Archives for September 2016

Shrimp Miso Soup

Easy, healthy and tasty. Just the way I like it! Miso broth is basically a soy bean product—super high in protein.  You can buy powders and make broth from a packet, but I really like the boxes of pre-made miso that are found in grocery stores like Trader Joes or Whole Foods.  Actually, Miso is great on its own. Just open the box, pour the broth in the pot, heat and eat.  Or, you can go to the market, pick up some fresh produce and shrimp and build an amazing Shrimp Miso soup like this:

Ingredients:

ShrimpMiso11 16 oz box of Miso Broth

4 cloves of garlic, chopped

1 onion, sliced thin

1 thin sliced green pepper

1 C thin sliced carrots

1 C fresh pea pods

2 C fresh mushrooms, sliced thick

8 oz fresh bean sprouts

½ lb fresh cleaned & deveined shrimp, shells on

1/8 t pepper

¼ t sea salt

Pour the Miso broth into a large pot and turn the burner on to high heat. Add the garlic, ShrimpMisoonion, green pepper and carrots, and heat to boil.  Turn burner down to medium, and add pea pods, mushrooms and bean sprouts.  Cook for 5 minutes on medium heat.  Add the shrimp and heat for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the shrimp turn orange and become firm.  Stir in salt and pepper, and ladle into bowls.

Serves 2 – 4 people

Note: your soup ingredients should be served al dente’ so you may want to play with the cooking times to get your own desired tenderness level.

 

Thank you for reading my post. Does this recipe sound yummy?  If you try it out let me know what you think! All comments are greatly appreciated.  Check out more great recipes under my Killer Cookin’ blog category, and if you like what you see, please let me know by “liking” my website. You can even join my tribe to automatically receive new postings ‘hot off the press’. There’s a place to do that right on my home page.  As always, please feel free to share my information with others who may find interest and value in PR Brady AdVentures!  Thanks again!

 

 

Broke and Broken

Just completed my 2016-17 business season. It’s done.  It looks great.  It’s all positive.  Now I can let out a heavy sigh and relax for a second.

It’s been a rough 2016.

My elephant is kicking my butt.

One step forward, three steps back.

I’m tired.

I’m disappointed.

I’m worried.

I’m worn out.

Swinging into the air, not hitting a thing.

The negative list is about burying me alive.

And then there’s today.

Two years ago today, lost my hunting partner. Still miss him so.

This spring, after barely a year, lost my new hunting partner.

With just those two things, I’ve lost that important piece of unconditional love and willingness to be with me come thick and thin. The hole in my heart is epic.

Lost my vehicle–it died, leaving me stranded across the country.

Lost financial security, gained a truck and a debt I’ll die trying to pay.

Lost good health, got super sick, and it’s still taking months to recover.

Lost over half of my business tangibles.

Lost trust of many things.

Lost respect for…certain things.

Drowning in worry about ongoing problems with Angel and Sunny Girl.

Slammed with financial strife I wasn’t expecting or able to deal with.

Pummeled with mega costly home owner issues.

Everything seems to be breaking all around me, including me.

Lost a huge “window of opportunity” to launch new business ventures.

Knocked down with new, painful, and frustrating health issues.

Feeling vulnerable, isolated, overwhelmed, alone, helpless.

I am broke, and I am broken.

Feels like a good time to throw in the proverbial towel.

But I just can’t.

I won’t.

After all.

It could be worse.

It.

Could.

Always.

Be.

Worse.

As I sit here with my leg elevated on ice, wishing I could be somewhere, anywhere else, my mind fills with thoughts of back to the days not so long ago, when I didn’t feel like this. Back when I was on top, upbeat, strong and independent.  Back when I felt normal.  After all, I have an exciting new business season to implement.   I need to be normal again.  I need to be strong again.

And I will.Broke

Strong independent people are a strange breed. Sure, we’re together, confident and usually positive to be round, but we are still human. I think most of us also have a dark side.  Some of us perhaps a secret side, one we don’t even admit to ourselves.  A part of us that just can’t accept defeat.  So we push harder to do more, achieve more, conquer more. We don’t often ask for help, no matter how bad we need it.  We will go to the ends of the earth to ‘get it done’ no matter what.  Find the answer.  Achieve the goal.  Maybe we will invite others along for the ride, and oh what a fun ride it is, but it’s always our ride.  Hands gripped to the wheel and steering the ship, we will lock into that determination mode whether it’s good or bad for us.  And we will push aside any indication that we’re entering the “overload” zone until we’re about crazy. We hang on to our crazy like a pit bull on a mission, writhing and clawing until we’re about spent. The more we excel, the more we do, or achieve, the higher the risk for something to go wrong.  So when we’ve maxed out and something does go wrong, all hell has the potential to unleash.  Too stubborn to give in.  Once we get an idea into our heads, too stubborn to give it up.

