Puff Pastry Pizzette
Red Wine Braised Short Rib
Gorgonzola, Roasted Tomato
Arugula Chiffonade, Malt Vinegar Vinaigrette

May I offer you an appetizer?

We are in summer entertaining mode here @ Taste With The Eyes. Two big parties, back to back. Lots of appetizers! We served this one at both parties, big hit…

Cook short ribs a day ahead.

Brown about 2 lbs. short ribs in half olive oil half butter in an ovenproof casserole. Add a half-bottle of hearty red wine, 2 c. beef broth a few smashed garlic cloves, salt and pepper. Cook covered in a 325° oven until tender, about 3+ hours.

Chill overnight. Remove the fat, save the juice, shred the meat. Reheat to assemble the pizzettes.

Cut puff pastry sheets into rounds with a cookie cutter. Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet at 350° until golden brown.

Poke a hole in the top of the pastry. Add crumbled gorgonzola cheese.

Top each pizzette with a slice of roasted tomato then about a tablespoon of warm (not hot) shredded short rib.

To make the tomatoes: Slice Roma tomatoes crosswise. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet. Season with salt, pepper, dried oregano. Drizzle with olive oil. Cook in a convection oven at 425° until most of the moisture evaporates and the tomato begins to caramelize.

Finish with ribbons of arugula lightly tossed with a small amount of malt vinegar/olive oil/ salt /pepper.

Happy summer entertaining!

A California Avocado Commission avocado bisque recipe was the inspiration for my heart healthy version made with non-fat milk and non-fat yogurt. Avocados contribute good fats to one’s diet and they’re low in saturated fat and cholesterol-free. Non-fat dairy ingredients in my recipe complement the rich avocado, resulting in a perfect balance that is good for the heart. The lovely fragrant tarragon, creamy colorful avocado, and tangy yogurt marry well together.  The method is so simple you can make it for lunch today, yet it is also elegant enough to serve at your next summer dinner party.

• 1 ripe avocado (medium/large)
• 1 c. non-fat milk
• 1/2 t. chopped tarragon
• 1/2 t. sea salt
• 2 T. non-fat Greek yogurt

Bring non-fat milk to a simmer (do not boil). Add tarragon and salt, stir then remove from heat. Let steep one hour.

Place the meat of one avocado in a food processor or blender. Add milk mixture and yogurt. Blend well. Chill. Serve. Our heart healthy version is garnished simply with sliced avocado and a sprig of tarragon. But we will be jazzing it up for our next dinner party!

Here are some ideas for garnish:

• roasted poblano chile/ lime juice/ tortilla strips
• grilled avocado/ cilantro/ lime juice
• creme fraiche/ crab/ chive
• smoked trout/ lemon
• chopped bacon/ tomato/ arugula
• shrimp/ chile oil

Please share your ideas for a garnish!

CLASSIC BISTRO DUCK AND WILD MUSHROOMS
Sautéed Breast of Duck with Crispy Skin
Oyster, Shiitake, and Porcini Mushrooms in a Beef Stock Reduction

CONTEMPORARY BISTRO DUCK AND WILD MUSHROOMS
Sautéed Breast of Duck, Seasoned with Szechuan Pepper & Flor de Sal
Roasted Wood Ear and Shiitake Mushrooms
Crispy Polenta Cake and Wilted Mizuna Greens
Porcini Reduction Sauce and Pomegranate Balsamic Vinaigrette

BISTRO LORI LYNN

I would like to thank Natasha of 5 Star Foodie Culinary Adventures for the motivation to makeover my living room into a French Bistro by inviting Taste With The Eyes to participate in the 5 Star Makeover Summer’10 Special! She has asked 10 bloggers to Guest Post over the summer and recreate classic dishes to share on her 5 Star Foodie blog. I am honored to be one of the 10! Thank you Natasha.

We’ve cooked Bistro Duck and Wild Mushrooms Two Ways; CLASSIC and CONTEMPORARY. It was great fun setting the table and searching the house for bistro-style props. We especially enjoyed the makeover: creating le plat du jour. Now both of these duck dishes have a place on le menu at Bistro Lori Lynn.

Bonsoir! Right this way. Your table’s waiting…

To read the entire GUEST POST including recipes on
5 Star Foodie Culinary Adventures blog please visit here.

