Happy 2nd Birthday La Bonne Vie!

So I guess I took a sabbatical. I traveled a bit, cooked a little, tried a lot of different foods, wines and cocktails. It was good. I needed some time to rest and reflect.

I love that today is La Bonne Vie 2nd Birthday...and that this is the first blog back from a short break.

Today, I just want to take time to remember.
I want to remember Mason. I want to remember why I began cooking and logging it all into this diary in the first place. I want to remember my favorite pictures and foods. 

And I want to celebrate it!

Mason & How It All began...

Mason...

I lost my dear friend, Linda H. Mason in May 2014. You will see me refer to her throughout this blog as Mason. 

The loss is tremendous.

And Thus It Began...

So what did I do...I began to cook! 

Mason and I loved food! Mason had a few standby recipes...a cheese ball, cornbread...oh- and a fudge recipe that was out of this world!!! Other than that, she really didn't enjoy cooking. But we loved eating what I cooked. I thought: I should begin cooking, creating, and exploring as a way to heal through the loss of my friend.

She always encouraged me in my writing too. I would often take my work to her home and read my manuscripts to her.
Why not combine these two things...the cooking and the writing?

Mason also loved anything French. I love French food. One of my favorite movies is Ratatouille- a movie (set in France) about a rat who becomes a chef. (I named my cat after the main character, "Remy"!)

It was coming together: Mason lived "the good life"- "la bonne vie". She had many friendships, cooked, ate, enjoyed the company of others...enjoyed French stuff...

Yes- that's what I would do! I would begin a blog to diary recipes, tastes, smells, and adventures that remind me that:

life is good. 

It doesn't have to be stuffy food, or expensive food, or require super-skills in the kitchen...just easy, creative, fun, "catching up over a good meal" kinds of dishes. We humans often connect over a good meal. Mason and I always did our best "catching up" over a lunch or dinner.

So join me, won't you? Join me on an eating, drinking, cooking journey to explore the good life...the way Mason would- over a good meal!

Favorite Pictures and Food...

One of my first pics and one of my first food blogs!

The famous fig tarts from Christmas! Also the cover of my Facebook page.

You know I love Halloween!!! This one was especially fun!!!

Probably my most favorite blog I have ever written, and it had almost nothing to do with food.
If you haven't read it, it is called We Are Stewards. This picture was featured in that blog post.

Awesome Asparagus Tart!

Loved my Kitchen Decor this past Christmas.

Naughty Nog with Peppermint Rim.

Food and Wine Festival in Disney World this year!

Merry Mice!

Dennis' favorite meal from this year: Pumpkin Risotto!!!

Savory pancakes with Smoked Salmon and Sour Cream.

The most adorable Turkey Cheese Ball Ever!!!

It's been a good year! 

As I look back and remember, I'm filled with joy all over again.

I remember the verse that has given me so much hope:  "What, what would have become of me had I not believed that I would see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living!" 

Ps. 27:13 AMP

So now, I invite you to celebrate with me! What goodness have you seen in your life over the past year? 

Now- Celebrate it!

La Bonne Vie Y'all!

Mason's Favorite Charity- The Wally's Friends Fundraiser

As you know, after my friend, Mason, passed away in May, I began this blog as a way to process through her loss. 

Mason and I enjoyed eating, so you can rest assured this post will include a meal!

Mason and I also loved animals! Mason volunteered at Wally's Friends (http://www.wallysfriends.com/ ) a low cost (sometimes no cost) spay and neuter clinic. 

Their Mission: 

The mission of Wally's Friends™ is to dramatically impact the numbers of unwanted animals destroyed in shelters and starving on the streets by:

• Providing high quality, high volume, low cost, spay and neuter surgeries for cats and dogs, with an emphasis on serving rural and lower wealth areas of Chattanooga.

• Connecting people and animals through education on dog and cat overpopulation and responsible guardianship to elevate the quality of life within the community.

• Providing transport of animals to the clinic for low wealth and disabled guardians, and free spay/neuter when guardians lack the funds for spay/neuter

So her family and friends decided to get behind what she believed in and loved!

Two tables were reserved in her name at the Wally's Friend's annual Fundraising Banquet!!!

I love the table decorations here! Dog biscuits, gift bags for dogs and cats, and Mason's favorite treat- M&M's!!!

The name of the fundraiser was Spay-ghetti No Meatballs...Haha!
But as you can see here...we had one meatball!

Mason's sister took "Mason jars" and filled them with dog biscuits. These held the "Mason's Menagerie" signs to mark her tables, What a cute idea!

Jazz band during dinner. I LOVE Jazz!!!

Milo, a pug-mix, was a destructive little dog, until this trainer discovered how to channel all that energy!  Milo was adopted by his trainer. This little fellow can dance on cue, by following a few hand motions!

