Snap Peas

Fainting Couch Re-do

2012-02-12T09:21:00.001-05:00

I've said before, I'm not a DIY-er. But...I have a Hubby that is - yay! Sad for him, I love to organize a good "fix-it" project.

Several years ago I purchased a fainting couch (while he was at a poker game). I knew that it needed a major overhaul - thus the low price - it's simply taken me a while to get around to pointing Hubby in the right direction. Here's what we started with.....

Turns out, someone had attempted repairs in the past - someone that didn't know how to repair furniture....

This was during the "don't buy old furniture without me" talk - sure thing, honey ;-)

After Hubby worked his magic.........

Three of the four legs are new, the board along the base was replaced by my very own master carpenter.......

I selected the fabric :-) and had the old horse hair cushion recovered (I can't sew either).......

Hubby, being a man of many talents, also did the upholstery. Yes, he is a keeper...

As long as we're in the living room - let's take a little look around.....

I'm planning to link with Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch - we'll see if I can remember how, it's been so long - HA!

Thanks for visiting!

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

2011-12-30T13:11:00.001-05:00

During the days leading up to Christmas and the few after when we were all running here there and everywhere, we tended to snack our way through lunch time. A daily favorite was Hummus, it's so easy to throw together in the food processor - and such a healthy snack - we made several different varieties. I neglected to take photos - so I'm making them one at a time to share.

First up is Roasted Red Pepper....

Recipe for Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

In the food processor:
2 cloves garlic
1 can canellini beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 C roasted red pepper
1/3 C tahini
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne
1/4 tsp salt

Puree away! Place in serving dish, drizzle a little olive oil on top (I use lemon olive oil)

Thank you for visiting, Edamame Hummus is next!

Project Night Night

2011-12-19T08:10:00.000-05:00

If you've read the newest issue of Traditional Home, you've read the article about Project Night Night too. Their goal of giving homeless children a little comfort made me think of my grandmother who would sew stuffed animals to donate to her local hospital. I have no idea how many years she did this, but it went on for as long as I can remember - she tried to make sure that every sick child received this little bit of comfort.

Now, I can't sew to save my life - you don't find DIY projects on this blog. Honey-dos sure, tons of them - but creativity is not me. Project Night Night gives me a way to continue my Grandmother's tradition of providing a little comfort to children in my own craft-challenged way. I ordered some of their bags and will stuff them with a book, a stuffed animal, and a small blanket then take them to my local shelter - Project Night Night supports shelters all across the country........ if you're looking for a new way to help, this might be a nice organization for you to consider too.

Helping homeless children have sweeter dreams ...

Project Night Night donates over 25,000 Night Night Packages each year, free of charge, to homeless children who need our childhood essentials to feel secure, cozy, ready to learn, and significant. Each Night Night Package contains a new security blanket, an age-appropriate children's book, and a stuffed animal -- all nestled inside of a new canvas tote bag. By providing objects of reliable comfort, Project Night Night reduces trauma and advances the emotional and cognitive well-being of the children we serve.

Every child who receives one of our Night Night Packages leaves the shelter owning a book which encourages reading and family bonding, a security blanket which can be cuddled, and a stuffed animal which can become a cherished friend. We have one objective – to deliver our Night Night Packages to every homeless child in the country who needs one.

Our Home at Christmas

2011-12-13T16:27:00.003-05:00

Thank you for joining me in the mini tours of our home at Christmas.....

I attempted to capture our home with the window candles, the blue hour photo with the lights on turned out a little better. I love the flickering self timer GE candle lights - and they look great in the windows, but don't really give enough light for a night time photo.

Our front door is decked out in red and silver...

You won't be able to enter through the front door, because our Christmas tree is sitting right on the other side...

I like tall (10 feet) and wide trees and we decided years ago the entry way is where they fit without moving furniture - besides the only time all year long that someone comes to the front door is when we have a tree in front of it.

Also in the entry....

Visit our Living Room at Christmas...

Visit our Dining Room at Christmas

Visit our Den at Christmas

Thank you for visiting, in case I don't see you again until 2012 - I hope you have a very Merry Christmas!

I'm joining the Christmas Tour of Homes at The Inspired Room and
The Nesting Place There are so any wonderful homes to see, I may not have time to do anything else tomorrow, sigh.....

The Living Room at Christmas

2011-12-13T15:00:00.000-05:00

The Living Room is the Nutcracker room at Christmas....

and nothing says "Christmas" quite like a red feather wreath, don't ya think?

a nutcracker here.......

a pine cone there......

add a Christmas tree and we're almost covered.....

and finally a nativity scene that I found on Olvera Street in Los Angeles a very long time ago.....

Thank you for joining me in a mini walk through. I have one more space to share - our Christmas tree sits in the entry way - that's the final installment.

The Dining Room at Christmas

2011-12-13T14:45:00.000-05:00

I'm continuing with the mini Christmas tour - this go round we're visiting the dining room.

