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Coco Kitty

Coco Kitty

· 23 Comments

A few random photos of our calico cat, Coco.

Calico Cat on a dining room table

It's going to be another set of random cat photos today!  This time a few random one's of Coco kitty.  I am still swamped with prom.  I did a group of 24 high schoolers and that was just one of my sessions.  All together last Saturday, I photographed 36 high schoolers!   Since each person is supposed to receive around 10-15 photos, you can do the math.  Then on Monday, I received a flurry of emails of people wanting me to create their senior announcements.  I think everyone turned over the calendar and realized it was May!  I spent two whole days on that and then downloaded a corrupt font!  Photoshop started crashing whenever I tried to scroll through fonts.  So, basically I lost 3-4 days of very much needed editing time!!   If you follow Pamela Greer Photography on Instagram, you can see some of my photos.

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Roasted Vegetable Salad with Caper Vinaigrette

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This Roasted Vegetable Salad with Caper Vinaigrette is filled with good for you flavor from beets, Brussels sprouts, potatoes, pears, goat cheese and spinach!    You'll also want to make note of the delicious Vegetable Salad Dressing made with capers!

Post may contain affiliate links, full disclosure on sidebar.

Roast Vegetable Salad with Caper Vinaigrette on two scalloped plates.

A Favorite Way to Eat Vegetables

This is one of my favorite ways to eat vegetables.  A simple roasted vegetable salad, or in this case a simple Roasted Vegetable Salad with Caper Vinaigrette.  It's so easy really.  You roast some vegetables, whatever happens to be in season at the time.  Then you take your roasted vegetables, toss them in a bowl with greens and cheese of your choice, top with a vinaigrette and enjoy.  These kind of salads need nothing more than a slice of a good baguette.  It's so crazy easy, and it always comes out perfect.  If you wanted to add even more substance you could include a grain.

Click here to pin this Roasted Vegetable Salad with Caper Vinaigrette now!

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Mahi Mahi with Olive and Bell Pepper Couscous

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This Mahi Mahi with Olive and Bell Pepper Couscous is healthy and delicious and can be on your table in less than 30 minutes! Lemon broiled mahi mahi rests atop a tasty mediterranean couscous featuring kalamata olives and bell peppers. The perfect easy weeknight dinner!

Mahi Mahi with two lemon slices on top rests on a bed of mediterranean couscous.

 

Mediterranean Couscous

Have you tried Israeli couscous?  It's just like regular couscous, but it's bigger.  It's also called pearl couscous.  I love it.  While it takes slightly longer to cook than regular couscous, it is ready in under 10 minutes!    Putting this recipe in the 30 minute dinner category for sure! 

I love that it pairs with so many things.  In this recipe the couscous takes on a mediterranean flare with kalamata olives and bell pepper.Making for a colorful and delicious side dish! 

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Chicken and Sweet Potato Farro Salad

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I love farro and am collecting farro recipes from everywhere!  One of my favorite ways to use make a farro salad.  Turn rotisserie chicken into a healthy and delicious grain salad with this Chicken and Sweet Potato Farro Salad.

Click here to pin this Chicken and Sweet Potato Farro Salad now! 

Chicken Pear Sweet Potato Farro Salad - turn a rotisserie chicken into a healthy and delicious salad!

Chicken and Sweet Potato Farro Salad

Just call me Queen of the Rotisserie Chicken Salad Bowls.  Well, maybe that might be pushing it a little.  Last week, I made Cucumbers, Sweet Peppers and Chicken Salad and this week I am back with this Chicken Sweet Potato Farro Salad.   I am loving turning a rotisserie chicken into healthy, delicious salads!  Even if you don't want to buy a rotisserie chicken, you can easily roast your own chicken, and shred the meat for using in a salad.  But since my store has them on sale on the days I go grocery shopping it is just a no brainer for me.

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Spring Means Open Windows!

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A few photos of our cat, Luxie, enjoying the spring time weather with windows wide open!

Calico cat looking out through a window

Luxie is our first cat to be a completely indoor cat.  We've had cats for over 20 years, so this is something completely new to us.  All of our other cats have been indoor/outdoor.  They come and go at will, though we do make every effort to get them to come inside at night.  I typically go out after dinner and try and wrangle the cats to come back inside.  In the winter, they come in on their own, but as the weather warms up, they don't want to come in.  They remind me of children wanting to stay outside and play.  I'm pretty good at getting them in, they've probably stayed out all night a handful of times.

