We needed a girlfriend fix, and Janet hooked us up for a gorgeous lunch at her house Monday
I have a core group of girlfriends that usually get together several times a year. They are who I share my girlfriend life with and the circle I am growing old with. We have always celebrated birthdays and used to celebrate births. Now, we celebrate marriages and births of grandchildren. Many of them have other homes in other places and are gone for a good portion of the year, so it was wonderful to get together for this luncheon that Janet put together just “because”.
After all arrived, Janet served the most wonderful cold soup with a variety of tasty and colourful accompaniments that she had prepared from her finds at the Old Strathcona Farmer’s Marke,t on Saturday. We served ourselves then sat in her grand dining room to share in the lives of one another.
Angie brought her little grandson. Oh, my he has grown. He was quite the little gentleman and relished the lunch along with the rest of us.
Citrus scented water seems to be a trend this summer. There are large jugs for sale at Costco and Winners and I am seeing these crystal cold jugs brimming in the most sophisticated environments inviting relaxation and renewal.
This is the life.
And then, two beautfiul quiche were served with a tender sweet spinach and strawberry salad: the perfect afternoon ladies luncheon.
And for dessert? More laughs. More visiting, and memories of our youth as Janet served a true retro lemon slice that breathed a whole new level of energy into the room. More coffee? More tea? And we lingered until late in the lazy afternoon ….
The perfect ending to a beautiful Victoria Day weekend for me. Thank you, Janet, and my dear friends, for this peaceful reprieve.
Janet’s Gazpacho Soup Recipe
Ingredients:
- 3lbs yellow tomatoes
- 1lb red tomatoes
- 1 english cucumber peeled
- 1 orange pepper
- 1 garlic clove
- 2 cups tomato juice
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1/2 tsp cummin
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp salt
- pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Reserve 1/2 cup tomato, english cucumber and orange pepper
- Blend all of the ingredients; do not over blend (see photo)
- Refrigerate overnight; serve with reserved veggies
- If desired ,serve a small bowl of baby shrimp to add to the garnishes
Omg, when you were naming the three breads and commenting on how many people liked each bread, I actually thought you were writing a dialogue using nicknames for your girlfriends due to privacy. Lol. I love girlfriends get togethers!
I have a core group of girlfriends that I get together with several times a year as well. We are at the celebrating marriage and birth stage right now. Can’t wait for the grandchildren stage but for now I’m taking my sweet little time enjoying my own kiddies. Your friend’s soup looks delicious! I love the vibrant colours she used. Thank you for sharing the recipe.
I’ll be back to enter your giveaway. Gotta get some shuteye so I have the energy to chase down a half naked 18 month old running away from me in the midst of a diaper change tomorrow. Lol.
I am not a fan for Gazpacho soup….but Janet’s version looks truly delicous and I am tempted to give Gazpacho one more chance! The two delicious-looking quiche…mmm….that’s another must-have for the ladies’ gathering.
What a lovely way to spend an afternoon Valerie. I got out of the habit of purchasing bread, but now that I have my lovely freezer it is easier to have loaves of bread on hand.
Love the photos and would love the lemon square recipe too.
This year, I have been learning how to make bread (using the no knead recipe). I am getting there. If I buy bread, I try to buy bread with few preservatives and lots of grains.
Then. this is the bread for you, LJB!
Silver Hills bread is good. It is pricy, but worth it. Before we got a bread maker and started making our own bread this was the brand we bought. I think we got the Squirrley and Flax loaves.
I think it makes fantastic toast and love it with peanut butter.
What a nice way to meet up with your friends!! That lemon slice looks wonderful!!
Hey Valerie, this soup looks yummerz! Ooh, and I’m trying to stay away from too much bread over here, girl, and this isn’t helping (smile). Glad you had a nice time with friends-I love that…
I’ll be back to enter your giveaway too-me likes free stuff.
We’re not too picky with bread but we do try to buy whole wheat. The hubby usually buys Dempster’s WholeGrains at Costco. No particular reason. We don’t have a favorite bread.
Just tweeted.
What a marvelous time you all must have had. Everything, especially the bread, looks wonderful and I loved reading your recounting of the day. I hope you have a wonderful day. Blessings…Mary.
Hellllloooo. I’m here because luvtoeat lovely LeQuan tweeted about this giveaway — so you can go ahead and enter her twice!
I’m not sure if, for Method 2, I’m supposed to fulfill ALL of those?? Either way… I’m going to be answering number 1 — I usually make my own quickbread with buckwheat flour, but if I don’t have time for that, I’ll buy Ezekiel sprouted bread. On rare occasions (note: occasions of desperation) I do give in to whatever’s in the freezer — aka my brother’s Dempster’s Whole Grain loaf. Nothing against Dempster’s breads, but I’ve got a bit of a thing for sprouted flour-less breads.
Oh, and I also wanted to mention: it looks like you had a lovely time with the gf’s! Janet’s kitchen looks gorgeous, and the gazpacho looks positively vibrant!! The quiche, in particular though, makes me DROOOL. Is it homemade??
Hi, Aletheia! Yes, it is homemade. Janet is the Queen of her kitchen and I LOVE eating at her hand. She is a master!
Valerie
That is hilarious Valerie! I made gazpacho yesterday! I love girlfriends get-togethers and this one is so great because you have known each other for such a long time! Love that lemony dessert at the end! The flowers are so beautiful.
The gazpacho looks nice and chunky, love the yellow tomatoes in the recipe! Fun bread review!
We usually eat the Safeway Brand Eating Right Bread but now I leave that for my husband and reach for the Silver Hills Bread!!
Also tweeting this:)
Fiona
Mmmm, I will definitely try that gazpacho recipe!! High Level Diner used to make a version. I tried it there for the very first time in my life…and I loved it.
Val..typing with burnt fingers here from dipping my puffs in hot sugar and not being careful. I’ve used enough Neosporin and ice for a lifetime lol
That said..I love baking bread, but sadly, I killed my sourdough starter
Will start another one soon, but ‘Herbie’ was special..almost 2 years old. *pout* Ohh well.
that said, the bread and soup and all around fun it looks like you all had was fun to read about and look at. Think I may need to enter that giveaway!
Valerie, what a lovely way to spend an afternoon with friends. I popped over from Lazaro Cooks to see your gazpacho soup. How I wish I could find yellow tomatoes. Guess I’ll just have to grow my own.
I adore your bread and it’s absolutely perfect with the soup.
Cheers,
Sam