5 Star Makeover Summer’10 Special: Ten special bloggers have been invited to recreate different classic dishes of their choice and share them on the 5 Star Foodie Culinary Adventures blog. These guest posts will be featured every Monday from June 28 to August 30. This event is sponsored by MarxFoods, an online store that offers fantastic high quality gourmet products. In September, a final roundup of these makeovers will be posted and readers will be able to vote for their favorite recipe to receive a fabulous prize.

Evelyn Dawn’s Potato Crusted Salmon
Sautéed Vegetables, Lemon Dill Sauce
@ Gina Lee’s Bistro, Redondo Beach, California

Evelyn Dawn was my grandmother-in-law. She passed away at 93 years of age in the year 2000.

As a tribute when Evelyn passed, my dear friends Scott & Gina Lee, proprietors of Gina Lee’s Bistro, named this dish after her. They keep her memory alive in their fabulous restaurant. New patrons ask, who is Evelyn Dawn and why is the salmon named for her? They are quick to tell about Evelyn; an independent woman ahead of her time, with impeccable taste, a successful businesswoman, friend, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, and educator of hundreds. A framed photograph of Evelyn sits atop the sideboard in the restaurant.

Gina said of the salmon dish, “This is a crowd favorite. Lots of people remember Miss Dawn the founder of Rolling Hills Country Day School. She came in the restaurant nearly daily and always had the salmon professing that the omega 3 fatty acids kept her going at top speed. We’ve had former students and teachers come in, they marvel that she lives on, on our menu.”

Gina Lee’s Bistro
211 Palos Verdes Blvd.
Redondo Beach, CA
310-375-4462
Gina Lee’s Menu here.

View from guest room @ the M Resort Spa Casino

I’ve been back to Las Vegas twice in the past 2 months to visit my gracious youngest sister and my accommodating and affable brother-in-law, and to explore the possibility of purchasing a little house there. I really appreciate spending time with them. I like the desert. I like the wide open feel and the view of the mountains. I also like The Strip and gaming, the spas, the shopping. And most of all, the dining!

Over the years we’ve been fortunate to have eaten dinner at so many of the top restaurants with their world-renowned chefs (recent review of Julian Serrano here). But I equally enjoy the hotel cafés. I like to sit outside overlooking the pool in the early morning with a cup of coffee, and read a magazine with a warm dry desert breeze a blowing…

Red Cup Café @ the M, 7:01 AM

Even after playing Blackjack well into the evening, I always wake up early and head down to the hotel café. Accurate time stamps on the photos are thanks to digital photography.

View from Café Vettro @ 7:04 AM

Have you noticed that all the Coffee Shops here are no longer called that? It’s Café.

Jaunty Presentation

Technology with Breakfast. I’m usually alone at this hour.

Satisfying Spa Omelette

Mon Ami Gabi at the Paris Hotel is perpetually our favorite place for lunch. With its authentic French bistro menu, open-air seating, and views of The Strip and fountains at the Bellagio, it is one very popular spot!

Mussels Marinière
white wine and herbs, served with frites

Profiterole Trio
vanilla, chocolate & caramel ice cream filled pastries
hot double chocolate fudge sauce

Do you have recommendations for dining in Las Vegas? Breakfast, lunch, dinner or cocktails – we would love your input!

Roasted Napoleon of Portobella and Turnip
Little Buna-Shimeji Mushrooms and Corn Kernels
in a
Ginger Soy Mirin Sauce
Cilantro Garnish

“The recipes… are only a guide. You can use any or all of a recipe, deviate wherever you like, or indeed substitute ingredients completely if it suits your desires. In fact, you may want to forget about the recipe specifics and use the photographs alone as your inspiration,” penned Charlie Trotter in 1994.

I received his eponymous cookbook Charlie Trotter’s in 1998. After making this extraordinary napoleon I just today read the introduction quoted above. No wonder he is my hero. His words written 16 years ago perfectly describe my blog:  where the image is meant to titillate and inspire the cook!

The more I cook from these two books – Charlie Trotter’s and Charlie Trotter’s Vegetables the more I appreciate the genius of this chef.

(Cookbook GIVEAWAY winner posted below)

Peel turnips, cover with water and poach for about 20 minutes. Let cool in the poaching liquid. Slice into rounds about 1/4 inch thick.

Toss portabella mushrooms with toasted sesame oil and  low-sodium soy sauce.

Add coriander sprigs and julienned ginger to the mushrooms. Cover with foil and roast at 400° for about 25 minutes. Let cool.

Alternately arrange turnip and portobella into stacks. Season each layer with a bit of salt and pepper. Brush foil with sesame oil and wrap the stack in foil. Place in an ovenproof container that will retain the shape of the stack. I used a Pyrex 2 c. measuring cup. Place a heavy weigh on top of the stack. Roast at 400° for about 35 -40 minutes.

Sauce Ingredients:

• 1/2 c. buna-shimeji mushrooms
• 3 T. sweet corn kernels
• 2 t. minced ginger
• 1 T. toasted sesame oil
• 4 T. rice vinegar
• 4 T. mirin
• 4 T. vegetable stock
• 2 T. low sodium soy sauce
• 1 T. Earth Balance butter substitute (or butter)
• Cilantro leaves

Cook mushrooms, corn, and ginger in sesame oil in sauté pan over medium heat for about 6 minutes. Add rice wine vinegar and reduce to a glaze.

Add mirin, stock, soy sauce and accumulated juices from the roasted mushroom turnip napoleon. Whisk in Earth Balance or butter. Add a tablespoon of corn starch slurry to thicken the sauce if necessary.

Place roasted napoleon in a shallow bowl.

Top with sauce.

Finish with cilantro leaves.

The cookbook also includes wine recommendations. With its intense herb, ginger, and vinegar flavors, a fine (cold, of course) sake is suggested. Perfect. I concur whole-heartedly.

Side Dish Alternative

This dish makes an elegant vegan (or vegetarian if using real butter) main course. You can also serve it as a vegetable alongside a grilled steak, rib-eye being my preference. To make a smaller version of the entree, place one cooked mushroom between two slices of cooked turnip in a small casserole dish with a splash of sesame oil and soy sauce. Roast at 400° for about 20 minutes until heated through. Top with the ginger soy mirin sauce.

GIVEAWAY WINNER

Thank you once again for your well-wishes on the 3rd anniversary of Taste With The Eyes. It gives me great pleasure to announce the winner of the Charlie Trotter’s Vegetables cookbook GIVEAWAY. The winner was chosen using random.org: Bonnie from Sweet Life blog, “Cooking, Eating, Living…My Sweet Life in Texas.” YAY Bonnie! I know you will love this book! Thank you for your support of Taste With The Eyes!

Lori Lynn

Another napoleon you might like:

Eggplant & Spiced Lamb Napoleon

“To me, June is synonymous with exuberance, mostly because the flavors and colors of the month’s offering are so dramatic. I like elegant playful spicing in June, which is perfect for these fresh ingredients. I’m not yet ready for the big, assertive spices and flavors of late summer.”
Charlie Trotter

A little over a week ago you all helped me celebrate the 3rd Anniversary of Taste With The Eyes. Thank you again for all your kind words and support. This little blog is a source of much joy due to your involvement. As a small token of appreciation, I am giving away a copy of my very favorite vegetable cookbook, Charlie Trotter’s Vegetables. Oh how I wish you all could experience this book! Black-Eyed Peas with Haricots Verts and Spicy Curry Emulsion was truly sublime…Mr. Trotter is a genius.

The winner of the Giveaway for Charlie Trotter’s Vegetables will be announced on June 26.

Black-Eyed Pea

“Fresh black-eyed peas are a fantastic treat and they are far superior in flavor and texture to their dried counterparts,” explains Trotter. Alas, I had to use the dried variety in my dish, but I do look forward to seeking out the fresh ones soon. After rinsing and soaking the beans, simmer them in water with 4 cloves of garlic until soft. Reserve the cooked garlic for the final plating.

Cook baby white potatoes in salted water.

Combine 1/2 c. vegetable stock and 3 T. fresh squeezed orange juice with the spices listed below in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer.

• 1/8 t. cayenne
• 1/4 t. paprika
• 1/2 t. curry powder
• 1/4 t. togarashi
• 2 t. turmeric

I’ve made changes to the original recipe. Certainly not to improve upon Mr. Trotter’s recipe, but to adapt to the ingredients that were available and to make it cholesterol-free. To make the dish a more substantial vegetarian entree, I added baby white potatoes. And to make the dish heart healthy I substituted olive oil, Earth Balance butter alternative, and MimicCream for 8 T. of butter.

To the vegetable stock spice mixture whisk in 2 T. olive oil, 2 T. Earth Balance, and 2 T. MimicCream.

Toast black sesame seeds in a dry skillet.

Chop fresh herbs of your choice: I used parsley, thyme and basil.

Before serving, froth the sauce with a hand blender for about 5 minutes.

