A Southern Life

Okay, so, I know not everybody likes grits. If you don’t like grits, try these recipes and see if you don’t change your mind. If you really hate grits, you may just want to skip this post (which would make me sad!).

A friend picked up the 2007 Southern Living Annual Recipes Cookbook at a used book sale and then passed it on to me! Isn’t it nice to have good friends like that? I collect cookbooks and enjoyed adding this one to my collection. That isn’t just 2nd time around – that makes a third time around.

There is a section in September about grits that I found interesting. You know, grits are really just a kind of neutral base for carrying what ever flavors you choose. Kind of like rice, only creamier. So . . . how about adding some flavors like shrimp, greens, tomatoes:

In all of these recipes, use either quick cooking or regular grits. NEVER instant!

Creamy Grits Casserole

1-1/4 cups uncooked grits.
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups milk
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground red pepper
1/2 cup butter, cut into cubes
1 (10 oz.) block sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
1 (4 oz.) smoked Gouda cheese round, shredded
2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Bring first 5 ingredients to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat; reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 4 to 5 minutes or until thickened. Stir in butter and cheeses until melted.

Gradually stir about one-fourth of hot grits mixture into eggs; add egg mixture to remaining hot grits mixture, stirring constantly. Pour grits mixture into a lightly greased 2 1/ quart baking dish.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly around edges. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Makes 8 servings.

Covering grits with some type of gravy is a good idea.

Shrimp and Tasso Gravy

1 lb. peeled, medium-size raw shrimp
1 tbsp. barbecue seasoning
3 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 butter
1/2 chopped tasso ham
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup half-and-half
2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

Devein shrimp. Rinse and pat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle barbecue seasoning evenly over shrimp.

Saute shrimp in hot oil in a large skillet over high heat 3 to 4 minutes or just until shrimp turn pin. Remove shrimp from skillet.

Melt butter in skillet over medium heat; add tasso ham, and saute 5 minutes. Gradually whisk in the flour. Cook, whisking constantly, 1-1/2 to 2 minutes or until mixture is golden brown. Whisk in chicken broth and half-and-half. Bring to a boil. Boil, whisking constantly, 6 to 8 minutes or until smooth and thickened. Stir in shrimp and parsley. Makes 4 servings.

One more.

Tomato Gravy

2 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp. olive oil
4 large tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground red pepper
1/2 tsp. dried thyme

Saute garlic and onion in hot oil in a medium skillet over medium heat 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in tomatoes; reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 20 minutes.

Stir in whipping cream and remaining ingredients; simmer, stirring occasionally, 4 to 5 minutes or until slightly thickened. Makes 2-1/2 cups.

Today’s Lagniappe: Tasso Ham Substitute
Tasso is a spicy smoked ham, used for seasoning. If you can’t find it, you can order it online or use this substitute (courtesy of Commander’s Kitchen – Commander’s Palace, New Orleans – a fantastic cookbook, I would highly recommend)

1 ounce ham cut in strips tossed with 1 part cayenne and 3 parts paprika.

It’s a four-for Tuesday! Join these great blogs for more recipes and great ideas.

Balancing Beauty and Bedlam’s Tasty Tuesday

Blessed with Grace’s Tempt My Tummy Tuesday

The Gypsy’s Corner’s Three or More Tuesday

2nd Time Around with A Picture is Worth A Thousand Words

Here is a picture of the “thing.”:

It is actually an antique music cabinet. I love this piece. It is one of my favorites in the house. At one point, I thought, “wouldn’t it be great to use this as a tv cabinet?”

Well . . . that didn’t work. It is a beautiful piece, but, it was not big enough or sturdy enough to hold today’s television sets.

It is, however, good enough to hold part of my pitcher collection, particularly, my flow blue coffee set:

So, what to do? Well, how about if I design and build my own cabinet fashioned after the beautiful music cabinet (also known fondly as “the thing”). After much effort and, yes, even a few tears, I came up with this:

I made a frame with 2×4’s and then added the nicer wood on top and then embellished with some leftover crown molding. I made the shelf on top and set above some turned spindles. There is no way I could copy the workmanship on the original cabinet. The dove-tail workmanship on the original is so nice and the wood is very unique. However, for a television cabinet, I kind of like my design. Here is the top:

Compared to the original:

I’ll admit, this wasn’t the easiest thing to build. It was easy to imagine, but, actually getting out a table saw and putting the pieces together then staining and varnishing them, was another story. My husband has a lot of laughs at my “building” skills. Oh, well . . . we both like how it turned out and have enjoyed it a lot! If I can build it, anybody can!

