Date Night With Jeff

carrot cheddar curry tea sandwiches

May 8, 2012
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carrot cheddar curry tea sandwiches

~ carrot cheddar curry tea sandwiches ~ Today I made some of our favorite tea sandwiches for teatime. Carrot cheddar curry. We made these little sammies at both of the tearooms where I was employed, and everyone loved them! The mincemeat is my addition, and I think it makes these sandwiches even more wonderful. If you don’t have mincemeat, leave it out…or substitute a little chopped green apple and  some raisins or sultanas. These little treats are creamy-crunchy, sweet and tangy, with just a hint of curry. They are wonderful with any black tea, but particularly good with a cup of Darjeeling. 10-12 slices of white or wheat sandwich bread 2 large carrots, peeled and grated 1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese 1 heaping Tablespoon mincemeat pie filling 2...

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tuscan vineyard sausage & grape bruschetta

April 27, 2012
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tuscan vineyard sausage & grape bruschetta

~ tuscan vineyard sausage & grape bruschetta ~ A new twist on bruschetta! We love the classic bruschetta and artichoke bruschetta recipes too…and caprese…and easy breezy caprese…and almost all types of mushroom crostini….but this is something really different for you to try. Perfect for a romantic wine lunch or girlfriends lunch, or as a wine tasting party appetizer. Jeff and I had this for lunch yesterday and it was even better than we imagined it would be. 1/2 lb. sweet Italian sausage 1 small red or white onion, chopped 1 or 2 large cloves garlic, minced 1 Tablespoon fennel seeds 1 lb. seedless red grapes French or Italian bread butter salt and freshly ground pepper to taste chopped parsley If the sausage is in link form, remove the casings....

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six senses saturday

March 24, 2012
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six senses saturday

smelling :: the sweet scent of flowering trees and shrubs on McSorley Street as we walked downtown for dessert and cocktails for our date night last evening. seeing :: the warm glow of the Red Wing street lights, the historic St. James Hotel, and a quick peek at the new Red Wing River Bend Coop, complete with a grocery section, and a coffee, tea, soup and smoothie cafe! I’m in heaven! tasting :: a slice of homemade pear torte for two that we shared while sitting on the outdoor patio of this little restaurant…and tonight homemade “grillin’ beans” (see recipe below) with grilled bratwurst and English Breakfast iced tea hearing :: this gorgeous music by Francis Leftwich…heard it first over at the always lovely Today’s Letters. Emily has the...

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six senses saturday

February 25, 2012
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six senses saturday

feeling :: newly felted wool sweaters for mitten making tasting :: rotisserie chicken tacos smelling :: Jeff’s crafish bisque simmering on the stove hearing :: Ray Lamontagne sing THIS, THIS and THIS seeing :: big mooshy kitty snoozing on big mooshy comforter and the gorgeous, fabulous, can’t get enough of it… COCO before Chanel knowing :: “You can never get a cup of tea large enough, or a book long enough, to suit me.” ~C.S. Lewis What are you up to today? ~Melissa

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quilting and dinner with clare

February 24, 2012
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quilting and dinner with clare

Here are some scenes from the last creativity evening with my friend Clare. I decided on the pattern I want to use for my wooly quilt and started cutting the pieces out on Tuesday. Very excited about this project! This weekend I’ll be felting a bunch of wool sweaters and making some felted mittens and purses. Snow is falling softly in the Mississippi river valley, and it’s got me thinking about all the things that make me grateful for this season. Crusty Dutch oven bread with melty butter, yarn in all colors, thicknesses and textures, fireside suppers with Jeff and Grace, walks in the snow and returning home and warming up with soup, talented friends that share their knowledge with me, kitties, conversations in cafes and tearooms with people...

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six senses… (ahem) sunday

February 19, 2012
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six senses… (ahem) sunday

tasting :: some of the best pizza we’ve ever eaten at the Nelson Creamery. I had the Mediterranean, Jeff and Gracie had the pepperoni. Thin, crunchy, perfect crust, Nelson Creamery cheese…just enough tangy tomato sauce. OH MY!…and for dessert…rum cherry ice cream! also…wonderful vino at the Creamery and Kate & Gracie’s in Alma. smelling :: the wood burning fireplace, and woodsmoke in the winter air seeing :: the gorgeous scenery as we traveled the Great River Road on our way to Nelson, Alma, and eventually back to Red Wing….what a brilliant, sunny day. hearing :: Priscilla Ahn, Ron Pope, and….this amazing song, Picture Perfect by Strawberry Whiplash. Too gorgeous. feeling :: happy knowing :: “Ask yourself what is really important, and then have the wisdom and courage to build...

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nelson creamery

February 12, 2012
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nelson creamery

Today we took a leisurely Sunday drive over the bridge into Wisconsin. The Great River Road meanders along the Mississippi river and Lake Pepin through these sweet, quaint villages that remind me of vacations we’ve taken to Door County Wisconsin and Cape Cod Massachusetts. These are places we visit over and over again and they never get old, their personalities changing with every season. We had a beautiful lunch fireside at the Nelson Creamery. This place is amazing. They make dozens of varieties of cheese on site, and carry exotic, imported foods from around the globe. Wonderful things like: Ice Cream Cheese Wine & Champagne Beer Soft drinks and waters Coffee & Tea Breads Scones, Oatmeal, Cereals Tepenades BBQ Sauces, Mustards, Condiments Oils, Olive Oil, Vinegars, Olives, Pickled Vegetables...

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valentine traditions & time capsule

February 11, 2012
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valentine traditions & time capsule

My hubby is a romantic, no doubt about it. I love this idea he came up with as part of my Valentine’s gift back in 2001. We had been married for 6 years at that point, and were spending our second Valentine’s day in our Victorian cottage here in Red Wing Minnesota. I love the meaning and sentiment surrounding this gift, and I love that Jeff puts so much thought into the things he does for me. I am a lucky girl! HERE are some of our other favorite, romantic traditions. The top of the Valentine’s time capsule box reads: “Let’s arrange a couple hours each Valentine’s season to take some photos of us to include in our Valentine photo box…Then, each year, we can sit, drinking port and...

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six senses saturday

February 11, 2012
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six senses saturday

seeing :: these photos from my date with Jeff  “in the night kitchen.” We had so much fun sipping wine, listening to music and making pasta! hearing :: still listening to Florence + The Machine (the new MP3 download of Ceremonials…and THIS SONG, from Between Two Lungs, which I am hopelessly in love with.) some of the best music I’ve ever heard. tasting :: cold Hawaiian pizza smelling :: THIS TEA sooo yummy…bergamot, berries and chocolate! feeling :: so inspired as I continue to work toward my goal of getting my first novel published and the photos taken for my TEA book! knowing :: “A good deed is never lost: he who sows courtesy reaps friendship; and he who plants kindness gathers love.” ~Basil ~Melissa

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six senses saturday

February 4, 2012
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six senses saturday

seeing : : these beautiful daisies that Jeff brought me last night for our date night. They smell like spring! hearing : : the new album called, Ceremonials, by Florence and the Machine. Gorgeous, gorgeous music. smelling : : daisies and genmaicha tea tasting : : homemade granola! feeling : : yarn and knitting needles in my hands knowing : :  “Constant effort and frequent mistakes are the stepping stones to genius.” ~Elbert Hubbard ~Melissa

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