I haven’t had much time to blog lately. Between two very big book projects, a family member in hospice, 2 dogs plus 2 dogs visiting, crazy schedules and too much travel (for my daughter to interview at medical schools), I am barely keeping my head above water. Dinners here are whatever I can throw together between 5 and 5:30. Last night I set up a make your own noodle bowl bar for the family. I boiled a package of red rice noodles, heated up a couple cups of chicken broth, chopped up scallions, Napa cabbage, ginger and carrots and set out some sprouts. I chopped one chicken breast and cooked it with one chopped garlic clove. I set out tamari sauce (gluten free), soy sauce, and  a gluten free Thai peanut sauce. This worked out perfectly and for once met all the insane dietary differences in our house:

– The two gluten free diners who like soup ate everything

– The person who now only eats chicken or fish (no meat) was happy

– The people who dislike soup ate it as noodles not soup

– The person who does not like chicken simply skipped the chicken

This has infinite possibilities. Next time I think I’ll do it with rice and cook some salmon instead of chicken. You could also cook some broccoli, saute some thinly sliced beef and offer beef broth and mushrooms as well.

I haven’t had much time to blog lately. Between two very big book projects, a family member in hospice, 2 dogs plus 2 dogs visiting, crazy schedules and too much travel (for my daughter to interview at medical schools), I am barely keeping my head above water. Dinners here are whatever I can throw together … Read more →

Today I’m announcing the release of my newest book, The Divorce Organizer and Planner, second edition. In my former life I was a divorce attorney and this book is the culmination of everything I used to tell my clients. The book helps you organize the many documents you need to give to your attorney, offers checklists for getting through the divorce, and provides advice about how to win a custody case, make a good impression on the judge, and stay sane.  The tips in the book allow you to save on legal fees because you are able to present your attorney with carefully organized documents and evidence, reducing the work your attorney will have to do in your case. It also helps you think clearly at a time when clarity is something you desperately need. The book comes with a CD containing forms and checklists. It’s an invaluable resource if you are in a divorce or considering filing.

Today I’m announcing the release of my newest book, The Divorce Organizer and Planner, second edition. In my former life I was a divorce attorney and this book is the culmination of everything I used to tell my clients. The book helps you organize the many documents you need to give to your attorney, offers … Read more →

I made this soup once, a long time ago and it’s been hanging out in my recipe notebook ever since. Recently I made it again and we really enjoyed it. The recipe says to strain the soup. It’s actually not completely necessary if you prefer it chunkier.  Make sure you remove the bay leaf if you don’t strain it. I like milder flavors, so if you like yours hot, add more chili powder to this.

Tortilla Soup

 

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Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4 corn tortillas, coarsely chopped
• 6 cloves garlic
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 cups tomato puree
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 8 cups chicken stock
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 chicken breast, chopped
• cheddar cheese
• 3 corn tortillas, cut into strips

Instructions

1. Heat the oil and cook the chopped tortillas with the garlic and cilantro in a large pot.
2. Add the onion and cook until the onion softens.
3. Add the tomato puree and bring to a boil
4. Stir in cumin, chili powder, bay leaf, tomato paste, and chicken stock. Bring to a boil, add salt and pepper, then simmer over medium heat for 30 minutes.
5. Strain the soup, then put it back in the pot. Add the chicken breast and cook until cooked through (about 10 minutes).
6. While that is cooking, fry the tortilla strips in oil until brown and crisp then drain.
7. Serve the soup with shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream and fresh chopped cilantro. Sprinkle fried tortilla strips on top.

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I made this soup once, a long time ago and it’s been hanging out in my recipe notebook ever since. Recently I made it again and we really enjoyed it. The recipe says to strain the soup. It’s actually not completely necessary if you prefer it chunkier.  Make sure you remove the bay leaf if … Read more →

Our CSA sent home a lot of delicata squash this fall and I’d never cooked it before. When confronted with a pile of five of them, I decided I’d better get serious about using them. This is an adaptation from a recipe in The Glorious Vegetables of Italy by Domenica Marchetti. It’s super simple and the best part about delicata is you can eat the peels, so it’s very easy to prepare.

