Foodie Fridays: Mad Scramble Bagelwich

I had ambitious plans to test a new recipe this week for today's post but, as often happens, circumstances intervened and I had no time to cook.  We have been doing some major maintenance work on our deck, and our painter made a mad scramble to finish today so that it would be done before Labor Day weekend.  I have been scrambling madly trying to return the numerous items we keep on the deck to their original locations, taking frequent breaks to escape the disgustingly warm and humid weather we are having today (one of those days that feels like a thunderstorm is imminent but then it never arrives).

Needless to say, I had neither the time nor the inclination to cook anything complicated, and so the idea for my Mad Scramble Bagelwich was born.  I grabbed a couple of our hen Dixie's eggs, scrambled them with some diced fresh tomato, a little arugula, and some Everything Seasoning I purchased recently at Walmart, and then loaded it all onto a toasted bagel half smeared with chive and onion-flavored cream cheese.  It proved to be a quick, easy, tasty, and satisfying dinner that I will certainly make again, although maybe for breakfast next time instead of dinner.  If you are scrambling to make a quick meal, this sandwich is worth a try!

Mad Scramble Bagelwich

2 eggs
2 small tomatoes, seeded and diced
handful of fresh arugula
Everything Seasoning to taste (I used about 1/4 tsp.)
1/2 bagel (I used whole wheat)
2 T. cream cheese (use your favorite savory flavor)

Crack the eggs into a small bowl and use a fork to whisk with a splash of water.  Heat a small skillet over medium heat, add some cooking spray (or use oil or butter), and add the eggs.  Stir with a spoon to scramble the eggs.  Add the tomatoes, arugula, and Everything Seasoning and continue to scramble until the eggs are just set.  Remove from the heat and set aside.

Toast the bagel half and spread with the cream cheese.  Mound the scrambled eggs on top (there will be more than enough and some will probably tumble onto the plate).  Serve immediately.  Serves 1.
               

This 'n That Thursdays: Roam Free, Little Animal Crackers Animals!

Top image from Scary Mommy; bottom image from PETA Kids.

Last week Mondelez International, owners of the Nabisco brand and makers of those cute little boxes full of animal crackers, made a major change to the image on the front of the boxes.  No longer are the animals in the design forced to spend eternity in separate barred cages - instead they now stand shoulder to shoulder, walking free against a backdrop of open space in what appears to be the African savannah.  Although the name of the crackers is still Barnum's Animals, the animals on the box are no longer confined to a circus!

Apparently the animals rights group PETA has been lobbying Mondelez International to change the look of the box, and the company decided that it was indeed time to update, perhaps because there has been much public concern lately about the welfare of circus animals.  While the depiction may not be especially realistic (I can't imagine those five particular animals ever voluntarily being in such close proximity to one another, even in a circus!), I for one am quite delighted with the new look.  I even rushed out to a local supermarket to purchase a box with the new design as well as one with the old image.  They are sitting on my desk as I write this so that I can enjoy the change (reminding me that they are supposed to be a good source of calcium, BTW!), but then I am easily amused.

Enjoy your new-found freedom, little animal crackers animals!

Original design suggestion from PETA - I like it!
(image from Simplemost)

             

Wish List Wednesdays: Pikolinos Tri-Color Leather Bag from Coldwater Creek

I have never purchased a premium quality handbag before as they are quite pricey, but if I were willing to invest the money I would seriously consider the Tri-Color Leather Bag by Pikolinos in Brown Multi ($319) offered by Coldwater Creek (it also comes in Navy Multi).  I love the generous size, the soft sheen of the tricolor brown leather, and the option of either a hand strap or the detachable shoulder strap.  I am rather picky about compartmentalizing in handbags, so I would need to see the interior's multiple pockets and compartments to decide if I approve, but otherwise this leather bag has really caught my eye!
             

On the Homefront: "All Dogs Are Dalmatian on Dalmatian Appreciation Day" Table

Once again Dalmatians Dexter and Delilah are delighted to welcome all
dogs to celebrate Dalmatian Appreciation Day!

