Adventure Date: Caverns Tour

M and I went on a great day trip recently to Florida Caverns State Park.  We spent the day walking nature trails and were able to take a guided tour of the caverns approximately 65 feet underground. 

Hubby and I kind of have a thing for caves... we toured another cave in Colorado last year and loved it.

I also loved the fact that the cave is a balmy 60 ish degrees all year round. Slightly damp, but nice and cool.  Especially in Florida when it's like 80 degrees in October.

Coconut Lime Power Balls

Shortly before our trip to Canada, I happened upon a recipe for a reverse engineered Larabar (similar to Cliff bars or Luna bars - basically pre-chewed nuts and dried fruit.  Sounds gross, but actually isn't bad.  As long as you don't think about it too much).

Inspired, I took to the kitchen to try out a few varieties... which I loved!  I brought 3 varieties with me on vacation and they held up really well on the plane and in the car as we traveled.  They were great for a quick energy pick-me-up while we were on the go.

When we got back home, I decided to branch out and try some other varieties, then got REALLY adventurous and created my own version with ingredients I had on hand - mostly inspired by a bunch of limes from the discount produce rack. Gotta love 12 or so limes for about $1.50.  I didn't care that they didn't look pretty; they tasted amazing!

I have to admit, these power balls are best fresh.  But, in a pinch, you can freeze them and they still taste fine a month or so down the road.  Disclaimer:  they only lasted 6 weeks in my freezer...because  I ate the last of them just recently on our day trip to the Caverns.  So, I'm not sure exactly how long they will last... 

Coconut Lime Power Balls

by Raye

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: none

6031409

Ingredients (8-10 balls)

• 1/3 cup cashews
• 1/3 cup almonds
• 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut
• 1/3 cup unsweetened, unsulphured golden raisins
• zest of 1 lime
• juice of 1/2 lime (about 1 Tbsp)
• 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

Instructions

In a food processor (or blender), process nuts for about 30 seconds until they reach a mealy consistency.

Add raisins and coconut; process another 20 to 30 seconds, until raisins are chopped finely. Add zest, lime juice, and nutmeg. Pulse until combined. Mixture should stick together when pressed between your fingers. If mixture is too dry, add water 1/2 tsp at a time until mixture comes together.

Roll into equal balls, approximately .75 oz each (1/2 inch diameter). Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week (or in the freezer for up to 6 weeks).

Note: balls can be somewhat sticky, feel free to roll them in more unsweetened, shredded coconut so they don't stick together when packed.

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These are also a great variety to make if you have a hard time finding dates in your area - golden raisins tend to be a little easier to come by.   Note - I made these in a food processor (recommended), but you could also make these in a blender.

Let me know what you think!

Date Night: Mystery Box[ers] Date

I came across a "Sock Date" idea on the Dating Divas website and thought the idea behind it was pretty clever.  In that situation, the husband used funky socks for his wife... since I'm the one planning the date for the Hubby, I used something that's become our sort of inside joke over the last two years - boxers!

The night before our date, I gave him 4 pairs of boxers and

Reflection: Do It Anyway

source: Microsoft Office

Ever had one of those sleepless nights?  You know, the kind where you can't get comfy, the bedroom's too hot and stuffy, you doze off just to wake up 15 minutes later?

Yeah... me too...  I had one of those this week. Yuck. I felt like a zombie the next day.  Somewhere around 3 a.m. I decided enough was enough and I got up to read for a while.

I'm glad I did.  I picked up at the beginning of chapter 17 in You Matter More Than You Think, by Leslie Parrott.  I've been working my way through it, but put it down a few weeks ago when things got really busy and hadn't gotten back to it... until my providential sleepless night.

Oooo... that sounded dramatic, didn't it?

Penelopes! (Otherwise Known As Empanadas)

I asked the Hubby what he wanted me to make for dinner and he said, "Penelopes!" I'm thinking, huh? He proceeds to describe the mysterious food item and it dawns on me... empanadas... yes, I see the similarity.  We had a good laugh over that one.  Now it's our joke and he's got me saying it too.

Side note:  a few readers have asked me to put the text of recipes into the posts and to keep showing the step by step photos. So, I happily complied. Since this is really two recipes in one, this post will be quite lengthy.  If you'd prefer to skip all the photos and details, jump right over to the condensed (and printer friendly!) versions on my recipage, here and here.

This is my first attempt at making Penelopes, er, Empanadas. We had them at a party a few weeks ago and they were so good, I knew I had to recreate them.  With my own twist, of course. These aren't just any old chicken stuffed into a piece of store bought pie crust run of the mill empanadas... no sir...

USS Alabama Walking Tour

M and I are history geeks... especially military history... Not too long ago, we headed over to Mobile, Alabama and spent the day wandering around an old ship and submarine exhibit.

Ahem, that's a battleship, or to get even more technical, a South Dakota Class Battleship christened the USS ALABAMA.  If you're a history buff, you can read all about it here.

By the way, in case you're wondering, Mobile is pronounced Mo-BEEL, not MO-bill... Just sayin'.

Of course, I had to take a look at the kitchen, the mess halls (at least 3 of them!) and the bakery.  I don't remember how many thousands of loaves of bread they baked a day, but it was astronomical.

Eggplant Mini Pizzas

I was at the Farmer's Market this morning and had to laugh when I overheard a conversation between a vendor and a customer.  She asked how much he was selling his eggplant for and he told her her it was free for the taking.  Apparently, he planted a few too many and they're coming out his ears...

Are you in the same boat?  Eggplant and zucchini tend to the be garden gifts that keep on giving... and giving... and giving...

This recipe takes a little prep, but it's worth it.  I highly recommend using a Mandoline slicer if you have one; it will cut your prep time in half and your slices will be even (and they'll cook more evenly).