A Southern Life

Before we get to the fun tablescape let me announce the winner of the National Association of Junior Auxiliary’s Silver Spoons, Blueberry Afternoons Cookbook give away!

And, the winner is . . . Victoria! Congrats Victoria and thank you to everyone who left comments to win.

Don’t forget, you can still get this fabulous cookbook from the NAJA website.

Now, on to the fun table:

This is probably one of the most fun tables I have done. The placemats don’t match. Some places have china, some, everyday dishes. None of the glasses match and there are a few other things that are kind of strange!

Colorful but crazy!

A centerpiece with Easter eggs, Christmas ornaments and . . . apples!

Hey! Who left the apple core in the centerpiece?

One candle has a Christmas candle ring and the other a spring candle ring.

Let’s take a closer look at those place settings.

Christmas plate with a visiting bird. Is that any way to place the flatware?

Ah, it looks like Spring, except for that turkey!

Pretty pink florals and stipes with a pretty pink . . . pig?

Fall and Mozart - now that makes sense. Way more than where the knife, fork and spoon are placed.

Beautiful china with an elephant crawling on top.

Can't find my knife! Oh, there it is at the bottom of the plate. I need it to fight off that turtle.

April Fool!

That was fun. Now, I can concentrate on Easter. If you would like to see last years Easter Champagne Brunch table, click HERE. To see lots of creative and beautiful tablescapes check out

with Between Naps on the Porch

Today’s Lagniappe:  Hot Cross Buns
Something yummy to have on Good Friday morning. In many historically Christian countries, buns are traditionally eaten on Good Friday, with the cross standing as a symbol of the crucifixion. Take some to your friends and neighbors as a special blessing to them. I’ve found a shortcut method to making them that I hope you will like.

Makes 1 dozen

* 1  loaf frozen bread dough (1 lb.)
* 1/2  cup  golden raisins
* 2  tablespoons  brandy
* 1/4  teaspoon  ground nutmeg
* 1  large egg
* 3/4  cup  powdered sugar
* 1  tablespoon  milk

Preparation

Thaw frozen bread dough following package directions. Place in a large bowl, cover, and let stand until pliable and no longer cold, 30 minutes to 1 hour.

In a small bowl, soak raisins in brandy for 30 to 40 minutes. Add raisin mixture and nutmeg to dough. In bowl or on a board, knead raisins into dough. With floured hands, divide dough into 12 equal pieces; shape into round rolls. Place about 2 inches apart on a buttered baking sheet. Cover and let rise in a warm place until almost doubled, about 20 minutes. In a bowl, beat egg with 1 tablespoon water. Brush buns with egg mixture (discard remainder). Bake rolls in a 350º oven until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let stand 10 minutes.

In a bowl, mix powdered sugar and milk. With a spoon, drizzle icing over buns in the shape of a large X.

Wow, I have really been enjoying the sunny spring days! Watching the robins and bluebirds and cardinals is just a pure joy.

Don’t forget to check back tonight to find out who won the cookbook! If you haven’t signed up to win yet, you can do so today (Wednesday, March 31st) through 3:00 p.m. central time at the give away post.

So for today, check out this spring color!

At the Easter egg hunt in the park this past weekend, it was a bit cool and the kids had to bundle up. Loved this pretty red and pink jacket!

A few outdoor pics for Outdoor Wednesday with A Southern Daydreamer and Rednesday! with It’s a Very Cherry.

Today’s Lagniappe:  Easter Nests

7 oz of marshmallow creme.
¼ cup of creamy peanut butter.
2 tablespoons of melted butter.
5 oz of chow mein noodles.
1 cup of pastel M&Ms.
Confectioners’ sugar.
Pastel peanut M&Ms.

Beat marshmallow creme, peanut butter and butter in a bowl until the mixture is smooth.

Fold in the chow mein noodles and the M&Ms.

Chill until easy to handle.