I have tall skinny mantels - they're typical of the federal style that our home is - but they don't allow for any decor more than 5 inches wide. Thankfully we don't have earthquakes here or I'd need to use superglue.

The color scheme in the dining room this year is silver and gold.....

my method is...if it isn't moving - tie a glittery bow on it...

and the table......

next up on our little mini tour is the living room, I hope you have time for another visit.

The Den at Christmas

2011-12-13T14:23:00.000-05:00

My plan was to join a list of Christmas blog parties, well.....between shopping, wrapping, decorating, and my internet going out it didn't happen. Life gets in the way of blog fun from time to time.

Rather than flood you with photos, I'm breaking them down into smaller groups, let's start with the den. This the room that we spend our "family time" in and where I keep the Santas - they're my favorites......

Everything is a bit rustic in here...

I have two of the Christmas cards our youngest son made for me (years ago) framed on the mantel.....

Most of the Santas were gifts, the big guy was a gift from the oldest son - he'll be 34 on Christmas Day ...

some jingle bells...

My mother made these pillows for me years ago.....

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Card

2011-12-04T18:23:00.000-05:00

I'm sharing a handmade Christmas card - it's adorable!

The outside caught my eye, but the inside.....oh my....

The words are printed on vellum over polka dots, the bottom flap....

and now for the center - the jolliest of Santas....

This is my mother's Christmas card. It's especially wonderful because she painted the Santa. Go ahead, take another look.....

I'm surrounded by talented artists - completely skipped me, by their biggest fan!

I'm busy decorating and plan to be back to join a few Christmas parties - I hope to see you again soon!

Holiday Tables

2011-11-30T09:50:00.000-05:00

Hey there! Long time, no posting - there hasn't been a lot to report. Now that the holiday season is here (yea!!) I hope we will be visiting more often. Today I'm joining the Tablescape Party at Censational Girl with photos of holiday tables from the past few Christmases.

First up, is our Christmas Day dinner - which is actually Number One son's Birthday Dinner. This year makes the 34th year of having Christmas breakfast and Birthday dinner on December 25th. These photos were taken prior to my blogging days - food is on the plates......

All of the decorations were purchased at TJ Maxx and Marshall's, the red plates were found at Target, and the glasses are Dollar Tree finds :-)

On to another year and different sparkles.....

Again, TJ Maxx, Marshall's, and Target take center stage. Why knock a good thing, the glasses are Dollar Tree....

This was our Christmas breakfast last year...

Do I need to tell you where I bought everything?

Our (Christmas)Birthday Dinner was a taco bar prepared by the birthday boy - so the table had a different twist...

Pier One was included in the table...

We've had a variety of Christmas table decors, seeing them makes me anxious to work on the theme for this year. I'll reuse the green and silver glitter decorations for the table during December, and then switch to something new for our Christmas festivities.

Our Christmas decorations go up on the 1st, I do believe there's a mantel party soon and I have six - see you there!

On the Menu Monday October 24-29

2011-10-24T08:22:00.000-04:00

We've been eating a lot of repeat dishes lately - it's sometimes easier to rely on the standard kitchen fare than venture into new territory. This week, I'm taking a new plunge or two.....

Monday - Chili (my recipe) over Cornmeal Waffles (Paula Deen's recipe with a few diced green chiles thrown in)

Tuesday: Big Salad with artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, Kalamata olives, and grilled chicken

Wednesday: Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps (from Cooking Light)

Thursday- Calzone with marinated veggies

Friday - out to dinner we go.....

Saturday - Lasanga Soup - Orzo Salad is our summer staple, this soup is our cold weather fav...

That's our week in food, I'm joining Stone Gable for On the Menu Monday - see you there!

Welcome Guests

2011-10-20T12:26:00.000-04:00

I read a post on a blog today - the topic was about the risk involved in opening our homes to guests. Do we avoid having guests because we feel our homes aren't perfect for the presentation we have saved in our minds? In other words, they aren't Garden Tour ready. I love one of the comments...

"I like to think that I keep my house just under perfection to make sure my friends feel at ease (wink!)."

Does a true friend really scour your corners for dust bunnies? My mother-in-law did - don't tell Hubby I said that.

It's not a post without a photo - even if it doesn't pertain ........

Waiting For The Leaves

2011-10-16T08:49:00.001-04:00

Hey there! It isn't quite peak fall color time yet - next week you'll have to endure endless photos of the (gorgeous) fall foilage on the Blue Ridge Parkway. We're going to have a relaxing day today, a little quality time spent with the dogs.......

Winston, our Sproodle, and a Standard Poodle puppy that was falling behind......

This is Hubby's idea of "puppy sitting".....we may sneak out for a little drive in the mustang. It may not be the peak time, but you can't let a fabulous fall day in the Shenandoah Valley go to waste.....

Thanks for the visit - I'm joining The Tablescaper for Seasonal Sundays. I hope to see you again soon!

Family Dinner Party

2011-10-14T09:11:00.000-04:00

My mother had the right idea when she invited us over for dinner last week for Chinese food.......