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Seared Salmon Fillets with Orzo Pilaf

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In searching for Side Dishes for Salmon I found this Seared Salmon with Orzo Pilaf!  The seared salmon rests on a Mediterranean Inspired Pilaf!

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Seared Salmon with Orzo Pilaf

 

 Side Dishes For Salmon

 

I love when a recipe comes with an accompanying side dish.  Oh sure, I can usually think something up, but I do love when someone has done the thinking for me.  Since we eat a lot of salmon, I am always looking for side dishes for salmon.  So, when I saw this salmon recipe with a side dish at Cooking Light, I didn't hesitate to give it a try.

Click here to pin this Seared Salmon with Orzo Pilaf now!

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Miss You by Kate Eberlen

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A book review of Miss you by Kate Eberlen for TLC Booktours.

Miss You by Kate Eberlen

Have you ever read a novel and through the whole book kept thinking that it would make a good movie?  I felt that way with Miss You by Kate Eberlen.    It has everything it needs for a good romantic comedy, with some heartfelt issues included.

The book begins in August 1997 with Tess.  She is camping in Italy with her best friend Doll.  The second chapter is  August 1997 with Gus, who is also on holiday in Italy.   That starts the journey of Tess and Gus, told in alternating chapters, almost meeting but leading separate lives, until we get to the final chapter of the book, July 2013.

Both characters face obstacles in their lives.  When Tess’s mother dies, she gives up her plans to go to a university to take care of her younger sister Hope.  Hope, who turns out to be on the autism spectrum, is not always easy to take care of.   Gus, finds himself in medical school, to make up to his parents the death of his brother.

They lead their lives, like ships passing in the night, until finally meeting in the last chapter.

Yes, it’s a bit predictable, but sometimes I like my stories predictable.

I am hosting this for the TLC Book Tours, please check here to see all the other bloggers who are hosting and check out their reviews!

Usual disclaimer:  I received no compensation for this review, other than a copy of the book.  All opinions are my own.

Purchase Links

HarperCollins | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Photograph by Leanne Dixon

About Kate Eberlen

Kate Eberlen grew up in a small town thirty miles from London and spent her childhood reading books and longing to escape. She studied Classics at Oxford University before pursuing various jobs in publishing and the arts. Recently, Kate trained to teach English as a Foreign Language with a view to spending more time in Italy, a country she loves and has visited many times. Kate is married with one son.

Find out more about Kate at her website, and connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Quick Pickled Onions

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You may never use raw onions again after trying these Quick Pickled Onions, they are perfect on everything from salads to sandwiches.   Quick Pickles are so easy and these onions will become your favorite!

Jar of pickled red onions in front of a blue ball jar filled with yellow flowers.

When I was little I didn’t like onions at all.  Not cooked and certainly not raw.  I’ve come a long way since then. 

Love onions cooked, fried onion rings are heaven, but raw, still not so good.  I have been known to meticulously pick out every bit of onion from a salad or a sandwich.

Thankfully, I discovered easy pickled red onions! They are a quick pickle, meaning no canning involved, super easy, and incredibly tasty! You may also know them as refrigerator pickles, because you store them in the fridge.

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Lavender, Virginia Bluebells and Butterflies

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A few random photos from Southeast Tennessee Garden - featuring lavender, bluebells, and butterflies.

Lavender

One of my very favorite plants to grow is lavender.  I love the way it looks in my garden, it fits in perfect in my wannabe cottage garden.  The cut flowers smell divine and, as I discovered when I forgot to keep the vase full of water, they dry beautifully right in the vase!   Then as if that wasn't enough, I use them in cooking and cocktails.  It's a win, win, win.  The above variety is not one of my favorites, but it is very prolific!

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Nutella Panna Cotta with Candied Hazelnuts

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Why settle for a regular Chocolate Panna Cotta when you can easily make this Nutella Panna Cotta with Candied Hazelnuts?  Panna Cotta is so easy to make, it's sure to become your favorite dessert!

Post may contain affiliate links, full disclosure on sidebar.

Two jars of nutella Panna cotta with candied hazelnuts

 

Who else loves Nutella?

