with Between Naps on the Porch

I’ve been posting about my nephew all week. He has been asked to submit an audition video to Top Shot, a series on the History Channel featuring some of the top shots in the nation! He is a wonderful guy and a great shot and has served his nation proudly!

Please check out his video. If you have a YouTube account, you can give him  a thumbs up and a comment. Either way, I invite you to meet my favorite nephew and see his video.

Bryan and his wife, Shara have some lovely china.  Their wedding china is a lovely red and white.  See the beautiful table they set?

Today’s Lagniappe:  Garlic Lemon Shrimp
I think Bryan and Shara would love this one!

For the citrus vinaigrette:

1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
3 tablespoons each: lemon juice, key lime juice
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh garlic
1 1/4 cups extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black freshly ground pepper

For the shrimp:

1/4 cup olive oil
30 jumbo shrimp, peeled, deveined
1/2 teaspoon each: salt, black freshly ground pepper
3 lemons, halved

For the vinaigrette, mix parsley, lemon and lime juices and garlic in a large bowl. Gradually add the olive oil in a thin, steady stream, whisking constantly until all is incorporated and the mixture looks creamy. Whisk in salt and pepper. Refrigerate overnight in a covered container.

For the shrimp, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over high heat until just short of smoking, about 2 minutes. Add the shrimp in a single layer as much as possible. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the shrimp. Cook, without stirring, 1 minute. Reduce the heat to medium-high; turn shrimp. Cook until pink, about 3 minutes.

Add 1 1/2 cups of the vinaigrette to the pan. Cook until the vinaigrette just begins to bubble and the shrimp are barely done, about 45 seconds, moving the shrimp around with a spoon so the vinaigrette flows evenly around all the shrimp. Remove from heat; let the shrimp sit in the pan 30 seconds; pour the shrimp and sauce into a large shallow pasta bowl or serving platter. Garnish with lemon halves.

Makes 6 servings.

Outdoor Wednesday with A Southern Daydreamer

On our way back from Oklahoma last week, we had an amazing show of the full moon rising over the Ozark Mountains. Between Fayetteville, Arkansas and Mountain Home, Arkansas, the full moon led the way! We took a few pictures with our phone. I probably would have had better pictures if we had stopped, but stopping along this road is not really a good idea. Very little shoulder and deep ravines beyond, kept us on our way. You can see that the headlights were on, but the moon, still, was very beautiful rising above the Ozark Mountains.

The moon is peeking out from behind the horizon.

Moon rising between the Ozark Mountains

It really was a beautiful sight. Very calming and a reminder of God’s blessings to us.

If you haven’t been over to YouTube yet to see my nephew’s audition for Top Shot, please check it out. He is my favorite nephew and is just as good a guy as they come! It is a great encouragement to him (and to me to) to see all of you who have visited and I really appreciate everyone who checks it out!

Thanks for visiting A Southern Life. I really, really appreciate all of you!

Today’s Lagniappe:  Apple Upside Down Pie
September 1st already~ Time for some apples! What is your favorite apple?

* 1  cup  chopped pecans
* 1/2  cup  firmly packed light brown sugar
* 1/3  cup  butter, melted
* 1  (15-oz.) package refrigerated piecrusts, divided
* 4  medium-size Granny Smith apples, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks (about 1 3/4 lb.)
* 2  large Jonagold apples, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks (about 1 1/4 lb.)
* 1/4  cup  granulated sugar
* 2  tablespoons  all-purpose flour
* 1  teaspoon  ground cinnamon
* 1/2  teaspoon  ground nutmeg

1. Preheat oven to 375°. Stir together first 3 ingredients, and spread onto bottom of a 9-inch pie plate. Fit 1 piecrust over pecan mixture in pie plate, allowing excess crust to hang over sides.

2. Stir together Granny Smith apples and next 5 ingredients. Spoon mixture into crust, packing tightly and mounding in center. Place remaining piecrust over filling; press both crusts together, fold edges under, and crimp. Place pie on an aluminum foil-lined jelly-roll pan. Cut 4 to 5 slits in top of pie for steam to escape.

