LoveFeast Table

Last September, we had a vacation at the hotel, Azul Sensatori, by Karisma.  We went as couples, leaving our 9 kids at home.  It was a great break after the craziness of the back-to-school rush.

The lush grounds of Azul Sensatori and the beach butlers were a welcome sight.

Our Premium Jacuzzi Suite rooms were spacious and modern with a lovely view of the ocean.

Had we brought our 9 kids along (next time!) they would have loved the spaces created just for them.  Azul Sensatori has partnered with Fisher Price and My Gym and has made a fun place for kids to play with Fisher Price toys and tumble around.  In the kids’ club there are also boat beds for napping, a smoothie snack bar, beanbags and a movie amphitheater.  As well as a pool designed with kids in mind.

The teens are not forgotten!  There is a club just for them packed with big screens and video games.

The Family Jacuzzi Suites are specially situated with kids in mind.  They are stocked with changing tables, cribs, strollers, monitors, as well as a selection of Fisher Price toys.

Azul Sesatori is a gourmet all-inclusive hotel and the food did not disappoint.  The food and restaurants are sophisticated and the food delicious.  All the restaurants (with the exquisite Le Chique an exception) are open to families and children with highchairs and toys available.

There are plenty of restaurants to enjoy with inside and outside dining options as well as a beach side BBQ.

Adults can enjoy an exclusive multi-course dinner at the beautiful Le Chique and savor a meal and an experience they will not forget.

We highly recommend this amazing and memorable restaurant.  We were amazed at the courses we savored.  The gourmet food fooled the eye and excited the taste buds.

The beach is clean and there are plenty of beach beds and huts.

Relaxing poolside is a fabulous way to spend the day.

The beach butlers are just a step away ready to bring you a refreshing drink.

The Mojitos bar offers 31 different types of mojitos with lots of open seating and relaxing views.

We enjoyed long walks on the beach and tiki torch lit beach-side massages.

We are looking forward to the next time we vacation at the Azul Sensatori and would highly recommend this beautiful hotel for a wedding, honeymooners, families and couples.  With sincere hospitality and a strength in creating wow moments we can honestly say a vacation at Azul Sensatori will be a vacation you will treasure.

*We stayed at the Azul Sensatori as sponsored guests of the hotel.

There are some things that would be fairly difficult for our suburban family to experience if were not for the fact that my husband’s sister and husband and their kids, live in Colorado.  My husband and I, together with our kids get to experience and see some things that are pretty amazing thanks to them.  The picture above is all 10 of us four wheeling on the Grand Mesa.  The trail was fairly rugged, over boulders, small rivers and rocks, and up and down hill.  We all lived.  Nobody fell off a cliff.  That’s why it’s so dang, invigorating.  And, liberating.  This trail ride, was one of my all time favorite life experiences..even knocking off my all time favorite spa treatment at the Arizona Biltmore off it’s pedestal.  I’ll admit it.  I’d rather trail ride on a perfect day than spa.  Just sayin’.

Trail riding makes you hungry.  And, Uncle Tony never disappoints with excellent steaks and smoked ribs.  But, he threw me this time.  Grilled lettuce.  Charred to be exact.

You start with some lettuce hearts, salted and peppered.  Then, throw them on a nice hot grill.

Add, some balsamic vinegar…

And some Parmesan cheese..

Add some crumbled fried bacon…

Cut up your smoked ribs that have been smoking while you’ve been ridin’ the trails…

What?  You haven’t been smokin’ ribs for hours?

No day long trips over treacherous mountains with children ages toddlers to teens?

When you’ve both warned, “Take your shoes off before you go in that stream!” and “Slow down when you’re going down steep cliffs with boulders and rivers with your sister on back!”  This meal might be for you.

But, it was for them.  And, they liked it plenty.

Grilled lettuce.  It’s what they’re servin’ in Colorado after a hard trail ride.

*****

For more on our Colorado vacation:

Fancy Friday Frontiers

Prairie Dogs & French Crepes

Fancy Friday Be Yourself

My daughter, Teapot and her bff, Anni, wanted desperately to celebrate their birthdays at the American Girl Place in New York City.  We decided to do the day up!  So, bff’s mom, made reservations to the American Girl Cafe and we invited the grandmoms!

We arrived at seating time and waited behind the ropes with a couple dozen giddy and excited girls!  The tension was rising!  As we were escorted into the American Girl Cafe, it was like walking into a life size doll house restaurant.  There were American Girl Dolls lined up with different outfits on, in case a little girl forgot her doll…she could borrow one for lunch!