On waxed paper, form into suitably sized nests.

Chill for about 40 minutes.

Dust with confectioners’ sugar and put some peanut M&Ms in the nests.

Easter is such a blessed time of year. It is also a wonderful time to share recipes and baked goodies with our friends and neighbors and those in need.

What could you make for someone?

A Lemon Meringue Pie?

Pound Cake?

Hot Rolls?

So many possibilities! What are you giving this Easter season?

Today’s Lagniappe:   Bunny Biscuits
From the Martha White website – something yummy and very giveable!

Crisco® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray
2    cups Martha White® Self-Rising Flour
3    tablespoons sugar
1/3    cup butter
1    large egg
1/2    cup milk, approximately

Directions:
1.    HEAT oven to 450°F. Lightly spray large cookie sheet with no-stick cooking spray. Stir together flour and sugar in mixing bowl. Cut in butter with pastry blender or fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
2.    BEAT egg in measuring cup; add enough milk to make 2/3 cup. Add egg mixture to flour mixture; stir with fork until dough forms and mixture begins to pull away from sides of bowl.
3.    KNEAD dough on lightly floured surface just until smooth. Roll out dough to 1/2–inch thickness.
4.    CUT one 2-inch round for body of each bunny, three 1-inch rounds for head and ears (roll two of these between hands to lengthen for ears) and one 1/2-inch round for tail. Assemble bunnies on prepared baking sheet by placing largest round on baking sheet; place medium round just above for head, place lengthened pieces at top of head; and place smallest round on top of largest biscuit near bottom for tail.
5.    BAKE 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown.

Balancing Beauty and Bedlam’s Tasty Tuesday

Blessed with Grace’s Tempt My Tummy Tuesday

The Gypsy’s Corner’s Three or More Tuesday

The Junior Auxiliary Cookbook give away is still going on! You just have to leave a comment on this post for a chance to win!

It is beginning to look like Easter around here.

On the front door

On the dining table

On the shutter

In the plants

Even in the trees outside!

The pastels and bright colors of Spring are a sure sign that Easter is near. Of course, there is a greater metamorphosis that Easter brings:

Therefore if any man be in Christ,
he is a new creature:
old things are passed away;
behold, all things are become new.
2 Corinthians 5:17

Have a wonderful Holy Week and enjoy all the metamorphosis at:

Metamorphosis Monday with Between Naps on the Porch

Today’s Lagniappe:  Turkey Scaloppine
Something lovely for the Easter season.

* 1/2  cup  all-purpose flour
* 1 1/4  teaspoons  Cajun seasoning, divided
* 1 1/2  pounds  turkey cutlets
* 2  tablespoons  olive oil
* 1  cup  dry white wine

Preparation

1. Combine flour and 1 tsp. Cajun seasoning in a shallow dish; dredge turkey cutlets in flour mixture, shaking off excess.

2. Cook turkey in hot oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat 1 to 2 minutes on each side or until done. Transfer turkey to a serving platter, and keep warm.

3. Add wine and remaining 1/4 tsp. Cajun seasoning to skillet; cook 1 to 2 minutes or until liquid is reduced by half, stirring to loosen particles from bottom of skillet. Drizzle sauce over turkey. Serve immediately.

Join Chari at Happy to Design for Sunday favorites and Charlotte and Ginger at Blogger Spirit for Spiritual Sunday and enjoy your Sunday! The cookbook give away is still going on! Check out this post for details.

Happy Palm Sunday! Today, I am posting from April 6th last year. I think it is interesting that I began the post with a comment about the economic downturn. Sadly, things have only gotten worse. Heaven help us!

Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

From April 6th 2009:

Southern Holy Week

Early this year, I wrote a post about my 2009 predictions. One of them was that with the economic down-turn, people would get back to basics. This week is a good opportunity to do just that by enjoying the beauty of Easter.