Milo is also an agility dog. I was able to help with the props and be a part of his act!!!

This pup dressed like Minnie Mouse is a rescue who now works as a therapy dog at nursing homes around the Chattanooga Area!

They had a silent auction, and the Hubs and I came home with a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon with a Springy-Cat Wine Topper!

This was an emotional night for many of us.
I felt both sad that Mason was not there, and also happy and proud that through her life so many have joined this cause for the love of her and the animals!

I feel that it is important to help and serve each other. I think it is incredibly important to help those who can't help themselves.
I have been blessed to see the work of Efren and Gema Ormaza and their work with orphans and widows through medical missions in Ecuador. I have been moved by the work of Hospice workers and the grace and dignity with which they served my grandmother, Nanny, at her passing. I'm honored to work with the staff and volunteers at On Point who meet Middle and High School students where they are, without judgement...with grace, knowledge and skills- encouraging them to thrive!
And I am humbled by the service of organizations like Wally's Friends and the Pet Placement Center (a no-kill shelter for dogs and cats).

Thank you all for giving of yourselves!


Mason, I miss you so much!
Thank you for introducing me to such a wonderful organization that is doing such important work!

La Bonne Vie Y'all!!!

Clams with Beer, Bacon & Fennel

Wow- isn't this pretty!!!

I found this recipe in the last volume of Coastal Living. 

I've cut this recipe in half for just the Hubs and me.

This was the first time I used my new, bright red Dutch Oven!
My Parents gave it to me for my birthday- I was so excited!

I sauted the about 3/4 cups of chopped fennel in 2 Tbsp of butter on medium-high until it was tender.

I added a little over 1/4 cup of beer & 2 more Tbsp of butter to the fennel, reduced the heat to medium...
and added 1 1/2 lbs of clams!

I placed the beautiful red lid on and let it cook for 10 mins! 

Look at how beautifully they opened up!
*Be sure to discard any that do not open.

I sprinkled them with chopped, fresh parsley. (Add crumbled cooked bacon- can you believe that I forgot mine?!)

We served ours over a bed of Far East Garlic and Olive Oil Cous Cous, and added a side of Vision Health Green Giant Steamed Veggies!

This was such a beautiful...and healthy meal!

Can you tell our table is decorated for Valentines?

The flower bouquet is made of wooden flowers. I added red place-mats...and of course Mickey & Minnie salt and pepper shakers!

La Bonne Vie Y'all!

PS- Mason volunteered at Wally's Friends- a low cost (sometimes no cost) spay and neuter clinic in Chattanooga, Tennessee. She dearly loved animals (particularly- dogs...very particularly- Golden Retrievers). Wally's annual fundraiser- Spay-ghetti No Meatballs- is Saturday, February 7th.

Tickets are only $35 (seated dinner, wine/ beer). There is also a silent auction.

Please consider going. I have provided a link for tickets.

Click Here For Tickets!

If you don't live near this event, why not consider helping at your local shelter?

Animals are just one more blessing that make it La Bonne Vie Y'all!

There's Enough Grace For That!

Dear Mason,

It's my birthday today, and by now I would have already received a card from you that had old ladies in a convertible on the front. It would have said something about us being old, getting older, and of course getting better the older we get. I would have laughed, smiled, and my heart would be warm knowing you remembered me...several days in advance since you bought the card and mailed it.

This has been the hardest year of my life.

My health was not good for almost 10 months of the past year. The health issues gave way to depression. My family had a few health issues...and you passed away.

I had my first ever panic attack at 3 am.

...then...quiet...something had to give...I think it was me.

Can I be brutally honest for a bit? Well, of course I can. You always honored honesty, Mason.

I've hated my birthday for many years. Not so much for the getting older bit, but because it was one more year here...diabetic, colitis, PCOS, not getting it "right" me...

The horrible part about the Type 1 Diabetes...it will NEVER be perfect. I'll never get it "just right". How many years have I gone to the doctor with a slue of bad numbers and felt like it was my report card...and that I was always failing. Then when the other issues get added on...it feels like I'm destined to fail for the rest of my life. I get frustrated at the lack of perfection.

It brought me to the end of myself.

The sickness, the family health, the loss of you...the panic attack.

Sometime this year, gradually, (I can't pin point the time it started or began coming on strong) I left myself and walked to lay down in God's lap.

Grace, Mason, just Grace. I won't be good enough- ever. Not until the Lord returns.

At the end of me there is just a leaning into God's Grace.

When the numbers aren't perfect- there is enough Grace for that.

When feelings and physical symptoms change from day to day, or minute to minute...there is enough Grace for that.

It's just not about me (how hard I try, how good I am, what lovely works I accomplish)...

