by Christi on May 31, 2009
It's Met Monday with Between Naps on the Porch
I’m blue today because there has been quite a change around here this weekend. The robins have left the nest. It seems so quiet. I have pictures of them leaving that I will post on Wednesday. They were so sweet. We have spotted them out with their parents since they left, but, the nest is quite empty.
First we had eggs.
Then babies came and we watched the parents nurture them and saw them grow.
Now they have left the nest.
It's Blue Monday with Smiling Sally
I do have some great pics of their leaving I will post on Wednesday. Y’all have a great day and I’ll see you tomorrow!
Today’s Lagniappe: Baked Stuffed Tomatoes
A great way to use fresh summer tomatoes
6 med. tomatoes
4 tbsp. butter
3 tbsp. chopped onion
1/2 c. fine, dry bread crumbs
1 tsp. salt
Dash of pepper
1 1/4 c. grated process cheese
Wash tomatoes and cut a thin slice from each stem end; scoop out centers, chop and set aside; invert tomato shells and allow to drainMelt butter in small saucepan; add onion and cook until soft; remove from heat and stir in crumbs, salt, pepper, cheese and chopped tomato.
Sprinkle insides of tomatoes with salt, pile stuffing into shells and place in shallow baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees 20 to 25 minutes or until heated through. Serves 6.
by Christi on May 31, 2009
Sunday Favorites is hosted by Chari at Happy to Design. The last of the robins left the nest this morning. I’ll be posting pics of that on Outdoor Wednesday this week. Today, a look back:
We went from this . . .
to this . . .
Then, back to three!! What happened. We're not sure but one is missing 
Then, finally this! Three little babies Sunday morning!
I want food!
Check back on Wednesday for more pics. They are so sweet. Both Mama and Daddy birds are feeding the babies and, yes, I’ve got pics.
Join Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for more Metamorphosis Monday!
Today’s Lagniappe: Margarita
Now that warm weather is upon us, it is time for something frosty to sip on the porch after a long day.
* 1 1/4 cups fresh lime juice
* 1 cup Triple Sec or other orange liqueur
* 1 cup silver tequila
* 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
* 3 cups ice cubes
DIRECTIONS
1. Combine the lime juice, triple sec, tequila, lemon juice, and 2 cups ice in a blender; blend until smooth.
2. Place 1 cup ice cubes in a cocktail shaker; add desired amount of margarita; cover and shake well; serve.
by Christi on May 28, 2009
It's Foodie Friday. See Designs by Gollum for a lot of great recipes!
I saw a recipe for a bacon, lettuce and fried green tomato recipe. It looked yummy. Of, course, I wanted to put my own spin on it.
Okay, so first you make the remoulade.
Remoulade:
Use in amounts that suit your tastes
- Zatarains creole mustard
- Mayonnaise
- Red chili sauce (not much)
- Horseradish
- Worcestershire sauce (a dash)
- Garlic
Mix together. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Then, you fry the bacon.
Then, you fry the green tomatoes.
- 4 to 6 green tomatoes
- salt and pepper
- Cajun seasoning
- cornmeal
- bacon grease or vegetable oil
Slice the tomatoes into 1/4 – 1/2-inch slices. Salt and pepper them to taste. Mix meal and Cajun seasoning. Dip the tomatoes in meal and fry in hot grease or oil about 3 minutes or until golden on bottom. Gently turn and fry the other side.
While the tomatoes are frying, toast some bread. This can be whatever you like. I lean towards an English muffin for this.
Then, you put it all together.
Now, that is some Southern Goodness!
Today’s Lagniappe: How to choose a green tomato
When choosing tomatoes for this recipe choose a nice,
really firm, tomato. Choose a tomato that is very light green
in color and sounds almost crispy when sliced.
by Christi on May 27, 2009
It’s Tablescape Thursday with Susan from Between Naps on the Porch. Click on the pic to see more great tablescapes this week.
Once again we are visiting my friend Linda at The Cottage. Linda brought her white fiestaware and pictures of people in her family who have served in the military. She has pictures of family serving in every war since WWI. That is amazing. We set this table as a tribute for Memorial Day. We used her pictures on the table in decorative frames.