We slid into our booths.

Teapot and Anni tucked their dolls into the doll chairs and ordered their Shirley Temples.

The room was girl glam with black and white stripes splashed with accessories in hot pink.  Our girls thought they had “arrived”!

The server delivered warm cinnamon buns to start!  Dessert first, my kind of place!  The second course came out on cake stands with nibbles of fruit, pretzel bites and vegetables.

The girls both ordered the Tic Tac Toe pizza, while the moms and grandmoms ordered salads and sandwiches!  (The sweet potato fries did not last long!)

The meal is finished off with little flower pots filled with chocolate mousse and a flower sugar cookie!

Lifetime memories were in the making, for all of us!  I can’t tell you how special that day was to me, to be able to spend time with my daughter, share a meal with her at her “Top of the Dream List” spot and follow behind her as she explored all the dolls and their accessories!

Teapot’s birthday was full of exploring a life size doll house full of imagination and inspiration!

This is the logo we created with the help of my talented, computer animator, brother!  The silver frame around the chalkboard is part of our story.

You see, when my husband and I owned Jahva House, this hung on the wall over the counter.

The board was covered with coffee drinks and prices.  It was eclectic just like our coffee shop.  Our coffee station was an old secretary that we had painted green and it was full of sugars, stirrers, lids and half and half.  It sat right next to the stone fire place.

Another chalkboard hung by the front door and it always held a proverb of the day.  The walls were full of original artwork.

The floors were 200 year old wood and were a bit wonky just like our three story store.  The tables all had a different picture painted on them.  They were done by local high school students and the chairs were an eggplant purple color.  Tunes like Morcheeba, Rusted Root and Marley played throughout the day.  Many times we had a barista with dreads to the middle of their back or an artist like David Sitek who was making a few extra bucks to pursue his passion.  Up the stairwell, one of our talented employees had painted a textured fire mural up the wall.  The second floor always smelled of roasted red peppers, garlic and onions.  You could also get a sniffter of fresh lemon that was used in the homemade hummus.  Our vegetarian menu kept the shop filled with fresh flavors!  On the third floor, customers with kids could retreat.  Their kids could play with toys while the parents relaxed on the white leather couch.  They could also shop.  Chris Ann’s vintage boutique was dispersed throughout the three floors.  I remember a black globe, an over sized cut glass mirror, a hand painted red tray.  We were living Fancy Friday out.

Every Wednesday night, there would be a line halfway down the block.  Some nights there were police stationed at the door.  It was Open Mic night after all.  Open Mic took on a life of it’s own.  Our customers made it their own.  They began to organize the lists, advertise the night and pack the house.  A few great musicians, (like Ellen Cherry, We’re About 9 and IlyAIMY (journaling here about Jahva House) just getting started, rolled through there.  Fridays and Saturdays you could come and sip your mocha and order a Bella Donna and listen to live music.  Sunday nights, you could come and join a group called XScape and explore all matters of faith.  You’d find Buddhists, atheists, Christians and wiccans discussing why they believed what they believed.  This night was hosted by Todd, Chris Ann’s husband.

When we sold the coffee shop, most of it remained…but, this chalkboard came with us.  It represented so much.

A couple of years later, Devon and I sold all that we had, including our house.  We were headed off to travel the world with our four kids.  I went over to Chris Ann’s.  She was packing up her boxes to move back to Minnesota.  Our houses sold within a month of each other.  I gave her this chalkboard.

And like the tea set, she cried.  She knew what it represented.  It represented a part of our journey.

The journey that took a risk to open a coffee shop on a dream and a dime (literally…but, I’ll share more about that later).  A journey that allowed us all to meet amazing people and have incredible conversations.  A journey about faith.  A journey that afforded us an outlet to explore music, art and things that just made us happy.  A journey that always had good food and coffee at it’s center.  A journey of friendship.

That’s why, good friends, the chalkboard is still a part of our journey!

I made one this week for a friend.  I found a vintage mirror at a thrift store.  I wiped it clean and took it a part.

Then I flipped the mirror over and primed it and the frame.  I let them dry for an hour.

Then I sprayed silver paint on the frame.

Followed with a spray of black chalkboard paint.

After another hour, I did this step again.  I put it together and gave it a few special touches.

This gift went with me to Virginia.  It stood in line with me for 3 hours.

Just to give it to her.

She had inspired us to continue on this journey and we just wanted to thank her.

So, thank you Ree for following your passions and for allowing us to join you every day at your Table.  We hope this chalkboard brings you good conversations, inspiration, great food (and coffee) and friendship!