I was emailing and old high school boyfriend the other day and I said something about Nutella and his response back he said that he had never heard of Nutella!  I was shocked.  Then I realized, he is a single guy, not a food blogger, and he probably doesn't venture too far off of a standard food track.  I can't remember exactly when I discovered Nutella, but it wasn't too terribly long ago (I know, sad).  I had seen everyone post about it, about eating it straight out of the jar with a spoon, so when I saw some at the store I picked it up and thought, "Well, I'll just give this a try."

Click here to pin this Nutella Panna Cotta with Candied Hazelnuts now! 

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Random Cat Photos

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Calico cat looking out the door

This is going to be a super quick post today!  Some of you may not know, but outside of my blogging life, I am a professional photographer.  My business is Pamela Greer Photography.    Right now I am in the middle of prom season and it is completely crazy!!  I think I am photographing 12 couples tomorrow and even more next weekend!  I'm totally stressed because they are calling for rain and thunderstorms!  Plus, I have to finish editing some senior sessions from earlier in the week.  Busy.  Busy.  Busy.

So, it's totally random cat photos again.  And, once again, I forgot to do the artsy photo!  Once May gets here, it will slow down and bit and things can get back to normal.

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Spicy Quick Pickled Cucumbers

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Quick Pickles are the answer to a summer bounty of vegetables. These Spicy Quick Pickled Cucumbers are so easy and delicious, you'll want to have a jar in the fridge all summer long!  No canning is necessary!

Post may contain affiliate links, full disclosure in side bar.

Jar of pickles on a table with flowers behind them.

No Canning Quick Pickles

I belong to a CSA and sometimes during the summer I find myself overwhelmed with all the veggies that I am getting.  While I like to regular can some of them,  sometimes I just don't have the time or the energy to bring out all the canning stuff.  That's where quick pickles are a lifesaver!

Click here to pin these Spicy Quick Pickled Cucumbers now!

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Edgar & Lucy by Victor Lodato

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A book review of Edgar & Lucy by Victor Lodato.

Edgar & Lucy by Victor Lodato

As I was reading Edgar &  Lucy by Victor Lodato, I realized it’s been a while since I’ve read such an excellent book. I loved this book from the very beginning to the very end.  It’s a long book that you don’t mind at all that’s it’s long, as a matter of fact, I would have gladly kept reading had there been more story to tell.   But like the perfect book that it is, it ended on just the right note and left me completely fulfilled.

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Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan Soup

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This Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan Soup is a kid-friendly crockpot recipe that adults will love too.  It's an easy chicken soup, even the pasta cooks in the slow cooker!

Bowl of chicken parmesan soup on a rustic background.

I have a confession, most of the soups that I make in the slow cooker are a bit broth heavy.  Not that there is anything wrong with that.  I love a good soup broth.  

Sometimes I eat all the solids of the soup, just so I can savor the broth all by itself.  

However, this Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan Soup that I found at Food52 might just change my mind.   In their description, they talk about how this soup has all the flavor of a decadent chicken parmesan served over pasta, but it's much more waist friendly.

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My Fig Tree

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A few photos of my Southeast Tennessee spring garden, featuring my Peter's Honey fig tree and small purple wildflowers.

Small Fig Tree - Peter's Honey

When I retired form teaching my fellow 8th grade teachers surprised me with a fig tree.  They had listened to me lament about how much I wanted a fig tree, many times during lunch.  This particular variety is Peter's Honey.  As you can see, it is still very small, but is still putting out a few figs for us.

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Patchouli Enjoying Some Outside Time

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A few photos of our reclusive kitty cat, Patchouli, enjoying some outside time.

Tuxedo cat sitting outside

First of all, I would like to thank everyone for your kind words regarding Winston, they were greatly appreciated.  I still find myself going to look out the window to see if he is safe on the porch.

Today, I bring you some photos of our reclusive, slightly crazy, Patchouli.  I've mentioned before that Patchouli does not get along with the other kitties.  She is a big scaredy cat and once they find out, they take great sport in tormenting her.  So, she spends most of her days downstairs with me in my office/her apartment.

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Grilled Chicken and Farro Salad

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Combine Grilled Chicken with a Farro Salad and you end up with a quick and easy lunch or dinner. 

Grilled chicken resting atop a farro salad.

I have firmly jumped on the grain salad bandwagon.  I love them!   

I love all grains, but one of my favorites is farro.   Truth be told, I don't even know what the difference between farro, spelt and wheat berries is.  

Even after Googling it, I still don't understand, they are all wheat.

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