Just this past weekend, our city held an Easter egg hunt in the park. The kids had a great time and it was free. We enjoyed a Palm Sunday service and remembered how we celebrated this occasion when we were kids and we were reminded of the significance of this week in the life of the church and in our own lives individually. This is the week that led to our Saviour’s death and resurrection on Easter Sunday. How blessed we are.

I hope all of you will join me in getting back to basics during this Holy week and that we will all receive the wonderful blessings of eternal life through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Here is a link that I found for how to make a cross out of a palm leaf. My husband told me how they did this when he was growing up.

Today’s Lagniappe: How to Make Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs
Just in time for decorating for Easter

1. Place eggs in single layer in saucepan.
2. Cover with at least one inch of cold water over tops of shells.
3. Cover pot with lid and bring to a boil over medium heat.
4. As soon as the water comes to a full boil, remove from heat and let stand.
5. Large soft-cooked eggs: let stand in hot water 1 to 4 minutes, depending on your tastes.
6. Large hard-cooked eggs: let stand in hot water 15 to 17 minutes.
7. When cooked to desired level, drain off hot water.
8. Immediately cover with cold water and add a few ice cubes.
9. Soft-cooked eggs: let stand in cold water until cool enough to handle. Serve.
10. Hard-cooked eggs: let stand in cold water until completely cooled. Use as needed.

Tips:

1. Never boil eggs. It makes them rubbery.
2. Use older eggs. Fresh ones won’t peel properly.
3. To keep eggs from cracking while cooking (before placing in water), pierce large end with a needle, which will also make them easier to peel.

Some more pictures from my walks. I love walking this time of year. So many blooms blooming and trees turning green. Just spectacular. As we were walking yesterday, I thought “God really does things right!” What a beautiful world we live in!

So many colors!

This next picture is of a sweet bluebird couple that was flying around. They didn’t really stay still for a good pose, but I wanted to take a picture to show you anyway.

Happy Saturday to all and, of course, Happy

Pink Saturday with Beverly at How Sweet the Sound

Today’s Lagniappe: Dandelion Salad

4 slices bacon, cut in small pieces
approximately 2 c. chopped new dandelion leaves
2 hard boiled eggs, sliced or chopped
2 Tbsp. chopped onion
1/4 c. butter
1/2 c. cream or milk
1 egg, beaten
1/2 tsp. salt
dash of pepper
1/4 c. cider vinegar
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. flour

Toss together chopped dandelion, chopped onion and fried bacon pieces. Set aside. In skillet warm butter and cream until butter melts. Beat egg and then add salt, pepper, vinegar, sugar and flour. Blend the egg mixture into the slightly warm cream mixture. Increase heat and cook, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens. Pour hot dressing over the greens and toss gently. Add eggs before tossing. Serve at once. Gather the dandelion leaves early in the spring before the plants flower or they will be bitter.

The National Association of Junior Auxiliaries cookbook give away is still going on! Just leave a comment (one comment a day) between now and 3:00 p.m. Wednesday, March 31st on the give away post!

The ad for the cookbook features a menu for a Mother’s Day Luncheon.

The menu is:

Chicken, Mushroom & Artichoke Bake
Baked Green Beans
Twice-Baked Cottage Style Potatoes
Buttery Herb Cheese Muffins
Cherry berry on a Cloud

Sounds absolutely delicious and all of the recipes are in the cookbook. Check out the give away post for details on how you can purchase the cookbook as well as how you could possibly win one. Also, in the post is the recipe for the Butter Herb Cheese Muffins!