This turns out brown and bubbly and oh so tender. It will look like you worked a lot harder than you did.

Roasted Delicata with Cream and Cheese

 

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Ingredients

• 2 delicata squash, cut in half the long way, seed scooped out then sliced into ½ inch pieces
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• ⅛ heavy cream
• ⅛ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray then add squash and oil, tossing.
2. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Pour cream and cheese and then toss.
4. Bake about 20 minutes, until squash is soft.

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Our CSA sent home a lot of delicata squash this fall and I’d never cooked it before. When confronted with a pile of five of them, I decided I’d better get serious about using them. This is an adaptation from a recipe in The Glorious Vegetables of Italy by Domenica Marchetti. It’s super simple and … Read more →

The dusty Tuileries next to the Orangerie

Claude Monet talks to me. Yeah, I know that sounds weird. He doesn’t exactly appear to me in dreams, but he has a draw I can’t resist.

Meeting Claude

Claude and I first met up when I was a teenager, visiting a traveling exhibit of his paintings in San Francisco. Despite all the teen stuff that was clouding my head (mostly boys, if we’re honest) seeing some of his Water Lilies paintings was a singular moment of clarity in an otherwise turbulent time. Let me be clear that I’m not an art person. I appreciate some art, but I know almost nothing about art and go to museums generally when they are on a “must-see” list for a place I am

The gardens at Monet’s house

visiting. Claude doesn’t seem to understand this.

Reunion

Claude and I next met up about 10 years ago, in Washington, DC. I admit, he’d faded from my memory a bit so I was taken aback when I encountered more of the Water Lilies at a museum there and it instantly brought me to tears. Standing before those paintings,  I felt an instant presence and was overwhelmed by their beauty, their emotion, and their power. I couldn’t breathe, I couldn’t move, and all I could do was stand before them and let them overtake me. I felt some deep connection to Claude that I couldn’t (and still can’t) explain.

Monet’s home

That experience was the first time I ever truly felt a deep connection to any art and I never forgot it. So when my family went to Paris, I knew I had to have another chat with Claude.

Walls That Talk

We went to the Orangerie (La Musee de l’Orangerie), located at the edge of the Tuileries on the right bank of the Seine. I admit that the Tuileries made me a little cranky (sorry, but gravel does not constitute a park in my mind) so when we entered the Orangerie I might not have been in

Coveting the tile

the best frame of mind. Claude quickly changed my mood.

The Orangerie is a wonderful contrast to the Louvre. The Louvre is a giant hulking monster of a museum, threatening to swallow you up into its crowds, its endless hallways, and the vast belly of the pyramid – not to mention in its reputation.

In contrast, the Orangerie is tiny with few people and a delightful feeling of lightness and buoyancy. The first floor leads you to the exhibit of

The Oriental Garden

Les Nymphéas, the Water Lilies paintings. No photos are allowed, so you’ll have to look them up online to get a glimpse. The paintings fill two gigantic oval-shaped rooms. I was unprepared for the sheer size of the paintings themselves. I’d seen pieces of the collection before, but many of these canvases cover the entire length of the walls. They are huge, like someone unrolled a bolt of fabric all along the length of a wall. I stood in the center of the room and slowly turned, allowing my eyes to read the paintings. Then I walked the perimeters of the rooms, to see them up close.  I think I did this twice, telling myself I had to remember every inch because I might never see them in person again.

At one point I had to sit down, because I simply could not catch my breath. I felt like I was breathing in a pastel cloud that swirled around me like a beautiful hurricane. I don’t know exactly why these paintings speak to me so deeply, but I could lose myself in them for days. This was A Moment for me – to be in the presence of the full paintings and see, smell, taste, and hear them. It’s something I’ll never forget. (There is a basement in the Orangerie with some other paintings worth seeing if you have time. We buzzed through those pretty quickly, but it’s worth a few moments).