~Kristin and Chris Ann

About 10, 15 or so years ago, I worked at Phillips Crab House in Ocean City, MD.  I worked there for two summers.  If you’re not from around here (Maryland) then you may not understand the gift I was given in having worked for Phillips Crab House.  Phillips Crab House is the “go to” restaurant in Ocean City, MD.  It is a family business that quickly whittles it’s way into most Marylander’s family traditions!  If you are on vacation with your family, you just have to go (and wait in long lines) to Phillips!

I was server for over 15 years and Phillips, hands down, was the best waitressing experience I had!  During the summers they hire close to 200 servers.  There are so many servers, everyone had to have a “server” name so when you were pulling tickets, the kitchen wouldn’t confuse you with another server.  I was server Kip.  The restaurant has 10 dining rooms and 5 kitchens!

That doesn’t even include the steam kitchen

and 3 bars!

When I worked there, nothing was automated so we had to write tickets, drop tickets and pick up food in no less than three locations!  As a server, we had to quickly get our timing down and stay on our toes the entire evening.  It was hard to serve more than 3 tables at a time.

But, it wasn’t just the training that impacted my life, it was the friendships and family I made there!  You see, even though there were so many people working at the restaurant, everyone quickly became friends!  You went to the beach together, partied (too much) together, ate employee meals together and shared a Phillip’s “Christmas Party” ( in the summer…just an excuse to get out of our uniforms and dress up) together.  I remember one party in particular…it was right across the street from the police station.  The police came to break up the, very large party.  They began to question whose house it was.  We all sat there calmly, looking at each other (knowing full well the “owners” were making their way out of the back door).  Everyone played dumb.  The police finally said, “Is this a Phillips party?”  You see, they had already learned, messing with Phillips employees was like messing with family!  That crab house blood ran thicker than water!  They ended up leaving.

I met friends who are still friends today…one of them, I married.  You see, I worked at Phillips for two summers.  When my younger brother graduated from high school, he wanted to move to the beach like his sister!  I got him a job as a busboy at Phillips.  I introduced him to my friends Corey and Bill…head busboys!

He moved into the Broadripple (the guys housing…so sad it got torn down)!  I didn’t work there that summer, but I went and crashed at his place when I visited.  He had this cute roommate, Devon.

When I first met him, I didn’t think much of our flirting…until a year later when we were married on a Colorado mountaintop…but, I’ll save that for another story!  16 years later, I’m still flirting with this former busboy!  And that guy Bill, well, he’s my brother in law…and Corey a godfather to my nephew…oh and did I mention, that grandson of Brice and Shirley Phillips is the godfather to my niece?

Yeah, it’s totally a family restaurant!

This is all to say, I was thrilled to be invited by Phillips to their Baltimore Inner Harbor restaurant for a special night with food bloggers…but, more on that tomorrow!

Good memories and times at the table can often be traced back to a place, the atmosphere, and of course great food.  Heidi’s Restaurant was just the type of place to leave you with with memorable moments.  Sadly, on the same day Stewart Woodman was chosen as a 2010 James Beard Award semifinalist for best Midwestern chef, Heidi’s Restaurant was destroyed in a terrible fire.  We were so shocked and sad to hear this news, since Heidi’s was one of our favorite restaurants.

Through the years, LoveFeast Table has had many special times at the table.  These are times when the conversation flows, the food is beyond wonderful, the atmosphere and decor just perfect… the servers so charming.  When a restaurant hits all these pieces in perfect cadence, the meal becomes a pleasurable dance and the memory a treasure.

This was our experience at Heidi’s.  We had been there a couple of times in the past.  Todd and I knew for sure when Kristin and Devon visited us again this was a place we were taking them.  Our expectations for a perfect night were not disappointed.

We hope that Stewart, Heidi, and Frank and the charming and delightful servers that we enjoyed so much will continue on to create yet another place that pulls together so many wonderful elements for a memorable night out.

We are saddened by your loss.  And our hope for you is that you will go on to create another beautiful place and bring those talents again, to the table.  We thank you for what you gave us…a special night, a treasured memory and a story to tell.

Charming, Delightful, Delicious, and Memorable.

That’s the way it was.