On the menu was Szechuan Shrimp...

Chicken with Snow Peas...

Beef with Broccoli....

Fried Dumplings....

and Bar-B-Q Ribs...

The food was delicious, the conversation was fun, best of all - it was easy peasy....

A dinner party doesn't have to be a lot of work or stress - the point is the visit after all. Following a dessert of ice cream from Kline's Dairy Bar (our local to-die-for ice cream shop) we played a game of Yahtzee - and I won. Yay!!!!

I'm joining Designs By Gollum for Foodie Friday - thanks for visiting!

What's on My Menu Oct 10

2011-10-10T14:25:00.001-04:00

We had a fun filled, busy weekend - I'm still playing catch-up. As I've said before, I'm sharing what we had last week so that I have photos.....

Monday - Salmon brushed with Yoshida sauce then sprinkled with Ginger Sesame Seeds and roasted Brussel Sprouts and potatoes (white for Jim, sweet for me)

I like to toss the veggies with a splash of lemon olive oil and a pinch or two of Herbs de Provence, S&P all in a bowl, pour onto a cookie sheet and bake. After baking I toss the veggies in the same bowl that still has a little oil and herb left behind - then onto the plates, That final toss adds a little more flavor.

Tuesday - Big Salad with zucchini, mushrooms, snap peas, and roasted chicken

Wednesday - Poker night, I had plain Greek Yogurt with spiced cooked apples and a few walnuts.

Thursday - Brown Butter Risotto with sauteed shrimp with creole seasoning (in place of the lobster), and roasted Brussels sprouts.

Friday - out to dinner

Saturday - an impromptu dinner party at my mother's - next post

Sunday - We packed a picnic and headed out to a couple of wineries. In the basket we had.....crock pot BBQ beef brisket sandwiches and coleslaw with marinated fresh veggie salad. Asian Pears and Brie for dessert.

That's it for our week in food, thank you for visiting. I hope to see you again soon!

ooh! I'm joining Yvonne at Stone Gable for the menu party!

Seasonal Sundays, Early Fall

2011-10-09T19:49:00.000-04:00

I've mentioned our Sunday mustang rides to wineries many times. We took full advantage of a glorious fall day with a long drive to two wineries and a picnic. The leaves are beginning to change colors, but we're probably about two weeks away from great photos. So instead of leaves, we stopped by the Greenwood Gourmet Market for some pumpkin photos (and a cup of coffee - beginning to get a tad chilly late in the afternoon).......

Greenwood Gourmet Market was featured in Southern Living a few years ago, someday we'll return for a view of the inside - it was a little crowded this afternoon.....

this is an apple/watermelon/pumpkin - maybe cuter than my Michael's pumpkins...

We have a few more rides (we hope) before cold weather arrives - we'll be sure to share our views from the Blue Ridge Parkway at peak color time - it's always spectacular.

Thanks for visiting, I'm joining The Tablescaper for Seasonal Sundays. I hope to see you tomorrow for What's on the Menu Monday.

On the Menu Monday October 3-8

2011-10-03T08:52:00.000-04:00

My menu offerings this week are taking a twist from warm weather fare to cooler weather.

Monday - chili with cornbread

Tuesday - left over chili :-) love two days out of one cooking session

Wednesday - pork tenderloin with roasted veggies (parsnips, carrots, sweet potatoes,and Brussels sprouts)

Thursday - big salad

Friday - out to dinner

Saturday - Giada's Carbonara

Thank you for visiting, I'm joining Yvonne, our hostess, at Stone Gable for On the Menu Monday.

Fall Door Decor

2011-09-29T08:53:00.000-04:00

I follow Southern Hospitality on Facebook and this morning when I read the post about the Fall Door Decor link party - I ran outside camera in hand and snapped a few quick shots.....

The front of our house can be seen from the road, but sits way back, so large and simple is always best. I found the large monogram on Miss Janice's blog and knew it would be exactly what I wanted for fall. I painted it with gold glitter so it sparkles in the sunlight.....

The ribbon is a Michaels find, I love the colors and the peacock feather print......

a few pumpkins, and done ........

I like to keep the front porch simple, because........

I clutter the back porch.....

Thanks for visiting!

All Grilled Dinner

2011-09-22T19:00:00.004-04:00

On Monday I promised to return for Foodie Friday with photos of our fabulous grilled dinner in honor of Youngest Son's 27th birthday. Oldest son made the trip from San Diego to celebrate with us, he planned the menu and did all of the cooking - yeah! Here are the brothers....

and here is the birthday feast......

It began with two types of hummus,

For the main course we had grilled artichokes....

I went a bit crazy at the corn field (buy 2 doz, get 1 free), so we grilled corn....

It was some of the tastiest corn we've had all summer - and I have 30 more ears....

We marinated skirt steak in Yoshida sauce and grilled it along with potatoes seasoned with Creole spice....