Strong independent people aren’t supposed to cave. Then we’re no fun to be around. No one wants to go on that ride. We’re not supposed to fall down and not be able to get up.  We’re supposed to magically never have a down day.  Never struggle, be unhappy, or question our purpose in this world.  Just keep all the balls in the air.  Have all the answers.  Unlimited energy. Just keep doing.  Creating. Initiating.  Planning.  Managing.   We’re the ones making things happen, making the calls.  Putting it all together.  After all, if we don’t do it, who will?  It’s not like there’s someone to “hand the baton” to.  Strong independent people are expected to be…strong independent people.

And when the day comes that we do fall down…

And the dust finally settles…..

Yes, the echo of our own voice is often all there is.

We find ourselves on the ground in a pathetic little heap, baton clutched in hand.

Alone.

Again.

When we crash, we really, really crash.

Like a tree falling in the woods. Who knows?

As I sit back with my leg elevated on ice, I realize what makes me so strong is an unexplainable inner drive. Almost an “I dare you to get through this” inner challenge to myself.  Perhaps it’s from being a resourceful, only child growing up.  When you’re an only child, you learn a lot about what it means to be alone.  You learn to assume that the only one you can truly count on is yourself at an early age.  Anything you receive beyond that at any time is a gift.

We are on our own. So deal.

That realization is what helps survive these occasional hiccups. Every time I have to face difficulty alone it strengthens me more.  It validates my core belief system, and feeds my fearlessness, and confidence. It reminds me of what I can and cannot count on—keeps me in check and reels me back a little more from my enthusiastic desire to go overboard celebrating life with abandon.  The occasional “gifts” are what keeps my heart from turning completely hard and losing faith in others.

It’s just a lot harder when there’s so much difficulty to wade through all at once. It becomes easier when I focus on what’s possible at that moment, and simply let go of the rest.

Yes, I’ve most certainly crashed.

But I know I will bounce back to good health and get back on track with my normal life.

I’m confident I will weather this difficult storm out, catch up and start fixing what’s broken. Things are slowly improving daily. Projections for the future look great—at least on paper.

And I’m so very thankful, grateful, and appreciative for the ‘gifts’ of a few kind souls that so bravely reached out, butted in, and stuck close by me these last few months, helping make the impossible days all a little more bearable. Not sure where I’d be without you.  You are like angels, and the best gifts I’ve been given to help recover from being broke and broken.

Thank you for reading my post. Did it strike a chord for you or did it seem far and away from your own perspective?  I’d love to hear your thoughts!  All comments are greatly appreciated.  You can read about all sorts of ideas, opinions and feelings from the heart and soul of an outdoorswoman… there are lots of topics covered in my blog category, “Girl Outdoors”.  If you like what you see, please let me know by “liking” my website.  You can even join my tribe to automatically receive new postings ‘hot off the press’.  There’s a place to do that right on my website homepage.  As always, please feel free to share my information with others who may find interest and value in PR Brady AdVentures!  Thanks again!

Florida Wine Frenzy

When in Rome…….or Florida….do as the natives do! I love Florida’s unique take on wine. One of the cool things about the Sunshine State is their array of winemakers in the business of creating extra yummy and very unique fruit wines.  They seem to be the masters of “not grape” fruit wines. I’m saying literally, wines made without grapes; instead, using any other type of a fruit, like strawberry, or mango, or banana, and even dragon fruit!

I’m not talking about the age old “Boones Farm” tasting wine, either. No, Florida fruit wines are amazingly delicious, interesting blends FF Orange2and infusions that hook you at the first sip.  Some present a delicate touch to the pallet, others boast a bold flavor, and others sneak up on you with a burst of sweetness, even a chocolate-coffee tingle on the tongue, one of my personal favorites.

A few Florida wineries also delve into some not so typical wines, like carrot, lemon, and tomato wine. They are not bashful about experimenting with new fruits, and it’s a good thing! Of course, the staple grape down south is the muscadine, since other varieties are so impossible to grow in the tropical climate.

One great place to experience unusual, authentic fruit wines is Bunker Hills WineryBunkerIt’s a drive to what you may think is the “middle of nowhere” (Parrish FL) but I promise it’s worth the effort.  Bunker Hills is an ERW (Environmentally Responsible Winery), which means a very long list of commitments that you can learn about on their amazing tours.  Their winemaking process is completely green, organic, and “old fashioned” to the degree of making their own distilled water, and racking small batch glass carboy bottles for months in a temperature controlled environment, then bottling in recycle bottles.  Their wines are extremely seasonal and produced in small batches as the fruit becomes ready to work, and they sell out in a blink of the eye!  I have so many favorites.  Their Peach Sparkling wine is at the top of my list.