Going Home

Part of our trip to France involved a few days in Normandy. Conveniently, Giverny, where Monet lived and painted, is on the way to Normandy from Paris. A stop was definitely in order. We bought our tickets online (I highly recommend this since there was a very long line and the tickets got us in through the garden entrance where there was absolutely no line. The tickets were good on any day at any time, so if you’re going to be in the area, it makes sense to buy and print them).

Claude got to me again here. First, we walked through the gardens surrounding the home in the backyard. They are rich and dense and a bit wild – the entire backyard is just this riotous, crazy mix of flowers. There are so many flowers and paths, you could spend an afternoon becoming acquainted with them all. There is also a chicken coop. The yard is alive and free and spirited.

Next we entered Monet’s home. This tiny little home has only about 5 or 6 rooms and it feels very cozy, just like a place you might like to rent in the country for some time away from the hustle of modern life. I loved the bedroom (Claude’s bed, Claude’s view!), the dining room, and the kitchen. The rooms are warm and bright with lots of yellow and blue. I could have sat down at the kitchen table and never left. If I sat down, I’m pretty sure Claude would have been sitting across from me and would have simply sat in that comfortable silence you have when you understand each other.

I fell in love with the tile in the kitchen. It was a house I could live in without question. Each room had its own color and personality. It was vibrant yet calm at the same time. I fully understand how he could have lived here and felt the need to create and to take the beauty that was pressing on him and put it on canvas. Claude was still there in that house.

Facing the Scene

The hottest commodity at Giverny is the Oriental garden, the lily pond in the famous paintings. To get to it, you must go outside, walk down some stairs, go through a tunnel that goes underneath the road and emerges on the other side.  When you get there, it is like coming through the Rabbit Hole. I felt as if I’d actually walked into the paintings. The bridge, the willows, the lilies, the trees, the flowers, the water — it’s all there and suddenly you’ve stepped into the picture (it reminds me of the scene in Mary Poppins where she and the children step into the chalk drawings and it all becomes alive and real).

And yes, Claude made me cry again. I stood there overlooking that pond and I understood why he had to paint it and how it might have made him feel. It was otherworldly and if his spirit is anywhere, it is there, swirling among the lilies, making ripples in the water and dancing with the leaves. Oh Claude, I felt you brush past me.

There is a reality check however. The crowds. The Oriental garden is packed. You have to squint a bit to blur out all the people ruining the view.  You have to create your own little mental space where you see only the view and breathe in only the essence of the place and not the visitors. You have muscle people away to get a tiny space on the bridge for a photo (we managed!). If you can do that, it’s magical.

Shopping, Of Course

On our way out, I had to stop at the gift shop. I wasn’t a fan and Claude doesn’t approve. T-shirts, mugs, posters, etc. are available with reproductions of Monet’s work. I was hoping for items inspired by the gardens, not literally depicting them. I brought home a mug (which has surprised me I admit – it’s made of fine, transparent china with a lovely shape and holds more than it looks like, so maybe Claude is ok with it) and a dish towel. Never fear though, just down the road is the quaint village of Giverny itself.  There’s a lovely little collection of shops and restaurants and even a small Impressionism museum to visit. I

My only purchases (plus a mug my daughter got in Paris)

would definitely recommend leaving time to browse this area, which is off the main drag on a quiet side street. I desperate;y wanted to buy a sculpture of an apple that was made of wire and drift wood, but it was too big for my suitcase!

So, now you know about my affair with Claude. Whatever you do, don’t tell Thomas Jefferson (I had another Moment at Monticello I’ll tell you about sometime…).

Claude Monet talks to me. Yeah, I know that sounds weird. He doesn’t exactly appear to me in dreams, but he has a draw I can’t resist. Meeting Claude Claude and I first met up when I was a teenager, visiting a traveling exhibit of his paintings in San Francisco. Despite all the teen stuff … Read more →

This simpler than you can imagine. Take 5 large carrots. Peel them and slice them the long way. Preheat the oven to 400. Put them on a greased baking sheet and toss with olive oil. Roast until tender, about 20 minutes, turning them once. Mix 2 tbsp honey with 1 tbsp Dijon mustard. Brush on the carrots and return to the oven for about 3 minutes. Voila – amazing carrot dish packed with flavor that is something totally different. Feeds 3-4.