Today is Dalmatian Appreciation Day, my own personal holiday invented by me to honor the Dalmatians we have owned.  While Dalmatians are my favorite breed, I love dogs of all sorts, so today's table celebrates all dogs, including our current two mixed breed pups.  My new Puppy Love Salad Plates are featured along with several of the Dalmatian-themed tableware items that I own.  I based the color scheme on some of the colors in my new Georgia O'Keeffe Barn Table Runner - somewhat incongruous, I know, but I really love this runner and wanted to use it on this table (Georgia O'Keeffe was a dog owner herself, and especially loved Chow Chows).  Here is this year's Dalmatian Appreciation Day table:

Dark brown wooden bead placemat (from Target years ago); BHG Amity Ivory Dinner Plate (from Walmart several years ago); Puppy Love Salad/Dessert Plate (Dalmatian design); spotted flatware (from Cow Depot); red cloth napkin; Home Essentials Tuscana Red Stemless Wine Glass (from Marshall's a couple of years ago).

The other three dog plate designs:

A Dalmatian cookie jar for the dessert cookies, flanked by Dalmatians
Fido and Fifi, and fronted by Kissing Dalmatians Salt and Pepper Shakers.

You have seen this candle centerpiece numerous times, but it sits atop
my new table runner and you get a better idea of the lovely colors in
the design.

Serving bowls for the meal sit at the other end of the table.

A closer look at the Over and Back Dalmatian-themed serving bowl.

Dinner this year consists of favorite comfort foods, starting with one of my husband's favorites which is meat loaf.  (Leftovers are just as good served cold in a sandwich for lunch the next day.)  I almost always serve meat loaf with my version of mashed potatoes plus steamed broccoli, because that is my idea of a comforting dinner.  For dessert, I decided to sneak in my relatively healthy recipe for chocolate cookies to accompany my favorite ice cream flavor (vanilla, which I do not think is boring at all), because these cookies really are tasty enough to pass for comfort food!

Dalmatian Appreciation Day Menu:

Turkey Meat Loaf

Smashed Potatoes

Steamed Broccoli

Vanilla Ice Cream/Low Carb Chocolate Hummus Cookies

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Rover the Dalmatian welcomes all dogs and dog lovers to the annual
Dalmatian Appreciation Day festivities!

These two honorary Dalmatians insisted I tell everyone that they really
are not the green-eyed monsters my poor photography skills make them
out to be (don't worry, they were consoled with fancy big dog cookies)!

As always, on Dalmatian Appreciation Day, all dogs are Dalmatian!                

                

Current Events: Genius at Work

Trump attempts to master a grade school education
(image created with SuperLame!).

Our president often likes to march to the beat of his own drummer, even when it comes to coloring the nation's flag with grade school children.  Perhaps he is not a fan of the current design, just as he is unimpressed with the colors chosen for Air Force One?

Trump explains the reason for the blue stripe?
(created with SuperLame! using image from La Cosa Aquella).

Or maybe he just needs to carry a wallet-sized photo of one of these at all times as a reminder:

Flag image from Wikimedia Commons.

             

Current Events: RIP John McCain

From WXYZ Detroit

A good man passed away over the weekend -- tomorrow would have been his 82nd birthday.  John Sidney McCain III served in both the military and in politics, always with the best interests of his country at heart.  He was a decent, principled, and humble man who never claimed to be perfect but was not afraid to speak his mind.  His great sacrifices and dedication to both military and political service earned him the respect of his colleagues regardless of party affiliation.  John McCain was known for his ability to reach across party lines to work for the good of his country, and while he was a staunch conservative he always strove to do what was best for the nation rather than what was popular with either political party.

I extend my deepest condolences to the McCain family.  If fairness prevailed in this world, a healthy John McCain would be sitting in the Oval Office right now, and the current occupant... would not.  However, the world is not always fair, so all that the rest of us as his fellow Americans can do is express our sincere gratitude that this nation had the privilege of being represented by John McCain, a heroic man of integrity and courage.  Hopefully he will serve as a role model for politicians, both present and future, from both sides of the aisle.  Thank you for your years of dedicated service, Mr. McCain, and may you rest in peace.

