Sunrise, Sunset...The East & The West

Technically I started my Saturday just after midnight with this beautiful sunrise from afar, I ended it at Bud & Ally's watching the sunset over the beautiful white sand beaches of Seaside, FL. After dinner with my girlfriends at RedBar we made it back to Dothan...Indeed a FULL 24 hours.

These simple wonders- the sun rising in the east and setting in the west, I marvel at the beauty and promise from the Lord.

Psalm 103:12 says
"As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us." Certainly there is NO coincidence that is how we begin and end our day. It's as simple as claiming Christ as our Saviour, confess our sin, ask forgiveness and recognize God's beauty and gift in the morning and the evening, daily; walking in His word and becoming a child of God.

What a FABULOUS, remarkable reminder of His forgiveness!

Another quote from Coco Chanel comes to mind..."The best things in life are free, the second best are expensive." I can think of that in frivolous terms but my heart is saying "Natalie, God's Love is Free...The Price He paid for Your Sin was expensive, He gave His Son's life..."

Just something to think about this Sunday morning as I (attempt) to "Walk In His Time and Not My Own..."

Many Blessings!

Food Fabulous Food...

My Top Ten Favorites Of The Moment...
Cheeze Its and Coca Cola are the things I'm giving up for Lent but I'm going to give my Top Ten Home Cooked Favorites...

1. Macoroni & Cheese (Never Out of a Box) (Mila's was the BEST!)
2. A Top Notch Hamburger or Cheeseburger (preferably ground steak)
3. Asparagus w/ Cheese Sauce (My Aunt Grace's Recipe)
4. Mashed Potatoes (especially my grandmothers)
5. Spinach Salad w/ Warm Bacon Vinagrette (Rosebud's Chicago, my absolute fav)
6. The Natalie Cupcake (OohLaLa)
7. Tomato Soup (usually accompanied w/ grilled cheese)
8. Filet Mignon (Daddy's, Mike's, The Willet House, Gramercy)
9. Hummus W/ Homemade Pita Chips (MM, LaLe, even DCC)
10. Sweet Potato Fries (w/ Bleu Cheese Dressing)

And I wonder why I can't lose that last five pounds ;-)
Throw in a Rice Krispy Treat and I'm done...
Hope to hear from you...I'm sure there's more out there than my comfort food!

This is a recipe I found and I must admit I have not tried it but it received a 4.8 on a 5.0 cooking scale on foodblogblog.
Its title caught my eye...


Orgasmic Mac & Cheese
1 1/2 cups sliced crimini mushrooms
1 1/2 cups sliced shitake mushrooms
2 tbsp oil or bacon fat
1 1/2 tbsp sherry vinegar
4 tbsp butter
4 tbsp flour
2 2/3 cup whole milk
4 oz herb chevre, crumbled
4 oz sharp cheddar, shredded
4 oz parmigiano reggiano, separated in 2 2oz piles
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
2 tsp fresh rosemary, minced
1 tsp fresh sage, minced
2-3 tbsp white truffle oil, depending on how strong you like it (yes, this is some rich mac-n-cheese)
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup panko
10 oz elbow pasta
kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place a large pot of water over high heat and cover. Place a large saute pan with 2 tbsp oil or lard over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the mushrooms to the pan and saute for 7-10 minutes or until the mushrooms are fully cooked and slightly caramelized. Toss or stir occasionally. Season with a pinch of kosher salt and black pepper then deglaze the pan with sherry vinegar. Allow all of the vinegar to cook out, then remove the mushrooms from the pan and set aside.

Begin the cheese sauce. Add 4 tbsp butter to a medium-sized sauce pan and place the pan on the stove over medium heat. Once all the butter is melted and hot, whisk in 4 tbsp flour. Cook the flour, whisking, for about 30 seconds , just long enough to get rid of the raw flour taste, but not long enough for the flour to start caramelizing. Add the thyme, rosemary, sage, and red pepper flakes. Continue stirring and allow the herbs to saute for about another 30 secpnds. Slowly pour in the milk while whisking continuously, so the roux and milk incorporate smoothly and there are no lumps. Allow the bechamel to come to a simmer (it won’t gain it’s full thickness until it does), stirring occassionally.

