The Best $20 I Spent All Weekend!

You can spend a lot on a  holiday weekend at the beach, especially Labor Day weekend. Then again, if you're thoughtful - and more than a little bit patient - you can get a great bargain!

Driving around the north shore of Boston...at least from Salisbury, MA to Hampton Beach, NH...it's hard to miss the billboards....

"#1 is by sea, #2 is by land!"


"#1 Lobster Roll in New England!"

"Voted Best Lobster Roll....Ever!"

The funny thing is, they are often advertising different restaurants!!

Who to trust?!  Which endorsement to take to heart?

We decided: best to make our own decision and try the Beach Plum in Portsmouth, NH on Saturday.  Here's what we found out.

This is The. Best. Lobster. Roll. We. Have. Ever. Had.

Ever!!

And it was only $20!!

Ten - yes, 10 - ounces of lobster meat on what else but a buttered, grilled, New England hot dog roll (you know the ones, with the split down the top, not down the side).  TEN ounces!  WHO needs 10 ounces of lobster meat, with just enough mayo to keep it together?! 

ME!!!  And Brian, obviously! ;-)

Clearly, I did not not need 10 ounces.  What I had left over in my roll is what I have typically start with in lobster rolls at other restaurants.

It was, without doubt, the best 20 bucks I spent.

All weekend.

Perhaps, all summer!

But, was I biased? Thrown by my love of TV Diner and all things off the beaten path?!

Just to be absolutely certain the Beach Plum was as good  as we thought it was, we went back on Sunday with Brian's mom and dad.

Kevin announced about half way through his lobster roll, "Well, I'd come back here again." Quite the endorsement from the lobster roll connoisseur! 

Brian and Sue loved their fried haddock sandwiches...

...and I thought their fried scallops were about the best I've had!  Sweet, juicy (but not greasy) and piping hot, with a delicious tartar sauce.  Nearly perfect!

Sometimes, you can believe what you read on billboards (or TV!)!!  Especially is you're eating at the Beach Plum in North Hampton or Portsmouth, NH!

"#1 is by sea, #2 is by land!"


"#1 Lobster Roll in New England!"

"Voted Best Lobster Roll....Ever!"

Rites of Passage....Passages of Time

I didn't have the traditional college experience that most of my friends had.

I didn't live in a dorm, I didn't live close to campus (in fact, for much of the time, I commuted every Tuesday and Thursday evening from about 1.5 hours away), and the friendships I cultivated during those years weren't "typical."

I had a graduation party from Eastern Connecticut State University in 1996. I had just a couple of close friends in that graduating class, but my brother Kyle and my sister Laura were there to see my walk across the stage, and that made it sooo special.

I had a great party afterwards, at which I received - among many thoughtful and beautiful gifts, including a garnet bracelet from my family that I treasure among my most favorite possessions - a subtle yet glittery sand dollar bracelet from my very dear friends, Debi and Robin.

The story (stories) of my friendship with these girls is a blog entry unto itself. Suffice it to say, they are two of my very favorite people and true friends who have seen me through the highest highs and the lowest of lows. And, I hope, I them.

I decided - on the spot- that I would wear this bracelet every year, from Memorial Day to Labor Day. I look forward to putting it on and, through every sun-kissed, happy moment of the summer, when it catches me unaware, I subconsciously dread the end of the season.

So, today is Monday, Sept. 5.  Brian has just dropped me off from our Labor Day weekend on the Plum, and I once again have removed this bracelet, tucking it safely and lovingly away in its original box.

It's like a rite of passage...

The New England days warm, and suddenly it's hot and humid and we're on the water enjoying long, humid days and cool (yet damp) evenings with clear, star filled skies - sparkly starfish bracelet and Lands End flip flops in tow.

Then, without warning, those evenings require long pants and sweatshirts, while the days are warm and breezy.  Before you know it, kids are back in school, reservation lists are down to a 30-minute wait, and the highways and bi ways are more than a little easier to maneuver.

Thus, the passage of time.

Time passes so quickly, regardless of the rites you're committed to. Sometimes in spite of those rites.

I cannot believe it's Labor Day weekend. Yet, I had a wonderful summer and hope that you can say the same. I spent pieces of my summer with a few of you - and had a fantastic time! But there are others of you I didn't even share a drink with this whole summer. For that I am sad, and unfortunate.

And, in the end, I am grateful that there are many more rites to be born and passages to be walked.

Here's to heart-warming rites of passage, and a content passage of time.

I hope we find the best of both.

White Chicken Enchiladas with Sour Cream Sauce

I'm thinking some of you may have rolled your eyes a bit when you read about our hurricane "preparations."

We didn't stock up on water, there wasn't much outdoor stuff to tie down, and the only food we bought on Saturday was entirely perishable...particularly chicken, cheese, and sour cream. And after Irene passed through Springfield with a stiff wind and some rain, we were left with the fixings for these delicious enchiladas for our Sunday Funday dinner.

I adapted my recipe from this one at the blog, Kim's Concoctions - I couldn't find some of things mentioned (green enchilada sauce) and for others, there were no can or jar sizes listed. So, I improvised, and they were excellent! Clearly a very forgiving "recipe" - go with what you like and what you have on hand. 

These enchiladas were so good that I didn't even get a picture of them (and we gave the leftovers to Brian's neighbor, Derrick, and his family in thanks for the great pork and rice & beans his wife sent over for our lunch), but Kim has a ton of pictures on her blog. Even with all my edits, my pictures would have looked almost exactly the same. (I "borrowed" the picture above from Google...)

Ingredients
1 medium sweet onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 4oz. cans fire roasted chilies, not drained
1 tsp. low sodium taco seasoning*
1 tsp. ground cumin
4 oz. low fat cream cheese, room temperature
2 8oz. jars green taco sauce, divided
About 3C cooked, shredded chicken*
1/2 C low fat sour cream
2C shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
12 6in. corn tortillas*

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. In a large skillet, saute the onion and bell pepper in about 1 T oil until soft.*
3. Stir in undrained fire roasted peppers and cook gently until warmed through.
4. Season with salt and pepper, then add taco seasoning and cumin. Stir to combine.
5. Stir in the cream cheese and blend until melted.
6. Stir in about 1/2 jar taco sauce and combine well.
7. Fold in shredded chicken. (If mixture seems too dry, drizzle in additional taco sauce.)
8. Set chicken mixture aside.
9. In a separate pot, over low heat, warm remaining taco sauce.
10. Whisk in sour cream and combine well. Keep flame low to avoid curdling the sour cream.
11. Whisk in 1 C Monterey Jack cheese and stir to combine. Remove from heat when combined.
12. Lightly grease a 9 X 13 in. baking dish.
13. Warm tortillas in microwave or on flat griddle/saute pan to make them more pliable.*
14. Scoop about 1/4C chicken mixture down center of tortilla, sprinkle with 1 - 2 T Monterey Jack cheese, and roll tightly.
15. Place seam side down in prepared pan.
16. Continue until chicken mixture and/or tortillas are gone.
17. Cover tortillas evenly with sour cream sauce and bake in prepared oven for about 30 minutes, or until enchiladas are hot and the sauce is bubbly.

Serve with extra sour cream, salsa, cilantro, etc.

*Notes:

• I used one teaspoon from a packet of taco seasoning. Next time I'll either make my own mixture or buy a jar of seasoning so as not to let so much go to waste.
• Left over chicken or a rotisserie chicken would work - I used fresh roasted bone in, skin on breasts (using Ina Garten's recipe - it's the best!).
• I could only find a package of 30 6 in. tortillas. Not sure how long they will keep - next time would double the recipe and freeze a pan.
• Next time I'd add some garlic and maybe a jalapeno, and will stir in a few T of fresh cilantro at the end.
• We put the tortillas in the fridge and I didn't have time for them to come to room temperature before I started working with them. Even warming them in a saute pan, they were falling apart. I eventually warmed them in the microwave then in the saute pan - and they were perfect.

Trying to Reason With Hurricane Season

There are many ways you can prepare for a hurricane.

You can buy a generator, stock up on water and non-perishable foods, tie down or bring inside any free-standing deck furniture and house decorations, move to safer ground, and test your evacuation plan.

Or, you can sit back, watch the weather, and sip a tropical drink.

One guess which preparations Bri and I opted for....  Wait for it...

I adapted this recipe for New Orlean's original Pat O'Brien's Hurricane, making a pitcher-full to enjoy all evening.  This is what I did...

Ingredients
1 C light rum
1 C dark rum
1 C V8 Splash, Tropical Blend
1/2 C orange juice
1/4 C lime juice
1/4 C simple syrup
1/4 C Grenadine

The Hurricane
Stir all ingredients together in a pitcher and serve over ice, garnished with an orange slice.

Bring it on, Irene.

Angels Among Us

Listening to the news, it is easy to assume the worst in people. How often have you thought, What was he thinking? Or, What makes person do something like that?!

Heartwarming stories of kind, selfless people are few and far between.

I am happy to report that there are three such people walking among us. Strangers who put themselves on the line to help someone in need.

Last Friday night, my cousin Julie's 19-year-old son, Jacob, fell asleep at the wheel on the way home from the movies, and crashed head-on into a pole. I've only yet been able to speak with my cousin Jen (Julie's sister, Jacob's aunt) and this is my re-telling of her description of what happened that night.

Shortly after the crash, three people - Benjy on his Harley and Mary Ann and Lorena traveling together in Mary Ann's car - saw Jacob's Jeep as they passed by. And they all turned around and drove back to help.

Others didn't. Some slowed down, then sped away.  One man had stopped, but told Lorena he just couldn't help.

When Benjy, Mary Ann, and Lorena arrived, the Jeep was on fire. Jacob was leaning out the window, pleading with them to help him - telling them he, too, was on fire.

None of the doors would open. They tried bending the window frame, but couldn't get him through. From out of no where, Mary Ann handed Benji a knife and they were able to cut the seat belt, pulling Jacob out the window and free of the burning vehicle.

By then a police officer had arrived, and the four of them smothered the flames on Jacob. The vehicle eventually exploded and Jacob was airlifted to a burn center in Orlando.

Jacob has had a skin graft on his leg, and is scheduled for another graft on his arm tomorrow. He broke both sides of his jaw and therefore is wired.  He's making good progress with physical therapy, and by all accounts is in good spirits.

Jacob also got to meet all three of his "angels"! Last night, unplanned, Mary Ann and Lorena arrived at the hospital, only to find Benjy already there. I cannot imagine how Julie and Jacob - and Jacob's dad Doug and brother Cole - must have felt to meet the people who literally saved Jacob's life. What a gift.

You don't have to pull someone from a burning car in order to be an angel. Recognizing what someone needs and stepping in to help is all it takes. I'm sorry that this reminder came to me at Jacob's expense, but am grateful regardless.

Please keep Jacob, his family, and his "angels" in your thoughts.

If you'd like to send Jacob a word of encouragement, please visit his CarePage at http://www.carepages.com/carepages/jacobstover. Though he won't recognize your name, he'll recognize your kindness and good wishes.