A Brief Tease of Spring!

Yesterday was SUCH a lovely, warm day! Kahlua & I took a wonderful ride through the back of Pinon Pines, down Foxtail Rd., to Darling Road and back down along Cuddy Valley Road. It was a nice, circuitous route, and a mini-tour of our end of Cuddy Valley. This is us on Darling Road...

This is looking east from Darling Rd. on horseback...

My version of "Where's Waldo?" Where is my house?? lol I forgot to mention that longing (or lunging) the horsey before I ride has really improved her performance for me. This is extra-important, since we usually ride alone. She got a few bucks out, and comically, some loud blasts of gas, when I put her into a lope. Fortunately, when I briefly loped her in her favorite 'speed-up' spot, she didn't pass gas (tiny buck or two; she is so easy to sit, it's hard to tell when she gives a happy buck).

Mmmmm...know what these are? Vegetable samosas. We used a restaurant.com certificate to try out an Indian restaurant in Valencia called "Karma." It was so yummy!

Here is a happy hub..

...and a happy monkey! We enjoyed chicken tikka masala, lamb saag and coconut chicken curry. Wow! We will definitely go back! Today it is much cooler than yesterday...c'mon spring and summer!!

February, Schmebruary

Despite several snows, February turned out to be a duddy winter month. The snows were cold and icy, but only a few inches. The biggest snow was in January. The monkey has been able to sled a few times, though, thank goodness.

With all this cold, and little or no snow to show for it (just lots of mud), I am so ready for spring and summer! I have longed Kahlua twice, now. She is a good little horsey!

Dunkel und Grau

Wow, what a change in the weather! I feel like I live in Cambria, without the ocean. All the snow has melted, except for a few spots. Now I am on mud chunk patrol! BTW: dunkel und grau is dark & gray in German. This weather is sooooo German!

This is the view of our street from the living room. I'm looking forward to reviving my lawn in the spring...

This is my main focus for the spring/summer. I want to expand the lawn AND my vegetable garden tiers. I hope my artichoke survives winter, and comes back. We like to play croquet on the flat area, so I'm hoping to get that grassy this year. Also, it's where we stargaze...

Havarti Fontina Mac & Cheese w/Mushrooms

   So, I made my own version of mac & cheese after being inspired by the wonderful dish we had at the Brimstone in the Padre Hotel. I used rather large pasta (farfalle); I'd recommend something much smaller, but it was still yummy! We were supposed to have elk steaks, but I accidentally defrosted beef. Still was yummy!

Fontina Havarti Mac & Cheese with Mushrooms

Roughly grate about 3/4 lb. of havarti, and about 1/4 lb. of Fontina cheeses.
Dice 1/2 an onion. Saute in about 1/3 stick of butter, until soft. Add 4 tbs. of flour to form a nice roux. Then slowly add 4 cups of warm milk (you are basically making a bechamel sauce). Then, add thyme, salt & nutmeg to taste & simmer about 15 min. Chop/saute 1 pkg. of mushrooms, & cook 1 lb. of pasta al dente. Butter a baking dish. Layer in 1/3s: Pasta, cheese, mushrooms, sauce. Bake 15 min. at 350 degrees. YUM!!

Happy New Year's Eve!

   The weimaraners surveyed their realm on New Year's Eve morning. There was still enough snow for the monkey and I to get some serious sledding in!

   Look at what a glorious morning it was!

    Here is Henry!

    The dogs were on their best behavior. No altercations like on Friday, thank goodness.

   The little spots in the white 'V' in the trees are the cows. In person, you could see them quite well. These are the same cows that made a break for it a week or so ago. The hub had to chase them back, or they were going to go visit our neighbors...

   The monkey was yakking and eating snow...lol.

   The 'Jeffersons' birds in the snow...

   This is the AWESOME telescope that my sis & her hub gave to the monkey...wow!! I think we'll check out the stars tonight!!

Easy Posole Recipe for Leftover Turkey

   I promised to post this super-easy recipe to utilize your leftover turkey, & here it is! My family loves posole, which I usually  make by boiling a whole chicken (it is also traditionally made with pork). This is a streamlined version, and a great way to use up leftover turkey, besides the usual turkey and gravy sandwich route.
Ingredients:

• 5+ cups of leftover turkey
• 1 large can of hominy
• 1 carton of chicken broth
• Roasted salsa
• Cumin

Toppings:

• Fresh cabbage
• Fresh cilantro
• Fresh limes
• Fresh onion

   First, chop up your leftover turkey, especially any richer, fattier parts (like dark meat). I had at least 5 cups of meat, if not more (you can't have too much). Place in a big pot, & pour in a carton of chicken broth (great way to use one of those cartons you get from those Costco multipacks).

   Heat the pot on medium to medium-high setting. Add some roasted salsa (I prefer the Del Real salsa de Molcajete Roja). In a traditional posole, I would roast my own chiles and garlic, but this is the easy version. I   suggest at least 1/4 cup of salsa, but you can add more/less to taste. Also add one medium (14.5 oz.) can of chopped tomatoes. Then, add one large (29 oz.) can of hominy. I prefer Juanita's, which also makes their own delicious canned posole.  Additionally, you will want to shake some cumin, and perhaps some crushed garlic (especially if you went easy on the salsa).
   Bring to a boil, then let simmer at least 15 minutes, so the flavors can meld. While the soup is simmering, prepare the toppings.

Chop up fresh onion, cabbage and cilantro, and place into small serving bowls. Slice up some fresh lime, as well. Soup should be served piping hot (can leave it on warm during the meal). You throw on the fresh toppings and squeeze lime into your bowls of soup. YUM!!

Christmas Vacation!

   We didn't get our snow until the day after Christmas, but I'll take what snow I can (especially after the mud debacle on Christmas day). Explanation: after spending over an hour vacuuming that morning, the two weimaraners destroyed my hard work in less than two minutes, running in & depositing mud chunks all over the house.

   Speaking of Christmas, the monkey had a wonderful one! Between Santa & all the people who love him, he received the most amazing clothes and toys. Lego Ninjago & astronomy was the theme this year, and my sister & her hub gave him a SERIOUS telescope for stargazing. I think the hub thinks it's HIS present (lol).

   Note the busy-body weimaraners ('weisenheimers') are in the middle of everything...

Greco-Roman wrestling...

Even Kahlua got festive for Christmas!

   The Thursday after Christmas, the monkey & I went to visit my wonderful sister. She, my amazing lawyer niece & the monkey visited the Griffith Observatory. Although I'm an L.A. native, this was my first visit in the actual building. It was awesome. The weather was so clear, you could see the ocean! That light horizontal strip is the ocean...

Yesterday, after a yummy breakfast for the monkey of homemade banana chocolate chip Belgian waffles with ollalieberry syrup, it was sledding time! This is the view from our best sled run...

 Dogs and snow is always comical, except if they fight. Moose & Kosmo had a little altercation later in the day, but our miracle dog Moose inflicted little damage (he has learned the art of self-control). Amazing rehab of the former doggy Hannibal Lector...

I like this shot...can you spot the weimaraner?

    This is the monkey on our best sled run!

Our happy home! I will post photos of the awesome turkey posole I made for dinner last night, with a basic recipe later!