While waiting for the sauce to come to a simmer start the pasta. Liberally salt the pot of boiling water, almost to the point it tastes like sea water. This may take a few handfuls of salt . Add the pasta to the water and cook the pasta for a minute or two less than the suggested time on the box.

Once the bechamel has reached a simmer, stir in the chevre, cheddar, 2oz of parmigiano, and truffle oil until all the cheese has melted. Turn off the heat and and taste the sauce for seasoning levels. Season with salt and pepper as necessary. In small mixing bowl, mix together the panko and remaining 2oz of parmigiano reggiano.

Strain the pasta immediately once finished cooking. In a mixing bowl, toss the pasta, cheese sauce, and mushrooms together. Pour the macaroni and cheese into a deep glass or ceramic loaf pan and sprinkle the panko/parmigiano mixture evenly across the top. Bake the mac-n-cheese in the upper part of the oven for about 15 to 20 minutes or until the topping is golden and the cheese sauce is bubbly. Serve hot. Enjoy!

The Untouchable Top 20

Most might assume that I would start my list of uber-fabulous things with material possessions, like my Louis Vuitton cabin bag, something silly like the way Tom Brady looks in his Patriots uniform, or perhaps even a good divorce attorney. Granted these things are fabulous and will probably make another list. However, when I think of the TOP 20 things to begin this, none of them are necessarily tangible and most are free of charge(monetarily speaking). So to start off fabulously, I'd like to mention 20 things I find to meet the criteria and that I certainly would not want to live without.

FABULOUSITY TOP 20
1. God's Grace/Salvation
2. Love (Unconditional, especially)
3. Joy
4. Forgiveness
5. Health
6. Peace
7. Happiness
8. Hope
9. Freedom
10. Family-relatively speaking, of course ;-)
11. My Mother's Advice
12. My Father's Approval
13. My Sister, her friendship & her husband for putting up with us both :)
14. My Nieces (Maddy, Hillary, Caroline & Ella)
15. My Brother and his wife
16. LAUGHTER (even @ yourself)
17. The Smile on a Child's Face & the Sparkle in their Eyes
18. Respect for Self & Others
19. The Perfect Kiss
20. Sex (good or bad, I guess it rounds out the Top 20)
(and yes, coups, it probably should be ranked higher ;-))

Let me know yours...

Fabulous Fabulicious AND FABULOUSITY

Merriam Webster Online Dictionary defines the adjective FABULOUS as "resembling or suggesting a fable : of an incredible, astonishing, or exaggerated nature; wonderful, marvelous."

Farlex Free Online Dictionary says-1.barely credible; astonishing 2. Extremely pleasing or successful. 3. incredible, unbelievable;4. pleasing, giving pleasure and satisfaction; 5. unreal- lacking in reality or substance or genuineness.

Fabulousness is the noun form and Fabulously is the adverb form of FABULOUS.

Fabulicious as found in the Urban Dictionary is the state of being desirable AND fabulous. Something or someone with fabulous style leaving other people craving the fabulicious item/object/person. Stylish. Something or someone that is appealing to more than one of the senses. Fabulous+Delicious-Delicious meaning visually appealing to the senses or literally "delicious" as in taste.

Fabulocity is the trademarked term of the most fabulous, fierce and fun traveling boutique in the United States. Founded by J & T est. 2005, in Honolulu, Hawaii, it is showcased two times a year and features fashions and ladies interests with a special spotlight on one American city per season. Though I knew that I wasn't savvy enough to have coined my own term, I hope this boutique doesn't mind if I use its tradmarked term for my blog.

The things found on this blog will derive from the best of all three- Fabulous, fierce, wonderful, marvelous, incredible, extremely pleasing, desirable and delicious. I hope you, the reader will contribute to this blog in the search for "All Things Fabulous". Fabulousness ranges from the most simple to the extremely complex. It can be free, inexpensive or quite expensive; both tangible and intangible. Thus the Urban Dictionary (and my) term: FABULOUSITY having the quality of fabulousness to an unbearable extreme; completely and utterly fabulous. 10 Thumbs Up!

Now for the Challenge!
-Compiling a list of the top 100 Fabulous/Fabulicious things (some personal, some universal)for Fabulocity; Feel free to add to or ask to edit the list.
Each item on the list will be featured throughout 2008.
READY, SET...GO!!!