Oldest son cooked all afternoon...

the final treat was dessert - also on the grill....

after the corn field I visited the local peach orchard for fresh peaches and plums, then onto the local ice cream store for some of their freshly churned vanilla ice cream, it was what the birthday boy requested in lieu of a cake. But he didn't escape a candle and the (off key) singing of the song...

Recipes and instructions for our Grilled Dinner are on my recipe blog Red Razbarry - I cut and paste recipes I want to save there as well as type recipes to share in a printer friendly format.

I'm joining Michael at Designs by Gollum for Foodie Friday - the yummiest day of the week!

Thanks for visiting!

Birthday Table

2011-09-21T19:39:00.000-04:00

This is a simple table setting for my son's 27th birthday. I try to keep it simple when it's a family get together - not a single man in my family wants to wash layer upon layer of dishes - no matter how pretty they look. And (quite honestly) I want them to feel inclined to wash the dishes - so I compromise :-)

I love this Lennox pattern, I've used them in both Spring and Fall, the colors are wonderful...

Today, for fall I went with rust napkins, neutrals, and splashes of turquoise.....

The salad plates were a Christmas gift, I found the matching dinner plates at TJ Maxx (yeah!), the place mats, napkins, flowers, and lotus candle-holders are also from T. If only we had a Home Goods, I'm have more variety. Oh! the napkin rings are Pier One - I do travel.

I'm linking with Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday.

Thanks for visiting, tomorrow I'm participating in Foodie Friday with our all grilled dinner - I hope you'll stop in.

On the Menu Monday September 19

2011-09-19T06:09:00.001-04:00

I'm joining in the fun at Stone Gable for On the Menu Monday. I've come to the conclusion that I need to post a re-cap of what we had on our plates last week so that I have photos to include. So here we go.....

Monday - Tomato and Cannellini Bean soup with basil and cod, crusty bread for dipping

Tuesday - BBQ rib sandwiches with coleslaw and fresh corn. I could have made these, but I didn't. I bought them at Costco......I boiled the corn - yea!!

Wednesday - Chinese take-out

Thursday - Thai - I notice a theme developing here......

Friday - Ham, sweet potatoes, and salad

Saturday- grilled pizza with chicken and peppers

Sunday - was our youngest son's 27th birthday (yikes!) for breakfast we had Blueberry French Toast with ham and strawberries.

Birthday Dinner was prepared by our oldest son - it was a fabulous creation all cooked on the grill. I'll return for Foodie Friday with all the delicious details but until then, here's a sneak peak at dessert....

Thanks for visiting, I hope to see you later this week for Tablescape Thursday and Foodie Friday!

Divine Dinner at Zynodoa

2011-09-10T18:11:00.002-04:00

My mother treated my son and me to dinner at Zynodoa - their presentations are a work of art - only surpassed by the flavors. I knew my foodie friends would enjoy seeing their fare.

The mother selected Pan Roasted Grouper with Shen-Valley lima bean stew and crispy pork belly.......

The son selected Chicken Breast with charred peach salad and shen-valley beet puree....

I believe I may have selected this entree on our last visit - oh well, I loved it again. Shrimp Skillet, with Zynodoa grown roma tomatoes, twice fried potatoes, and chile pepper pan sauce.....

To cap off the evening, they each had a dessert - I wasn't being virtuous - I was simply full :-) ricotta lemon cheesecake and bittersweet chocolate torte were their selections....

The couple seated next to us thought we were fellow tourists - I was snapping as many photos as they were. I never pass up the opportunity to share a pretty plate.

Thank you for visiting, I hope to see you again soon...

What's For Dinner

2011-09-04T18:44:00.000-04:00

This is an abbreviated cooking week, Hubby will be going to a poker game on Wednesday night then off on his semi-annual mancation with his brothers and their Dad on Thursday through Sunday.

While doing a little blog browsing I found two recipes at Once in a Blue Moon that we're trying this week. If you haven't found the same recipes already - take a trip to the sea, the photos make my mouth water.

Monday - Green Grape Gazpacho, crab salad pannini on the side

Tuesday - California Caprese Sandwiches

Wednesday - Twice baked Potatoes w/mushrooms and prosciutto, fried Italian mozzarella balls with tomato chutney, cinnamon chocolate fudge, various sweet and salty snacks for poker night.

That's it, my "cooking" week is over. I can't possibly be expected to cook on Sunday when I've been left at home all alone for days ;-)

I haven't cooked the food yet - but Linky wants a photo......

I'm joining Stone Gable's Monday Menu party - I can't wait to see what everyone is cooking this week.

Summer Sunday

2011-09-04T09:49:00.000-04:00

I know that Summer isn't gone just yet, but all too soon our Sunday afternoon routine will change from these.....

To afternoon drives to see these.......

Heaven knows I'm not complaining about the gorgeous views on the Blue Ridge Parkway

I simply don't want to think about the season that, all too quickly, follows. Why do spring and fall seem to fly right by? The steamy heat of the summer and the frigid cold of the winter never seem to be in a hurry to leave.

I'm really not one that worries about tomorrow, I'll simply enjoy today...

