Making Fresh Mozzarella Cheese

The biggest hurdle was just getting the fresh cows milk~ this included a one hour drive.... but very well worth it!

Carefully stirring and adding the rennet at the proper time~blew the first batch! At 10$ a gallon, that hurts! Must read and follow directions very carefully! I could absolutely kick myself for reading too fast!

Added some fresh basil and parsley from my herb patch.

Final touch was adding some delicious balsamic vinegar and olive oil from some of the friends we visit while on my Tuscan tour.....all I needed for dinner tonight! So worth the drive and effort! There are tons of recipes on line~this recipe is from a class I took last week in Tampa. They are all so similar......

Pecan Meringue Torte

A family recipe from the Mumford side of the family.We certainly have had some great cooks- actually from both sides!  My daughter and her husband are joining in the ranks as well!  This is one of my favorites!

You can add any type of fresh fruit that you prefer. I used strawberries as they are still in season here in Florida. Raspberries are fabulous in this recipe!

The recipe is so easy~                                                        


1 cup of sugar, 4 egg whites, 1/2 teaspoon of white vinegar, 1 teaspoon of almond extract, 1 cup of finely chopped pecans, 1 cup of heavy whipping cream, 1 cup of fresh fruit and powdered sugar for dusting after it is filled and assembled.

Beat the egg whites until foamy and add the sugar slowly. Add the vinegar and the almond extract. Continue beating until egg whites are very stiff.
 Butter and flour 2 8 inch cake pans. ( I also lined wax paper on the bottom of my pans for easy removal.)

Fold in the pecans gently into the whipped eggs. Divide the egg mixture into 2 pans and smooth the filling out in the pans. Bake at 325 for 45 minutes. Let the meringues cool completely before removing from pans.

Whip the cream with 1 tablespoon of sugar. Fold in fruit and spread over the cooled meringue base. After adding whipped cream mixture, top with the remaining meringue. Press down firmly. Sprinkle with powered sugar. Cut in wedges and serve with some extra fruit on the side.

Bringing back the past

This is a photo I took seven years ago in the very early stages of my food blogging. This photo has always been one of my favorites, so simple and yet taking on the true form of the cabbage and its many uses along with hearty recipes. I took the picture outside on my patio, placing the cabbage on my grill cover. Imagine that! Instant back drop!

Today, however, I was inside my kitchen photographing as well as reading over a few recipes and came across a cabbage and mushroom stir-fry combination. It looked very easy and I liked the caloric count, practically nothing! No need to run to the grocery as I had the mushrooms and cabbage in the veggie bin. Mushrooms were ready to be used....and already sliced! I measured out two cups of mushrooms.

In this photo, I have coarsely chopped two cups of cabbage~not much effort here....

I used my large skillet and added three tablespoons of olive oil and a half teaspoon of chopped fresh garlic.The stir-fry process lasted about seven minutes. I like my veggies a bit crunchy, so it all depends on how tender you like yours as to how long you will need to cook the cabbage and mushrooms. Serve immediately while steaming hot!

There it is~it couldn't be easier ! Sometimes, less is more~very few ingredients for a delicious side, if you happen to like cabbage. Salt and pepper to taste. For a little zing, I sprinkled on some ground red pepper.