FF DakotahIf you want to go for a relaxing, scenic drive just outside of the Ocala area, Dakotah Winery in Chieftain is a great destination day trip to enjoy beautifully produced “traditional” wines that rely more on the muscadine grape.  Lush green pastures, soft rolling hills, this is horse country, and home to super friendly winemakers with great tasting wines!  A couple of my favorites are Dakotah’s  Port—a rich warm hug that makes you smile, perfect on a cool evening, and their Blackberry dessert wine—–oh so robust and delicious! After wine tasting you can shop their retail area, or take a peek at the wood ducks that hang out in their koi pond.

On the back roads skirting the edge of Bradenton, you’ll find the peaceful Rosa Fiorelli FF Rosa1Vineyards.  While this winemaker doesn’t delve into fruit wines, I have to say, she produces some truly spectacular muscadine wines.  I think her secret is using Old World Sicilian recipes from her homeland.  She can almost always be found behind the counter serving up wine tastings, with her gregarious friendliness and charm. Fiorelli’s offers Italian Buffet Dinner Tours and Wine and Dine evening  events throughout the year.  Her reds with lasagna?  Oh so yummy!  She has perfected an amazing muscadine dessert wine that feels warm yet crisp on the tongue with just the right amount of sweetness.  Perfect to share on special occasions, paired with something utterly chocolate.  Ah, decadence!

FF Orange1You are in for a real treat with Florida Orange Groves Winery in Pasadena.  This is home to the original fruit winery of Florida, and is the only winery allowed to use the official Florida Sunshine Tree symbol on their packaging. They have perfected the art of fruit wine production and offer over 40 different flavors of tropical fruit wines to choose from.  I have three absolute favorites:   Cocoa Beach (orange chocolate wine) Midnight Sun (orange coffee wine) and Banana wine.  In addition to presenting an FF Smoothieamazing selection of wines, they sell wine in a pouch, and wine smoothie mixes that take wine drinking to a whole new level.  On top of all that, they have a gift shop that can put a person into long term debt!  They offer so many cool, fun, wine accessories, glassware and other gifty items–it’s downright dangerous.

 

The Florida Winery is definitely where the action is.  Located in Madeira Beach, iFF MadBeach1n the heart of touristy John’s Pass.  This is a high energy, high traffic wine stop for anyone looking for VOLUME deals on wine.  They provide mix and match volume discounts that bring their tasty fruit wines to about $11 a bottle, and smoothie mixes, too.  They produce over a dozen flavors of wine including a marvelous Pirates Mead (orange honey wine).  I’m also particularly fond of their Razi (Raspberry) and Powi (Pomegranate) wines.  You’ll find plenty of gifts and souvenirs to choose from, too.   Besides the wine tasting experience, you can purchase a glass of wine or a wine slushy “to go” and stroll the 10 block strip of retail shops with it.  Hmmmm, another dangerous idea if you ask me….and oh did I mention that directly above them upstairs is where Mad Beach Craft Brewery is located?  Get a burger and get your craft beer taste buds going!

Lake Placid is a great town to visit for several reasons, and if you decide to go, Hen Scratch Farms is a “must do” stop to include in your day.  Where else can you walk among a couple hundred free ranging chickens, pick your own strawberries, muscadines and scuppernogs, and sample amazing wines?  All this plus a country store that sells cute crafty stuff, jellies, jams and EGGS, and a treat stand that serves up amazing strawberry shortcake, and fresh picked chocolate covered….yup… STRAWBERRIES!  They offer an array of award winning grape based wines, indeed.   I sure gravitate to their Blueberry Port, but also delight in their Southern Magnolia and Red Rooster wines.

FF KeelGee, could it be more than a coincidence that Keel and Curley Winery regularly win awards for their Strawberry Fusion wine, and are located in Plant City—the strawberry capital of the world?  And how convenient that they are also home to Two Henry’s Brewery, the makers of “Sea Salt Dark Chocolate Covered Strawberry Stout”?  Yes, friends, this destination is the best of both worlds, wine and beer.  I’m sold on these two divine liquids, as well as their Sangria.  But there are many, many other taste sensations to experience.  It doesn’t hurt that you can order yourself a glass or bottle of your fave, grab some great food from their restaurant; Railcar 91, and sit down to live music on the weekend.  Yup, this is great day trip any day of the week that could last into the evening.

I could go on and on about Florida vineyards, as I’ve just scratched the surface with these seven. Perhaps it’s time to look at a Glamping experience with PR Brady AdVentures –we’ll create your own custom Florida wine tasting tour?  Trust me, it’s easy to get caught up in the Florida Fruit Wine Frenzy and I’m dialed in to the best destinations!

 

Thank you for reading my post. Have you had a similar experience?  I’d love to hear about it!  All comments are greatly appreciated.  I share information about all kinds of products, places and services I’ve found to be exceptionally great, or exceptionally not great under my “Whats New” blog category—along with many of my own handy little DIY ideas. If you like what you see, please let me know by “liking” my website. You can even join my tribe to automatically receive new postings ‘hot off the press’.  As always, please feel free to share my information with others who may find interest and value in PR Brady AdVentures!  Thanks again!