Weekend Wrap Up

Typical Saturday morning in the 'hood. Hit the Farmer's Market in the morning to get my fresh fruit and veggies for the week. This week's haul: Strawberries (they are absolutely perfect right now), Cherries, Pink Lady Apples, Corn (Elote Corn is on the menu today), Patty Pan Squash, Onions, Garlic, Artichokes, Cabbage, Avocado, and a bunch of Cilantro. All for under $20.

Dropped the stuff home, packed up lunch and took off on a walk. I'm trying to increase my urban walking these next few weeks versus my usual treks in the mountains to build up these flabby calves of mine for the NYC trip. Soooo excited. Now if only these various and sundry whack jobs and their suspicious packages would just cut the #@%&

My walking yesterday wasn't all hard sidewalks. I did find a little nature. Two baby ducklings hanging with their mom and...

a couple of turtles soaking in the free Vitamin D.

It was 80 degrees, sunny, cool breeze. They had the right idea. About halfway through the walk I plopped down on a rock of my own and ate some of my super cool bento box lunch. Here's what I had...

Pink Box (top left): Caprese Salad (Grape Tomatoes, Fresh Mozzarella, Fresh Basil, Balsamic Vinaigrette)
Green Box (top right): Shelly's Caramel Macchiato Pudding
Blue Box (bottom left): Shelly's NY Pizza Bites
(bottom right): Cutie Mandarin

Shelly's Caramel Macchiato Pudding - Add 1/2 of a Taster's Choice Instant Coffee Tube to 1/2 cup of SF Vanilla Pudding as you are making it allow to set... or for a quickie version mix the coffee crystals into a SF Vanilla Pudding Cup. I add a drizzle of Sugar Free Caramel Sauce (Smucker's)


Shelly's NY Pizza Bites (cross between my Pizza Bites & Bruschetta Bites)

1 Yellow Onion, diced
12 (pizza size) Pepperoni slices, diced
1/2 cup Storebought Bruschetta Sauce, drained, solids only (refrigerated pasta section)
5 eggs, beaten
1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 Tablespoon Fresh Basil, chopped
1/2 teaspoon Oregano
a few twists of Black Pepper
Small fresh Mozzarella balls (12 nickle size, halved or equivalent (about 1/3 cup) in pearl size.

Preheat oven to 350. Saute onion till golden, set aside to cool. Mix all ingredients together. Spoon into a lightly greased (Pam non-stick spray works great for this) mini muffin tin.

Bake for 30 minutes at 350. Let them cool a few moments they pull away and pop right out. Makes 24.

These are great heated up in the regular or toaster oven. Make great appetizers, grab & go breakfast or lunch or dinner with a little salad.

More Eggface Bites

I had to work last night because I absolutely refuse to work tonight. It's The Amazing Race finale. Phone is getting unplugged (no one bleed or anything) and there will be no computer (east coast watchers might spoil it for me). I'm making snacks. This is a BIG DEAL at my house... bigger than the Oscars. Go Jet & Cord!

It's also Mother's Day. Happy Mother's Day to all the Mom's out there. Mom's of human whipper snappers and Mom's of fuzzy creatures. I am blessed to have the BEST MUM IN THE WHOLE WORLD. She's my best friend.

She said taking her to NYC was gift enough but I got her a pair of Skechers (I have a pair she liked them) and a knitting book she had her eye on.

Hope everyone is having a great weekend. Hug or call your Mom and if she has left this world to become your guardian angel do something she loved to do ♥