We were on the edge of our seats guessing at the winner in the dessert round on Chopped, when our power went out. Heavy, wet snow had been rapidly accumulating to the measure of about 6 inches per hour so we weren’t terribly surprised. But wait, what was that orangey-blue-red glow flickering outside?
Our entire yard, then neighborhood, lit up in 360 for as far as the eye could see… what the heck was going on? Was our roof on fire? What should we do? We soon realized the five minute mega light show was courtesy of two fallen power lines.
Followed by a very cold and uncomfortable three days without power.
Should one be taking anything for granted, there’s nothing like the absence of life’s basic necessities to put things back into perspective:-) So I dedicate this post to light!
I love the warmth and coziness various lighting options provide. Carrying on a tradition from childhood, we enjoy eating by candlelight every evening at dinnertime. Tiny stained-glass night-lights pave the way in the kitchen and upstairs near the guest room. Wintertime window candles and tiny lamps cheer up otherwise dark corners at night. For parties, I light tons of miniature glass votives on all the windowsills and transoms, and I add hurricane lanterns going up the stairs for ambiance.
There are infinite ways to utilize lighting creatively within your decor. Here are a couple of my paintings (watercolors on Winsor Newton paper) and photos illustrating a few fav’s from my home.
You transform even the homeliest of mealy winter tomatoes into something sweet and divine. You make quick, practical use of the bushels of summer garden tomatoes we can't possibly eat at once. I can freeze you to eat any time of year. And you're so easy to make I couldn't mess you up if I tried!
Feel free to experiment with this one. Add some carrot, onion or pepper chunks. Use all dried herbs or finely minced fresh. I never make it the same way twice. Regardless, you'll find the roasting intensifies the sweet flavor of the tomatoes as they caramelize. This recipe tastes fabulous with my Eggplant Parmigiana Meatballs.
DIRECTIONS
25 Roma (or whatever you have) Tomatoes Halved, Quartered if Larger
1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Medium Head of Garlic, Cloves Separated but Un-peeled (or Substitute Dried)
Preheat oven to 375. Toss everything on 1 or 2 large rimmed baking sheets (so they fit in a single layer). Turn the tomatoes halved side up. Roast between 1 & 1 1/2 hours. Keep an eye on them towards the end as once the juices start to evaporate they can begin to burn. However, you do want them to brown and caramelize a bit to develop that amazing sweetness and depth of flavor. Allow to cool enough to safely handle. Push the garlic cloves out of their skins, discarding skins. Process in a heavy-duty blender or food processor until slightly chunky or smoother if you prefer.
Freeze in ziplock baggies for up to 6 months. (For easy storage, lay the baggies flat on a cookie sheet in the freezer so they can stack on top of one another. This sauce works great on bruschetta, with pasta, as a base for a delicious tomato soup (recipe coming soon) and anything else your imagination can come up with. Enjoy!
Email me if you'd like this recipe Veganized, Raw-Veganized, Dairy-freed or Gluten-freed:)
It's funny, I've never cared for eggplant- but I adore these! The secret is in the bread soaked in whole milk. Actually I'm finding there are a lot of foods I "Don't care for," that I love when they're incorporated into specific recipes.
Rich. Delicate. Bursting with creamy cheesiness on the inside. Seared and crispy on the outside. (And honestly, between you and me, they don't even taste like eggplant! Perhaps ever-so-slightly, but in a good way.)
These meatballs will not disappoint. The proof being that my husband, a meat-and-potatoes guy, loves them. He even went so far as to say they're some of the best meatballs he's ever had! If that's not a testament…
They couldn't be easier. Feel free to use your favorite jarred marinara or make my Roasted Tomato Sauce which I have in the freezer from last summer's abundant tomato crop. (Roasting works wonders on any old mealy winter tomato so don't be afraid to make the sauce in the middle of winter either.)
Eggplant Parmigiana Meatballs(Serves 4)
1 Large Eggplant (Skin optional, I like it on since it has all the vitamins)
Salt to taste
2 Slices of Bread, Day-old (or lightly toast to obtain similar texture)
1 Cup Whole Milk
2 Eggs Lightly Beaten
1 Cup Freshly Grated Pecorino Romano
1 Cup Freshly Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for garnish
1/2 Cup Panko
1/3 Cup Flour, plus more for dredging
1/4- 1/3 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil (enough to cover the bottom of your pan w/ a thin layer)
Chop the eggplant (3/8 to 1/2 inch cubes). Sprinkle with salt. Steam for about 8-9 minutes, or until quite soft (err on the side of OVER versus under-cooking). Allow eggplant to cool. Squeeze out excess water.