Get your week off to a great start by checking out Blue Monday at Smiling Sally’s and Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch.

2 Corinthians 5:17

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

Today’s Lagniappe: Pork with Apples
It’s apple time!

2 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 tbsp. each cider vinegar, Dijon mustard & brown sugar
2 pork tenderloins (2 1/2 lb.)
1 tbsp. butter
Salt & pepper
1/2 c. chicken broth
3/4 c. apple cider
1/2 c. whipping cream
Apples:
2 tbsp. butter
4 apples, cored, in 1/2 inch slices
1 tbsp. brown sugar

Mix 1 tablespoon oil, vinegar, mustard and brown sugar. Transfer to a large plastic bag and add pork. Seal bag and refrigerate several hours.Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil and butter in large skillet. Add pork and brown well on all sides, seasoning with salt and pepper. Add stock; reduce heat and simmer about 35 minutes. Remove meat and set aside, tented with foil to keep warm. Add apple cider to pan juices and boil until reduced to about 3/4 cup (5 minutes).

Meanwhile, melt butter in large skillet. When hot add apples and cook until barely tender. Sprinkle with brown sugar and continue cooking 1 minute longer. Finish sauce by adding cream to the reduce cider mixture. Boil until slightly thickened. Serve pork in thin slices topped with sauce and apples on the side. Serves 6.

Join Chari at Happy to Design for Sunday favorites and Charlotte and Ginger at Blogger Spirit for Spiritual Sunday and enjoy your Sunday!

Today, I am not going very far back for a favorite. This is my Thursday Tablescape from just this past week. I had to laugh when some of the comments were about my being brave to go out on the diving board. In all honesty, I was able to stand on the concrete and just reach out to place the items on the end. The diving board isn’t that long and is only about a foot (if that) off the ground.

Truth be know, I would love to have dived in. The water was such a beautiful color of blue and it was a warm day. I love swimming and have loved it all my life!

The verse at the end of the post is about how beautiful God’s creation is. Here is the verse I am adding today:

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

So . . . this week, let’s tackle some of those fears!

Christi

My friend Ann Messick and I recently went to view this great home for sale that has a lovely pool. Of course, as always, I thought, “TABLESCAPE!” Ann is a realtor and she has listed this home. The dear owner was kind enough to let us come and have some fun at her pool. So, here it is, a Southern Splash of Lemonade (and cookies!).

We went out on a limb, or rather, diving board for today’s treat!:

Into the deep end:

Sorry, no dip here:

A view from above:

Something refreshing, is it the lemonade or the water?:

Maybe it is the cookies on the pretty yellow plate, topped with a clear yellow/green plate:

Let’s dive in!

Thanks for joining us for today’s episode of Tablescape Thursday, hosted by Susan at Between Naps on the Porch.

And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night;
and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:
And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth:
and it was so.

Lagniappe: Apple Pie Bread
Anyone else ready for Fall?

Apple Pie Bread

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups shredded, peeled apple (about 4 medium)
1/2 cup raisins
Streusel-Nut Topping

Preheat oven to 350*. Grease the bottom and 1/2 inch up the sides of an 9x5x3-inch loaf pan; set aside. In a large bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed 30 seconds. Beat in sugar until combined. Add buttermilk and baking powder; beat until combined. Add eggs and vanilla; beat until combined. Stir in apple, nuts, and raisins.
Spoon the batter into prepared pan; spread evenly. Sprinkle the Streusel Nut topping over batter. Bake 60-65 minutes or until wooden toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack. Wrap and store overnight before slicing. Makes 1 loaf (14 slices)

Streusel-Nut Topping
In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup packed brown sugar and 3 tbsp all-purpose flour. Using a pastry blender, cut in 2 tbsp butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in 1/3 cup chopped walnuts or pecans.

Just thinking back on this past week. Been a really busy one, as usual. Mama was here until Tuesday morning. Remember the wonderful pie?

On Friday, I was trying to decide how to fill the extra pie shell that mama made and left me. I ended up filling it with lemon meringue. Just like mama.

