Sewing for Good Sunday

While I haven't been posting on my Sewing for Good Sundays these last few weeks, I most certainly have been busy. I'm working on quilts for the assisted living center where our neighbor's wife is living, with my plan being to give one to every single resident there. That many quilts creates quite the mess. Fabric and backings and scraps and thread have been spread all over the place. But now I have five pieced and their backings added, and have one of them completely quilted. Good enough for a picture.

I still have umpteen more to go, and most likely another big mess of fabrics/threads/backing/scraps spread out all over the sewing room as well.

Dining at Share on the Ruby Princess

We recently took a California Coastal repositioning cruise on the Ruby Princess. Since it was a short five day cruise, there wasn't a Most Traveled Guest Party for those 40 passengers with the most days sailed with Princess. Instead we received a letter in our cabin congratulating us for being one of the most traveled and the option to eat one night at Crown Grill, Share, or Salty Dog for free. We've done Salty Dog a couple times before on this ship during past cruises, Crown Grill a bunch of times on several ships across the Princess fleet, but had never ventured into Share. So guess what we chose?

We had our dinner the last night of the cruise when the ship was docked in Victoria, Canada. Since many people were onshore we arrived to an empty restaurant. Nice!

Share was amazing! So much better than I had expected. The multi-course meal (6 courses!), the service, the atmosphere, the flavors, and the view? Oh, yeah.

I think the best way to give you an idea of the food is through pictures. Everything was delicious and the service was excellent. And don't get me started on the tasty bread. Oh. My. Gosh.

Course One: Starter

Charcuterie: ’Nduja is a spicy, spreadable salami that comes from the southernmost Italian region of Calabria. Cured from prosciutto, with prominent chilies and spices. Choice of beef bresaola, duck prosciutto, or fennel-infused finocchiona. (We chose beef bresaola.)

Taleggio Cheese with accompaniments

Course Two: Salad

Tomatoes and Burrata: A variety of local tomatoes paired with oregano oil and dressed fennel leaves 

Asparagus and Radish: Lightly roasted asparagus with arugula pesto, red bell pepper relish and

sourdough croutons

Course Three: Pasta

Ricotta Cavatelli: Roasted sunchokes, pickled beets and a Castelmagno espuma

Pork Ravioli: Green curry filling coated in lemongrass cream, and topped with crunchy chicharrones

 

Course Four: Sea

Lobster Bisque: Quick-seared cold-water lobster tail pieces with Madeira crème fraîche and fennel confit

Prawns “Baja Style”: Jumbo prawns simmered in spicy tomato water, roasted garlic and a black pepper frisée salad 

 

Course Five: Land

Brown Butter Berkshire Pork Chop (for 2): A hard roasted double-bone pork rack, with confit carrots, broccoli purée and a jus of whole grain mustard

Course Five: Dessert

Almond Marzipan: Warm cake paired with strawberry coulis, candied almonds and crème fraîche ice cream

Toffee Cheesecake: With a red wine reduction, homemade raisins and macerated grapes

Here is the menu in case you'd like to see their other offerings. Currently the cover charge is $29 per person.

We will absolutely try Share again. (OK, I've made myself hungry now.)

Foster Friday

If Cupcake would wake up and get off the quilt I'm working on I'm sure she'd be happy today was another Foster Friday.

And Shortstack? I think he's just ready to give someone a hug.

Want to help contribute to the work I do with foster kittens? I have an Amazon wish list right here. These are the things I use again and again, year after year. With daily laundry and frequent cleaning, items have to be replaced often. I’d love anything you’d be willing to send my way!

What about Flapjack? How does he feel about Foster Friday? He's a bit too occupied to answer, trying to get in one more feeding with Mama Sienna.

Today Mama Sienna heads back to Simply Cats all by herself. She'll be fixed and available for adoption soon. If you're in the Boise area and looking for the sweetest cat around, Mama Sienna is your girl!

It'll still be a while before the kitties leave me, thank goodness. They are too much fun.

Crispy White Chocolate Bars Recipe - Tutorial Tuesday

For today's Tutorial Tuesday we are making a snack perfect for those 4th of July BBQs, Crispy White Chocolate Bars.

Looking for sewing and crafting projects? 

Click here to see all my tutorials!

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup butter
• 6 cups mini marshmallows
• 6 cups crispy rice cereal
• 1 package white chocolate chips
• 1 small package candy melts like this red, white, and blue set here
• candy-coated chocolate

You can find the directions right here: