Expo West Trip

Just got back last night from Expo West in beautiful Anaheim. 

I grew up in La Verne, a wonderful suburban area about 30 minutes from there, but left many years ago.  Just waiting for the day I get to go home.  Until then I go as often as I can and this show was another great reason.

The Natural Products Expo West is held in Anaheim once a year. This was my second time at the expo and this was much better than last year.

I met some amazing people and tried some fantastic products, and hauled home a TON of terrific stuff!  I am not kidding, the people there were just too happy to have you take a sample item home to show customers or use in cooking.  Seriously, it was actually insulting to most of them if you did not want to take it.

So what's a girl to do ? 

Well, that is what they said to do, and ah, we do like to be obedient.  

We were really, really obedient!

First stop, one of our favorite places for a good breakfast ...

Yummy, as always.

They make the corned beef hash on site, and it is AMAZING!

The showroom was really crowded

With all the great products making an appearance it was no wonder!!!

  

 

Tons of great reading and research material

 

 Some great characters

And some really great people!

Two great Mark's  

Laurie David is super friendly and wonderfully talented!  

You really need to take a good look at the book, and the website she and Kristin Uhrenholdt host. 

 It is really great

 

 After a really full day it was great to just relax

EVERYONE was wiped out, but it was well worth the trip.

A wonderful surprise!

When I logged into Facebook the other day ( yes I know, but I keep in touch with many people through FB so there!) I saw a message:   Hi , I know this is a long shot, but I am wondering if you are the daughter of N T, my dad's sister..

Instantly I had a flash of memory of a wonderful man that I met years and years ago.  He came to my parents home in Southern California.  He was fabulous.  Very tall and handsome, his was wife was beautiful and elegant. They were so different from anyone I had ever seen.  I was enthralled by them both. 


I don't remember much else about them or the visit. I remember my mother being angry, but then she almost always was so that was nothing different.  

I don't recall ever seeing them again. We would hear little things from other family members, but eventually my mother managed to alienate everyone on her side of the family and I had no contact with any of them.  When my Father died in 1998 my mother moved in with us until she died in 2002. During that time no one called or wrote, and we lost contact with that part of the family completely.

I tried on various occasions to locate family members, but in all honesty I did not try very hard.  

I was more than delighted to see the message. And yes, I am the daughter of NT.  I responded and she responded, and so on.  It was with great sadness that I read of the passing of my Uncle, and just this past weekend.  As I looked through her photos I could see that he had not changed much at all. My eyes filled with tears at the loss of an Uncle I had never been allowed to know, and a whole part of my family that had been lost to me for so many years.

"I think my dad would have been so elated that we connected"

I really hope so, and I look forward to getting to know my cousin.

My Uncle, my Mom and I -- Circa 1968 La Puente,Ca

Uncle C and Aunt L

Again, Circa 1968  La Puente, CA

In which we set the record straighter

So at the end of the previous post, I claimed that my next post would be non photo food.  I fibbed.  So there is that.

Thursday night dinner is always fun

This week saw the arrival of my newest kitchen love....

This GIANT pan my BFF bought me.  

I would marry it and never look back, swoon! 

Seriously, what more could you ever need?

2 lbs of spinach and 2 lbs of carrots

5 lbs of ground turkey

Added breadcrumbs, eggs, cheese, and seasoning, and 1 pound of Orzo

Tossed in the pot, and it all disappears! 

But when it resurfaces, it is YUMMY!  

Add some fresh baked rolls that the Baba man made

And cornbread

A lovely salad that B & T brought....

 Dessert was a recipe from a restaurant in Arizona, Furr's Millionaire Pie

With nuts:

 Without nuts:

 And handsome men

Dinner was wonderful.. 

and we move forward. 

Moroccan Chicken and it is all good

In a desperate attempt to further avoid my nemesis aka the pattern making textbook, 

I retreated to the welcoming surroundings of my kitchen. 

After a quick perusing of my pantry, I decided to try a Moroccan style chicken dish for the slow cooker - 

I figure it is a great way to use those apricots and raisins! 

I cut up about a dozen carrots, sliced them in half.

Then a trio of onions ...

Sliced and feathered...lol

Carrots and onions tossed in the pot

Chicken added on top

Then raisins.......

and Apricots....

 finely chopped....

And place on top of the chicken and veggies

Broth, tomato paste, and seasonings all mixed together 

 So pretty!

Six hours later.......

Yum!!

Next up, a non photo only food post!