On Thursday, I posted the diving board “table” scape.

That was fun. My friend Ann and I did that. Want to know how we came up with doing the setting on the diving board? I had taken a table and tablecloth and the whole nine yards to set up. Once we got there, it turns out, there are a lot of steps down to the pool.

After some thought, I decided that I didn’t really want to carry all of that stuff down all the stairs, so . . . the diving board-scape was born! What is it they say? Neccesity is the mother of invention.

So, now for some down time (sort of). Then, I’ll be planning for the next week. Hope all of you have a wonderful weekend!

Christi

If you have been following along, you know that mama left me one of her wonderful homemade pie crusts to fill. So, the next question is, what to fill it with? Do I make another lemon meringue pie like she did, or do I fill it with something else? Here are a couple of possibilities:

Coconut Cream Pie

• 3 cups half-and-half
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup flaked coconut, toasted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 (9 inch) pie shell, baked
• 1 cup frozen whipped topping, thawed

1. In a medium saucepan, combine half-and-half, eggs, sugar, flour and salt. Bring to a boil over low heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and stir in 3/4 cup of the coconut and the vanilla extract. Pour into pie shell and chill 2 to 4 hours, or until firm.
2. Top with whipped topping, and with remaining 1/4 cup of coconut.
3. Note: To toast coconut, spread it in an ungreased pan and bake in a 350 degree F (175 degrees C) oven for 5 to 7 minutes, or until golden brown, stirring occasionally.

Mmmmm! That sounds yummy. Maybe I’ll do that.

How about a Pineapple Meringe Pie?

• 6 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 cup sugar, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 pie crust (10 inch), baked
• 2 cans crushed pineapple, (20 oz each)
• 4 eggs, separated
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

Combine cornstarch, 1/2 cup sugar, salt and undrained pineapple in saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until clear and thick. Beat egg yolks; add a little of the hot mixture to yolks, return to saucepan with lemon juice. Cook 1 minute. Pour into pie shell.

Prepare meringue. Beat egg whites until frothy. Slowly add the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form. Spread meringue over the hot filling, spreading to crust. Bake at 400° for 10 minutes, or until nicely browned.

So many decisions  . . . What should I do?

Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
do not depend on your own understanding.
Seek his will in all you do,
and he will show you which path to take.
Proverbs 3:5-6

Join Designs by Gollum for some really great recipes today!

Today’s Lagniappe:  Chocolate Pie
Maybe this is the way to go?

• 1 1/3 cups white sugar
• 3 egg yolks
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk
• 3 egg whites
• 6 tablespoons white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 (9 inch) pie shell, baked

1. Combine 1 1/3 cups sugar, flour, and cocoa in a deep saucepan. Beat egg yolks with milk. Slowly add to sugar mixture. Cook on medium heat until thick while stirring with a flat bottomed wooden spoon. Remove mixture from heat, and stir in the butter or margarine until melted. Pour filling into baked pie crust.
2. To Make Meringue Topping: Whip egg whites in a glass bowl. Add remaining sugar one tablespoon at a time (you may not need all of the sugar) until peaks form. You may need to add cream of tartar to help add stiffness. Spread the meringue over the chocolate filling.
3. Bake at 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) until the peaks of the meringue are browned.

My friend Ann Messick and I recently went to view this great home for sale that has a lovely pool. Of course, as always, I thought, “TABLESCAPE!” Ann is a realtor and she has listed this home. The dear owner was kind enough to let us come and have some fun at her pool. So, here it is, a Southern Splash of Lemonade (and cookies!).

We went out on a limb, or rather, diving board for today’s treat!:

Into the deep end:

Sorry, no dip here:

A view from above:

Something refreshing, is it the lemonade or the water?:

Maybe it is the cookies on the pretty yellow plate, topped with a clear yellow/green plate:

Let’s dive in!

Thanks for joining us for today’s episode of Tablescape Thursday, hosted by Susan at Between Naps on the Porch.

And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night;
and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:
And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth:
and it was so.

Lagniappe: Apple Pie Bread
Anyone else ready for Fall?

