Marinara Sauce with Pappardelle

 

In memory of James Gandolfini - homemade marinara sauce with homemade meatballs and pappardelle. M used this recipe for a starting point.  We purchased the pappardelle at Trader Joe's.

Summer Drinks

M and I have been making drinks in our mason jars.  His drink is a Mississippi Queen and mine is a Ginger Babushka Mule. The Mississippi Queen is an ode to M's dad.  

Ginger Babuska Mule (left), Mississippi Queen (right)

For a Mississippi Queen you'll need: a 16 ounce mason jar and straw because drinks look cooler and even taste better in them (trust me), 6 ounces of lemonade, 4 ounces of an ale/lager, 2 ounces of bourbon, and ice. 

Directions for a Mississippi Queen:

1. Place the lemonade, beer, bourbon, and ice in a shaker or thermos (like us).  Shake well.

2. Add ice to the mason jar and add your shaken drink.

3. Top with a Maraschino cherry (optional).  Of course, you can adjust the liquids to your taste. 

The Ginger Babushka is our version of a Moscow Mule, since we are Polish.  Okay, okay, I cannot take credit for the name, I had a similar drink with the same name at a local restaurant recently. This green-herb  drink has alcohol, but I'm sure you could make it non-alcoholic. 

For a Ginger Babushka Mule you'll need: a 16 ounce mason jar and straw, 2-3 ounces of vodka, a few sprigs of mint (we used fresh mint from our garden), 12 ounces non-alcoholic ginger beer (you need non-alcoholic ginger beer NOT ginger ale), 1 teaspoon of bitters (the liquid in the olive jar), and ice.

Directions for a Ginger Babushka Mule:

1.Combine a handful of ice, 2-3 shots of vodka, 3 ounces of ginger beer, the mint, and bitters in a shaker. Shake well - in a shaker or thermos. 

2. Fill the mason jar with more ice.  Pour your shaken drink into the mason jar. 

3. Top with the remaining ginger beer.  Stir and add a straw.  

 Na zdrowie! 

(Pronounced: Naz-droh-vee-ay, which means cheers or drink to your health in Polish.)

Stick Hearts

My Mom and I saw this stick heart and decided to make our own for our outdoor spaces.  She covered her heart with red spray paint and attached the sticks with floral wire.

I painted each stick a different color with acrylic paint 

and used 18 gauge jewelry wire to attach it.  

Heart Postcards

Below are my latest postcards for my postcard project and Baci and Dziadziu, respectively.  I used a Martha Stewart Crafts Heart Punch, paint chips and an old note card for the hearts (and the little birdie in the right-hand corner), scrapbook paper for the state of California and background, and Modge Podge.

 

Paint chip heart postcard - paint chips and old note card

 

California Love - too bad Baci and Dziadziu won't understand the Tupac reference.  

The state flag has a bear on it,  so I added one here too.  Can you find it?

bacon chocolate chip cookies

What's not to love about a bacon chocolate chip cookie?  It's sweet and savory in each bite.  First I placed six slices of bacon on a cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil and sprinkled fresh ground black pepper and brown sugar on each piece. I baked the bacon at 350°F for about 15 minutes - checking every few minutes to ensure that I did not burn it. Next I followed the directions on the Nestle Toll House box, which stated it made four dozen cookies. However, I only had enough dough for two dozen; I made one dozen with bacon (using three strips of bacon). I usually pat the bacon dry with paper towels; but, for this dessert I added some bacon grease to the batter.  They were soft and chewy and much better than the "plain" chocolate chip cookies.