The lovely Miss Christy Case Keirn is traveling to Greenville, Mississippi to pick up the give away cookbook. I don’t have the cookbook yet to share anymore of the great recipes, but after a little searching, I did find a recipe for Chicken, Mushroom & Artichoke Bake. This may not be the same recipe that is in the cookbook, but I thought it sounded just yummy, so it will be my contribution to:

With Designs by Gollum

Today’s Lagniappe: Chicken, Mushroom & Artichoke Bake

* 3 to 4 pounds chicken pieces
* salt and pepper
* 1/2 teaspoon paprika
* 1 to 2 tablespoons butter
* 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules or equivalent base, dissolved in 1/2 cup hot water
* 3 tablespoons dry white wine or sherry
* 1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon
* 1/4 pound mushrooms, sliced
* 1 tablespoon cornstarch blended with 1 tablespoon cold water
* 1 can (15 ounces) artichoke hearts, drained

Wash chicken and pat dry. Season with salt and pepper and paprika. In a large skillet, brown chicken in about half of the butter. Transfer to slow cooker. Pour broth and wine into skillet. Stir to loosen brown bits. Pour over chicken then season with tarragon. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours. Just before serving, saute mushrooms in remaining butter until tender and browned. Turn slow cooker to high. When sauce is hot and simmering, stir in cornstarch and water mixture. Cook until thickened. Add sauteed mushrooms and artichoke hearts; heat through and serve.
Serves 4.

My dear friend, Christy Case Keirn is the president of the National Association of Junior Auxiliaries.

Christy Case Keirn

The NAJA has a publication that is published twice a year called The Crownlet.

In this publication is information about the NAJA Cookbook – Silver Spoons, Blueberry Afternoons.

“A collection of recipes from junior Auxiliary Chapters in Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas, Tennessee, Missouri, Texas, Alabama and Florida. This cookbook is filled with NAJA history and stories of the work Junior Auxiliary Chapters are doing for children in their communities.”

As you can see, the ad for this cookbook features a tablescape! I was so honored when Christy called and asked for pictures of tablescapes for the NAJA publication. Christy has also offered to allow one of the cookbooks to be given away on A Southern Life!! So, you know the way this goes – leave a comment here. You can leave one comment a day between now and next Wednesday, March 31st at 3:00 p.m. central time.

Even if you are the lucky winner, I’m sure you will want to go to the NAJA website and purchase more to give away to friends! The proceeds from the sales of the cookbook go to further the NAJA mission which is:

“To encourage members to render charitable services which are beneficial to the general public, with particular emphasis on children; to cooperate with other Charitable 501 (c)(3) organizations.”

What a wonderful organization. Okay, so which tablescape pic did Christy choose?

This one!

So, here is the entire tablescape presentation that includes this picture from June 3rd, 2009.

Blue Fitzhugh china by Spode

Simple and pretty

The colors go well with my planter in the background.

White petunias in the tureen.

Of course, my birds are always invited.

Nice crystal glasses.

And pretty coffee cups.

Cream or sugar?

Very nice.

Checkout Between Naps on the Porch to see a lot of great tablescapes by a lot of lovely and talented people.

Today’s Lagniappe: Buttery Herb Cheese Muffins
This recipe is from the ad in The Crownlet.

2 cups self-rising flour
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, melted
1/2 cup sour cream
1 (6 ounce) package garlic and herbe spreadable cheese, softened

Mix the flour, butter, cheese and sour cream in a bowl until smooth. Spoon into lightly greased miniature muffin cups, filling to the tops. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until light brown. Makes 2 1/2 Dozen.

What a lovely time of year it is to take a walk through the neighborhood! The homes are adorned with blooming trees, flowers and shrubs.

I like the bunny flag in front of this house

Here is another one set in a plot of daffodils

Beautiful Forsythia

I love the red colors of this tree in spring before it turns to green

Beautiful weeping cherry

Daffodils in a row

Daffodils around a tree (and a little forsythia back there too)

Daffoldils everywhere! Darlene, this is your house!

Leaves starting to open on the trees

It truly is a beautiful world!

A little outdoor pic for Outdoor Wednesday with A Southern Daydreamer and Rednesday! with It’s a Very Cherry.