3. Bake at 375° on lower oven rack 1 hour to 1 hour and 5 minutes or until juices are thick and bubbly, crust is golden brown, and apples are tender when pierced with a long wooden pick through slits in crust. Shield pie with aluminum foil after 50 minutes, if necessary, to prevent excessive browning. Cool on wire rack 10 minutes. Place a serving plate over top of pie; invert pie onto serving plate. Remove pie plate, and replace any remaining pecans in pie plate on top of pie. Let cool completely (about 1 hour).

After so much time not wanting to turn on the oven or turn on burners on the stove, it is nice to finally get a chance to cook again!

Tonight we had squash with cherry tomatoes and basil butter and jalapeno basil pork chops. Just from the recipe names you can see that I had to go out and harvest a good bit of basil (that would be 3 or more leaves).

Basil

I’ll leave you with the jalapeno basil pork chops – after the video of my nephew’s audition for History Channel’s Top Shot. Please go and view the video and if you have a YouTube account, leave a comment!

Today’s Lagniappe: Jalapeno Basil Pork Chops

1 (10 oz.) jar jalapeno pepper jelly
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
Salt and Pepper to taste
4 (1-inch thick) bone-in pork loin chops

1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Cook 1st 3 ingredients in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring often. Add  salt and pepper to taste. Cook 5 minutes or until pepper jelly melts. Remove from heat and let mixture cool completely.

Pour 3/4 cup pepper jelly mixture into a large zip-top plastic bag, reserving remaining mixture; add porch chops, turning to coat. Seal and let stand at room temperature 30 minutes, turning pork chops occasionally. (I recommend a bit more than 30 minutes).

Remove chops from marinade, discarding marinade. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and garlic powder.

Grill, covered over medium-high heat 7 to 10 minutes on each side.

Serve with remaining pepper jelly mixture.

4 servings.

Balancing Beauty and Bedlam’s Tasty Tuesday

Blessed with Grace’s Tempt My Tummy Tuesday

The Gypsy’s Corner’s Three or More

Metamorphosis Monday with Between Naps on the Porch

Happy Monday everyone! Personally, I am really ready to get back to some kind of normal after last week. Thank you again to everyone who posted such nice things after the loss of my Grandpa.

I’m revisiting an old post with an update today. You may remember my post about my nephew and his “metamorphosis” from a young man to a Marine. Well, he has been invited to apply as a contestant on Top Shot. Top Shot is a series on the History Channel where shooters compete for the Top Shot title. Bryan really is a great shot, believe me, I’ve watched him! Besides that, he is just a really cool guy and my very favorite nephew (okay, he is my only nephew but it still counts!).

I would love for all of you to watch his 5 minute application video and then give him a thumbs up on YouTube. I don’t know that it will count towards getting him on the show, but I think it would be very encouraging for him.

Oh, and by the way, not only is he a good shot – what most people don’t know is that he lost 98% of his vision in his left eye during a training exercise while he was stationed at Camp David in the Presidential Guard. You would never know it because he just never calls attention to it. I think it is amazing what a great shot he is even without that vision in his left eye!

Check out his video and then you can read about him below! Hope everyone has a wonderful, wonderful week!

I have posted about my nephew (the Marine) before. It is a different kind of metamorphosis to be sure. But, it is an important kind of transformation.  I am so proud of my nephew for so many reasons. I wish you could all meet him. He is a fabulous cook and makes his own wine. Quite the Renaissance man.

Pic of Bryan with me when he graduated from Marine boot camp (1996).

Today, I want to introduce you to my nephew, Bryan. Bryan is a Marine. He is not actively serving, but, I learned early on, “once a Marine, always a Marine.” The metamorphosis here is what happened to him at boot camp. They took a bright, energetic, clever boy and made him into a bright, energetic, clever man.

My sister, Tammy (his mother), and I went to his boot camp graduation. It was a life changing experience for me. We met with the drill instructors first. They spoke well of my nephew, which was a good thing. My sister and I were ready to take on the entire Marine force, if, for any reason, they didn’t have good things to say about him (which was unlikely). Luckily for us and for them, the drill instructors had nothing but good to say about him.

