GRATITUDE

Gratitude has been on my mind for some time now.

Every morning I get up and as I open my eyes I think about how lucky I am for a million little reasons.
I look around me and see what I have in my life, the people who are my family and friends, my clients who become my friends. The people I feed with Susan's Suppers or a cooking class or a catering job.
I give thanks for the soft pillow beneath my head , for the sunshine that streams in my window, for the hot shower that sooths my muscles and cascades over my body.

When I take my walk in the morning I am thankful for the carpet of fiery gold & red leaves that swirl around me. I greet each person with a smile and a wish of happiness for their day and also for mine.

I am choosing to be happy, to see the glass as half full as they say.
I expect good things to happen to me. I know that everything will be all right and that I am where I am suppose to be in my life ~here & now.

I chose to look at the positive side of life, at what I have not what I don't. When you do that you realize how much you truly have. Your world is full of riches~ from the comfort of your home to the ability to stand up straight~ to smile & laugh and to enjoy your life each & every second of every day.
Your life is made of these moments, small little seconds in time that you will look back on and realize that it is what life is truly about.

Enjoy & give thanks for what you have. Be in the moment. Notice who and what is around you. Smile , perform random acts of kindness.. it will elevate your day .
Give thanks for the sunshine, the raindrops the chirping of birds, a good cup of coffee.
Take a moment to look around you and give thanks for all that touches you. It is a wonderful way to live your life!

SOUP'S ON

This is perfect weather for a hearty bowl of soup or stew...when it is cold and damp outside ~nothing feels better than a delicious bowl of the perfect comfort food !
Here are some of my favorite recipes. Easy to make and tantalizing to eat!

CHICKEN & RICE SOUP

1 cup of celery chopped
1 cup of carrots chopped
1/2 cup onion chopped
1/4 cup parsley chopped
6 Tbsp butter melted
salt & pepper
3 cups cooked chicken chopped
8 cups of chicken broth
2 cups cooked rice
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

~in stock pot melt butter & cook celery, carrot, onion & parsley till soft & golden about 10 to 15 minutes, season with salt & pepper.
~add remaining ingredients & simmer soup for about 30 minutes.Wonderfully easy & good !

PUMPKIN & PEAR SOUP

2 tbs melted butter
2 tbs flour
1~ 15 oz can pears sliced thin
8 cups chicken broth
2 large cans~ canned pumpkin
2 tbs honey
salt~pepper
1/2 cup cream

~Make a roux by cooking melted butter & flour together until a golden color.. about 10 minutes whisk in honey & add pumpkin & chicken broth , season and add pears & cream.Simmer for about 20 minutes.Enjoy !

Mushroom Madness

Today we piled into a van and with Clint as our driver headed out for a wonderful day to Chester County .. this was a culinary tour and our first stop was Phillips Mushrooms.
We arrived at Phillips as a light rain fell .. but that did not dampen our enthusiasm or our spirits.
Phillips Mushrooms is located in Kennett Square , the self proclaimed center of Mushrooms.
Phillips is the largest grower of speciality mushrooms in the US established in 1927 it is a 3rd generation family owned run business.
We had the extreme pleasure of having the head grower, Angel as our guide for this fascinating tour through the mushroom houses.
We saw Shiitake , Portabella, Maitaki, Oyster& Crimini , just to name a few.
This is a first class and very busy operation and taking care of this business is a 7 day a week job!
We put on our little caps and masks and we went into each building, learning what mushrooms need to survive and grow. It was a fascinating and informative tour! I think we will never look at mushrooms the same way again.
Below is a wonderful recipe for mushroom soup perfect for these cool autumn days ahead !

WILD MUSHROOM SOUP

3 Tbs.olive oil
3 Tbs butter melted
1/2 lb portabella mushrooms chopped
1 lb of assorted mushrooms chopped
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 leek chopped
2 shallot chopped
1 clove garlic chopped
salt ~ pepper
1 tsp dried thyme
1 ~ 40 oz cans chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream ( optional)

~in oil & butter saute onions, celery, garlic ,leeks, shallot until golden and soft add mushrooms and cook till brown and golden .. season with salt , pepper, thyme .. let cool & then puree 1/2 the mixture while adding chicken broth to processor to help mix well .. return to pot and add cream .. simmer until warmed through.

SUSAN'S SUPPERS

I am excited to announce a new venture for Private affairs Catering ~ starting in September I will be offering a service called Susan’s Suppers . Freshly prepared home cooked food ready to be picked up , heated & enjoyed in the comfort of your home .

With busy schedules starting in the fall ,we hardly have time to complete all that is on our list and usually dinner is just another thing to do !

Make your life easier ! Check out our web site @ www.pvtaffairs.com for my monthly selection of freshly prepared foods. Served in sturdy microwave container,your dinner will be ready in minutes . Tired of fast food ? eating out too expensive ? try our daily meals ~ for tasty fresh & delicious food !

Pick up days will be Monday & Wednesday between 2 PM & 7:30 PM

Place your order online @ www.pvtaffairs.com, send an email @ pvtaffairs@aol.com or call 610 789 9496.