I'm joining The Tablescaper for Seasonal Sundays - cheers!

Old Mill Recipe

2011-09-02T10:40:00.002-04:00

This is the week of the month that I work on my Old Mill Doodle Newsletter. While Doodle training doesn't really fit with Snap-Peas - I always include a recipe. This month's Foodie treat is Carbonara Casserole - now that does fit with Foodie Friday. Gooey Cheesy Food - my favorite......

Baked Carbonara

Cook 14oz ziti or fettuccine until al dente

Cook 4 slices of bacon or prosciutto until crisp

Whisk together

4 eggs

2C light cream (I sub canned nonfat milk)

1 1/2C milk

1/2 C grated Parmesan cheese

Place pasta in an 8 C baking dish, top with bacon and egg mixture

Bake at 350* for 30 minutes—until set.

I'm headed to Designs By Gollum now to check out recipes for next week's What's on the Menu Monday

Sunday Picnic

2011-08-28T17:50:00.000-04:00

Hubby and I went on a fun outing in the mustang - something we do every chance we get during the warm months. We packed a picnic, and away we went.......

We had Gorgonzola with dried fruit from Trader Joes, easy peasy....

Orzo salad with garden veggies and shrimp.......

oh and feta....

then for dessert, berries with a drizzle of Balsamic Glaze over "winged it" shortcakes. They would have worked a little better if I'd gotten out a measuring cup - I went back and forth between too runny and too thick once or twice :-)

A fun last Sunday in August - we saw one tree with orange leaves - fall foliage drives soon.....

Thanks for visiting - I'll see you soon!

Brown Butter Risotto with Lobster

2011-08-25T19:57:00.000-04:00

I made a last minute executive decision for dinner on Wednesday evening, I'd seen this recipe on Giada's show Tuesday evening - had all the ingredients (a very rare thing) - so decided to try a new dish. Grilling out, risotto in.....

I have a tendency to play with recipes, this time I followed Giada's lead for Brown Butter Risotto with Lobster (it has brandy, sigh) ......

I made asparagus with crispy prosciutto, cantaloupe, fresh mozerella, and a drizzle of balsalmic vinegar for the side ......

The risotto was creamy, flavorful...OMGoodness good.......

A printable version of Giada's recipe is on my recipe blog Red Razbarry

I'm joining the Foodie Friday party at Designs by Gollum - see you there!

One Nasturtium

2011-08-23T16:41:00.001-04:00

One Nasturtium is growing in my birdbath planter - guess the other seeds wanted water. Needy plants don't do well at my house......

All of the flowers have been dark orange, until this one popped out.......

I added three of Kim Klassen's textures to this version, for a little fun....

I'm joining Kim Klassen for Texture Tuesday and Susan for Outdoor Wednesday

the textures are Zen Thing, If Only, and Beauty

On the Menu Monday August 22-27

2011-08-22T08:34:00.000-04:00

I didn't share a menu last week, we didn't go hungry - we simply didn't eat anything share worthy. I've been working on a new website for my Doodles, since I don't know what I'm doing, even alterations to a template become all consuming - at least according to Hubby.

For dinner this week, we will be having.....

Monday - grilled salmon with peach/mango salsa. corn on the cob (we eats lots of this while it's in season - purchased the day it's picked), round slices of sweet and yukon gold potatoes, brushed w/oil and grilled.

Tuesday - minestrone salad

Wednesday - grilled lobster tails, grilled asparagus,

Thursday - Pork Tenderloin with pineapple slaw, broccoli rabe w/lemon olive oil

Friday - Linguine with Gorgonzola, potatoes, green beans and grilled shrimp

Saturday - Stone Gable's crock pot French Onion Soup - the best EVER!!!

I'm headed to Stone Gable now to see what's on her menu for the week, always a mouth watering treat.

On the Menu Monday August 8-13

2011-08-08T15:20:00.001-04:00

I'm late, I'm late - it's been a busy few days. I even need to catch-up with posting recipes from last week, tomorrow :-)

For now, here's the menu for this week...

Monday - a big salad with homegrown tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumbers, peas and grilled scallops

Tuesday - #1 son - Brandon's recipe for pork tenderloin in the crockpot, with ginger/squash and caramelized onions,slaw, avocado - in soft tortillas. Served w/cilantro-lime rice. I'll post the pork recipe.

Wednesday - Grilled Halibut, grilled asparagus, and a grilled potato for Hubby

Thursday - Quinoa Salad w/green beans, corn, and tomatoes, chicken with lemon, white wine, and butter sauce

Friday - we're goin' out baby!

Saturday - orzo salad w/fresh colored peppers, cucumber, tomatoes, grilled shrimp, basil, feta cheese, and olive oil. I love making this in the morning when I have a busy day ahead. At dinner time, I pour a glass of wine and plop with the salad and some crusty bread.