Steam haricots verts until tender. Tie into a bundle with a blanched green scallion.

To assemble: Mound fresh baby spinach in the center of a platter (Trotter uses sauteéd pea shoots). Top with haricots verts. Surround with warm potatoes and top with black-eyed peas and garlic. Sprinkle with chopped fresh herbs. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Ladle spicy curry sauce over the vegetables. Sprinkle with toasted black sesame seeds.

Trotter recommends placing slices of poached chicken on top if you would like a more substantial dish. Vegan, vegetarian (made with butter), or served with chicken, this is a stellar dish that is sure to delight! Charlie Trotter is my hero.

My Legume Love Affair

It’s been a year since I had the pleasure of hosting My Legume Love Affair 11th Helping, a wildly successful monthly event showcasing legume-centric dishes from around the world created by Susan, The Well-Seasoned Cook, now going into its 24th month. I think Black-Eyed Peas with Haricots Verts would make a grand addition to the party, so I’m sending this dish to June’s hostess, Diana of A Bit of Spain in Iowa blog. Come join in the fun and share your best bean dishes here: My Legume Love Affair 24th Helping!

The seasons fly by, don’t they? We just held our Lusty Month of May Springtime Jazz Feast, and here we are already testing dishes for our Sunken City Supper Club SUMMER Event, “Mediterranean on the Pacific.”

It will be held at our friends’ home high on the hill in Rancho Palos Verdes overlooking the Pacific Ocean. For this theme we will be imagining that the ocean is the Mediterranean Sea. We’ll be cooking with seasonal summer ingredients and Mediterranean flavors. This dish made the cut…

Eggplant & Spiced Lamb Napoleon

Quarter Roma tomatoes and gently squeeze out juice and seeds. Drizzle with olive oil and season with Kosher salt, pepper, dried Greek oregano, and a little sugar. You can slow-roast at 250° for 2+ hours, or if you are in a hurry do what I call fast-roast: Cook in a convection oven at 425° until most of the moisture evaporates and the tomato begins to caramelize.

Meanwhile sauté diced onion and green bell pepper in olive oil until soft, add minced garlic.

Gently brown seasoned ground lamb then drain off the fat.

Add the lamb to the onion mixture.

Toast fennel seeds in a dry skillet for a few minutes. Use a mortar and pestle to crush the seeds. Add peeled diced tomatoes, ground cinnamon, dried Greek oregano, and fennel seeds to the lamb mixture. Simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally.

SUMMER GRILLING

Rub sliced eggplant with kosher salt and let sweat on paper towels for an hour, turning once, to remove much of the moisture. Then rinse off the salt, pat dry, and brush with olive oil. Grill over medium high heat. Slice the eggplant in generous portions so it doesn’t shrivel up on the grill.

Speaking of eggplant, I hope you had a chance to enter my Blog 3rd Anniversary GIVEAWAY!

It’s not too late!

Simply leave a comment on the Blog is 3! Celebrating with King Trumpets and Shishito Peppers! post for an opportunity to win a copy of Charlie Trotter’s Vegetables by midnight PDT June 24th.

Trotter is a master of vegetables. One of the eggplant recipes in this book is Eggplant and Potato Cannelloni with Wilted Spinach and Cardamom-Carrot Juice. Seriously, this is the most inspiring vegetable cookbook ever written! And wherever you reside in this big beautiful world, I am happy to ship it to you! No restrictions. To help me celebrate this milestone, please leave a comment and enter to win! And as always, thank you for your support, readership, and encouragement.

Finish the spiced lamb with chopped fresh mint and crumbled feta.

To assemble: place an eggplant round in the center of a plate. Scoop some of the lamb on top, then another eggplant round, lamb, then top with a third piece of eggplant. Surround the Napoleon with roasted tomatoes and chunks of feta. Garnish with a drizzle of olive and mint.

We seat up to 24 people at our Sunken City Supper Club event, so in addition to being seasonal and tasting great, we need to be able to prepare and execute the dishes in a home kitchen. If you are looking for a great summer dish to serve to a crowd, definitely consider this one! And please stop by later in July to read about the Mediterranean on the Pacific event!

FAMILY MAN

Wishing a very Happy Father’s Day to my dear brother, Don, awesome dad to my nephews, Stone, 7, and Jett, 5 and to all fathers out there on this the 100th anniversary of Father’s Day!

And Happy Summer too!