Apple Pie Bread

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups shredded, peeled apple (about 4 medium)
1/2 cup raisins
Streusel-Nut Topping

Preheat oven to 350*. Grease the bottom and 1/2 inch up the sides of an 9x5x3-inch loaf pan; set aside. In a large bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed 30 seconds. Beat in sugar until combined. Add buttermilk and baking powder; beat until combined. Add eggs and vanilla; beat until combined. Stir in apple, nuts, and raisins.
Spoon the batter into prepared pan; spread evenly. Sprinkle the Streusel Nut topping over batter. Bake 60-65 minutes or until wooden toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack. Wrap and store overnight before slicing. Makes 1 loaf (14 slices)

Streusel-Nut Topping
In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup packed brown sugar and 3 tbsp all-purpose flour. Using a pastry blender, cut in 2 tbsp butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in 1/3 cup chopped walnuts or pecans.

My friend Libby owns a resort on the White River called Copper John’s Resort.  The resort is about 20 minutes away from my house. Libby has a lot of great opportunities, being right on the river, to get some great outdoor shots. Here are some of Libby’s pics for today’s Outdoor Wednesday.

Fishing on the White River:

Evening Fog:

Copper John’s Deck (I’m seeing a future tablescape here!):

This one is good enough for a postcard:

On top of Bull Shoals Dam overlooking the river and golf course:

What a beautiful place to live!

He cutteth out rivers among the rocks;
and his eye seeth every precious thing.
Job 28:10

Join Susan at A Southern Daydreamer for Outdoor Wednesday and check out the lagniappe. It is an addition to Debbie’s Crockpot Wednesday at Dining with Debbie.

Today’s Lagniappe: Slow Cooker Cajun Pecans
How about an easy bite without turning on the oven!

Combine all ingredients in slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH for 15 minutes. Turn to LOW and continue to cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally for 2 hours. Transfer nuts to a baking sheet and cool completely.

While Mama was visiting, she blessed us by make a lemon meringue pie! YUM! It was so good. She even went one further by making an extra crust for me to fill later. She makes the best pie crust I’ve ever had.

Here is how she makes her crust for a 9 inch pie:

2 cups flour, sifted
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup lard (or 2/3 cup + 2 tablespoons shortening)
1/4 cup water + more if needed, but add sparingly

Measure flour into mixing bow and mix salt through it. With pastry blender, cut in shortening until shortening particles are the size of giant peas.

Sprinkle with water a tbsp. at a time . . . mixing lightly with a fork until all the flour is moistened.

Gather dough together with fingers so it cleans the bowl.

Press firmly into a ball. Then, roll out and fit into a 9 inch pie plate, and flute the edges. Prick the pastry in the bottom of the pie pan thoroughly with a fork to prevent the crust from puffing up. Bake the crust at 474 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes.

Okay, now on to the lemon filling:

Mix in glass bowl:

1-1/2 cups sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
1-1/2 cups water

Microwave this mixture  for 1-1/2 minutes. Remove from microwave. Pour half of mixture into 3 to 4 beaten egg yolks and then pour that mixture back into the sugar/water mixture and microwave for another 1-1/2 minutes or until thick.

Take the mixture out of the microwave and add:

3 tbsp. butter
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp. grated lemon rind

Let this mixture sit until butter is melted, then stir together. Pour this mixture into the baked pie shell and top with meringue.

Meringue:

3 to 4 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tarter*
1/4 cup

* 1 teaspoon lemon juice may be substituted for cream of tarter for lemon meringue pie.

Beat egg whites with cream of tarter until frothy. Gradually beat in sugar, a little at a time. Continue beating until stiff and glossy. Do not underbeat. Beat until sugar is dissolved.

Pile meringue onto hot pie filling, being careful to seal the meringue onto edge of crust to prevent shrinking and weeping.

Swirl or pull up points for decorative top. Bake at 400 degrees F. for 8 to 10 minutes or until delicately browned.

This is the recipe mama always uses. It is out of the 1956 version of Betty Crocker’s Picture Cookbook. She just changed the cooking to the microwave to make it easier. Isn’t she smart? I got this cookbook for myself (same version and everything) from Ebay a few years ago so I could have the same recipes. I love having it.

I always enjoy visits from my mother so much and am so thankful to have such a wonderful mama!

Honor thy father and thy mother:
that thy days may be long upon the land
which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
Exodus 20:12

Today’s Lagniappe: Tips for a Perfect Meringue

Be sure you beat until all sugar is dissolved. You can test for this by tasting or rubbing a bit between your fingers to see if it is still “grainy.”

