Today we celebrated my Great Aunts 99th birthday

Today we celebrated my great Aunt Florence's 99th birthday. We hired a DJ and had a wonderful lunch at Bishop Common's the assisted living where she lives. She loved being the center of attention!! We had Champagne, Cake and they decorated the dinning room on pink and purple balloons her favorite colors. I just hope and pray that I can live as long as her, and to be able to be as full of life that she is! Happy Birthday Aunt Florence!!

Sweet Little Bud Vases

I love these little bud vases. I make all shapes and sizes. They are great to give to a teacher or as a Thank you gift. Who doesn't loves fresh flowers?

This is my favorite!

This one started with a white base and then I fused a translucent yellow glass, then made a flower out of scrap glass and glass streamers.

This vase started with a pink base then had a pink and purple patterned glass fused on top. I then drilled holes and wire wrapped and added beads.

Delicious Black Bean Burrito

We actually had these Black Bean Burritos for dinner on Easter Sunday. This Easter was not our usual Easter. For one thing it was just my daughter Liz, my husband Mike and myself.  Liz and I don't eat meat and my husband Mike was trying to eat healthier. So a salty ham was out of the question. 

Meredith with her nephew Drew.
Meredith made a Cookie Monster cake for his 1st birthday.

Our day started off with my niece Meredith who has been on a heart transplant list for months, getting a new heart the day before Easter...which was also her father's birthday. The surgery didn't go very well and there were a lot of complications and Meredith wasn't expected to make it through the day. We were woke up at 5:30am on Easter thinking that it was a call about Meredith, but it was about my Great Aunt Florence they were sending her to the hospital by ambulance. Long story short Meredith ended up making it and is doing well. She is still in the hospital and has a long way to go. My aunt ended up having a small heart attack and is doing well also. She was able to go home today from the rehab fissility. 

My Great Aunt Florence at age 98 with my cat Sam!

Needless to say know one was in the mood to cook let alone eat. So I came up with the idea of the burittos. It was fast, easy and quit yummy. It was a beautiful day so we ate outside on the deck. It will be an Easter that we will never forget.

So give them a try... I think you will like them.

                     These burritos are soooo good, you'll want to have them every night.

Ingredients

• 2 (10 inch) flour tortillas
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 teaspoon minced jalapeno peppers
• 3 ounces vegan cream cheese 
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

1. Wrap tortillas in foil and place in oven heated to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bake for 15 minutes or until heated through.
2. Heat oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Place onion, bell pepper, garlic and jalapenos in skillet, cook for 2 minutes stirring occasionally. Pour beans into skillet, cook 3 minutes stirring.
3. Add the cream cheese to skillet with the salt. Cook for 2 minutes stirring occasionally. Stir cilantro into mixture.
4. Spoon mixture evenly down center of warmed tortilla and roll tortillas up. Serve immediately.

Scrumptious Smoothies

Me, Erin and Liz

Recently I went to visit my daughter Liz in NYC. Where we went to our favorite restaurant for a quick smoothie for lunch while we were driving to Philadelphia for a family wedding. My daughter Liz and I got the "Green Life Smootie" my other daughter Erin got the Berries-N-Cream. It was a great healthy lunch that was easy to drink while I was driving. And if you have ever driven through midtown Manhattan you know what I mean:0)

Driving through Central Park

 So when I got home I thought that I would try to make them myself. I often am very busy and need something fast and easy. But because I try to eat Vegan I need something healthy so that I can get my greens in. If you don't like the taste of kale, spinach or other greens like collard greens. This is a wonderful way to eat them (or should I say drink them). You can't even taste them. So I am sharing with you my creations, feel free to add you own ingredients. If you are not vegan you can add greek yogurt, organic milk etc...

This is my version of the Smoothies

"The Green Life"

 

Handful of Kale 

1/2 cup blueberries 

1/2 banana 

1/2 cup of pineapple 

1 cup of orange juice (you may need more orange juice depending 

on how thick or thin you want it). 

I sometimes add some baby spinach for the exra greens.

 First I use put the kale in the food processor and blend it till in is finley chopped. Then I add the pineapple, banana till it is the concistincy of baby food. Then I transfer the purée to a blender and add the orange juice to the 16 oz line on my blender or till you get the right consistency that you like. I just can't get over how good this drink is... You have to try it! Enjoy........ If you don't have a food processor try these steps in your blender it just may be a little chunkier.