Extra-Fluffy Egg Whites/ Petite Peas/ Fresh Mint/ Fruity Olive Oil

Thank you so much for your kind words and congratulations on the 3rd Anniversary of Taste With The Eyes. I hope you had a chance to leave a comment on the Blog is 3! Celebrating with King Trumpets and Shishito Peppers! post for an opportunity to win a copy of the truly remarkable Charlie Trotter’s Vegetables. (It’s not too late! Simply leave a comment on that post by June 24th). Trotter has a passion for vegetables and his ingenious pairings and presentations are works of art.

GIVEAWAY – CHARLIE TROTTER’S VEGETABLES

Now, about this light and lovely pea & mint omelette…

Whip fresh egg whites with a bit of sea salt and fresh ground pepper…

…whip just enough so the egg whites are airy.

Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add a bit of olive oil.

Add the egg whites. Use a spatula to gently lift and move the eggs to evenly cook the omelette.

Prepare the pea mixture ahead of time.

• frozen petite peas
• fresh mint
• olive oil
• fresh lemon juice
• sea salt & fresh ground pepper

Peas are one of those vegetables that actually taste great when frozen. Since peas are rather delicate, they start to deteriorate and become starchy within a day of being picked.  Peas that are frozen within hours of harvest retain their fresh flavors. So, I would use frozen peas, unless of course, you have access to fresh picked!

Cook the peas then drain all the moisture, let cool to room temperature. Add peas, chopped fresh mint, a drizzle of olive oil, a squeeze of lemon juice, salt and pepper to a food processor. Pulse briefly to get a rough chopped texture.

Place the pea mixture on the cooked egg whites and fold the omelette onto a plate. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil.

If I were the proprietress of a Bed & Breakfast this heart healthy omelette would be on the menu.

Grilled King Trumpet Mushrooms &  Shishito Peppers on Rosemary Skewers
Baby Spinach and Rosemary Roasted Golden Soybeans
Toasted Sesame Oil & Tomato Water

Pleurotus eryngii
King Trumpet Mushroom also known as King Oyster, Eryngii, Pleorote du Panicaut,
Argonane, Bouligoule, Champignon de Garrigue, Cardoncello, Cardarello

Taste With The Eyes is 3 years old!

Cooking, photographing, writing, then ultimately sharing my culinary adventures on Taste With The Eyes is a source of much joy for me. This little food blog is an ongoing learning experience, a terrific creative outlet, and a source of pride. It has opened doors and provided new opportunities. It is the means with which to connect with fellow foodies, and a wonderful way make new friends with various interests and passions from all around the globe. I am grateful to have the opportunity to share food and ideas and experiences with you.

Reading your blogs provides an awesome source of inspiration, a conduit of creativity, and a heartfelt connection through your personal stories. Your enthusiasm is infectious. I cook, dine, laugh, and cry with you.

Your kind, knowledgeable, clever, and sometimes funny comments are deeply appreciated. I learn so much from you, way beyond food and cooking. You amaze and inspire me.

I thank you from the bottom of my heart!

The words above I penned on last year’s anniversary. Today, I feel the same, times 365. It is my absolute pleasure to get to know you through your blogs. And extra special this year – was a true honor to meet several bloggers in person at the San Francisco Foodbuzz Festival, in Chicago, and in LA at a food writing seminar. I never imagined on June 10, 2007 when I taught myself how to upload a photo of my family’s dinner at Charlie Trotter’s Kitchen Table (that’s me on the right), that this little hobby would blossom into such a gratifying experience.

In honor of the three year anniversary and the very first post, I turned to Charlie Trotter’s Vegetables cookbook for inspiration. His recipe for Grilled Porcini Mushrooms with Tomato Water became my muse. The journey began with fresh Shishito peppers and King Trumpet mushrooms…

Shishito Peppers are popular in Japan; thin-walled and mild with just a whisper of heat. Every once in a while, though, you’ll come across a hot one!

To cook shishito, simply toss in a bit of olive oil, throw them on the grill, finish with some sea salt. We’ll be grilling these all summer.

I wish you could smell the tomato water. It screams summer. Simply pureé beefsteak tomatoes in a food processor with some salt. Place the pureé in a fine mesh sieve and strain the juice. “Tomato water acts as the contrasting backdrop and further highlights the haunting characteristics of the mushrooms,” explains Trotter.

Soak rosemary sticks in water for a few hours. When grilling try to keep the leaves away from the direct fire so they don’t burn.

The stout King Trumpet grows wild on the buried roots of hardwood trees and is popular in Europe and Japan.