This simpler than you can imagine. Take 5 large carrots. Peel them and slice them the long way. Preheat the oven to 400. Put them on a greased baking sheet and toss with olive oil. Roast until tender, about 20 minutes, turning them once. Mix 2 tbsp honey with 1 tbsp Dijon mustard. Brush on … Read more →

My kids love French toast but sometimes I think it’s a little boring. Normally I make it with cinnamon swirl bread, but to exciting French toast, try using banana bread, pumpkin bread or any other quick bread. When I make bread like this I usually make two loaves. We eat one and I freeze the other to use for French toast. Here are the secrets to success with this type of French toast:

1- Slice the bread thin.

2- Toast the bread or let it sit out overnight so it become dry and will absorb the egg/milk mixture.

3- Whisk some cinnamon into the egg/milk mixture for extra flavor.

My kids love French toast but sometimes I think it’s a little boring. Normally I make it with cinnamon swirl bread, but to exciting French toast, try using banana bread, pumpkin bread or any other quick bread. When I make bread like this I usually make two loaves. We eat one and I freeze the … Read more →

Ireland is a veritable treasure trove for shoppers. My dirty little secret is we had to buy an additional suitcase to get it all home! If you are looking for beautiful, handmade or locally made goods that will sing to you of Ireland, you have much to choose from.

I’m going to share with you where to shop in Ireland and what to buy in a series of posts. Today we start with Dublin. Dublin is a lovely city with shopping zones that are all walkable and close to each other. Let’s clear up some misconceptions first: Temple Bar is not for shopping. Yes, there are a bunch of t-shirt shops, but it’s not a zone for dedicated shoppers. Powerscourt Shopping Centre: Another one to skip. This is just chain shops – a dull mall. Cow’s Lane Designer Mart sounded amazing, but in reality it was a tiny store with nothing worth buying, but you might find something since it is all handmade. I skipped Grafton Street since there were no shops with locally made artisan goods there. 

There are four places to spend your time in Dublin for excellent shopping. [Note: Some of my photos include items from other places and I’m not describing those finds today – if you’re intrigued, be sure to come back and read the posts that are coming up on where else I shopped in Ireland and I’ll tell you where those pieces came from!]

Blue and pink throws from Avoca, Aran knit from House of Ireland

Avoca

Avoca is known for their knits, primarily throws, but this three story shop was fascinating for many reasons. I spent a lot of time comparing mohair to cashmere to wool in the throws and then dithering over which pattern I wanted. I ended up with the softest of soft mohair blue plaids. My daughter went nuts in this store, saying it was like Urban Outfitters on steroids. She bought a pink throw. They sell made in Ireland soaps, lotions, candles, and cosmetics, socks, scarves and gloves  housewares, jewelry, clothing, baked goods, bags, baskets and kitchenware. If that’s not enough, there is a full-service restaurant on the top floor and a bakery in the basement. You could spend a couple of hours here.

Soaps, candles and cosmetics from Avoca and Kilkenny

House of Ireland

By the time I exhausted my credit card in this shop on Nassau Street (just down the road from Trinity College), my teenage son could perfectly mimic the salespeople saying “Welcome to the House of Ireland” in a perfect accent (I told him his Irish genes had popped to the surface). This shop has three showrooms to explore. One is all knits and I bought the most amazing Aran knit throw here. Another room is all crystal and china. I snagged some Belleek and some fine Christmas tree ornaments here. You can also buy Waterford and other Irish crystal in this shop. The prices were comparable to other shops throughout the country.

Knits from Trinity College

My favorite part about this store has nothing to do with what I bought. The salesclerk took a liking to my husband and referred to him as Pat (NOT his name, it was a form of endearment) throughout our entire visit. “I’ll ring that up for you Pat.” “Now Pat, here’s how you get your tax refund.” It simply had us rolling with laughter and to this day I call him that occasionally. This same sales lady warned us to hold tight to our wallets out on the street since pickpockets are common, but felt a need to let us know “We’re not all of us thieves, you know.” She was adorable. Aside from the local color, this is a lovely shop with high quality finds.