Today’s Lagniappe: Grilled Asparagus with Sesame

* 1 lb asparagus, fresh, thinner spears
* 3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
* 3 tablespoons soy sauce
* 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
* sesame seed (optional)

1. Soak 2-3 bamboo skewers in water for 30 minutes or more
2. Wash asparagus and snap the ends off
3. Thread the asparagus spears onto the bamboo skewers
4. Spoon or brush the toasted sesame oil onto the asparagus
5. Spoon or brush the soy sauce onto the asparagus
6. Sprinkle with pepper
7. Place on grill and cook for 3-4 minutes until crisp tender
8. Add sesame seeds before cooking
9. Any extra soy sauce-oil mixture can either be used for dipping or basting during cooking

Spring is here. What is in season?

Spinach

Strawberries

Green onions - sometimes called scallions - but never by me 🙂

Lots of other wonderful and delicious things are also in season like rhubarb, sugar snap peas and asparagus. Don’t you just love this time of year when the world is waking up from a winter’s nap and starting to take on beautiful color? Spring is one of my favorite times of year. I love feeling the sunshine and how the days start to get longer and longer. It is invigorating and wonderful!

Okay, so let’s put some of those in-season things together for:

Today’s Lagniappe:  Fresh Spinach and Strawberry Salad
Like springtime in your mouth!

12 oz. torn fresh spinach, about 10 c.
3 c. halved or sliced fresh strawberries
1/3 c. sliced green onions
1/3 c. salad oil or olive oil
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 c. broken and toasted walnuts
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

In large bowl place spinach, strawberries and green onions. Cover for up to 2 hours.

Shake together oil, lemon juice, chill. Shake before pouring over salad. Top with nuts, sprinkle with seeds. Makes 8-10 servings.

Balancing Beauty and Bedlam’s Tasty Tuesday

Blessed with Grace’s Tempt My Tummy Tuesday

The Gypsy’s Corner’s Three or More Tuesday

Finally, as you can see by the spring countdown calendar – SPRING has officially arrived! Nothing says spring to me more than preparing the garden. I needed a little inspiration today, so I looked back at some of my garden pics from last year:

Another metamorphosis with Susan at Between Naps on the Porch!

That garden is really coming along! We went from this:

To this:

To this:

And now . . . this:

And this:

and this . . .

I am inspired to get out and start digging now! After being reminded that work now will really pay off later!

Today’s Lagniappe: Butter Pecan Crunch
Going with the no-bake stuff today!

* 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
* 1/3 cup butter, melted
* 2 (3 ounce) packages vanilla instant pudding mix
* 2 cups milk
* 1 quart butter pecan ice cream, softened slightly
* 8 ounces Cool Whip
* 2 Heath candy bars, crushed

Directions

1. Mix crumbs and butter; press into bottom of 9×13 pan.
2. Chill.
3. Beat pudding mixes and milk until well blended.
4. Fold in ice-cream and Cool Whip.
5. Spoon over crust.
6. Sprinkle with crushed Heath bars.
7. Freeze.
8. Thaw about 20 minutes before cutting.

Spring has finally “officially arrived!

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

After a long and cold winter, it is wonderful to see Spring again.

“Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow,
nor reap nor gather into barns,
and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.
Are you not worth much more than they?
“And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?
“And why are you worried about clothing?
Observe how the lilies of the field grow;
they do not toil nor do they spin,
yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory
clothed himself like one of these.
Matt 6:26-29 (NASB)

From April 28, 2009:

It is Outdoor Wednesday at our friend A Southern Daydreamer’s blog. Here is our entry in the post. These are pics from where I used to live. Spring in the Ozarks.

A sunrise like this makes it worth it to get up really early!

Redbuds and tulip trees.

This was the view from the deck. See the lake in the background?

Beautiful view!

More of the redbuds.

One last shot.

I loved living in that house. The view was great and the sunrises were greater!

See the other Outdoor Wednesday posts.