Watch baking time carefully. The short baking time at a high temperature makes a tender meringue that cuts easily.

Cool gradually in a slightly warm place away from drafts.

To cut meringue pie neatly, dip sharp knife into water, either warm or cold; shake off any excess drops; cut. Repeat the process between cuts.

It’s a four-for Tuesday! Join these great blogs for more recipes and great ideas.

Balancing Beauty and Bedlam’s Tasty Tuesday

Blessed with Grace’s Tempt My Tummy Tuesday

The Gypsy’s Corner’s Three or More Tuesday

2nd Time Around with A Picture is Worth A Thousand Words

My mother has been visiting this past weekend. One of my mother’s china patterns is Blue Danube. She has replaced the teapot a couple of times because a piece broke off of the spout. We have often talked about turning the damaged teapot into a lamp.

It is a beautiful lamp. Did you know you can turn almost anything into a lamp? Here is a good tutorial:

I think that Blue Danube Teapot would make a lovely Blue Danube lamp! What do you think?

Get your week off to a great start by checking out Blue Monday at Smiling Sally’s and Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch.

Join Chari at Happy to Design for Sunday favorites and Charlotte and Ginger at Blogger Spirit for Spiritual Sunday and enjoy your Sunday! By the way, while you are visiting Chari, be sure to check out her 1 year anniversary give-away!

This post is from June 9th. It is a favorite because it shows how my garden started outside. I actually started everything from seed. I am now reaping the harvest. Planting a garden is an act of faith. You plant a seed and the next thing you know you have a full grown plant that actually bears fruit and vegetables. When you plant a garden, you not only feed your tummy, you feed your soul as well! Enjoy!

Several years ago, I built this herb planter. It originally resided on a side porch. Now it is in my yard.

The thyme that is hanging over and the thyme in the left corner have been there for about five years. The rosemary really struggled this past winter with the ice storms. It has come back a little bit, but I boosted it with a new planting this year. I have nasturtiums, cat mint, chives, oregano, and basil. I’ve thrown a few seeds for dill and parsley around as well.

Of course, I have to have a sign telling me that these are herbs 🙂

This is a saying that I love so much, I put it on the front of the planter:

A kiss of the sun for pardon.
The song of the birds for mirth.
One is nearer God’s heart in the garden,
Than anywhere else on earth.

This little guy holding the wind chimes . . .

used to be a part of this rowdy little group, playing tug of war.

I also have some herbs planted among the other plants in the vegetable garden. This is the first year that I have planted my entire vegetable garden from seed. It has been a learning experience. I think, I should have started sooner. At this time of year, I normally would already be harvesting veggies. This year, I’m a little behind normal.

Hope you have enjoyed the tour of my little herb garden and the glance at the veggie garden.

Click the pics above for more 2nd Time Around and 3 or More Tuesday posts.

Today’s Lagniappe: Heavenly Angel Food Cake
Quick, easy and no baking! (Unless you want to bake your own angel food cake).

1 Angel Food Cake
1 Large package of vanilla pudding
2 Cups sliced strawberries or whole raspberries
1 Small can crushed pineapple
12 Oz. Cool Whip

Slice cake horizontally. Mix Cool Whip, dried pudding mix and drained pineapple together with mixer on low speed. Fill between layers and ice cake with it. Top with strawberries or raspberries.

I’m always looking for things that I can have on hand to entertain when guests (expected and unexpected) drop by.

I have seen several puff pastry recipes lately that sound really yummy. I like having puff pastry around because it makes things easy and delicious.
Here is a recipe from Ina Garten:

Tomato and Goat Cheese Tarts

* 1 package (17.3 ounces/2 sheets) puff pastry, defrosted
* Good olive oil
* 4 cups thinly sliced yellow onions (2 large onions)
* 3 large garlic cloves, cut into thin slivers
* Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 3 tablespoons dry white wine
* 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves
* 4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan, plus 2 ounces shaved with a vegetable peeler
* 4 ounces garlic-and-herb goat cheese (recommended: Montrachet)
* 1 large tomato, cut into 4 (1/4-inch-thick) slices
* 3 tablespoons julienned basil leaves

Directions

Unfold a sheet of puff pastry on a lightly floured surface and roll it lightly to an 11 by 11-inch square. Using a 6-inch wide saucer or other round object as a guide, cut 2 circles from the sheet of puff pastry, discarding the scraps. Repeat with the second pastry sheet to make 4 circles in all. Place the pastry circles on 2 sheet pans lined with parchment paper and refrigerate until ready to use.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium to low heat and add the onions and garlic. Saute for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions are limp and there is almost no moisture remaining in the skillet. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, the wine, and thyme and continue to cook for another 10 minutes, until the onions are lightly browned. Remove from the heat.

