Liv Life

Cinnamon Marshmallow Rice Krispie Treats with Cinnamon Glaze

2012-01-26T17:37:00.000-08:00

Life is often filled with opinion and controversy. Lately our radar has shown rather strong opinions as to whether dance should be considered a sport or a form of art (more on that to come...). The news if filled with people of all sides of the issue as to whether Obama should be in the White House. But more importantly, we had great discussion and fairly strong opinions on the issue of

Atlantis Resort Bahamas, Reef Hotel & Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill Review

2012-01-23T12:16:00.000-08:00

These cold winter evenings have me dreaming of warm tropical waters, swaying palm trees and islands in paradise. With those thoughts in mind, how about a trip to Paradise Island? Come along as we reminisce... Closing out the summer of 2011 with a tropical blast, Liv Life traveled across the US and met up with two other families at the Atlantis Resort on Paradise Island in the Bahamas.

Maple Granola with Pure Maple Syrup

2012-01-21T16:15:00.000-08:00

Liv's love for everything Maple has only grown over the years. Rich and robust in flavor, pure maple syrup satisfies her sweet tooth while adding a depth and complexity beyond that of granulated white sugar. And with 1/4 cup providing generous doses of Manganese (necessary for brain and nerve function) and Riboflavin (produces energy and works as an antioxidant) in addition to a decent

Food Photography and Styling - The Challenge

2012-01-20T05:00:00.000-08:00

Challenge 1, Fruit on a white background - no props Launching Liv Life a year and a half ago I was fairly confident in the photography arena. Shooting at the school or local soccer games brought an immense amount of satisfaction as parents constantly sent requests for copies of my photos and poured on the compliments. Then moving to the dance stage I provided candid shots of our

Football Food - Super Bowl Food is here!

2012-01-17T20:40:00.000-08:00

Around the first grade my boy discovered football. After his first touchdown pass at the Y his head was filled with dreams of becoming a famous quarterback, and collecting football cards by the dozens became an all consuming obsession. Simply throwing the football with Daddy could go on for hours after Daddy's arm gave out, and the Super Bowl? Well, it became the pinnacle of life. Since

Orange Angel Food Cake - A Guest Post by Liv

2012-01-08T13:12:00.000-08:00

With my Mom's birthday being in late December, we always make an effort to separate her day from the Christmas Holidays and to make the day a celebration all its own. This year Liv was instrumental in choosing the cake we made for Mom, and here, in her first Guest Post of 2012, she will fill you in on how she came to decide on this special Angel Food Cake for Susu. ------------------------

Chicken Chowder with Swiss Cheese, White Beans and Butternut Squash

2012-01-07T08:03:00.000-08:00

I'll admit that soup has never been really high on my favorite list. My poor husband, the man who could eat soup each and every day, is a sport though and doesn't really complain about my lack of soup preparation. However, when a steaming bowl of soup, stew or my favorite combo - "stoup", is placed in front of him, I'm always pleased to see the elation on his face. As my over-indulgent

Margarita Lime Jello Cubes (Shots)

2012-01-02T08:47:00.000-08:00

Years ago, when I was hip and young, staying home on New Years Eve was "totally not cool". For my more mature self in 2012, however, a nice quite night home with the kids was just what the doctor ordered. Snuggled on the couch with puppies on our laps we rang in the New Year watching the classic It's a Wonderful Life and finding gratitude in the Life we "Liv". Our last minute

Back to the Future.... Our 2011 Top 10

2011-12-31T03:00:00.000-08:00

As the year comes to a close, I always enjoy looking back and remembering the special events that I will carry forward into the New Year. My personal life is filled with wonderful memories... from my autumn travels in Italy to Liv's Championship performance last summer in Las Vegas at Nationals. In between, travels and time with close friends, dinners with my parents, lunches with

Beef Stew with Beer and Horseradish

2011-12-29T19:50:00.000-08:00

Many of you may think our sunny San Diego weather something akin to that of Honolulu, but let me assure you that is certainly not true... While I may have been able to walk along the beach this morning, enjoying those light ocean breezes, recently I've had to start wearing long sleeves. In addition, I've had to shut the windows at night (well, all except for a little crack - some

Chocolate Espresso-Orange Cheesecake with Grand Marnier Ganache and Candied Orange Peel

2011-12-26T19:40:00.000-08:00

Rich in color and flavor, textures slowly melting on your tongue, the slight crunch of the cookie crust adding complexity.... Combined with the competing flavors of chocolate, coffee and orange darting around your mouth vying for your rapt attention, your first bite of this decadent dessert will assure you that there is a heaven, and that when you get there, Grand Marnier enhanced

Merry Christmas to All!