The stem and the cap of the King Trumpet are firm and thick-fleshed, so require more cooking time than other less “meaty” mushrooms.

Trim off only the very bottom of the mushroom then season with toasted sesame oil, salt and pepper. Toss the shishito with olive oil and salt. Thread the mushrooms and peppers onto the rosemary sticks.

Toss boiled soybeans with olive oil, coarse salt, and minced rosemary. Roast in a 350°oven for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden.

Toss baby spinach leaves with a drizzle of half olive oil/half toasted sesame oil, sea salt and fresh ground pepper.

Then add room-temperature rosemary roasted soybeans.

Grilling is a little tricky because the peppers cook faster than the mushrooms, and  you don’t want to burn the rosemary. I found that cooking over medium heat on a covered barbecue grill works best, check on them often.

Mound the spinach and soybeans on the plate. Place two mushroom skewers on the spinach. Finish with a drizzle of toasted sesame oil and a drizzle of tomato water.

The texture of King Trumpets is reminiscent of abalone. The taste is earthy, meaty, exotic! Extraordinary!

GIVEAWAY – My Gift To You

It would bring me great joy to send a copy of  Charlie Trotter’s Vegetables to each and every one of you. Alas, I can share my enthusiasm for the book with you all, but can only ship a copy to one of you. Hopefully, this small gesture will help to convey my gratitude. Simply leave a comment on this post by June 24th for a chance to receive your own copy of Charlie Trotter’s Vegetables. The fortunate recipient will be chosen using random.org. The winner will be posted on Taste With The Eyes on June 26th.

“Charlie Trotter is passionate about vegetables. In this glorious volume, he presents more than 80 recipes from his famous vegetable menu. In keeping with his commitment to serving seasonal produce, the recipes are divided into 12 chapters, one for each month of the year, based on when the dishes’ ingredients reach their zenith. If you favor the earth’s purest and most complexly flavored offerings, epiphany lies within the pages of Charlie Trotter’s Vegetables.“

This is one awe-inspiring cookbook! Good luck! Bonne chance!

Merci Beaucoup!

So, to Father Adam, Allison, Marie, Courtney, Stacey, Cynthia, Susan, Paul, Luiz, Laurie, Lori, Linda, Lisa, Nina, Peter, Joan, Claudia, Christina, Cristina, Ronell, Merisi, Chrystal, Amir, Simona, Matt, Josh, Danny, Darius, Alexa, Kiersten, Ryan, Dorian, Teri, Lynn, Dorothy, Greg, Val, Mardi, Penny, Debi, Jude, Marla, Sylvia, Mark, Marc, Jen, Jenn, Marvin, Paz, Ben, Kait, T.W., Giz, Psychgrad, Foodbin, Caveman, Natasha, Bren, Barbara, Pam, Kevin, Julia, Julie, Sylvia, Frank, Tash, Val, Erica, Erika, Sanam, Romee, Bee, Nuria, Emily, Rico, Charlotte, Lauren, Gail, Velva, Stephanie, Jonny, Amy, Sandi, Todd, Diane, Denise, Petrea, Krissy, Kristy, Judi, Amy, Sommer, Alison, Kathleen, Eileen, Jean, Vicki, Geri, Cherine, Nik, Kristi, Leah, Sara, Sarah, Heather, Molly, Deanna, Abbi, Sook, Tien, Kelly, Linn, Tori, Tom, Amanda, Dara, Mary, Ann, Elra, Alta, Joumana, Belinda, Elin, Maria, Shell, Carol, Hing, Kim, Scott, Dawn, Pamela, Elizabeth, Dennis, Juliana, Fifi, Rosa, Cara, Kathy, Lazaro, Tam, Roxan, Joy, Ivy, Reiko, Jeannie, Meghan, Abby, Skylar, David, Noelle, Casey, Nash, Olga, Louise, Audrey, Andra, Gina, Sally, Peggy, Peg, Davida, Lynn, Sasha, Cassie, Brian,  Janine, Stella, Noni, Anupama, Joann, Tony, Andrea, Laura, Mowie, Zara, Mo, Tony, Alissa, Poonam, Nancy, Teri, Abraham, Dee, Deeba, Grace, Bianca, Mickey, Erin, Bonnie, Liz, Katja, Ariel, Brooke, Joelle, and all my dear friends in the big bounteous blogosphere:

Thank you for your support, friendship, and inspiration!

Lori Lynn