We added the apples for a little more color.
The pictures of family who have served in the past are a wonderful tribute.
Lots of red, white and blue and Old Glory on the table, too.
God bless America!
The Cottage is ready for Memorial Day.
Thanks Linda for sharing your wonderful pictures. Linda will tell us more about these sometime. For now, hope everyone had a great Memorial Day!
If you enjoyed this story, you might also enjoy this story:
Southern Memorial Day
Today’s Lagniappe: Mile High Strawberry Pie
Summer in a pie shell!
1 baked pie shell
Bring to a boil stirring constantly:
1 c sugar
3 tb cornstarch
3 tb light corn syrup
1 c water
Cook for five minutes until thick and clear.
Add:
1 (3 oz) pkg strawberry jello
Stir until dissolved.
Pour over:
1-1/2 quart of fresh strawberries that have been cleaned and hulled.
Mix until strawberries are coated, pour into baked pie shell, and let cool.
Serve with sweetened whipped cream.
by Christi on May 26, 2009
It’s Outdoor Wednesday again with A Southern Daydreamer and that means it is time for a robin update!
They are growing so fast!
Not much room for mom now.
Ready for their closeup.
Looking out.
They are a singing trio.
3 peas in a pod.
Their eyes are open.
They keep mom on her toes.
Daddy too.
Here is dad keeping watch from a nearby tree.
They will be gone soon. I’m going to miss them.
Today’s Lagniappe: Banana Split Pie
Step 1:
2 cups vanilla wafer crumbs
1 stick melted butter
Mix and pat into 9″ x 13″ pan
Step 2:
1 stick melted butter
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
Mix well and spread on crumb crust
Step 3:
1 small instant vanilla pudding (mixed by pkg. directions)
Spread on top of Step 2.
Top with sliced bananas, 1 can crushed pineapple, drained, then spread 1 8
oz. Cool Whip on top. You can drizzle with chocolate syrup, sprinkle with
coconut and chopped maraschino cherries, nuts.
by Christi on May 25, 2009
I ran this recipe for Lemon Thyme cookies last Friday. I was a little late about getting it up so I am posting it again. I made these lovely little cookies with thyme from my garden and I absolutely loved them. I think they may be one of the best cookie recipes I have tried. This is my 2nd time around entry because I wanted to give these cookies a 2nd chance.
Lemon Thyme Cookies
I didn’t have any cardamom so I just left it out and they were delicious.
* 1/2 cup butter, softened
* 1/4 cup granulated sugar
* 1 tablespoon snipped fresh thyme
* 2 teaspoons finely shredded lemon peel
* 1 tablespoon lemon juice
* 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
* 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
* Coarse sugar or granulated sugar
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Beat the butter in a medium mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add 1/4 cup granulated sugar until combined. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in thyme, lemon peel, lemon juice, and cardamom. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour with a wooden spoon. Knead until smooth; form mixture into a ball.
2. Divide dough into three equal portions. Roll each portion into a 6×4 1/2-inch rectangle (about 1/4 inch thick) on a lightly floured surface. Cut dough into 1 1/2-inch squares with a scalloped-edge pastry wheel. Sprinkle cutouts with coarse sugar. Place cutouts on ungreased cookie sheets.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until edges are just lightly brown. Transfer to wire racks and let cool. Makes 36 cookies.
4. To store: Place cookies in layers separated by pieces of waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw cookies, if frozen, before serving.
Hope you enjoy these. We had them over the Memorial Day weekend. We had a wonderful time. My mother and her husband were here and we had a great visit. Hope all of you had a great weekend and that you week will be just wonderful.
Today’s Lagniappe: Margarita Cheesecake
This is great on a warm evening. I decorate with lime slices and a gummy worm.
