Blue Odyssey Vacations

24/12/2019

Merry Christmas to Our Valued Customers. Best wishes for a holiday season filled with bountiful blessings!

13/12/2017

This holiday season give the gift of improved mental health! Wear this beautifully designed t-shirt with pride / give as a gift. Your donation provides mental health support to school age children in the after math of hurricane Irma. Be the difference...

29/02/2016

I guess once there is a sail, we are sailing...land sailing at its best!

14/12/2014

14/12/2014

Sailing buddies preparing for a race.

26/10/2014

According to StumpleUpon, here are 40 must visit hotels before you die. Good news for those who do not like to travel too far, two of them are right in our backyard, Mexico, Oklahoma, St. Lucia and Jamaica - mon!

29/09/2014

24/02/2013

Who needs traffic and pollution when you can live in such harmony with nature

07/10/2012

Tzu Tzu Sport
Sexy, Fun & Flirty Golf clothes for women! Made for the glamorous girls who golf.

Sexy, Fun & Flirty Golf clothes for women! Made for the glamorous girls who golf.

11/07/2012

Tipping Etiquette Around The World

11/07/2012

Check out this beautiful town

Giethoorn, Holland is a beautiful and quiet little village unique in that you will not find a single road in the entire town. Rather, it is connected by waterways and paths and some biking trails. Visitors are always welcomed and encouraged to rent an electric and noiseless "Whisper Boat" to explore this little piece of heaven on earth.

11/07/2012

Giethoorn, Holland is a beautiful and quiet little village unique in that you will not find a single road in the entire town. Rather, it is connected by waterways and paths and some biking trails. Visitors are always welcomed and encouraged to rent an electric and noiseless "Whisper Boat" to explore this little piece of heaven on earth.

09/02/2012

Apple Pie Pop-Tarts with a Cinnamon Glaze

For the Pastry:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks or 8 ounces) unsalted butter, cold, cut into cubes
1 large egg
2 tablespoons milk
1 large egg (for brushing the dough)

For the Filling:
3-4 tart apples (Granny Smiths etc) peeled and chopped
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 Tablespoon ground cinnamon

Cinnamon Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 tbsp milk (or so depending on desired thickness)
1/2 tsp cinnamon

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar and salt. Add the cold butter and break it up in the flour mixture using your fingers, a pastry cutter or a food processor. Work in the butter until only pea sized lumps remain in your mixture. The mixture should also hold together when squeezed into a ball. (Yes there is a lot of butter.)

In a small bowl, beat the egg with the milk. Add the mixture all at once to the dry ingredients and stir to make sure that moisture is introduced to all of the flour mixture. Lightly dust a clean counter with flour and knead the dough on the floured counter for a few turns until it really starts to come together. Divide the dough in two, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 30 minutes. *Forming the dough into a kind-of rectangular shape will make rolling it out much easier!

While the dough is chilling, prepare the filling:
In a small bowl combine melted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Stir together to combine. Add the apples and toss in mixture until well-coated. Set aside.

On a well floured work surface, press dough into a 3×5-inch rectangle, roll the dough out to about 1/8-inch thickness. The dough should be slightly larger than 9×12-inches. Trim dough with a pizza cutter, creating a rectangle that is 9-inches tall and 12-inches long. Using the pizza cutter, cut each side into thirds, creating 9 squares. Place dough squares in the fridge while you roll out the second piece of dough in the same way.

Set out 9 squares onto a cookie sheet. Spoon about two tablespoons of filling into the center of each dough square. Brush the edges with water to help seat it. Top with a piece of dough and use a floured fork to crimp the sides closed. Use the tines of the fork to create vent holes in each tart. Brush all tarts with egg wash.

Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Let tarts rest in the fridge for 30 minutes while the oven preheats.

Remove tarts from the fridge and place in the oven to bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown on top.

While the tarts bake, whisk together ingredients for the glaze and set aside.

Let baked tarts rest on a cooling rack to cool completely before glazing. Best served within 2 days.

Special thanks to Joy The Baker

08/02/2012

03/02/2012

Great way to start the day....

Cinnamon Roll Pancakes

Ingredients:
PANCAKES: (makes about 4/5 pancakes)
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 Tablespoon canola oil
1 large egg, lightly beaten

CINNAMON FILLING: *makes enough for much more than 4 pancakes
1/2 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon

CREAM CHEESE GLAZE:
4 Tablespoons butter
2 ounces cream cheese
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
1. Prepare pancake batter: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk in milk, oil and egg, just until batter is moistened (a few small lumps are fine).
2. In a medium bowl, mix butter, brown sugar and cinnamon. Pour filling into a pastry bag with a small tip or what I did- a squeeze bottle with a small tip. Set aside You don't want this to remain super-liquidy. It's best if it becomes a consistency similar to toothpaste.
3. In a medium, microwave-safe bowl- heat butter and cream cheese until melted. Whisk together until smooth; whisk in powdered sugar and vanilla extract; set aside. *mine was not smooth. I ran it through the food processor to work through some cream cheese chunks.
4. Heat large skillet over medium-low heat. Spray with nonstick spray. Scoop about 3/4 cup batter onto the skillet. When pancake has started to cook a little, swirl in the cinnamon filling. When bubbles begin to appear on the surface, flip carefully with a thin spatula, and cook until browned on the underside, 1 to 2 minutes more. Transfer to a baking sheet or platter and keep in a warm oven until ready to serve.
5. When ready to serve, spoon warmed glaze onto the top of each pancake.

Note: The filling portion listed above is WAY too much for 4 medium pancakes. If you are making more than 4 (as you should.) don't double the filling recipe. I'd say it makes enough filling for at least 20 pancakes. Adjust accordingly. Or- if you have lots of extra filling like I did...create some sort of cinnamon apple dessert...like I will do. Any ideas? :)

Source: Adapted from: RecipeGirl.com

03/02/2012

Mountains of Australia