Meanwhile, break up the bread with your hands and add to a bowl with the milk. Let sit for a few minutes to allow the bread to soak up the milk. Squeeze as much of the milk out of the bread as you can with your hands and add to a separate large bowl (discarding leftover milk). Add the eggplant to the bowl along with the eggs, grated cheeses, panko, salt to season and 1/3 cup flour.
Mix the ingredients until well incorporated.
Using your hands, form the mixture into golfball sized balls. (Coat your hands with a bit of olive oil first to prevent the mixture from sticking to your hands.) If the mixture it is too wet to form loose meatballs, add a bit more panko and flour. DO NOT OVERWORK the mixture as this will create a tough meatball. Dredge the balls lightly in flour using a spoon to help coat the top.
Heat the olive oil over a medium heat in a large saute pan. Add the meatballs carefully to the pan in a single layer and brown on all sides, gently turning as you go with a slim metal spatula. Once the meatballs are completely browned remove from the pan and set aside.
Add the Roasted Tomato Sauce (or store bought sauce) to the pan and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium and return the meatballs to the pan WITHOUT SUBMERGING THEM, as you don't want to totally lose all of their crispy browned goodness. Simmer until meatballs are cooked through, 10-15 minutes. Sprinkle in parsley. Serve sprinkled with additional Parmigiano and the shredded mozzarella. Enjoy!
Email me if you'd like this recipe Veganized, Raw-Veganized, Dairy-freed or Gluten-freed:)
This healthy green smoothie has me running back to the store for gargantuan boxes of spinach twice a week! I'm telling you, it is so yummy- and couldn't be easier for a meal replacement when you're short on time. So if you're looking for something to offset that pecan pie I posted, (or those delicious chocolate croissants Nancy), this is your ticket!
Note: Consistency may vary depending on your blender. My number one recommended kitchen splurge is a Vitamix Blender. You just can't get more perfectly silky-smooth soups, smoothies or sauces with anything else.
Green Smoothie (Serves One)
1 1/2 Cups Unsweetened Almond Milk
1 Banana
1 Packed Cup Fresh Baby Spinach (No! Do not try substituting frozen!)
2 Tablespoons Gluten Free Old Fashioned Oats
1 Tablespoon Flaxseed
Stevia, Raw Honey or Coconut Nectar to taste
Place ingredients into blender and process until smooth and creamy. Easy! Pour into a tall glass, garnish with a bendy straw and enjoy all the healthy-goodness you're giving yourself!
Recipe Inspired by Prevention Magazine
If you like this post say thanks by sharing.
https://stylenectar.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/stylenectar.png00Juliane Porterhttps://stylenectar.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/stylenectar.pngJuliane Porter2011-01-22 14:28:002011-01-22 14:28:00Healthy Green Smoothie ~ I’m Addicted
"Corn plants are impossible to kill," Dale, the garden center guy, told me yesterday. He hadn't seen mine. Two of its three stalks are now leafless, bringing me to the garden center for a replacement. Sorry Corn Plant 🙁
But all's well that end's well.
Having received Dale's top 5 water & fertilizer tips, I've since clipped Corn Plant's (CP) remaining dead brown leaves and found him a flattering new home in back of a tall chair. We truly feel as though he's going to make a full recovery. And as if that's not fabulous enough, it does get better. A brand-healthy-new Parlor Palm now sits proudly in CP's old corner. I'm pleased as punch. Here's to hoping Dale's plant-savvy has rubbed off on me.
Now I certainly hope my challenges do not in any way dissuade you from inviting a plant into your own home. While they do require some specific care, the exciting memories and good times they add to your life are priceless. (lol)
In fact, there are several ways I enjoy bringing a touch of the wild into my home, not only via rare tropicals (jk) like CP, but with furry beasts and flying friends too. Perhaps the reason we're so attracted to nature and animals is they're perpetually authentic, unlike us humans, forever cloaked in the drama of our personalities.
Do you have some favorites also? I'd love to hear about them.
Parlor Palm. Found the little butterflies hanging from the plants in a flower shop in Budapest.
Plants like friends too
No, not a stuffed bird, just a really good replication
Our older cat is a very active senior. She never misses a shopping day opportunity to jump in the bags. (Oil on Winsor Newton Paper)
Wooden Carved Bird Friends
Countless times have I admired my sweet kitten enviously wondering, "How do you wake up every single day looking so effortlessly glossy and perfect?"