Today’s Lagniappe: Pasta Primavera

12 ounces pasta, bowtie noodles
2 yellow squash, thinly sliced
10 ounces asparagus spears, cut in 2″ pieces
8 ounces baby carrots, cut lengthwise, half
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups skim milk
1/4 cup sour cream, light
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

Add pasta to a large pot of boiling water and cook 10 minutes. Add squash, asparagus and carrots and cook 8 minutes or until pasta and vegetables are tender. Drain and place in a large serving bowl.

Meanwhile put flour in a large skillet. Slowly whisk in milk until blended, taking care to get into corners of skillet. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring often. Reduce heat to low and simmer 3 to 4 minutes, stirring constantly, until sauce thickens slightly. Remove from heat, whisk in sour cream, mustard, lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Pour over pasta mixture and stir to mix and coat. Sprinkle with cheese.

Ah, went for a nice walk with my husband this beautiful morning. Saw lots of pink (and yellow and green) popping up all over the neighborhood. Today is the eve of my wonderful husband’s birthday! We will celebrate it all weekend.

One of my husbands favorite things to eat is shrimp! Not just any shrimp – Wild American Shrimp from the Gulf of Mexico!

He likes them just about any way. One of our favorite ways is grilled with my special remaulade sauce.

So, shrimp and remaulade are our pinks for today’s

Pink Saturday with Beverly at How Sweet the Sound

Today’s Lagniappe: Tasso Shimp Henican
This is another great shrimp recipe from Commander’s Palace in New Orleans. We use store bought pepper jelly that we heat briefly in the microwave to make it a thinner consistency. This recipe is from the fabulous cookbook Commander’s Kitchen.

24 jumbo shrimp, peeled and de-veined
2 ounces tasso (see Note), cut into twenty-four 1-inch strips
½ cup all-purpose flour
any Creole seasoning mix
½ cup vegetable oil
¾ cup Crystal Hot Sauce Beurre Blanc
¾ cup Five-Pepper Jelly (recipe below) or a good-quality prepared pepper jelly
12 pieces pickled okra, cut in half top to bottom

Preparation:
CUT a quarter-inch-deep incision down the back of each shrimp where it has been de-veined, and place a tasso strip in each incision. Secure with a toothpick. Combine the flour with the Creole seasoning and lightly dredge each shrimp.

HEAT the oil in a large skillet over medium heat and fry the shrimp in the hot oil for about 30 seconds on each side. Shrimp should be firm with a red brown color. Remove the shrimp and drain briefly on a paper towel. Toss the shrimp with the Crystal Hot Sauce beurre blanc in a bowl, coat thoroughly, and remove the toothpicks.

PLACE a portion of five-pepper jelly on each of 8 appetizer plates, and arrange 3 shrimp on each plate, alternating with 3 pieces of pickled okra.

NOTE: Tasso is a seasoning ham widely used in New Orleans but hard to find elsewhere. You could order it by mail, or you could substitute one ounce of ham cut in one-inch strips and tossed with one part cayenne and three parts paprika.

Crystal Hot Sauce Beurre Blanc
Makes ¾ cup

Ingredients
1/3 cup Crystal Hot Sauce (another hot sauce can be substituted)
2 tablespoons minced shallots
6 medium cloves garlic, peeled and minced
¼ cup heavy cream
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
Kosher salt to taste

Preparation
PLACE the hot sauce, shallots, garlic and cream in a small saucepan. Over medium heat, simmer until reduced by half, stirring frequently. Slowly whip the softened butter, a bit at a time, into the pot, being careful not to let the sauce break. (The cream acts as a stabilizer.) Strain and keep the sauce warm. Add salt.

CHEF’S TIPS
Because of the high acidity of this sauce, you may need to take it off the heat as you add the butter to keep it from breaking, which would require you to start over. If it seems to get too thick, return it to the heat.

