December, I am going to post about our experience in Germany on what we did, where we stayed, where we shopped, and of course the delicious food that we ate.

I did not forget about my blog readers, I have put together a little German gift for one lucky reader.  Getting an entry is easy, for every comment that you leave on any of the blog entries regarding Germany, you will have one entry.  For any new follower, you will get two entries, and for anyone that refers someone you will get 3 entries.

Now let the stories begin, below are some photos which I will explain in the upcoming days:

AND THE WINNER IS.....

First I want to say thank you to all who read my blog, became followers, and spread the word to others!!  I was so excited to see the giant increase in followers,  Thank you, and I really mean it THANK YOU!!!

I am excited to continue to share my life journey's with you all!

Drumroll please......


the winner is:  ANNIE

FROM:  http://anniesadventures16.blogspot.com/

The package is wrapped and ready to go!

Check back later this week, there will be another giveaway shortly!

1st Hot Pink Dahlia Blog Giveaway

With the holiday seasons approaching, I wanted to send some Christmas spirt to my fellow friends, bloggers, and soon to be followers.

I have realized that blogging is a great avenue to journal what I have been up to, meet new friends, and of course learn new and exciting things from fellow bloggers.

This giveaway will end on Friday December 10th at midnight Eastern Daylight Time.

How you get entries is simple:

1.  Comment on this post, get 1 entry.
2.  Be a current follower, or become a new follower you will get 2 entries.
3.  For every new follower that you refer you will get 1 entry.  The friend that you referred will need to comments on this post advising that you referred them.

The winner will be chose at random from the above entries!

Now the prize I love!!!

Lilly Pulitzer Christmas Misletoe Christmas Cards, Photo Cards, and Photo Frames (ornaments) or could be used anytime of the year hung up on the wall!

Thank you for participating.

The winner will be announced on Saturday, December 11th and the package will be sent out that day, or on Monday December 13th!

Miami-Thanksgiving-Day 3 Part 2

We had Thankgiving day at my in-law's in-laws.  There house was beautiful, she is an artist and had a lot of wonderful paintings around the house.  I should of took photos!

Now, this was a Traditional Thanksgiving, with a little bit of the south and a hispanic twist!

There were such delicious dishes:
Deviled Eggs (which I love) and am always trying to get someone to make them for me.  Hint to Mel B!

Now my normal (traditional) thanksgiving, consists of Turkey, maybe Italian dishes, maybe a Roast Beef, maybe a ham, stuffing, and a lot of vegetables, and my favorite canned cranberry. 

This thanksgiving was a nice twist, the scenery was warm, sunny, and had palm tress:

The food was so good!

There was of course turkey (two turkeys),
Two types of stuffing-Herb and corn bread,
Creamed spinanch
Cheese Grits Casserole-This was AMAZING..I LOVE GRITS!
Sweet potatos-with an amazing crust on top,
Chessy cauliflower-this was so good, it had goat cheese in it which i love!
Mashed Potatoes
Delicious Gravy
Black Beans
Red Beans
Rice
Squash with Goat Cheese

and the item that got me rembering my traditional thanksgiving was jellied cranberries.  Thanks Mr. P!

Mr. P's first plate:

My plate:

Mr. P's second plate:

My mother-in-law made a flan for desert, this was so good!   There were many deserts, however I could not try everything, I was so stuffed.  I also had a little room for this delicious coconut cream pie!

This was a great Thankgiving!  We had great company, delicious food, and my husband was so happy to see his family!

Recipes I want to learn to make:

1. Cream cheese flan for me
2. Vanilla Flan for Mr. P
3. Black beans
4. Mrs. S deviled eggs
5. Mrs. S Cheese Grits Casserole
6. Cheesy cauliflower

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving!  What is the item that you feel you must have to complete thanksgiving?