CP's relo (far left)
https://stylenectar.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/stylenectar.png00Juliane Porterhttps://stylenectar.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/stylenectar.pngJuliane Porter2011-01-20 11:30:002011-01-20 11:30:00Wild Things
Lighting Event
We were on the edge of our seats guessing at the winner in the dessert round on Chopped, when our power went out. Heavy, wet snow had been rapidly accumulating to the measure of about 6 inches per hour so we weren’t terribly surprised. But wait, what was that orangey-blue-red glow flickering outside?
Our entire yard, then neighborhood, lit up in 360 for as far as the eye could see… what the heck was going on? Was our roof on fire? What should we do? We soon realized the five minute mega light show was courtesy of two fallen power lines.
Followed by a very cold and uncomfortable three days without power.
Should one be taking anything for granted, there’s nothing like the absence of life’s basic necessities to put things back into perspective:-) So I dedicate this post to light!
I love the warmth and coziness various lighting options provide. Carrying on a tradition from childhood, we enjoy eating by candlelight every evening at dinnertime. Tiny stained-glass night-lights pave the way in the kitchen and upstairs near the guest room. Wintertime window candles and tiny lamps cheer up otherwise dark corners at night. For parties, I light tons of miniature glass votives on all the windowsills and transoms, and I add hurricane lanterns going up the stairs for ambiance.
There are infinite ways to utilize lighting creatively within your decor. Here are a couple of my paintings (watercolors on Winsor Newton paper) and photos illustrating a few fav’s from my home.
If you like this post say thanks by sharing.
Easy Slow Roasted Tomato Sauce
Slow Roasted Tomato Sauce…
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
You transform even the homeliest of mealy winter tomatoes into something sweet and divine. You make quick, practical use of the bushels of summer garden tomatoes we can't possibly eat at once. I can freeze you to eat any time of year. And you're so easy to make I couldn't mess you up if I tried!
Feel free to experiment with this one. Add some carrot, onion or pepper chunks. Use all dried herbs or finely minced fresh. I never make it the same way twice. Regardless, you'll find the roasting intensifies the sweet flavor of the tomatoes as they caramelize. This recipe tastes fabulous with my Eggplant Parmigiana Meatballs.
DIRECTIONS
25 Roma (or whatever you have) Tomatoes Halved, Quartered if Larger
1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Medium Head of Garlic, Cloves Separated but Un-peeled (or Substitute Dried)
Salt and Pepper to Taste
1 Tablespoon Fresh Oregano Finely Minced (or Basil , Thyme…)
Preheat oven to 375. Toss everything on 1 or 2 large rimmed baking sheets (so they fit in a single layer). Turn the tomatoes halved side up. Roast between 1 & 1 1/2 hours. Keep an eye on them towards the end as once the juices start to evaporate they can begin to burn. However, you do want them to brown and caramelize a bit to develop that amazing sweetness and depth of flavor. Allow to cool enough to safely handle. Push the garlic cloves out of their skins, discarding skins. Process in a heavy-duty blender or food processor until slightly chunky or smoother if you prefer.
Freeze in ziplock baggies for up to 6 months. (For easy storage, lay the baggies flat on a cookie sheet in the freezer so they can stack on top of one another. This sauce works great on bruschetta, with pasta, as a base for a delicious tomato soup (recipe coming soon) and anything else your imagination can come up with. Enjoy!
Email me if you'd like this recipe Veganized, Raw-Veganized, Dairy-freed or Gluten-freed:)
If you like this post say thanks by sharing.
Eggplant Parmigiana Meatballs
It's funny, I've never cared for eggplant- but I adore these! The secret is in the bread soaked in whole milk. Actually I'm finding there are a lot of foods I "Don't care for," that I love when they're incorporated into specific recipes.
Rich. Delicate. Bursting with creamy cheesiness on the inside. Seared and crispy on the outside. (And honestly, between you and me, they don't even taste like eggplant! Perhaps ever-so-slightly, but in a good way.)
These meatballs will not disappoint. The proof being that my husband, a meat-and-potatoes guy, loves them. He even went so far as to say they're some of the best meatballs he's ever had! If that's not a testament…
They couldn't be easier. Feel free to use your favorite jarred marinara or make my Roasted Tomato Sauce which I have in the freezer from last summer's abundant tomato crop. (Roasting works wonders on any old mealy winter tomato so don't be afraid to make the sauce in the middle of winter either.)
