candlelight + family

{life here day 7}

hi there

cheating a bit here today.
but i had to share,

last night was lovely, not hampered but enhanced by the darkness ::

 

helped by,

candlelight ::

 

music ::

photo by ethanollie

and especially family ::

 

photo by ethanollie 

pretty much the perfect way to celebrate the dark nights ::

happy monday 

sue

butternut squash risotto

{life here day 3}

hi there
weeknight dinners are still always such a puzzle for me. the day's always seem to fly by and suddenly it's dinner time.
but last night we gave dinner a little thought ahead of time and decided to try butternut squash risotto.

i'm so glad we did,  it was warming and comforting on a cool night and so delicious.
we added a tossed salad and were good to go.

 here's the recipe i played around with: 

Butternut Squash Risotto from emeril lagasse on the food network

  

you will find easy directions following the link above

and a few notes from me:

don't be afraid to substitute ingredients. i didn't have mushrooms, so i topped it with caramelized onions. i also didn't have the shallots (didn't seem to harm the taste at all.)  the butternut squash puree was an easy way to cook the squash and the touch of honey made it even more tasty.  salt and pepper were the only spices i used or needed.

give it a try,  it wasn't hard to do at all and i think you'll love it.

until tomorrow

sue

ps; i want to hear if you tried it for yourself.

 

 

out & about ....portland

portland oregon....

i am on overload from my visit there...

so much to take in... 

one thing you cannot help but notice ...bikes

it's a city that embraces "the bike" both as a means of transportation, as much as a means of expression

on the streets

 photo by chris teso

in the parks

photo by chris teso

to the store

'walking' the dog

  photo lisa teso

my bike is definitely coming with me to portland

and if you don't already have one... you can design your very own sweet one at urban outfitters

urban outfitters design bike

Portland has claimed the #1 spot for most bicycle friendly city in the nation, click the link below the next photo for a good overview of their bikeways and masterplan

portlands master bike plan


happy biking
sue

To Portland or Bust

I will have to interrupt my postings on Cape Cod for a few posts.
Today we leave for a trip to Portland Oregon.
Portland is quite the experience!
Wikipedia states "Portland is a city located near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in Oregon. With a population of 568,380 it is Oregon's most populous city, and the third most populous city in the Pacific Northwest.The city and region are noted for strong land-use planning and investment in public transit. "
It is attracting and capturing the hearts of our youth and families. A visit there gives a glimpse of the why. Portland is one beautiful city with an exciting blend of historic and modern architecture (I will have to do another post devoted to the architecture, it is wonderful). Vistas of Mt. Hood and the Willamette River, stately Douglas Fir trees, beautiful flowers and roses. It is a study in contrasts. Combined with great art, farmers markets, waterfront festivals and a diverse population, you have one very exciting city.

Some highlights, I experienced on a previous visit.
Some of the best small local dining establishments, I have ever had. The neighborhoods are more like small towns. You can walk (and most do, a wonderful site to see neighbors outside and greeting each other) to a cup of coffee, a grocery or one of the many quaint shops. Yet you are only a 10 minute drive to the city proper.
Did you think I would just mention the shops in passing ? No, no, no, that will be a post in itself. The shopping was just as exciting as the city.
Back soon, have a wonderful Tuesday.
Sue

Some parts taken from a previous post.