Kilkenny Shop

The Kilkenny Shop is next door to the House of Ireland on Nassau Street. I considered skipping this since The Kilkenny Shop began in Kilkenny. It seemed to make sense to wait and shop where it began, but I’m glad I didn’t. The

Linen from The Kilkenny Shop

Dublin branch is the largest and is truly a sight to see. This is the House of Ireland but all artisan-made. You can buy Waterford  here, but the best shopping is elsewhere in the store. There is a huge selection of stunning Irish pottery, including Nicholas Mosse, Belleek, and Kiltrea. I brought home a beautiful pottery bowl that is very Celtic in design and some egg cups (to display Easter eggs in). There are knits (throws, blankets, scarves, and gloves), cosmetics (candles, lotions, soaps, lip balms). A small clothing section at the rear of the store goes mostly unnoticed. A nice selection of Irish linen is enticing – I bought a small embroidered doily.  Jewelry, purses and other personal items are for sale. They have a beautiful collection of Jerpoint Glass, but I held off because I was planning to go to the Jerpoint Studio itself in Kilkenny (tune in to my upcoming post about Kilkenny!). I loved this shop as did my 21 year old daughter who bought copious amounts of beauty products and socks. I had one quibble with them. They had a beautiful display of china teacups in an

Belleek on the far right bottom from House of Ireland. The blue bowl in the center is from the Kilkenny Shop, as are the egg cups

Irish rose pattern. I have a teacup collection and wanted one. They were only sold as a set of four, so I missed out on that.

Trinity College Gift Shop

The Library Shop at Trinity College is your reward after braving the crowds to gaze at the Book of Kells. This shop is tiny (and just as crowded as the Book of Kells viewing area), but it’s worth the struggle. They have an interesting collection of jewelry that I saw nowhere else. There is costume jewelry on racks and countertops and I bought a beautiful pottery Celtic necklace. Inside the cases are more expensive pieces and I bought a silver necklace with round pendant that has Celtic symbols on it. There are plenty of books if that suits your fancy. As for me, I was honed in on the bookmarks. There is a nice little collection of knits (socks, scarves and gloves) in the back of the shop and my daughter and I both helped ourselves to some of these. If you collect magnets, you can buy one here for the Trinity Library, but they unimaginative (just rectangular photo magnets). They sell family crest items in this shop if you’re in the market for that.

George’s Street Arcade

I said there are 4 places to shop and I’ll stick by that, but let me just add an aside about George’s Street Arcade. This is almost like a flea market with some hippies selling crazy art and a bunch of cheap junk made in Asia for sale in bins. There are two reasons to venture into this weird little alleyway. Lolly & Cooks sells amazing gluten-free cupcakes with tons of flavors. We bought an assortment and ate them ALL that night in our hotel. Delicious. Not to be missed if you are a gluten-free diner. The Gift of Warmth is another shop worth stopping into. They sell big fuzzy wool slippers. I bought a sheep for my collection here. There was nothing else in the arcade I would recommend at all, so go here only if you happen to be passing by.

Ireland is a veritable treasure trove for shoppers. My dirty little secret is we had to buy an additional suitcase to get it all home! If you are looking for beautiful, handmade or locally made goods that will sing to you of Ireland, you have much to choose from. I’m going to share with you … Read more →

I’m still making soup a couple of times a week for my father-in-law who is transitioning to living alone with my mother-in-law in a nursing home. I’m always looking for something new to try and this one caught my eye. It’s from the Soup Sisters Cookbook. I’ve adapted their recipe a bit. This is similar to egg drop soup, but has the added kick of lemon juice and zest and also has some chicken and orzo in it. I added carrot to make it more colorful as well. This comes together about as quickly as you can boil the broth, so it’s great for a quick weeknight meal. We had this with pumpkin bread and some three bean salad.