2011-12-25T02:00:00.000-08:00

Yosemite - 2011 May your Christmas be merry and bright. May your plate be filled with tasty delights, and may you be surrounded by those you love. Our love to you, Kim & Liv

Savory Pesto Cheesecake Appetizer

2011-12-22T08:33:00.000-08:00

A glass of wine, a plate of assorted cheeses, salamis and crackers... good for my psyche but nightly, not so good for my waistline. The holidays, though, make those calories invisible until January (in my own mind anyway...) and these days are often filled with additional gatherings where I grab the chance to prep and enjoy some of my favorite beloved appetizers. Always on the lookout

Last Minute Homemade Holiday Gift Ideas

2011-12-20T04:00:00.000-08:00

Are you ready for Christmas?? Even though I make my list and check it more than twice I still seem to find myself occasionally in a pinch and needing a quick something to bring to a as a hostess gift or neighbor present. With the malls busier than I-5 on a holiday Friday weekend afternoon, I find it easier to turn to my pantry, which is usually fairly well stocked, to toss together a

Grilled Fish Tacos - Secret Recipe Club

2011-12-19T04:00:00.000-08:00

Southern California is a place all its own, chaotically caffeine fueled in some places while just up the road you may find laid back surf towns with more of a Chai Tea flair. I'm lucky enough to live in one of those simple little surf towns on the coast and my Secret Recipe Club assignment this month is my virtual neighbor. Allie, of Allie's Clean Plate Club, is a bit north east of me

South of the Border Chicken and Butternut "Stoup"

2011-12-16T04:00:00.000-08:00

I love the word "stoup"... A perfectly apt description for the thicker soup that is not quite a stew. Filled with all the soupy goodies, yet not brothy like a watery chicken noodle soup or bullion scattered with a few sliced scallions. Stoups are thick, hearty and filling, and easy to make as they are all in one pot. Perfect for that crock pot, however I always forget I have one and

Candy Cane Marshmallow Pops

2011-12-14T19:26:00.000-08:00

Scanning Twitter this morning I saw a tweet stating that Christmas Eve is just 10 days away. 10 days?? How could I not have realized that the day was drawing so close? I still have packages to mail, cards to address, cookies to bake and holiday spirit to find. This year has been difficult for me to find that "Christmas" spirit, and frankly it doesn't really feel much like the holiday

Cranberry-Nut Mini Loaves with Flax

2011-12-12T09:37:00.000-08:00

A healthier holiday treat that would make a beautiful loaf to share with neighbors. While the holiday season is in full swing, our personal life also has Liv's dance season going strong. A number of days each week I fill my SUV with athletic girls decked out in candy cane striped socks and Santa hats with heavy bags filled assorted dance shoes over their shoulders as I transport them from

Chocolate Espresso Oatmeal Cookies - these are for Dave's heart too!

2011-12-08T17:03:00.001-08:00

Cookies always warm the heart, and sometimes they are even pretty darn good for the heart, or at least not so bad. Filling a gift basket for my long time friend, Dave, who is recovering from open heart surgery, Liv and I sent a box of goodies that, when eaten in moderation, are heart healthy. In addition to the low fat Pumpkin Granola, we included a box of a new favorite - Chocolate

Pumpkin Granola... for Dave's heart

2011-12-05T13:45:00.001-08:00

Being in my mid 40's and having friends ranging mostly 10 years older or younger, I'm entering that age where we start hearing about friends having health issues. It all started not so seriously with people holding menus farther away than they used to, but then moved into serious areas with more people than I ever imagined pursuing cancer treatments and surgeries in their fight to rid their

Limoncello Dreams (our favorite limoncello recipes)... Inspired by Limonoro in Sorrento

2011-12-01T17:49:00.001-08:00

Sorrento, living a dream... Nothing beats a frosty glass of homemade Limoncello. Except... perhaps a glass of creamy Limoncello served by the maker in Sorrento. Sorrento, October 2011 Sorrento, with its stunning vistas, bustling Piazzas, quintessential Italian window box lined streets, and lemons at every corner is a true Limoncello mecca. Small bottles of the brilliant yellow

The Seabourn Legend... Legendary Indeed!

2011-11-30T18:57:00.001-08:00

The Seabourn Legend With four action packed walking, touring, eating, sipping and photographing days under our belt in Rome, the thought of leisurely enjoying our awaiting cruise ship, the Seabourn Legend, was beyond enticing. After all, our anniversary vacation was meant to provide some much needed rest and relaxation time which we had thus far been excitedly filled with quite the opposite.

Bittersweet Chocolate Tart with Salted Caramelized Pistachios

2011-11-28T13:50:00.001-08:00

Fine Cooking is a magazine that frequently offers some of the finest foods in the kitchen. While the photography alone is visually stunning, well scened and well... a true inspiration, their recipes many times become the star of the meal. Having been a subscriber for years, my Fine Cooking stack if ever growing and the issues are usually splattered and well worn from use over the

Greek Couscous Salad

2011-11-26T08:31:00.001-08:00

Spending two weeks in Italy we surprisingly came across Greek Salads in nearly every restaurant. While I'm not a big fan of the olives, which are usually a big part of Greek anything, I do love everything else about the salads. Internet searches provide various versions of Greek dressings, however the main ingredients seem to include: a good olive oil, red wine vinegar and lemon.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T11:05:00.001-08:00

Thanksgiving snuck up on me this year... somehow the warm days of summer slipped quietly into November and without the sun setting so early in the evening I don't think I would have known the holidays are here. Our lives have been blessedly wonderful here at Liv Life and we have much to be thankful for. First off I'm thankful for the good health that has blessed our family this year and