             

Weekend Wardrobe: Colors from Nature II Travel Wardrobe

I have already created one wardrobe post based on a photo taken on our property, and now it is time for another.  Sometimes you can find the most colorful examples of nature just by looking down.  We have had a lot of rain this year, which brought out an amazing array of fungi, including the bright red toadstool shown above that I photographed in our yard.  Using Adobe Color Wheel, I came up with a mushroom-themed color scheme to use for a late summer week-long travel wardrobe:

The ideal location for this trip would be a pleasantly cool and shady forest within driving distance.  Once there, one could walk through the woods at a leisurely pace every day, photographing nature's colorful abundance of mushrooms while accompanied by a beloved Scottie dog (the other whimsical theme I chose for this wardrobe)!

Here is the wardrobe to wear in transit:

Clockwise from top left: L.L. Bean Women's Short-Sleeve Crewneck Tee in White; NSCW Mushroom Forest Scarf; Animal Den Scottish Terrier Earrings; LE3NO Women's Military Anorak Jacket in Olive Green; L.L. Bean Wayside Heathered Crossbody Bag in Black; L.L. Bean Large Carryall Spinner Pullman in Coal; L.L. Bean Women's Storm Chasers Slip-On Shoes in Black; H&M Women's Joggers in Dark Green.

And here are the remaining items to pack for at least a week's worth of nature hiking and other casual activities (don't forget to bring your doggie's accessories as well!):

Clockwise from top left: Tomfoolery Jewellery Toadstool Charm Necklace in Red; H&M Women's Fine-Knit Cardigan in Black; Crazeplus Scottie Dog Print Scarf in Red; H&M Women's Fine-Knit Jumper in Dark Grey Melange (no longer available); L.L. Bean Wayside II Heathered Wallet in Black; L.L. Bean Women's Long-Sleeve Stripe Interlock Turtleneck in Gray Heather; L.L. Bean Women's Original Perfect Fit Pants in Dark Gray Heather; L.L. Bean Women's Premium Double L Polo in Cardinal Red; L.L. Bean Women's Campside Blucher Mocs in Black; L.L. Bean Women's Original Fit Comfort Waist Wrinkle-Free Bayside Pants in Black; Gibson & Birkbeck Toadstool Print Signature Long-Sleeve Shirt; H&M Women's Knit Sweater in Dark Red; Center top left: Land's End Women's Shaped Layering Turtleneck in Gardenia Dogs; Center top right: L.L. Bean Women's Short-Sleeve Crewneck Tee in Deep Olive; Center bottom right: L.L. Bean Women's Elbow-Sleeve Scoopneck Pima Cotton Tee in Black; L.L. Bean Women's Classic Fit Straight-Leg Comfort Knit Jeans in Black.

🍄D🍄D🍄D🍄D🍄D🍄D🍄D🍄D🍄D🍄D🍄D🍄

When I was younger I used to travel with my dogs all the time, but I have to admit I have not done so in years.  Maybe it is time to plan a trip with our pups this fall.  They may not be Scottish terriers, but we think they are just as adorable, and they deserve a fun outdoor adventure!

From Wikimedia Commons

                

On the Homefront: Pumpkin Patch, Horse of a Different Color, and a Puerto Rican Poinsettia

I am still working on the Weekend Wardrobe post (too much going on at the moment, including deck maintenance and trying to decide if I need to make a quick trip to New Mexico).  I hope to have it ready for tomorrow, but until then I thought I would post a quick picture of my prolific pumpkin patch.  Our weather has turned drier since this photo was taken, so the plants are drying out but the pumpkins themselves have started to grow rapidly and ripen.  Like last year, it looks like there will be about a dozen, and once again they will probably stink like the manure pile they are growing in, but since they stay outside they will still make excellent fall décor for the yard!