My grandmother, Betty, was always the foodie of our family!  She was a professional waitress for more years than I’ve been alive!  We’d drive to Jersey and visit her every Christmas.  She’s greet us and quickly make us feel at home, being the experienced hostess that she was!  I vividly remember a very seventies house decked out with shag carpet and wood paneling.  I don’t remember the presents.  I do remember the retro spread of food she laid out every year!  There were perfectly sectioned hors d’ ouerves plates, with mini gherkins, olives, deviled eggs and celery stuffed with cream cheese.  We’d sit down and pass around the mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, turkey, then came the classics…watergate salad (remember creamy lime green jello with fruit and marshmallows?!), ambrosia salad (loaded with fruit cocktail) and then the favorite…fresh fruit salad loaded with strawberries, watermelon, cantaloupe, grapes then tossed with homemade whipped cream.

Fast forward many years.  I found myself having waited tables for 14 years, went to school, received a degree in hotel restaurant management and opened a coffeeshop/cafe with my husband.  I don’t know why it didn’t dawn on me until then, that I was following in the footsteps of my grandmother!

I can’t say that I’ve ever made watergate salad…or any kind of jello salad for that matter.  I have made jello jigglers for my kids when they were little.  They always make kids smile!  But, in honor of my grandmother, there is one 70′s inspired dish (I admit) I still make for my family.  It’s one my mom depended on weekly!  Every time I make it, it invokes childhood memories, it also fools the senses!  I once made it for Chris Ann right after her son Lars was born.  Her mom, who’s middle name is Organic, could not get over the “healthy” and delicious meal I had made!  I’m sorry to admit…the chicken was probably the healthiest thing, before it was bathed in Campbell’s goodness!

It really does taste good!  Devon and I have since recreated the meal to be much healthier by substituting real chopped celery, real chopped mushrooms, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper and milk in place of the canned soups.  It’s up to you!! Just remember to keep the same amount of liquid so the rice cooks properly!

Original Chicken and Rice Casserole Recipe:

6 chicken leg quarters

1 Can cream of mushroom soup

1 Can cream of celery soup

1/2 C. milk

1 C. rice

1 package of Lipton onion soup mix

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Mix together the soups, milk and rice and put in the bottom of a 9X11 baking dish.  Place the chicken legs on top.   Sprinkle the chicken with the package of Lipton soup.

Cover dish with foil and bake for 1 1/2 hours.  Take foil off and bake for another 1/2 hour.

Healthier Version of Chicken and Rice Casserole:

6 Chicken leg quarters (you can use boneless chicken breast to make this even healthier!)

1/2 C finely chopped celery

1/2 C finely chopped mushrooms

1/2 C finely chopped onions

4 cloves of mince garlic (it is also really good if you use roasted garlic!)

2 Tbls.  fresh thyme

1 Tbls. fresh chopped parsley

1 tsp. salt

fresh cracked pepper

1 C rice

1 C whole milk

1 C skim milk (you could probably use 2 C skim milk, but I mixed them, not wanted to loose some of the creaminess

1/C water

1 package of Lipton onion soup mix (I thought about using different spices to do away with this step, but I have to tell you, there is something about this ingredient that does make the chicken taste good…I admit it, the one time I embrace msg…yikes!  It’s seriously the only time in my cooking arsenal I do!)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Mix together celery, mushrooms, onions, garlic, thyme, parsely, salt and pepper to taste.  Add milk, water and rice.  Place on the bottom of a 9×11 baking dish.

Place chicken on top and sprinkle with Lipton onion soup mix.

Cover with foil and bake for 1 1/2 hours.  Take foil off and bake for another 1/2 hour.

As I blog hop, there is a common theme this time of year.  It usually comes in the form of pumpkins, apple picking and hay rides.  I have to say, they all begin to look alike after a while.  Cute kids.  Crisp pink noses.  Huge, orange pumpkins.  Red apples…and lots of apple recipes.  I’d like to tell you this post will be different.  But, it won’t.

There are cute kids with pink noses.

Orange pumpkins.

Piles of apples in wagons.

And a Bonus!!  The bonus is one of the most killer apple cake recipes I have ever come across.  This recipe was given to me by my dear friend, Amanda.  As I was concocting this post in my head last night, she came to mind.  Her recipe, came to mind and I smiled.  There is something really special about exchanging recipes with a friend.  Usually, it comes with a story or a memory of sharing that special meal or dessert.  I remember the first time I had this recipe… it was at Amanda’s old, old house!   We were there with a bunch of friends, just hanging out, with all of our kids.  I love those times!  But, the moment she sliced that cake, time stood still.  With one taste of that Caramel Apple Cake,  suddenly the flavors embodied the moment.  I’m sure you have recipes that have impacted your life!  Those recipes, that when you make and eat them, you are taken back to a time or reminded of someone special.