Using a sharp paring knife, score a 1/4-inch-wide border around each pastry circle. Prick the pastry inside the score lines with the tines of a fork and sprinkle a tablespoon of grated Parmesan on each round, staying inside the scored border.

Place 1/4 of the onion mixture on each circle, again staying within the scored edge. Crumble 1 ounce of goat cheese on top of the onions. Place a slice of tomato in the center of each tart. Brush the tomato lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with basil, salt, and pepper. Finally, scatter 4 or 5 shards of Parmesan on each tart.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown. The bottom sheet pan may need an extra few minutes in the oven. Serve hot or warm.

Okay, so, what if you took the puffed pastry and did the same treatment and varied the filling. You could change the size. Smaller for appetizers or bigger for a pizza type treatment.

How about changing the filling to:

• honey, blue cheese and figs
• pesto, mozzarella and tomatoes
• marinara sauce, mozzarella and basil
• cream cheese, ham and pineapple

This could go on and on.  This is what I would call great party fare! What would you put in the pastry?

Be not forgetful to entertain strangers:
for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.
Hebrews 13:2

Be sure to check out all the wonderful recipes posted for Foodie Friday at Designs by Gollum.

Today’s Lagniappe: Ham and Cheese Tart
Another use for puffed pastry

2 sheets of frozen puffed pastry, thawed
1 stick of butter, softened
2 tablespoons creole or spicy mustard
2 tablespoons onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
1/4 to 1/2 lb. sliced ham
1/2 lb. sliced Swiss or Cheddar cheese (whichever you prefer)

Roll out one of the pastry sheets, smoothing out the seams. Combine the softened butter, mustard, onion and poppy seeds in a bowl. Spread the mustard mixture over the puffed pastry, leaving about an inch boarder. Layer the ham on top of the mustard mixture also leaving about a one inch boarder. Follow with the cheese slices the same way.

Roll out the second pastry sheet to fit the first sheet. Brush an egg wash on the border of the pastry sheet with the mustard, ham and cheese. Put the second pastry sheet on top of the first sheet with the mixture and seal using a fork. Cut a few slits in the top layer of pastry to allow steam to escape.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the pastry is puffed and golden brown. Cut in squares and serve.

What a wonderful summer it has been. I’ve been enjoying harvesting things from my garden for some time now. Today, I want to celebrate Summer’s Bounty.

I’ve set the table with Spode’s Reynolds pattern (one of my favorites):

A lace tablecloth and some summer fresh flowers:

Stemware with rims of gold:

Cream colored candles in crystal candle holders with gold rims:

Crisp linen napkins with lace:

Bread and butter plates with a sweet gold butter knife:

All set to enjoy summer’s bounty at the table:

“The LORD bless you and keep you;
the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you;
the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.”
Numbers 6:24-26

It’s another Tablescape Thursday with Susan at Between Naps on the Porch. Enjoy!

Today’s Lagniappe: Vegetable and Goat Cheese Salad
A great salad to start the summer’s bounty celebration!

I am always in awe of the beautiful things in nature. Today, for Outdoor Wednesday with A Southern Daydreamer, I want to show you some pictures taken by Jim Gaston of Gaston’s White River Resort. Photography is one of his hobbies and he does a beautiful job at it.

Enjoying Bull Shoals White River State Park:

A bluebird in flight:

And, a bluebird at home:

A bluejay posing on the fence:

A flock of geese in the evening:

And . . . the majestic eagle:

Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not;
and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory
was not arrayed like one of these.
Luke 12:27

Today’s Lagniappe:  Fig and Mozzarella Bites
Do I love figs? YES! I found this recipe by Giada De Laurentiis that sounds divine.

I’ve been showing you pictures from my garden and of my basil. Today, I went and harvested basil and made a classic basil pesto.