Chicken Orzo Lemon Soup

 

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Ingredients

• 8 cups chicken broth
• ¾ cup orzo (I used gluten-free)
• ½ cup thinly sliced carrot rounds
• 3 eggs, beaten slightly
• Juice of two lemons
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 cup chopped cooked chicken
• 5 ounces fresh spinach
• salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Bring the broth to a boil in a large pot. Add the carrots and orzo and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. While stirring, drizzle in the eggs, continue stirring another 30 seconds until the eggs are cooked in threads. Add lemon juice and lemon zest. Add chicken, spinach and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then serve.

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I’m still making soup a couple of times a week for my father-in-law who is transitioning to living alone with my mother-in-law in a nursing home. I’m always looking for something new to try and this one caught my eye. It’s from the Soup Sisters Cookbook. I’ve adapted their recipe a bit. This is similar … Read more →

I like artwork, but I have to say I don’t often like something enough to want to pay hundreds or thousands of dollars for it.  I love and appreciate good art, so I’ve found some ways to have great art at little cost.

Notecard from Glastonbury

1. Notecards. I have several framed notecards that I’ve purchased while traveling. Great notecards are often found in gift shops at museums or artisan shops. This lovely flowered notecard was purchased at the gift shop at Glastonbury Abbey and it coordinates beautifully with a flowered border in our bedroom. I love it because it makes me think of English summer

Notecard from Kilkenney

gardens. The round mandala is from a the Kilkenny Shop in Kilkenny Ireland where I bought some beautiful artisan glass and couldn’t resist a 4-pack of this card for about $6. It is the perfect color for my office and I love the Celtic design. A lovely notecard I bought in Scotland perfectly depicts the Highlands better than any piece of art I saw while there.

Bookmarks

2. Make Your Own Art. I’ve done this in my office by framing the bookmarks I buy while traveling. They provide beautiful and eclectic designs. I took a photo of my son snorkeling in Hawaii and

Wedding invitation

wrote one of my favorite quotes on it and framed it. It’s more personal and much cheaper than the inspirational quote artwork you can buy. We framed our wedding invitation and it is a meaningful and special treasure that hangs in our home.

Calendar art

3. Calendars. I am a huge fan of Deborah DeWit Marchant, who does lots of paintings that speak to readers, showing books or people reading. I would buy all of her work if I could afford it. Instead, whenever she produces a wall calendar (retailing for under $20), I buy it and end up framing several of the calendar pages.

4. Think Outside the Box. There are lots of beautiful things

Trivet

you can buy that are artistic and fascinating, without being actual art on a canvas. I love this sailor’s knot trivet I bought in Maine, which hangs on the wall in our hallway and reminds me of Maine.  Pottery can also make great artwork. A bowl from Puerto Rico and a platter from Edinburgh hang on the walls of our kitchen. A shell lei hangs in my office from Hawaii. A glass tile I bought at the Grand Canyon for $5 brightens our entryway.

Bowl from Puerto Rico

5. Photos. Frame your own photos and hang them on the walls. They can be family photos, landscapes, or experimental art. I have a whole wall of family photos on our stairway. For more impact, mat them.

Tile from the Grand Canyon

6. Cheap Prints. When traveling, I always look at the $3 prints sold on the spinning racks on the sidewalk from tacky gift shops. These pieces of art may be inexpensive, but they can be beautiful, particularly if you frame them nicely. Our print of the Eiffel Tower came from a souvenir store in Montmartre and was about 4 Euro. Once we framed it, it looked expensive.

Photo wall

7. Maps. Maps are beautiful pieces of art. Frame a map of where you went on your honeymoon or of your dream destination. I have a map of the area of Maine where I summered as a child and where we went on our honeymoon hanging in my office.

Eiffel Tower print

8. Children’s Artwork. For many years, a fingerpainting my son made hung framed in our family room. It looked like a piece of abstract art. I still have my children’s handprints hanging in my office. Choose your

Map of the Penobscot Bay

favorites created by the child in your life and frame them.

Children’s hands

I like artwork, but I have to say I don’t often like something enough to want to pay hundreds or thousands of dollars for it.  I love and appreciate good art, so I’ve found some ways to have great art at little cost. 1. Notecards. I have several framed notecards that I’ve purchased while traveling. … Read more →