Summer has also had a profound effect on the color of my normally black horse.  Horses come in two variations of black, the so-called true or jet black, which has a bluish cast and stays the same year-round (the black mare I owned years ago was that color), and the more common fading black, which has a reddish base and will become lighter when exposed to sunlight.  Obviously my current horse is of the latter variety, and this year he has become especially light-colored, sometimes looking almost golden in the right light.  He even seems to have a bit of dappling in his coat, which I had never noticed before!

And jumping to a completely unrelated topic (because this is my blog and I can do that if I want!), the above image was taken by my husband at the field station in Puerto Rico where he has been doing ecological research for decades.  The poinsettia on the far right in the picture (the tall plant with the red "leaves") was planted by us the very first time we visited the site (it was during the Christmas season and the poinsettia, which was very small at the time, served as our impromptu tree).  As you can see, it has grown to impressive proportions!  It reminds my husband of that long-ago Christmas past whenever he sees it - I am impressed that it has lived so long and gotten so large.

🎃🐴🎄🎃🐴🎄🎃🐴🎄🎃🐴🎄🎃🐴🎄🎃🐴🎄🎃🐴🎄🎃🐴🎄

I hope your garden is growing luxuriantly this year, and your animals are only changing color if they are supposed to (and is it really time to start thinking about Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas?)!
             

Foodie Fridays: Low Carb Chocolate Hummus Cookies

Our local Publix began carrying dessert hummus, of all things, earlier this year.  I bought a container of the dark chocolate hummus, but never got around to opening it.  I decided to try making cookies with this hummus based on an easy gluten free recipe that actually calls for Nutella spread, figuring that the hummus might be similar enough to substitute.  The cookies turned out great and they are relatively low carb, since there is no grain flour and the only source of sugar is the low-sugar hummus and the chocolate chips.  They also have the added protein from the chickpeas in the hummus (and you do not taste the chickpeas at all).  If you are craving chocolate cookies but would like to increase their health benefits I can highly recommend this recipe!

Low Carb Chocolate Hummus Cookies

8 oz. dark chocolate hummus*
1 C. finely ground almond flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 large egg
3/4 C. dark chocolate chips**

Combine the first four ingredients in a large bowl and stir until well combined.  Stir in the chocolate chips.  Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or Silpat.  Scoop the cookie dough out in rounded spoonfuls and divide evenly between the cookie sheets.

Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes, turning the cookie sheets and using a spatula to flatten the cookies slightly after 6 minutes.  Cool on a wire rack for about 15 minutes, and then remove to a plate and cool completely.  Makes 16 cookies.

*I used Boar's Head Dark Chocolate Dessert Hummus
**I used Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Baking Chips
               

This 'n That Thursdays: Sazón, a Fantastic Restaurant in Santa Fe

As promised in Saturday's post, I am about to sing the praises of our new favorite restaurant in Santa Fe called Sazón.  I first read about this restaurant when we were in New Mexico last year, but as we were leaving the next day it was too late to check it out.  Sazón specializes in variations on mole, that luscious Mexican chocolate-based chile sauce which is is one of my husband's favorite foods.  I've kept Sazón on my list of places to visit in Santa Fe since then, and when we scheduled our trip this year one of the first things I did was to make reservations there for dinner.

We arrived in Santa Fe late on a Saturday (too late for dinner) and Sazón is closed on Sundays, so our reservation was for the following Monday.  We had found the location earlier in the day, and were impressed with the simple but lovely exterior décor (well, we were undecided about the metal yucca sculptures lining the railings, but apparently they are popular!).  This impressive horse sculpture out front naturally caught my eye:

My husband was impressed with the very large blue pottery planter containing a huge live agave plant:

Once inside, it became apparent that horses were a theme in this restaurant's décor, which was a point in its favor as far as I was concerned:

I would love to own this painting!

