Back to Reality

Last week I spent a wonderful week at Orange Lake Resort in Orlando, Florida, thanks to my friend Dee. It was a week filled with fun, sun, alcohol and things I can't post here ;-)

So, now it's Detox time. I've decided to do a 21 day detox, no caffeine, no alcohol and no processed foods. No wine is going to be the biggest challenge! Now for the motivation! This picture is on my fridge, in my gym bag and is my new screen-saver.

Does it get any better than this?

Festa Italiana

My torte is on the Festa Italiana Menu today. I'll post the recipe tomorrow.

Festa Italiana

MaryAnn from Finding La Dolce Vita and Marie from
Proud Italian Cook are hosting the 2nd Annual Festa Italiana Event.

This weekend I was looking through my cookbooks for a cake recipe for a friend's birthday. When I found the recipe for Torta Calabria I knew this would be great for my friend, as she loves chocolate, and I could submit it for the event. The recipe is from 1,000 Italian Recipes by Michele Scicolone. I decided to make a rasberry sauce to go along with it. Hopefully my friend will like it! Happy Birthday Carol.



UPDATE: The torte was rich and delicious. I think it would be perfect paired with a nice Red Zinfandel or Sangiovese.

The Lemon-Lime Mystery

A couple of years ago I bought this great cookbook.



I've made a number of recipes, all successful, with the exception of the Lemon-Lime Pound Cake. When I made the cake it flopped, it was delicious but a flop! I tried at least three more times to make this cake over the years, each time trying something different. Perhaps the cake flour was old, perhaps the butter was too cold, all attempts failed.

Today I wanted to make a cake and thought about the lemon cake but since I want to bring it to work tomorrow, I decided against the cake. I looked through my 1,000 Italian recipe book for an alternative. I opened to the cake/dessert chapter and there it was...the answer to my Lemon-Lime Pound Cake disasters. The author had a clear warning about cake flour! Did you know there is cake flour and there is self-rising cake flour. The author indicated that she likes to use the non-rising because she prefers to add her own baking powder and salt. I checked my cake flour and it is the self-rising type, plus the recipe calls for baking powder and salt. Could this be it?
I had to go to two stores before I found regular cake flour. I made the cake and thankfully it didn't flop! So I think maybe the secret to everything is somewhere in an Italian Cook Book!

I'll let you know tomorrow if it taste as yummy!

Update: It is delicious -

Sunday Brunch

Let me start by saying it's hard to maintain a diet and workout routine on the road. Thankfully my cut over was successful and I don't have to go in to the office. It's Sunday so a brunch is in order. I searched the Internet and found Pacchia in the Oregon District of Dayton.
It's a great cafe/coffee shop that offers Sunday Brunch. Since this is my "cheat day" I decided to go with the Rancho Huevos with, of course, the Breakfast Margarita.



Rancho Huevos and a Breakfast Margarita for $12, I'm pretty sure this would go for at least $20 in a Manhattan Cafe.

One of the Few

I believe I'm one of the few who thought this was an awful dress. Today I realized it wasn't the dress, it's how it looked on MO that was its downfall.


Again, I'm one of the few who think that MO is no Jackie O.

Note: I have not called the # in the ad so I don't know where it terminates or if there is a charge.