It's about Him. It's about the work He did and continues to do. And He freely gives His Whole Self to me!!!

He is good enough, so I accept His goodness, and now I have enough!

 "But in our time something new has been added. What Moses and the prophets witnessed to all those years has happened. The God-setting-things-right that we read about has become Jesus-setting-things-right for us. And not only for us, but for everyone who believes in him. For there is no difference between us and them in this. Since we've compiled this long and sorry record as sinners (both us and them) and proved that we are utterly incapable of living the glorious lives God wills for us, God did it for us. Out of sheer generosity he put us in right standing with himself. A pure gift. He got us out of the mess we’re in and restored us to where he always wanted us to be. And he did it by means of Jesus Christ."

- Romans 3:21-24 MSG

This is the first birthday in several years that I'm enjoying.

I'm enjoying being loved on by God. I enjoy letting me and my wish for perfection go, and instead laying my whole self in the lap of God...relying on Jesus' goodness and perfection to be mine...the free gift. I've put my faith in Him.

And there is enough Grace for that!

Getting Ready for Halloween...and Remembering Mason!

As it gets closer to Halloween, the Hubs and I love watching Halloween movies.  I don't like the scary ones...I know, so what do you watch?

My Current Halloween Movie list:

Hotel Transylvania

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Icabod Crane (Disney's Headless Horseman)

Beetlejuice

The Nightmare Before Christmas

Alice in Wonderland (Johnny Depp version)

Dark Shadows

and my favorite Halloween movie...

Mel Brooks' Young Frankenstein! 

This puts me in mind of Mason and I going to see Sleepy Hollow many years ago at about this same time of year...

One thing that Mason and I loved to do (other than eat) was go to the movies. We saw so many movies together. 

Haha...this reminds me...

Back when Shakespeare In Love came to the theaters, Mason and I went to see it. I was in college and I was smitten with Joseph Fiennes (Shakespeare in the movie).

I went to meet Mason (I think we were going to a movie) and she pulled a folded piece of paper out of her purse. 

"Here. I got this for you", she said.

I unfolded a magazine page which she had torn out of that month's People at her beauty shop. 

I looked at it...then at her...

"Thanks...why do I have this?" I asked.

"It's that Shakespeare you like from the movie", she said.

"Ummm...no. This is his brother. Ralph."

"Oh. Are you sure? Well, he's nice looking too", she said.

Movie Joseph stars in...

Joseph Fiennes...

Ralph Fiennes...Joseph's older brother...

Movie Ralph stars in...

She did stuff like that all the time. She made me laugh. She still makes me laugh.

One Halloween, my friend Bran and I decided to dress up as some of Mason's favorite characters.

While my crush was on Joseph Fiennes (not his older brother), Mason's was Mel Gibson. 

So Bran and I dressed as Braveheart (complete with blue face paint) and...

...Indiana Jones.

When Mason came to her door that Halloween, she was laughing so hard we thought she was going to stop breathing. 

We loved doing things for her to make her laugh.

As I watch some of our favorite Halloween movies and get ready for all those cute trick or treaters, I remember Mason.

So, maybe you surprise someone this Halloween...but instead of scaring them...make them laugh, like Bran and I did for Mason...

Bran & I dressed and ready to surprise Mason!

Enjoy this time of year! 

And Enjoy my favorite clip from this Halloween Movie!

Gene Hackman & Peter Boyle in Young Frankenstein.

La Bonne Vie Y'all!

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Easy Crab Dip!

Yummy Layered Crab Dip! 

This was featured in Southern Living years ago!
It is still a family favorite!

Mason worked in the bookstore of the girl's school I attended. She collected all kinds of girls from all different grades into her care. These girls (now adult women, most of whom have children of their own now) got together recently to celebrate our dearly departed Mason!

This crab did made an appearance.

Ingredients:

8oz of cream cheese, softened

2 Tbsp lemon juice

1 Tbsp Mayo

1/2 tsp seasoned salt

1/2 tsp lemon pepper

1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce

3/4 cup cocktail sauce

1 (16 oz) container lump crabmeat, drained (you can make a switch for the canned stuff...)

2 cups (8oz) Monterey Jack (or Mozz) cheese

3 green onions

1/2 bell pepper, chopped

1/2 cup sliced ripe olives

Assorted crackers and fresh veggies

Beat cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth;
add lemon juice and next 4 ingredients, beating until blended. Spoon mixture into a 9" serving dish.
Cover and chill at least 20 minutes.

Spread cocktail sauce evenly over cream cheese mixture.

Top with crabmeat...

Sprinkle with cheese...

Chop onions and peppers...

Sprinkle with onions and peppers...

Top with olives and serve with crackers and fresh veggies!

So Easy!

La Bonne Vie Y'all!