Story by staff writer Ann McElfresh. Photos Copyright © Ann McElfresh.

I FEEL THAT in today’s crazy, hectic world there isn’t enough relaxation to go around. There are times that even travel-for-pleasure can be tiring.

How many times have you heard the phrase, “I need a vacation to recover from my vacation?” Truer words have never been said!

That’s why cruising is one of my favorite ways to travel. Once you are on board, everything is taken care of for you. You can do as much or as little as you want, but there’s no plane to catch, no train to take, no reservations to make. You just show up.

Your computer is at home, your phone doesn’t get reception unless you’re willing to pay out the nose and the internet is scarce and expensive . . . and they recommend you ignore it anyway!

To give you an idea how relaxing it is: when you board a ship, before your rooms are ready, they recommend you bring a bathing suit and a book. They’ll take care of the rest while you’re waiting!

Since I am a foodie, I also love that cruise ships will feed, feed, feed you! Some are better than others. I’ve had some truly world-class cuisine while cruising – and I’ve had a burger. Depending on my mood, I’ve loved them both.

This last cruise that Honey Bunny and I took we deliberately forced ourselves to relax even more. There were days that we didn’t participate in any of the activities, nights that we didn’t attend a show . . . we just sat, soaked up the sun, the sea air . . . and read books.

Paradise!

The first meal we had onboard was also one of my favorites. We went to the Italian restaurant and had pasta! They had all the fixins’ for you to choose from and they made the pasta right in front of you.

We chose pasta with sun dried tomatoes, broccoli, garlic and chicken, with Parmesan cheese. I remade the dish at home using fresh tomatoes. Now you can have a slice of paradise, too!

Ann is our resident foodie and she’s sharing her remake of that favorite cruise dish with us here:

See Ann’s recipe for Pasta with Garlic, Tomatoes and Broccoli

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Ann McElfresh has had the opportunity to travel and live overseas during the course of her husband’s career in the military and they didn’t stop after he retired! An enthusiastic home cook, she has an extensive “bucket list” of places to see, foods to eat and dishes to cook. A recent physical required that she focus her attention on cooking healthy foods and living a healthier lifestyle. At this time, she has lost 20 pounds and when asked how she lost the weight, she tells people, “By cooking like mad! Who knew losing weight could be so much fun?” Visit her healthy (and tasty) cooking blog at www.cookinghealthyforme.com.