This recipe is special to me.  I want to share it with you…and thank Amanda, for sharing it with me.  I miss you my friend!!

Caramel Apple Cake~shared by Amanda

Preheat oven to 350 F.

2 Cups sugar

1 1/2 Cups vegetable oil

2 tsp vanilla

3 eggs

3 Cups flour

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

2 medium granny smith apples, peeled, finely chopped

1 Cup nuts (I use pecan) chopped

Mix together sugar, vegetable oil, vanilla and eggs in an electric mixer.  In a medium bow, mix together flour, salt and baking soda.  Add dry ingredients to wet mixture and mix just until blended.  Add the apples and nuts and mix just until blended.

Pour cake batter into a greased bundt pan.

Bake cake for 1-1 1/2 hour…until knife comes out clean.

While cake is baking put…

1/2 Cup butter

1/2 Cup brown sugar

2 tsp. milk

In a small saucepan and boil until it becomes a golden caramel.

Pour on warm cake.

So, I just spent the morning reading about the adventures of Ree Drummond, The Pioneer Woman, her blog and her twitters, and also, I must add:  that of her bloggy friends, like Smitten Kitchen.  And, let me tell you!  These people are going to spontaneously combust with creativity and energy!  I don’t think they’re normal!  And, I say this with MUCH admiration, as well as awe.  My reasoning?  They are waking up at the crack of dawn, 5 a.m. to cook!  And, they turn out more cooking and baking in a couple days than I could hope for in a month!  PLLLEase!  I have been twittering about pie baking for at least a couple days.  And yet, still no pie!  Come on people!!  Show us some slack!!  You are raising the bar way too high for us newbie bloggers!!  I mean we are still trying to figure out our technology let alone some of us, our kitchens!!  I was up until two o’clock in the morning trying to get pictures formatted and dealing with the blog eating monster at WordPress!  Don’t you just need to put your swollen feet up and read a magazine? (To let us catch up.)

OK, whew!  Got that off my chest.  How’s a girl to blog with all that up in her head?  Anyhow, back to MY post.  It’s all about these sweet little lemon souffles!  Let me tell you the back story on these little lemons.  The first time I had this dessert was at Kristin’s, for our friend, Magy’s wedding shower.  Magy, was born and raised in Switzerland.  She can fold clothes tighter than anything you’ve ever seen.  Seriously.  It’s like magic.  Of course, there were many amazing treats to be had that afternoon…but, there was a fuss in the kitchen…excitement was building…something special was coming!

Suddenly, small china plates were presented here, there and everywhere, with stout little lemons puffed with souffle!  We all dug our silver teaspoons into the lemony warm bliss.  Wonderful!  I remember feeling very unladylike after that, wondering if one more, “Oh, my goodness, that was the best dessert I have ever had!!” would get me seconds.  With obnoxious hopefulness, I eyed around for leftovers.  No such luck!  For years they remained a memory of a very special dessert.  And, quite frankly, after hearing about how tedious the scooping out of all those lemons were, I pretty much had settled with the fact that I wouldn’t be having this dessert again, anytime soon.

After so long,  recently, I decided to make them for my family:  my husband, four kids, Grandma and Grandpa, and Nana.  I decided really, on a whim.  I wanted to make something special and unexpected, theatrical, and just…fun.  And, I had a bag of lemons.  And, it was the middle of winter in Minnesota (about a month ago).  And, I have a habit of wanting to pretend we are some place warmer in the winter, thus the tropical fruit desserts.

So, if you want to put down something that makes you look and feel like Martha…and it should, because it’s her recipe, from The Martha Stewart Cookbook.  Here’s the secret:  they’re easy!  All you really need is time (cleaning out the lemons takes some time) and tough strong hands (we’re dealing with acid here, people).  And, of course, an audience, to appreciate your amazingly beautiful dessert.  Each lemon affords about six scoops of souffle.  It’s all about the “presentation wow factor”, because scoop-scoop, and it’s gone.  They are light and sour.  They were too sour for my daughter.

Next time, I might concede to add a little more sugar, maybe two or more tablespoons, even.  Will that throw the souffle?  It’s my first souffle, so if you know, you’ll have to tell me!  Wouldn’t these be superb for Mother’s Day?  I highly recommend them, very lady like.  And, Nana liked them, too!

So, here’s the scoop:  in the next week or so, I will be producing a pie.  There, I said it…I’m “intending” it, even.  So, out into the universe go! you happy pie producing vibes and bring me back some energy!  I’m telling you, if I was cloned, I’d be getting a lot more done!