Azoresgal~Life on an Island

This is a wonderful chocolate syrup. It was so easy & quick to make, not to mention inexpensive ! It has a nice flavor, and the consistency is perfect, too. It was exactly what I needed for our ice cream dessert bar this weekend. It is a keeper ! Chocolate Syrup Ingredients 1 cup cocoa powder 1 1/2 cups sugar 1 dash salt 1 1/2 cups water 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Directions Stir together. Boil 2-5 minutes, stirring rapidly, or  until sauce begins to thicken.  storing in the fridge, will make it even thicker ****USE A VERY LARGE PAN !!! THIS WILL BOIL OVER LIKE LAVA !!!!  I learned the hard way ;) xo, Diana

This is a great tasting cheese ball and easy to make. The cayenne pepper adds a nice zing to to it. There was however a slight problem......it was soooo very salty. The original recipe suggests 2 teaspoons of garlic salt next time I make it, I will use just garlic powder. Mince the onion finely, you could also use green onions instead. My kids loved it, especially the oldest, who loves anything spicy. If you are afraid of some heat, add only 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne. I hope you give it a try. Ingredients 1 package cream cheese, softened 1 and 1/2 cups  cheddar cheese, shredded  1/2 cup chopped onions 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 2 teaspoons garlic powder 1 cup chopped pecans/walnuts/almonds Directions Beat cream cheese, cheddar cheese, onion, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder and cayenne pepper with a mixer until combined. Place  mixture in fridge for about 30 minutes. Shape into a ball....

This is one of the simplest, least complicated dishes you could make, as it only uses 3 ingredients. It was so delicious, Mr. G loved it, and was astonished, at how quickly it came together. I served these little bundles, with some risotto, and some veggies. Seriously, make this for dinner soon, you will not regret it.       Bacon Wrapped Cheese Stuffed Turkey Breast     1 package turkey breast cutlets (or chicken) 1 package Rondelé soft cheese 1 package bacon     pre~heat oven 200/ 400   Place the cutlets, out on a work surface, lines with parchment paper (makes clean up easy) Spread a nice layer of the flavored cheese on top of the cutlets. Roll them up, into little bundles. Next take 2 or 3 strips of bacon, and wrap it around the bundles. Place the bundles, on a lightly greased (olive oil) baking dish. Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes. Serve with some veggies and rice.   **** I did not add any other seasonings, and it wa...

I know, I know what you are thinking....MUSHROOMS again ?? I am sorry, and please forgive my insanity. There is method to my madness, you see, because I live on an island, we can´t always get fresh button mushrooms, at the grocery store. So when I saw some  today, I just could not resist. Trust me though, these are delish, crunchy on the outside, and so very creamy on the inside. Very easy, because of the simple ingredients, what takes the longest, is the breading of the mushrooms. These were a winner for Mr. G, he loved them ! Once again, you could , use regular bread crumbs in place of the Panko, they just wont be as crispy. Fried Stuffed Mushrooms 1 package cream cheese (herb/garlic/chives) 20-25 fresh button mushrooms, clean and stems removed 3 eggs, beaten in a bowl 1 cup flour ( you may season the flour) in another bowl 2 cups Panko, bread crumbs, also in another bowl. 1.Clean and remove stems from mushrooms 2. with a small spoon, fill t...

These are such an easy crowd-pleaser. They are quick to prepare and oh so very yummy. The Panko-Cheese filling, is pretty much just a base, you could certainly dabble around, with different spices and herbs. You can use regular, bread crumbs, instead of the Panko, they just wont be as crunchy.  When you get the chance, serve these gorgeous stuffed mushrooms at your next party, or if your not in the sharing mood....just make them for yourself ! Panko & White Cheddar Stuffed Mushrooms ¾ cup panko bread crumbs 1 cup shredded cheese ( I used four-cheese + some Parmigiano -Reggiano) 3 Tbl. fresh parsley, roughly chopped 1 tsp. onion powder 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil salt and pepper 20 -25  mushrooms, stems removed Preheat the oven to 205c/ 400 degrees. Add the panko, cheese, parsley, onion powder and olive oil to a small mixing bowl. Toss until well combined. Season the mixture with salt and pepper. Toss again. Coat a baking sheet with oliv...

Hard to believe, Easter, came and went so quickly! We had a wonderful day, spent around the table, with friends we invited over for lunch. Holidays are always tough for me, I live so far away from my folks, so our holiday meals are never spent together. For many years now, we have invited to our home, and to share our meal, friends, who are also far away from their loved ones, or who are new to the island. Our new neighbours, a young husband and wife, he is a member of the American Air Force, they have only been here, a little over two weeks, I would like to think that for a little while, they forgot about not being at home for Easter, with their famlies. I know that I do. This year for dessert, I made a cake I had never baked before. This could have gone horribly wrong.....but it didn't!. This cake is a keeper, a definite show stopper. It was Gluttony on a plate.....the perfect end to Lent, and our meal. Carrot~Pineapple~Coconut Cake 1 cup chopped walnuts 3 cu...

That anyone would, ever expect, my husband and I to forget, our baby girl. is hurtful.. it is like loosing her, over and over again. I cannot understand, what is not "real " about Emma, to others. I gave birth to a full term beautiful baby girl, she weighed 3,300 kilos,  and was 51 cm. long. WHAT IS NOT REAL ABOUT THAT ??  She was dressed in her "going home outfit", the one, that I had picked out for her, with little yellow duckies on it. She was wrapped in a little flannel blanket, one that I have beaten myself, over and over about, because surely it would not keep her warm enough, in the cold , dark ground. WHAT IS NOT REAL ABOUT THAT ?? Instead of being taken home, to sleep in her bassinet, she was laid to rest in a white little casket, chosen by her daddy, all on his own...WHAT IS NOT REAL ABOUT THAT ?? People, get to grieve, the loss of their mothers, fathers, grandparents, brothers and sisters, they get to miss them, speak of them and rememb...

Automatic pilot.....that's exactly what I feel like, as if perhaps, everytime, the first week of April comes, someone flips on a switch. A switch I don't seem to have any control of, it just gets turned on, and with it comes all these things rushing back. Feelings, smells, words, people, it all comes back, taking hold of me, like a prisoner. My heart is heavy, and my mind is racing, I even feel sick to my stomach, and the tears, well, they just come and go on their own, like I said, automatic pilot. The calendar God's this year, would have it, that April 1st, is once again on a Sunday, just as it was 11 years ago, and so the rest of the days will also coincide accordingly. Right until Wednesday the 4th, the day I gave birth to Emma,   the day we buried her. I will live the next four days, hour by hour, and with each passing second that goes by, another wound will open up, just as it has every year since. Like a hurt animal, I will once again, lick my ...