It was a goose bump moment when we heard the cadence from the young men as they marched towards us in the dark. You could hear them coming from a distance. Once they arrived, they stood at attention until they were dismissed to find their families. That was an awesome time. We saw him go in as as a young man and he came out a Marine!

The day he graduated from boot camp, I asked him what he had for breakfast. He said duck. I was surprised and said, “duck?” He told me that they had duck a lot. He told me that you duck your head and eat as much as you can before they kick you out. Never heard of that “duck” recipe before!

I am so proud of my nephew, then, and now. After boot camp, he was assigned to the presidential guard. He served in Washington D. C. and then at Camp David. He served in Kuwait during the initial invasion of Iraq.

He is no longer actively serving in the Marines but he still has that Marine attitude. He is a truly wonderful man that I am proud to have as my nephew. He is now married to a wonderful young lady and is still making me proud every day. I am truly blessed to have such a wonderful young man as my nephew, and, we as a nation, are blessed to have so many like him who serve our nation so we can sleep in peace at night when we lay down our heads.

Thanks Bryan and to all of the other Marines for all they have done and continue to do for our country!

Today’s Lagniappe: Mussels with Garlic, White Wine and Butter
My nephew has become quite the connoisseur. He makes his own fine wine and is quite an accomplished cook. On one of our trips together, he ordered mussels. He loved them. Here is a recipe that I’m sure he would love.

• 3 pounds mussels
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 leeks, white parts only, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 bunch fresh thyme
• 1 cup white wine
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Rinse the mussels under cold running water while scrubbing with a vegetable brush. Remove the stringy mussel beards as you wash them. Discard any mussels with broken shells.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the leeks, garlic, and thyme and cook until the vegetables cook down, about 5 minutes. Add the mussels and give everything a good toss. Add the white wine. Cover and steam over medium-high heat for 10 minutes, until the mussels open. Stir occasionally so that all the mussels are in contact with the heat. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and a drizzle of olive oil to the sauce remaining in the pot and stir to incorporate. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with the parsley. Serve with hot crusty French bread.

Today, I’m participating in the Miracle Makeover Party! Read the details at the bottom of the post and start commenting! Thank you to Guideposts Magazine for bringing us the video of Colette and her miracle makeover. The link to see the video is at the bottom of this post.

Colette’s story is inspiring. Many things inspire us in life. Special people, the song of a bird, rainbows, a refreshing breeze – all of these remind us who we are and Whose we are. They remind us of our Creator and our salvation! Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow!

As many of you know, I lost my beloved Grandpa last Friday. He inspires me to live life well and fully.

Frank Dicus

I lost my father in 1992. I’m inspired by him to care about people and to let them know that I care.

Eddie Dicus

I am very fortunate to still have my mother. She inspires me to put my heart in to everything I do, whether it is teaching a class, working with clients, making dinner or setting a table – give it your all and do it well.

Carrol Dicus Ward

I am also inspired by my husband. He inspires me to be committed and he makes me laugh.

My husband, Joe B. Wharton and me on our wedding day (almost 13 years ago)

I could go on and and on about all the inspiration in my life – sisters, brother, nieces and a nephew, a bonus father and on, and on it goes.

Today, I’m inspired by a cool morning after so many hot, hot summer days! What inspires you today?

Check out the information below on the wonderful Miracle Makeover Party and join in!

Please take the time today to thank Guideposts Magazine for bringing us the video of Colette’s story.  Please leave a comment thanking Guideposts Magazine, and telling them what you loved about the video – and be sure to click “Like It”. The comment you leave on each participating site will generate a $1.00 donation by Design Gives Back.  These donations will facilitate another Miracle Makeover.

• Please comment here on  Pink Saturday post for a $1.00 donation.
  

  Pink Saturday with Beverly at How Sweet the Sound

• Comment at Spiritual Sunday for another $1.00 donation.