Eggplant Parmigiana Meatballs (Serves 4)
1 Large Eggplant (Skin optional, I like it on since it has all the vitamins)
Salt to taste
2 Slices of Bread, Day-old (or lightly toast to obtain similar texture)
1 Cup Whole Milk
2 Eggs Lightly Beaten
1 Cup Freshly Grated Pecorino Romano
1 Cup Freshly Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for garnish
1/2 Cup Panko
1/3 Cup Flour, plus more for dredging
1/4- 1/3 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil (enough to cover the bottom of your pan w/ a thin layer)
24 Ounces Roasted Tomato Sauce (or store bought)
1/4 Cup Shredded Mozzarella
2 Tablespoons Chopped Fresh Italian Parsley
Chop the eggplant (3/8 to 1/2 inch cubes). Sprinkle with salt. Steam for about 8-9 minutes, or until quite soft (err on the side of OVER versus under-cooking). Allow eggplant to cool. Squeeze out excess water.
Meanwhile, break up the bread with your hands and add to a bowl with the milk. Let sit for a few minutes to allow the bread to soak up the milk. Squeeze as much of the milk out of the bread as you can with your hands and add to a separate large bowl (discarding leftover milk). Add the eggplant to the bowl along with the eggs, grated cheeses, panko, salt to season and 1/3 cup flour.
Mix the ingredients until well incorporated.
Using your hands, form the mixture into golfball sized balls. (Coat your hands with a bit of olive oil first to prevent the mixture from sticking to your hands.) If the mixture it is too wet to form loose meatballs, add a bit more panko and flour. DO NOT OVERWORK the mixture as this will create a tough meatball. Dredge the balls lightly in flour using a spoon to help coat the top.
Heat the olive oil over a medium heat in a large saute pan. Add the meatballs carefully to the pan in a single layer and brown on all sides, gently turning as you go with a slim metal spatula. Once the meatballs are completely browned remove from the pan and set aside.
Add the Roasted Tomato Sauce (or store bought sauce) to the pan and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium and return the meatballs to the pan WITHOUT SUBMERGING THEM, as you don't want to totally lose all of their crispy browned goodness. Simmer until meatballs are cooked through, 10-15 minutes. Sprinkle in parsley. Serve sprinkled with additional Parmigiano and the shredded mozzarella. Enjoy!
Email me if you'd like this recipe Veganized, Raw-Veganized, Dairy-freed or Gluten-freed:)
If you like this post say thanks by sharing.
Healthy Green Smoothie ~ I’m Addicted
Note: Consistency may vary depending on your blender. My number one recommended kitchen splurge is a Vitamix Blender. You just can't get more perfectly silky-smooth soups, smoothies or sauces with anything else.
Green Smoothie (Serves One)
1 1/2 Cups Unsweetened Almond Milk
1 Banana
1 Packed Cup Fresh Baby Spinach (No! Do not try substituting frozen!)
2 Tablespoons Gluten Free Old Fashioned Oats
1 Tablespoon Flaxseed
Stevia, Raw Honey or Coconut Nectar to taste
Place ingredients into blender and process until smooth and creamy. Easy! Pour into a tall glass, garnish with a bendy straw and enjoy all the healthy-goodness you're giving yourself!
Recipe Inspired by Prevention Magazine
If you like this post say thanks by sharing.
Wild Things
"Corn plants are impossible to kill," Dale, the garden center guy, told me yesterday. He hadn't seen mine. Two of its three stalks are now leafless, bringing me to the garden center for a replacement. Sorry Corn Plant 🙁
But all's well that end's well.
Having received Dale's top 5 water & fertilizer tips, I've since clipped Corn Plant's (CP) remaining dead brown leaves and found him a flattering new home in back of a tall chair. We truly feel as though he's going to make a full recovery. And as if that's not fabulous enough, it does get better. A brand-healthy-new Parlor Palm now sits proudly in CP's old corner. I'm pleased as punch. Here's to hoping Dale's plant-savvy has rubbed off on me.
Now I certainly hope my challenges do not in any way dissuade you from inviting a plant into your own home. While they do require some specific care, the exciting memories and good times they add to your life are priceless. (lol)
In fact, there are several ways I enjoy bringing a touch of the wild into my home, not only via rare tropicals (jk) like CP, but with furry beasts and flying friends too. Perhaps the reason we're so attracted to nature and animals is they're perpetually authentic, unlike us humans, forever cloaked in the drama of our personalities.
Do you have some favorites also? I'd love to hear about them.
Parlor Palm. Found the little butterflies hanging from the plants in a flower shop in Budapest.
Plants like friends too
No, not a stuffed bird, just a really good replication
Wooden Carved Bird Friends
Countless times have I admired my sweet kitten enviously wondering, "How do you wake up every single day looking so effortlessly glossy and perfect?"
CP's relo (far left)