Horse-themed artwork could be found throughout the interior.  The art of Mexican painter Frida Kahlo was also featured, and as she is one of our favorite artists this restaurant just kept looking better and better in our eyes:

But of course you are wondering about the food!  To start off, we ordered our drinks, a glass of Spanish red wine for my husband (I do not remember which one he chose but according to him it was perfect) and a Sangria Blanco for me (an ideal libation for a summer evening).  Our excellent waitress informed us that we would be served a tasting tray of the different moles offered at Sazón.  Out they came in small square bowls set on a slate slab and served with tiny fresh corn tortillas for dipping:

From TripAdvisor

The favorite for both of us was the mole negro (in the middle of the row of three above).  The flavor was deep and rich without being too bitter like many of the darker moles are for me.  This mole was so delicious that my husband chose the duck enchiladas which featured this sauce (one of the daily specials) as his entrée.  Next up was our choice of appetizers as well as a bowl of soup for my husband.  We chose the timbales (a trio of corn, beet, and spinach cakes) and the cheese-stuffed squash blossoms (a seasonal specialty) as our appetizers:

Timbales (from TripAdvisor)

Cheese-stuffed squash blossoms (from TripAdvisor)

Our wonderful waitress explained the preparation of each dish to us.  The appetizers were just phenomenal, and served perfectly.  I was particularly impressed with the squash blossoms, and my husband loved the timbales, especially the one made of beets (one of his favorite foods).  The Sopa de Amor (the chef's specialty) was also fanastic.  A creamy soup of chiles and squash was served over a base of crabmeat, topped with a frothy liquor-flavored foam (possibly tequila but I do not remember for sure) and a dusting of cocoa powder.  It was served in a small blue bowl that my husband, as a pottery lover, immediately wanted to own!

Sopa de Amor (from TripAdvisor)

Our entrées were brought out next:

Two very satisfied diners!

Duck enchiladas with mole negro on the left; Berenjena (stuffed eggplant) on the right.

My husband declared that his duck enchiladas were probably the best duck dish he had ever eaten.  I purposely chose a light vegetarian entrée, which was very good but not too filling, because I wanted to save room for dessert, which the two of us shared:

Princesa dessert (from TripAdvisor)

I chose the Princesa, a berry-filled concoction of crispy pastry and natilla sauce (a creamy custard sauce), served with a scattering of delectable toasted pine nuts.  I also ordered an Amontillado sherry to sip with dessert, as I love its nutty flavor aftertaste.  It was the perfect ending to a perfect meal!

As I said, Sazón is now our favorite Santa Fe restaurant.  The service is wonderful, the food is divine, chef Fernando Olea is inspired, and the restaurant itself is beautiful and quietly elegant.  This is a special occasion restaurant and it is not inexpensive, but for an unforgettable celebration this is the venue to choose!

🌵🌞🌵🌞🌵🌞🌵🌞🌵🌞🌵🌞🌵🌞🌵🌞🌵🌞🌵🌞🌵🌞🌵

If you are unable to make a trip to Santa Fe in the near future, you can still enjoy the moles from Sazón, as well as their salsas, because they offer bottled versions for sale online!  My husband got on his computer the minute we returned to our hotel room and ordered a three-pack of the mole negro (they are now, for some odd reason, sitting in a neat arrangement above him on the headboard of our bed, but I am sure we will eventually get to open one!):

While you ponder the possibilities of cooking with mole, I will leave you with one last photo, taken just around the corner from Sazón earlier in the day:

My husband standing in front of a monstrously huge old cottonwood tree in Santa Fe.

             

Wish List Wednesdays: Coldwater Creek Oh Deer Tunic

I think I have finally reached the point where I do not need many more additions to my wardrobe, but it is always nice to refresh what I already have with a few new pieces when the seasons change.  For fall, I don't think I will be able to resist adding the Oh Deer Tunic ($79.95-89.95) from Coldwater Creek to my collection.  I love animal-themed prints, and Coldwater Creek always seems to have the most comfortable tops in unique prints every season.  Don't be surprised if you see a new Weekend Wardrobe post featuring this tunic in the near future!
             

Current Events: Calling Someone an Animal

Top image of intelligent horse from Twitter;
bottom image of Trump giving himself the finger from Politico.

Sadly, and contrary to what some may hope, the labels on these photos are not reversed.  On a less depressing note, however, here is an amusing image of animal antics:

From iStock

This picture has it all - two stable geniuses and two versions of a horse's ass, plus a little jackass as an added bonus.  A fitting end to this post, IMHO!