Berries-N-Cream

11/2 cup of Vanilla or Plain Soy Milk (more or less depending on the consistency that you like)

1/4 cup of Strawberries

1/4 cup of Raspberries

1/4cup of  Blueberries 

1/2 banana

1 scoop of Vanilla Protein Powder

Place all ingredients into the blender and blent till smooth. This is so yummy! 

Sunsets and Moonlights!

Here are a few more of my newest designs, be sure to check them all out in my eBay store.

Tropical Sunset Dichroic Pendant

Pelican Dichroic Pendant

Horses Running in the Sunset

New Glass Listings

 Here are some of my newest designs, the earrings are made with 3 different pieces of glass and fired together to create this triple design. They measure 1" X 1/2". The colors in this pair of fused glass dichroic earrings are simply stunning. The crane and kangaroo pendants are made with layers of glass and dichroic glass then has the decals permanently fused on top. They will never rub or ware off. 

Triple Fused Glass Dichroic Earrings

Cranes in the Sunset Dichroic Fused Glass Pendant

Kangaroos in the Sunset Dichroic Fused Glass Pendant

Tuscan Kalamata Olive and White Bean Pasta

My husband made this dish for dinner last night. It was really easy and had a lot of flavor. It is perfect if you are looking for a quick and healthy vegetarian meal. It would be great in the summer cold.



                    Tuscan Kalamata Olive and White Bean Pasta

Makes 4 servings

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
6 oz uncooked rotini pasta
1 can (about 15 oz) navy beans
1 can (about 14 oz)diced tomatoes
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives
1/2 cup packed spinach leaves
1/4 cup (1oz) pine nuts, toasted*
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 oz crumbed feta cheese with peppercorn

*To toast nuts,spread in shallow baking pan. Bake in preheated 350 oven 5-10 minutes until golden,stir frequently.
** If feta with peppercorn is unavailable, use plain feta and season pasta mixture with 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.

1. Combine oil,garlic, salt and pepper flakes in small bowl; set aside.
2. Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, drain beans and tomatoes in colander. Pour pasta and cooking water over beans and tomatoes. Drain well. Transfer to large bowl. Add garlic mixture, olives, spinach, nut and basil. Toss gently to blend well. Top with feta.

Veggie (Meatless) Balls

Veggie (Meatless) Balls

I got this recipe off of the Nate Berkus Show he had the owners of The Meatball Shop in NYC on. I love Spaghetti and meatballs and it was one of those things that I really missed. If you make it just make sure you really cut up your veggies into small pieces. I used organic spaghetti sauce and Hodgson Mill Whole Wheat Angel Hair Noodles. I also served a nice mixed green salad with lots of vegetables. It made enough meatballs that I could freeze the extra for another meal. They taste like real meat! It can easily be made into a Vegan recipe by using vegan parmesan cheese and egg replacer.

 

Makes about 2 dozen 1 ½-inch meatballs

Ingredients

2 cups lentils

¼ cup plus 1 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

2 teaspoons salt

3 tablespoons tomato paste

8 ounces Button Mushrooms, wiped clean and sliced

3 large eggs

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

½ cup bread crumbs

½ cup chopped fresh parsley

¼ cup finely chopped walnuts

Directions

Combine the lentils and 2 quarts water in a medium stockpot and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the lentils are soft (but not falling apart), about 25 minutes. Drain the lentils and allow to cool.

Add ¼ cup of the olive oil to a large frying pan and sauté the onions, carrots, celery, garlic, thyme, and salt over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and just beginning to brown. Add the tomato paste and continue to cook, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently, for 15 more minutes, or until all the liquid is absorbed. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and allow to cool to room temperature. When cool, add the lentils to the vegetable mixture.

Add the eggs, Parmesan, bread crumbs, parsley, and walnuts to the cooled vegetable mixture and mix by hand until thoroughly incorporated. Place in the refrigerator for 25 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil into a 9×13-inch baking dish and use your hand to evenly coat the entire surface. Set aside.

Roll the mixture into round, gold ball-size meatballs (about 1 ½ inches), making sure to pack the vegetable mixture firmly. Place the balls in the prepared baking dish, allowing ¼ -inch of space between the balls and place them in even rows vertically and horizontally to form a grid.

Roast for 30 minutes, or until the meatballs are firm and cooked through.