Classic Basil Pesto

2 cups (packed) basil leaves (cleaned and dried)
1/2 cup Parmesan or Romano cheese, finely grated
1/3 cup pine nuts (I lightly toast mine)
3 cloves garlic
1/2 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Place all the ingredients except for the olive oil in a food processor. Process the ingredients until they are well blended. Add the olive oil through the top tube of the food processor in a slow steady stream until it is all incorporated.

Place the basil in a bowl and cover it with plastic wrap touching the pesto. If you would like to freeze the pesto, place it in a freezer safe container and drizzle olive oil on top or pour into ice cube trays topping with olive oil and freeze. Pesto may be frozen up to 3 months.

Now, what am I going to do with this pesto? There are so many possibilities but here are three of my favorites:

Pesto and Pasta

Cook spaghetti in boiling water until done. While the spaghetti is cooking, fry 6 pieces of bacon. Drain and crumble bacon. In a little of the bacon grease, saute a small chopped onion. Add a can of drained, diced tomatoes, 1 cup of pesto and the bacon crumbles. Add the cooked, drained pasta to the pesto mixture and serve.

Pesto Bruschetta

Slice a loaf of French bread in half lengthwise. Spread pesto on both halves. Toast the bread halves in the oven until crispy and golden.

Pesto and Prosciutto on Puffed Pastry

Thaw a slice of puff pastry. Roll the creases out of the pastry. Spread the pesto within 1/2 inch of the boarder of the pastry. Place prosciutto (or smoked ham) slices on top of the pesto layer. Roll up the pastry starting with the long end to form a roll. Cut 1/2 inch slices off the roll and bake at 400 degrees F. for about 20 – 30 minutes until golden brown and puffed.

Okay, after writing that, I’m hungry! Happy pesto!

Today’s Lagniappe: Pesto Variations
Don’t have basil growing? Try some of these pesto variations. I always toast the nuts, but, you don’t have to if you don’t want to.

• spinach and walnuts
• arugula and pine nuts
• parsley/thyme and walnuts
• sage and walnuts
• roasted red peppers and no nuts

You get the idea. There are endless possibilities!

It’s a three-for Tuesday! Join these great blogs for more recipes and great ideas.

Balancing Beauty and Bedlam’s Tasty Tuesday

Blessed with Grace’s Tempt My Tummy Tuesday

The Gypsy’s Corner’s Three or More Tuesday

Sometimes, life just doesn’t go the way you want it to. It is so easy to be happy and optimistic when things are going well, but, when things get tough . . . well, that is another story. Those are the times you have to have strength! Sometimes, I have to remind myself where my strength lies. I did this little project to help me remember!

I took this very old frame that I love:

Cut a piece of cream colored card stock and cut it to size:

Drew my guidelines lightly in pencil:

Then used my favorite calligraphy pens to write out my message. It has been awhile since I’ve done any calligraphy so I’m a little rusty. Doesn’t matter, I just want to be able to see the message!

Even Princess Grace Calli-cat (also known as Calli) wanted to get in on the act:

She is as bad as Bailey the wonder dog!

I was looking through some old books this week and came across this gem:

First copyrighted in 1937 and then again in 1950 in its revised edition. Although some of its content is out of date, this is a very interesting book to sit and enjoy. I especially like this line from the Foreword explaining why the authors included chapters on etiquette and grooming:

Certain of these, it will be at once observed are ordinarily absent from manuals of homemaking. The reason they are included in this volume is the conviction of the Household that the American family does not live by bread alone; that beauty, dignity, emotional adjustment within the family, and wholesome interest in community affairs are integral ingredients of a satisfying home life.

Nice!

Get your week off to a great start by checking out Blue Monday at Smiling Sally’s and Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch.

Today’s Lagniappe: Grilled Portobello Mushrooms
Something delicious for the grill!

* 12 large portobello mushrooms
* 3 tablespoons butter
* 3 tablespoons olive oil
* 1 tablespoon lemon juice
* 3 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
* black pepper

Preparation:
Wash mushrooms; remove stems and set mushrooms aside. Melt the butter, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic & pepper together in a small pot or on the grill. Halve largest mushrooms or cut in strips. Brush the mushrooms generously with the melted butter and olive oil mixture. On a covered grill over medium coals, grill the portobello mushrooms stem-side down for about 8 minutes. Turn and grill the tops of the portobello mushrooms for 6 to 8 minutes longer. The grilled portobello mushrooms should be tender and nicely browned.