• Comment at Country Wings in Phoenix for yet another $1.00 donation.



• And, of course visit Kelee at The Katillac Shack, and comment for yet another $1.00 donation.  At Kelee’s you will view the awesome Miracle Makeover video, meet and learn more about Colette, and have the opportunity to see and be eligible to win awesome prizes.

And, be certain to post this event to Facebook, and for another $1.00 donation leave  a comment at www.facebook.com/guideposts.  Be certain to thank Guideposts for sponsoring the video, tell them what you like about the video, and be sure to click “Like It”.

Thank you for all the prayers and thoughts for my family upon the passing of my wonderful Grandpa, Frank Dicus. The “funeral” was a wonderful celebration of a life well lived.

We shared a lot of wonderful stories, some tears, some laughs and in the great Southern tradition, some wonderful food!

Thank you to all the wonderful cooks who contributed to the wonderful fare we enjoyed while remembering Grandpa!

So, of course, I have to share some recipes, don’t I?

One of the wonderful dishes we had was roasted brisket. Delicious and versatile. it is a great funeral dish!

Today’s Lagniappe:  Slow Roasted Brisket

* 4 to 6-lb beef brisket
* 4 cloves garlic, minced
* 1/4 cup brown sugar
* 1 tbsp paprika
* 2 tsp  salt
* 1/2 tsp black pepper
* 4 large onions, sliced
* 1/2 cup red wine, broth or water

Cooking Instructions

1. In a bowl or small food processor, combine the minced garlic, brown sugar, paprika, salt and pepper. By hand, rub this mixture all over the brisket, wrap tightly in foil or plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight.
2. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Live a wonderful life and enjoy as much as you can, and . . . join:
3. Lightly grease a roasting pan with vegetable oil cooking. Place the brisket in the pan and add the sliced onions. Pour the red wine or other liquid and cover the roasting pan very tightly with heavy duty foil (or the lid, if there is one). Place the pan in the oven and roast, undisturbed, for 3 hours. Uncover the pan and continue to roast for an additional hour, basting occasionally with the juices from the pan.
4. If you want to serve the brisket right away, let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before slicing. Arrange slices on a platter, skim off any fat from the pan juices and spoon some over the meat. Serve the remaining pan juices separately.
5. If you are cooking this a day ahead of time, let the brisket cool completely, then refrigerate without slicing (it’s easier to slice the brisket when it’s cold). Skim off any congealed fat from the pan juices, slice the brisket thinly and arrange in the baking pan. Cover tightly with foil and reheat in the pan juices at 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) for about 30 minutes or until heated through.

So, my message today is to live a wonderful and fulfilling life! Eat wonderful food and enjoy:

With Designs by Gollum

I’ve posted many times about my wonderful Grandpa – Frank Dicus. How influential he has been in my life. How his positive outlook and zest for and love of  life have always been an inspiration. When I think of my Grandpa, I always see him with a smile or laughing his infectious laugh as he tells one of his wild tales about his incredible life.

Grandpa turned 94 this year on January 24, 2010. He died yesterday on August 20th. The world will never be the same. It is, in fact, hard for me to imagine a world without him in it. I feel the same about the world without my father, (Grandpa’s oldest son) who we lost 18 years ago. Some people are just larger than life and their loss just really leaves a void. I’ve learned, in the case of my father, that eventually, we can fill the void with the wonderful memories and lessons learned from those who have had so much influence in our lives.

I take comfort in knowing that, in fact, time does heal and soften the pain of losing those we love, especially when we have the comfort of knowing of their salvation through Jesus Christ.

Sunrise

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you: not as the world gives, give I to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. John 14:27

From Grandpa, I learned to live my life fully and not in fear, to embrace each day, to work hard and well. From Grandpa, I learned not to be pretentious, just be who you are. I’ve learned to embrace tough times and learn from them and become stronger. I’ve learned to be on time.

It is a wonderful thing to be so proud of the family you come from (on both sides!). Today, I feel like I am one of the most blessed people on earth because of the people that I have had and continue to have in my life.

Thank you God!