On Our Menu This Week

2011-07-31T16:21:00.000-04:00

We did eat last week, but were in total disarray without a menu plan. Actually our internet was out of commission from Sunday through Thursday - it's a teenie bit concerning to think of the number of tasks I accomplished without Blogger and Pinterest to divert my attention - I hope it doesn't happen too often.

This week front and center in our menu plan are....

and......

Hubby and I went a little crazy (ya think?) at the corn field - twenty-eight ears of corn. Followed the next day by a frenzy at the peach orchard. So here goes, lets see what can I do with these items.......

Monday: Asian Flank Steak with Grilled Corn and mixed vegetable slaw

Tuesday: Sweet Potatoes w/fresh ginger, Bass, and boccolini all in stack and steam baskets.

Wednesday: Peach, Brie, and Basil Quesadillas with Gazpacho

Thursday: Salmon w/fresh peach salsa, fresh corn polenta, side salad

Friday: Green corn tamales, peach avocado salad, and cilantro/lime rice

Saturday - busy day, no cooking

Sunday Brunch - a variation of eggs Benedict (kinda) with Canadian bacon, eggs, asparagus and brie (instead of Hollandaise) with smashed potatoes. My grand plan is to have a new tablescape beside the koi pond - we'll see how Saturday goes..... Hubby's happy, no cornbread on the menu.....

I'll revisit this week to add recipes, I can't keep up with Yvonne - a menu, photos, and recipes all at once - she's amazing. Did I mention I'm joining her party at Stone Gable for What's on the Menu Monday? See you there!

Making Greek-style Yogurt

2011-07-20T11:51:00.000-04:00

Making Greek Yogurt from Cooking Light - I'm glad Hubby doesn't read my blog, I'd never get to buy those little containers again.

Photo: Randy Mayor , Text: Kathryn Conrad

Making Greek-style Yogurt, Step 1

5. You can strain your own Greek-style yogurt.
Draining off some of the whey yields the thick yogurt that has made Greek-style hot. Even the nonfat variety has a rich, satisfying texture. Greek yogurt is expensive, though, because it requires more milk. You can produce it for about $1.50 per cup yourself. Start with a plain, natural yogurt, nonfat or low-fat.

Step 1: Spoon plain nonfat or low-fat yogurt into a fine-mesh steel strainer lined with a paper tower or coffee filter.

Photo: Randy Mayor , Text: Kathryn Conrad

Making Greek-style Yogurt, Step 2

Step 2: Set the strainer into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, put in the fridge, and let the whey drain out of the yogurt overnight.

That's IT??? and I pay $1.69 for 6oz - good heavens.

Neighborhood House Party

2011-07-18T18:07:00.000-04:00

I'm joining Tracy at Tracy's Trinkets and Treasures for her Neighborhood House Party

You should be happy that I decided to take you on a tour of my mother's neighborhood because all I have to offer are sheep and cows - not exactly great design ideas in a field. Let's begin with Mom, some day we'll have to tour the inside - it's fabulous....

This is her across the street neighbor....

My youngest son loved this house, he thought the Spanish tile roof was so unique - guess we moved him away from Southern CA too early, it is unique for this area though...

This is a - Hubby was driving and panicked when a car drove up behind us shot - flashers???

Most of these houses have been on the Garden Tour - a great way to get an inside peek...this one has beautiful flower beds in back. Hubby refused to go up the driveway - and we know the owner. By this time we'd had numerous "turn arounds" - tension was building.....

I love this house, it's always perfect...

and finally - this one reminds me of Under the Tuscan Sun....

thanks for visiting - see you soon!

On the Menu Monday July 18-23

2011-07-18T05:27:00.002-04:00

It was a busy weekend at Frank's Mill - so I'm running a bit late. The week is planned, I'll hit the grocery store today - love being back on track with one grocery store visit a week. Three of this week's recipes are slight variations of dishes I found in a Donna Hay magazine. I hope everyone has a yummy week and a huge thank you to Yvonne for mentioning (and using) one of my dishes from last week.

Monday - Zucchini and Mint Pesto Pasta

Tuesday - Pantry Panzanella

Wednesday - Spicy Garlic Shrimp with Curry Couscous

Thursday - Zucchini Caprese Sandwiches

Friday - Pork tenderloin with fig sauce and Apple-Potato Mash

Saturday - Stone Gable's Beef Fajitas

I'll return to add a few photos and more of the recipes, right now it's a little after 5am, Hubby and our treadmills are waiting.....

New Menu Planner

2011-07-10T14:27:00.000-04:00

I have a new APP from Cooking Light - a menu planner. I won't use it for all my meal planning, but it's a great tool to add new healthy recipes here and there. I realized recently that my puppy doesn't ever beg for food, I suspect it's because my meals aren't even appealing to a dog - it's time to take things up a notch.

The photos and suggested menus had Hubby ready to eat.....

On the Menu Monday July 11-16

2011-07-10T14:12:00.000-04:00

We're back to two this week, we always miss our visitors, but settling back into our routine is okay too.