Allow the meatballs to cool for 5 minutes in the baking dish before serving.

Whole Wheat Lasagna with Italian "Sausage" and Peppers

       

 Whole Wheat Lasagna with Italian "Sausage" and Peppers 

I got this recipe from Alicia Silverstones vegan website. I made this lasagna the other night for my husband and myself for dinner. My husband is not vegan but really liked it. It was really good I am happy to say. It gave us hot and healthy leftovers for about a week. Try to use whole wheat or brown rice lasagna noodles this will add to your fiber and whole grains. Let me know if you try it.

                                     
      Prep time: 45 minutes 
     Cook time: 30 minutes

     Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes

     Servings: 6

• 1 box of whole wheat or brown rice lasagna noodles
• 1 (16-ounce) box of frozen spinach, thawed, squeeze excess water out
• 2 (26-ounce) jars of vegan marinara (Morgan used a basil marinara)
• 4 vegan Italian "sausages" cut into cubes
• 2 green bell peppers, chopped
• 2 tbsp. of olive oil
• 1 handful vegan shredded cheese (enough to sprinkle on top only)
• 1 pound(s) of extra firm tofu
• 1 Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp. of nutritional yeast
• 1/2 tsp. of tsp sea salt
• 1 pinch of black pepper to taste
• 4 tbsp. of chopped sun dried tomatoes
• 1 cup(s) of (a few huge handfuls) chopped fresh basil
• 1 tsp. of dried oregano

Steps

1. Press water out of tofu by wrapping in a clean towel, and placing a pot or pan on top for about 10-20 minutes
2. Crumble the tofu in a bowl, and add lemon juice, garlic, nutritional yeast, sea salt, black pepper, sun dried tomatoes, fresh basil, and dried oregano
3. Using a potato masher, smash up the tofu really well until it resembles ricotta cheese in texture
4. Set aside until ready to use
5. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water with 2 T olive oil to a boil, and cook noodles according to package (the oil will prevent the noodles from sticking together)
6. Cook them for a few minutes less than suggested, so that they can finish cooking in the oven
7. When noodles are done cooking, drain and rinse in cold water
8. While the noodles are cooking, heat 2 T olive oil in a saute pan, and saute sausage a few minutes
9. Use a potato masher to help crumble the sausage into slightly smaller pieces
10. Add 2 jars of marinara sauce and 2 chopped green peppers to the pan, and let simmer about 10 minutes
11. Preheat oven to 425 degrees
12. In a rectangular pyrex glass dish, start layering your lasagna
13. Start by adding a little sauce on the bottom, then 4 noodles, then sauce, spinach, tofu ricotta, 4 noodles, sauce, spinach, ricotta,4 noodles, and then end with sauce and cover the top with shredded vegan cheese (you should have 3 layers of noodles) Cover top of dish with foil, and bake for 30 minutes
14. Uncover and cook an additional 10 minutes until cheese melts a little on top
15. Let cool 5 minutes

Garden Vegetable Soup

Garden Vegetable Soup

I got this recipe from the TV cooking show "Good Eats" with  Alton Brown. I made it last night for dinner. I substituted frozen green beans and corn than used caned diced tomato's in place of fresh because it is hard to find good fresh vegetables in the winter. I added a can of red kidney beans for added nutrients. It was so simple and was totally amazing! Enjoy....

Prep Time:40   Cook Time:45 min
Serves 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups chopped leeks, white part only (from approximately 3 medium leeks)
2 tablespoons finely minced garlic
Kosher salt
2 cups carrots, peeled and chopped into rounds (approximately 2 medium)
2 cups peeled and diced potatoes
2 cups fresh green beans, broken or cut into 3/4-inch pieces
2 quarts vegetable broth
4 cups peeled, seeded, and chopped tomatoes
2 ears corn, kernels removed
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup packed, chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 to 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Directions
Heat the olive oil in large, heavy-bottomed stockpot over medium-low heat. Once hot, add the leeks, garlic, and a pinch of salt and sweat until they begin to soften, approximately 7 to 8 minutes. Add the carrots, potatoes, and green beans and continue to cook for 4 to 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the stock, increase the heat to high, and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, add the tomatoes, corn kernels, and pepper. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the vegetables are fork tender, approximately 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from heat and add the parsley and lemon juice. Season, to taste, with kosher salt. Serve immediately.