For the crust:
4 ounces salted pretzels
1/3 cup sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for baking pan
For the filling:
3 8 oz. packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup sour cream
¾ cup sugar
2 tablespoons Grand Marnier or Triple Sec
1 tablespoon tequila
1 tablespoon grated lime zest
4 large eggs
1. Preheat oven to 375° with rack in center. Make the crust: Butter a 9 1/2 inch springform pan; set aside. In a food processor, pulse pretzels to fine crumbs. Add sugar and butter; process until combined.
2. Press evenly into bottom and slightly up sides (about 1 inch) of the springform pan. Place on a baking sheet. Bake until light golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Set aside to cool.
3. Reduce oven to 325°. Prepare filling: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese until light and fluffy, scraping down sides of bowl to eliminate any lumps, about 1 minute. Add sour cream, sugar, Grand Marnier, tequila, and lime zest; beat until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, beating to combine after each addition.
4. Pour into cooled crust (filling will come up higher than crust.) Line outside of pan with aluminum foil (to prevent water from seeping in). Place in a roasting pan. Pour hot water to come halfway up sides of springform pan. Bake until set and slightly firm to the touch, about 1 hour. Remove from water bath, and let cool on a wire rack; refrigerate until chilled, about 4 hours. Run a hot knife around edge of pan to release.
by Christi on May 24, 2009
This is my first time joining the Blue Monday posts at Smiling Sally’s. Can’t wait to see what everybody is doing this Monday.
In honor of Memorial Day, today, I am posting Navy Blue.
Specifically U. S. Navy blue.
I want to tell you about my father-in-law, Dr. Joe B. Wharton Jr. Dr. Joe B., as he was known, was a Navy doctor during World War II. He served in the South Pacific. One of our treasures is the letters that he and my mother-in-law, Iola Holt Wharton, exchanged during his service in the South Pacific.
During Dr. Joe B.’s service, John F. Kennedy was injured on PT109. Dr. Joe B. was the doctor who attended him. John F. Kennedy and Dr. Joe B. had become friends before Mr. Kennedy’s injury and continued corresponding for many years after the war.
In 1961 The Saturday Evening Post wrote an article about John F. Kennedy’s adventures during the war. They ran the picture below.
Below is the full picture.
That is Dr. Joe B. on the left with John F. Kennedy. The dog had been adopted by JFK and the cat had been adopted by Dr. Joe B. As you can see, they were holding the pet that belonged to the other in the picture. The Saturday Evening Post contacted Dr. Joe B. for permission to use the picture with him in it. At that time, Dr. Wharton had a busy medical practice in El Dorado, Arkansas and never got around to getting back to them with permission to run the picture with him. They cropped him out and ran the picture without him.
There are several letters of correspondence between Dr. Joe B. and JFK during JFK’s presidency. These are archieved at the JFK Presidential Library.
On Memorial Day, we remember. This is just a small story from World War II that I wanted to share with you.
Hope you are all having a wonderful Memorial Day. Don’t forget to take time to honor those who have and continue to keep us safe!
Today’s Lagniappe: Red, White and Blue Salad
* 1 package (3 ounces) berry blue gelatin
* 2 cups boiling water, divided
* 2-1/2 cups cold water, divided
* 1 cup fresh blueberries
* 1 envelope unflavored gelatin
* 1 cup heavy whipping cream
* 6 tablespoons sugar
* 2 cups (16 ounces) sour cream
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1 package (3 ounces) raspberry gelatin
* 1 cup fresh raspberries
* Whipped topping and additional berries, optional
Directions:
In a large bowl, dissolve berry blue gelatin in 1 cup boiling water; stir in 1 cup cold water. Add blueberries. Pour into a 3-qt. serving bowl. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
Meanwhile, in a saucepan, sprinkle unflavored gelatin over 1/2 cup cold water; let stand for 1 minute. Add the cream and sugar; cook and stir over low heat until gelatin and sugar are completely dissolved. cool to room temperature. Whisk in sour cream and vanilla. Spoon over the blue layer. Refrigerate until firm.
In a large bowl, dissolve raspberry gelatin in remaining hot water; stir in remaining cold water. Add raspberries. Spoon over cream layer. Chill until set. Garnish with whipped topping and additional berries if desired. Yield: 14-16 servings.