Monday - Zucchini, Bacon, and Onion Quiche, nectarine/red onion salad

Tuesday - Big Salad - grilled fresh veggies, eggs (poached in my cute little cups), a spritz of lemon EVOO and fig balsamic vinegar

Wednesday - Chicken/Spinach ravioli with marinara, cucumber/bell pepper salad

Thursday - pork tenderloin with peach salsa, mac and cheese (for Hubby), grilled veggies

Friday - Out to dinner we go

Saturday - Dianne Salad (copy from Green Street Restaurant in Pasadena)

I've added requested recipes from the last two week's menus at Red Razbarry. It's a blog I use to post archived recipes from my monthly Doodle Newsletter - thanks for asking.

I enjoy visiting your blogs, thanks to Yvonne at Stone Gable for hosting her What's on the Menu Monday Party!

On the Menu Monday July 4-9

2011-07-03T19:11:00.001-04:00

This is the last of three weeks with our Grandgirl - menus will revert to our normal fare next week. For now, we're enjoying one more week of fun ......

Monday - chili with corn chips, lots of yummy toppings and corn bread. For dessert Grandgirl and I made cake balls - a recipe shared last week on the menu party. Such gooey fun!

Tuesday - chicken salad (from Costco) with craisins and fresh basil

Wednesday - brisket in the crock-pot with burgundy sauce and roasted veggies

Thursday - left over brisket burritos w/cilantro lime rice and spicy pinto beans

Friday - hoping Hubby will take me out ;-)

Saturday - salmon with ginger sesame seeds and grilled asparagus/fig balsamic drizzle, (roasted potatoes w/herbs de provenance for Hubby - I don't like spuds)

I will revisit tomorrow to add recipes from this week and last - I don't know how Yvonne keeps up with all of this so flawlessly. I'm enjoying this Stone Gable Party though. It's given me a desire to dust off some of my cookbooks - I own a few - for some fun meals to add to our routine. The party also gave me a couple of great new recipes last week - can't wait to visit this go round!

Side Salads a la Stewart

2011-06-28T08:11:00.000-04:00

I recently tried three of the summer salad recipes from Martha Stewart Living. As usual, I altered a bit - either because I was missing an ingredient or a step was more convenient. This one received rave reviews at our house.

Grilled Corn and Avocado Salad
4 ears of fresh corn
1 Ripe (yet firm) avocado, sliced
1Tbsp fresh lime juice
1/4C chopped fresh cilantro

Grill the corn for about 15 min, turn often to get grill marks on all sides,
cut kernels off cob (I cut the kernels then sauteed in a grill pan - both ways tasted great)
Slice the avocado, I sprinkled the lime juice over the slices - the original recipe calls for the juice to be mixed with the corn also - my avocado browned that way.
Toss corn, avocado, and cilantro and serve - so easy. It's a light fresh salad, that goes well with everything we've tried.

This recipe for Potato, Pea, and Mint Salad is adapted from a Martha Stewart Living recipe, my variations are minimal this time.....

Halve 1 1/4 lbs baby red potatoes and cook in boiling, salted water until fork tender. Drain and rinse, allow to cool in pot with the lid on - keeps them moist.

Simmer 1/2C fresh or frozen peas (I used 1 C - love peas) until tender. Drain, coarsely chop 3/4 of the peas in food processor (I use my mini processor for this) drizzle with a small amount of EVOO to make it mostly creamy - a few chunks are good. Stir with remaining 1/4C whole peas, potatoes, and 1/3C chopped fresh mint, s&p to taste. Drizzle with 1Tbsp EVOO - finished!! Easy Peasy.

Again with Martha Stewart - at least the inspiration. This is a simple side dish that we've served with chicken and fish.

I purchased a cored pineapple at the grocery store, I then sliced it into 1/3 inch thick half moons. On a grill pan, I seared it until grill marks appeared, remove them to serving dish.
Slice 2 medium zucchini on the diagonal, same width as pineapple. Coat grill pan with a little EVOO, saute zucchini until grill marks appear - should be firm but tender.
Add to pineapple. toss gently with 1/2C torn basil leaves, 1 Tbsp EVOO, s&p to taste.

I'm linking with Tuesday Night Supper Club. Boy, I'm out of the loop - TNSC is now only once a month. Oh well, no linky after all.....

Menu Plan For June 27-July1

2011-06-26T19:00:00.004-04:00

My husband wakes up asking "What's for dinner?" - he's going to love the new menu party at Stone Gable. He'll love it until I flip-flop the days and throw off his palate plans - HA!

When the sons were in school, I always made a menu plan for the week. Frequently each of my guys would suggest one dinner, and I'd fill in the rest. Now days, with only two of us, I tend to buy a bunch of ingredients and decide what I'm in the mood to cook as I walk towards the kitchen.

I always look forward to seeing what Yvonne is cooking, such wonderful ideas and recipes, I suppose it's about time to share......

This week our granddaughter is visiting, consequently, our meals need to take a 10 year old into consideration - that or I cook two meals.