Menu selections will change monthly with weekly specials added.

Deadline for ordering for Monday pick up is Sunday @ 9 PM
Deadline for ordering for Wednesday pickup is Tuesday @ 9 p.m.

Pick up location ~ 5031 Bond Ave. Drexel Hill PA
We accept cash,checks,visa or master card.

Fall Cooking Classes

September is here and with it comes the sound of school buses and the excitement of children going back to school. It was always a exciting time for me .. funny but I love sharp pencils & new white notepads.
I love to learn new things so with that thought in mind I have put together a wonderful list of new cooking classes for the Fall.
It is my favorite time of year. Cool crisp weather begs for comfort foods. Long ,slow simmered vegetables, braised meats, oven roasts, creamy mashed potatoes, sumptuous soups. It is a great time to get out all those pots & pans and cook a wonderful dinner.
If you are looking for some inspiration along with recipes that you will cherish and use over & over~join me in a cooking class! You will enjoy a fun night out filled with laughter, good food & inspiration to go home & cook !
My recipes are easy. I use ingredients you can find in your local markets,and you get to enjoy the meal that I prepare so you can be adventurous & try something new!
Come with a friend and enjoy a great night out and be prepared to be inspired !

Summer's Last Stand

On the way home from the shore we stopped at a roadside farmers market .. it was a tiny shack with a variety of baskets filled with colorful vegetables. I had my pick .. I wandered through the baskets set up outside. A display of assorted peppers caught my eye .. long red Italian hots, something long & purple called holy ~moly , habenaros, pablanos, red ,green, orange bell peppers .I was in pepper heaven. I made my selections and then moved on to the Jersey tomatoes.. so red and fat I could imagine them sliced and laying besides a chunk of creamy mozzarella with ribbons of basil in a bath of extra virgin olive oil!
I then turned my attention to the plump corn .. a dozen of those went into my cart... green beans ,& yellow wax beans were not far behind. White eggplant ~3 for a dollar ! can't beat that !
I picked out plums and apples, yellow watermelon and ripe, fragrant Jersey peaches & nectarines .. my collection of jewels got higher & higher .
It was when I was eyeing up the pumpkins that my husband suggested we wait for that purchase "do you really need pumpkins now ?? "~ "yes"I thought ~but we were out of room .. the car was packed with sandy beach chairs two tired grand kids and enough videos to keep them busy even if we happened to drive to California !
I was thrilled with my purchase. I couldn't wait to go home and cook!
Summer is ending and I think I will miss the Farmers Markets the most!

August Monday

Susan & the cigar man



















August Monday is actually a week long celebration .. a Carnival of sorts,with boat races and festivals held at different beaches all week .It is a kaleidoscope of color , a celebration of life & food.
Our beach was hosting the big boat race on Thursday. The early morning was like any other .. we awoke to the sound of the surf and the sun rising~ casting rays through our bedroom window. The sand was like sugar and the blue of the sea was vibrant & calm. The beach was deserted. We put on our suits and enjoyed a cup of coffee on the porch.

The tents were put up earlier in the week and dotted the shore line . Soon the activity began .. as we were bobbing in the water the first of the big boats arrived.. men in colorful shirts hosting the sails and securing the anchor.Within minutes the bay was dotted with sailboats.. each boat a colorful picture to be taken. Spectator boats began arriving and the waters took on a carnival atmosphere.
The big BBQ grills were light and the smoke and flavors of chicken & ribs was in the air.Island music completed the picture as the beach filled with people,food & song awaiting the horn to start the race.
The mood was electrifying , exciting ~all eyes were on the boats .. magnificent with the sails open and ready to go .. the horn sounded and they were off .. flying through the crystal clear blue water toward the horizon...cheers erupted and everyone watched until they turned the point and were out of sight ... now was the time to get something to eat.
We strode through the sand in bare feet .. walking towards the aromas , licking our chops planning what we would order ... chicken& ribs ,fried salt fish, goat soup, johnny cakes, coleslaw, potato salad ,rice & beans ,rum punch.. we couldn't decide so we got it all .. licking our finger with every mouthful. This was good honest food ~prepared right in front of you. It was out of this world!
The tents were filled with people selling food, drinks, beaded jewelry, a man dressed in a crisp white shirt was selling cigars .. we called him the "Cigar Man " and we bought two even though we don't smoke ! too much fun to pass up ! the atmosphere was wonderful .. everyone was dressed with bright island colors and everyone was as friendly as can be!
This was a time for family reunions on the island so families gathered together to reminisce and cheer for their favorite boast to win.
Soon the boats appeared on the horizon and all eyes turned toward the race! We grabbed our cameras and headed to the shoreline cheering and shouting like everyone else .. it was a close race with boats coming in fast & furious .. the winner was BLUEBIRD coming in from a different angle than the rest !! an unexpected win .. cheering was loud as everyone jumped in the water to congratulate the winner !!!
We grabbed a few more rum punches and headed to our balcony to watch the rest of the festivities. We had a front row seat!
Music played into the night...what an exciting day !
Something never to forget and to look forward to again .. .next August Monday ! In Anguilla !