Five Pepper Jelly
Makes 2 cups

Ingredients
1 ½ cups light corn syrup
1 ¼ cups white vinegar
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 each large red, yellow, and green bell pepper, seeded, membranes trimmed, and finely diced
4 jalapeño peppers, seeds and membranes removed, finely diced

Preparation:
PLACE the corn syrup, vinegar, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper in a small saucepan. Simmer to reduce by two thirds, until mixture is thickened. It will get even thicker as it cools, but the peppers will thin it again when they are added.

BRIEFLY place the peppers in a hot dry skillet and sauté until tender and their color is brightened, about 30 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, remove the peppers from the pan and add them to the corn syrup mixture.

USE as directed in the previous recipe. Five-pepper jelly also goes well on toast and as a glaze for roast chicken.

NOTE: This recipe can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator. A good store-bought version is also available, by mail if necessary

The weather is getting warmer and a refreshing drink is in order!

Lemonade Spritzer

Lemonade (made with Country Time lemonade mix – pink or plain)
Lemon- Lime soda (I used Sprite Zero)
Ice and lemon slices.

Pour lemonade in iced glasses about 3/4 full. Fill the rest of the way with lemon lime soda and garnish with lemon slices.

Very refreshing and easy! Perfect for a busy day. If you like, you can add a little vodka or citron vodka to kick it up a notch!

With Designs by Gollum

Today’s Lagniappe: How to Choose A Lemon
From World’s Healthiest Foods

One of the tricks to finding a good quality lemon is to find one that is rather thin-skinned since those with thicker peels will have less flesh and therefore be less juicy. Therefore, choose lemons that are heavy for their size and that feature peels that have a finely grained texture. They should be fully yellow in color as those that have green tinges will be more acidic due to the fact that they have not fully ripened. Signs of overmature fruit include wrinkling, soft or hard patches and dull coloring. Fresh lemons are available all year round.

Lemons will stay fresh kept at room temperature, away from exposure to sunlight, for about one week. If you will not be using them within this time period, you can store the lemons in the refrigerator crisper where they will keep for about four weeks.

Lemon juice and zest can also be stored for later use. Place freshly squeezed lemon juice in ice cube trays until frozen, subsequently storing them in plastic bags in the freezer. Dried lemon zest should be stored in a cool and dry place in an airtight glass container.

Last week, I shared a recipe for Lemon Thyme cookies that I made for lunch with a friend. I told you I would post more about that. My friend is the precious Christy Case Keirn from Macomb, Mississippi. Christy is the president of the National  Association of Junior Auxiliaries and the marketing directory of our local community college, Arkansas State University, Mountain Home. NAJA has some great cookbooks and, yes, we will have a give away of one soon. They actually used a picture of one of my tablesettings in their latest edition of their organization’s publication to publicize their latest cookbook. I’ll definitely be showing you which setting that was soon as well.

Anyway, today, I would love to share with your some pictures from my lunch with Christy.

It was just the two of us at my huge dining table so I tried to make it a little cozier with  kind of grouping everything in just one corner. We had chicken delight (see today’s lagniappe), salad with lemon vinaigrette, hot yeast rolls and lemon thyme cookies. To drink, we had lemonade spritzers.

Christy is such a fun friend, wish you could all meet her personally. So, what kind of tablescapes are going on today  for:

with Between Naps on the Porch

Today’s Lagniappe: Chicken Delight
Easy and delicious!

4 chicken breast, cooked and cut into small pieces (I usually use 5)
1 2oz. Jar pimientos
1 8 oz can sliced water chestnuts
½ cup slivered almonds
¼ tsp. Celery salt
dash of pepper
2 TBsp. Lemon juice
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup cream of chicken soup (or mushroom)
1 3 oz. Can onion rings

Mix chicken, pimientos, water chestnuts, almonds, celery salt, pepper, lemon juice, mayonnaise, and chicken soup. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with onion rings and bake for another 20 minutes. (Serves 4)