Monday......BBQ chicken breasts, potato salad with peas and mint, fresh corn salad with avocado and cilantro

Tuesday.......Grilled BBQ chicken pizza (using Monday's leftover chicken)

Wednesday......Pork Tenderloin with mustard sauce, grilled pineapple/zucchini salad, wild rice

Thursday......Chicken ravioli with marinara, pepper and cucumber salad

Friday.......Shrimp Salad with papaya and oranges over romaine with grilled bread

Saturday......off to my mother's house for Brother's bday dinner

Sunday - something that doesn't require cooking :-)

I'll share, my slightly tweaked versions of, Martha Stewart's salads on Tuesday for Tuesday Night Supper Club.

Texture Tuesday - Feet

2011-06-20T20:19:00.001-04:00

Kim Klassen's Texture Tuesday challenge this week is People. I'm using an older photo taken in our mill - a favorite family shot - the extra wide parts have been cropped - brilliant!

After making the photo black and white, I added two of Kim's textures. First is Frosted, followed by Magic Map.

I was all ready with my menus for the week, only to discover that Stone Gable's new party begins NEXT week. I'm ready - now I will have photos and recipes to go along.

See you for Tablescape Thursday, thanks for visiting!

What's On the Menu

2011-06-17T14:28:00.000-04:00

I am a faithful follower of Yvonne at Stone Gable - I'm sure you are too. Really, who isn't? On June 26th she'll be hosting a What's on the Menu linky party - can't wait.

Of course this means I won't be able to simply copy her menu from the previous week (darn) but it promises to be a fun way to find new recipes.

For now - check out my first harvest of the season....

I shared, Hubby and I each had 1 basil leaf and one fabulously sweet cherry tomato.

I haven't had a tablescape to share in a while, one is almost ready for photos though. I'm so out of practice, I've already set the dining room table for Sunday - I completely forgot we're having company all weekend. I'm hoping the weather is nice - because we'll be eating on the porch until Sunday afternoon.

Puppy Love

2011-05-24T08:58:00.001-04:00

I'm participating in Kim Klassens' Texture Tuesday with this photo of a 4 day old goldendoodle puppy.....

I added one layer of "Love" and two of "Silence" - selected because the names seemed fitting. All Kim Klassen textures - love them!

For this guy, I read the Texture Tuesday instructions :-) and added "Yesteryear" once at softlight and once at multiply.......

My photos are proof that anyone can have fun with textures :-)

Thanks for visiting!!

Valhalla Vineyard

2011-05-22T08:12:00.000-04:00

I'm sharing our trip to Valhalla Vineyard in Roanoke , Virginia - taking a drive on a gorgeous day is one of our favorite seasonal activities. Our destination was especially enjoyable because we were meeting Hubby's brother and his wife for a visit/picnic lunch. What could be better than a visit with food and wine?

The tasting room sits on top of a hill - we enjoying our lunch at tables inside (they had a wedding in progress outside) with a fabulous view of the Shenandoah Valley.

The wine tasting was fun - better with each sip, followed by a tour of their cave.......

I initially (mistakenly) thought this was the cave they talk about for aging their wine. Once we entered, I realized it's simply the processing room....

The big doors in the back look promising.....

This is more like it.......

are these baby stalactites?

Time to say good-bye to the brother and head home.....

The view along the interstate, every time the foliage was close you could smell the honeysuckle, gotta love spring.....

Back on our road, almost home......

I'm joining The Tablescaper for Seasonal Sundays - thanks for visiting!

Today we're off to the horse races with my mother and brother. Hubby, mom, and bro all love the race track - notice who's missing????

Minestrone Salad

2011-05-17T13:00:00.000-04:00

I'm re-posting a favorite salad to join Tuesday Night Supper Club at Fudge Ripple. My brother emailed me a recipe for Minestrone Salad. I tweaked it a little to suit my taste.....

it's a keeper for us, I hope you enjoy it as well.....

the original recipe calls for chickpeas, not a fan, I substituted light red and white kidney beans. I also added broiled flank steak.....

I doubled the recipe for the pasta salad - two dinners for four, one effort. My kinda meal......

Because the dressing is served on the side, it was fresh and fabulous the second night - with chicken instead of steak.

This is a lot of salad for the two of us, I try to make it on a Saturday morning when I have a day full of appointments so it's ready for dinner when I'm ready to drop. Day two - no work at all - yay for me.....

Minestrone Salad

16oz pasta shells - cooked according to package directions, drained and rinsed

2-14oz can of kidney beans, one light red and one white

4 carrots diced, blanched

10oz green beans, blanched

3 zucchini, diced

2 red bell peppers, diced

1 box cherry tomatoes, halved

After cooking the pasta, set aside to cool - I drizzle a little olive oil over it to prevent sticking.

Combine the pasta and veggies, arrange in a bowl over lettuce leaves.

I broil a flank steak, 6 minutes per side - gives me well done tips and is still basically raw for Hubby in the middle. Slice thin strips, add to top of salad.

Drizzle with dressing made of 6oz plain Greek yogurt and 6oz jar pesto.