Sunset

Rest in peace Grandpa! We love you very much and will miss you dearly.

Christi

Join Beverly at How Sweet the Sound for Pink Saturday (sunrise/sunset) and Ginger and Charlotte and Ginger at Blogger Spirit for Spiritual Sundays.

Welcome! Glad you are here. Tonight we are having a cocktail party!

with Between Naps on the Porch

I found these adorable cocktail napkins. They each have the name of a cocktail and then a cute little character for each. Click on the first one to scroll through and see all 8.

[View with PicLens]

Are those cute, or what?

Grab a glass.

And one of these retro canape trays.

Check out the flowers while your at it.

And join me for a cocktail out on the porch!

Today’s Lagniappe: Cuba Libre
I wasn’t familiar with this cocktail when I saw the napkin. It is a drink with a story (gotta love that). If you prefer a non-alcoholic drink, just omit the rum and you will still have a very tasty drink.

The Cuba Libre (Spanish for Free Cuba) originated around 1900 in Havana, Cuba during the Spanish-American War. Patriots aiding Cuba often toasted the West Indian Island and its freedom with this rum, cola, and lime cocktail.

• 1-1/2 oz. dark or white rum
• Juice of half a lime
• Ice
• Coca-Cola

Yesterday’s lagniappe was a recipe for basil pesto. Why? Because my basil is growing beautifully and I need to do something with it!

Basil

So, I’ll make some pesto with it. But then what do you do with the pesto? Today’s Lagniappe will feature 3 different recipes using basil pesto!

Here is the recipe for the pesto from yesterday:

Basil Pesto

• 2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
• 2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Combine the basil, garlic, and pine nuts in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Add 1/2 cup of the oil and process until fully incorporated and smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

If using immediately, add all the remaining oil and pulse until smooth. Transfer the pesto to a large serving bowl and mix in the cheese.

If freezing, transfer to an air-tight container and drizzle remaining oil over the top. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw and stir in cheese.

Do you make pesto? Is your recipe similar to the one above? What do you do with the pesto after you have made it?

Today’s Lagniappe: 3 Recipes with Basil Pesto

1. Melted Pesto Cheese Dip
3 ingredients and very easy!

• 1/2 cup basil pesto
• 1/4 lb. mozzarella cheese, fresh if possible
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Balancing Beauty and Bedlam’s Tasty Tuesday

Blessed with Grace’s Tempt My Tummy Tuesday

The Gypsy’s Corner’s Three or More

When we married, one of our gifts was a window that had been recovered from an old school. The panes had been filled in with mirrors. That window frame had seen a lot in its day and now it is living in our home.

When I was in a creative mood (and when I had more time to express my creativity), I decided I wanted to do something with that mirror and was inspired by this book:

The book had great instructions and patterns. The product (Plaid’s Gallery Glass) lets you create a stained glass look with gel paints.

It was a lot of fun. For the longest time, I had the mirror on my back porch. Unfortunately, a storm brewed while I was away and strong wind blew the mirror over. However, it only lost one pane!

The trick now is to take some photos of the mirror to show you. Taking pictures of mirrors is always a challenge, huh? Sorry, they are a little blurry because I didn’t use a flash.

Bluebird

Birdhouse

Bees

Hummingbird

It was really easy and I loved how it turned out. You can make art for your windows and you can even peel them off and move them around. So, now, I’ve got to decide what my next project with Gallery Glass will be!

What are you transforming today? Check out some great transformations at:

Metamorphosis Monday with Between Naps on the Porch

And find some great blues at:

And find some creative fun at:

Today’s Lagniappe:  Basil Pesto
I’ve got tons of basil growing right now so it looks like it time to make some pesto!

• 2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
• 2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Combine the basil, garlic, and pine nuts in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Add 1/2 cup of the oil and process until fully incorporated and smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

If using immediately, add all the remaining oil and pulse until smooth. Transfer the pesto to a large serving bowl and mix in the cheese.

If freezing, transfer to an air-tight container and drizzle remaining oil over the top. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw and stir in cheese.