Corn Muffins, Snowflakes and Etcetra

I hope you all had a good weekend. It was sooo hot here. I kept telling myself not to complain because we have had a relatively cool summer. But 98 is just a little to hot for me. Back in the 80's this week so I'm happier. But to cheer me up last night guess what? Do you know who won Barb's giveaway? ME!! I was so excited when she told me I had won. YEAH!!! Thank you Barb!

While I'm slaving away over the weekend. This is what Anna and Bailey did!! Lots of help they were. It really was a busy weekend. I took today off and I'm doing some laundry, taking a couple of baskets to the booth and then maybe I'll find 5 minutes to relax!! I got up early after being up late last night. Isn't is amazing how you can jump out of bed when you don't have to go to work instead of procrastinating and laying in bed just 5 more minutes?

This will be my breakfast this morning. These corn muffins are fantastic. I watched Ina Saturday and she made these for breakfast. They are the best I've every made. The recipe is definitely a keeper. I thought they sounded good for dinner last night so I printed out the recipe. So light and fluffy. Our peaches are wonderful this year. I must say I've made a pig out of myself. I was going to cut it up before I took the picture but thought it looked so pretty I'd let you see it before I did.

I don't think I posted the snowflakes lately so I pulled out the last three. I look so forward to getting them each month. I'm so going to miss them. I wonder if Crystal would extend my year?

They are so pretty don't you think?

I forgot to post these when I posted my last post. I picked these up from a garage sale. The toppers were 25 cents can you believe it? The cookbook was only 50 cents. I thought with the holidays coming up someone might want a cookie cookbook. I didn't realize until I got home that it has recipes from all over the world. Geez maybe I'll have to keep it.....

I didn't go to any estate or garage sales this weekend. I wanted to spend the time pricing and labeling so I could get some things to the booth. I hope you all have a wonderful week.

Estate Sales

Here is all the treasures I found last weekend. Most will go in the booth of course. I really did well and got some great deals. It wasn't the best weekend but I ended up with quite a bit as you will see. I got a lot of this on Sunday which is 1/2 price day.

I got the box of linens for $5.00!

These are yards and yards of trim. I'm going to put them all in a bag and give them one price.

This is a beautiful big tablecloth that someone put a lot of love into embroidering all the flowers.
Price $2.00. They were asking $2.50 1/2 price so I got a real deal.

The Singer was $35.00 but I passed on it but when it was there Sunday I bought it. I also asked them if I could have it for $15.00. SOLD!! The only thing wrong with it is the cord is in bad bad shape. I might put a new cord on it if it doesn't cost too much. What do you think?

The case is in pretty bad shape but I can clean that up fairly easy.

See this little red scarf that Bailey loves? Well after taking pictures of the linens I put them in a pile until I had time to wash them. Well I forgot the scarf was in the pile and yes you guessed it. My beautiful white tablecloth is now light pink!! And the red scarf is now in a million little pieces. It fell apart after ruining my tablecloth. The doilies came out OK! Maybe I can sell it cheap. Or maybe someone will love the pink tablecloth. Who knows!

This is a box of Rice Paper napkins. Aren't they pretty? You should feel them. Oh so soft and delicate.

Isn't this the cutest iron? Can you imagine ironing with this thing? It is sooo heavy.

The cute nativity scene was only $2.50. Couldn't pass that up.

I loved these cookbooks and NO I'm not selling them. They are fun to read. It's amazing how much shortening the recipes call for.

The leaf was in the McCalls Cookbook. I wonder why the owner put the leaf in it and what it meant to her. I left it in the book.

The quilt and 2 shams were only $10.00.

The hankys were $1.00 a piece. Aren't they pretty?

And the pretty doll was only $4.00. The clock beside her was $10.00 and is pretty.

And the cans and baskets were all free!! I took the baskets to carry things in. The cans have 1 or 2 nested inside of them, so there are more than it looks.

The kitchen towels were only $1.00 a piece.

I found these adorable chubby Santa too! I just love them.

The angels and some little bears were a steal too.

I thought the little pitcher was cute too.

And that is all for now. I hope you enjoyed seeing all my goodies. Hope you are having a great week.

Tomatoes Provencal and Julia's Birthday

This has been such a fun day for me. I went to the Farmers Market this morning and ran into an old friend I used to work with. It was fun catching up and we are going to dinner soon. I ran into Sur La Table later and got a couple of things and they were celebrating Julia's birthday and making everyone a cappuccino and serving Le Madeline's and coconut macaroons. Such fun that was.

I came home and actually went through some boxes of holiday things and priced them for the booth. It's amazing how long all this takes but I have 3 boxes to take. One for now, one for fall and two for Christmas. I still have a couple of things to find but most are priced and ready to go.

I decided to visit a couple of blogs after dinner and found this giveaway on one of my favs French Elements. It's a wonderful giveaway so run over and check it out here.


In honor of Julia's birthday, I made the tomato Provencal recipe from her Mastering the Art of French Cooking. I don't think she would mind me sharing it with you.

Tomatoes A La Provencal
6 firm ripe red tomatoes about 3 inches in diameter
Salt and Pepper
1 or 2 cloves mashed garlic
3 T minces shallots or green onion
4 T minced fresh basil and parsley or parsley only
1/8 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp salt
big pinch of pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup bread crumbs from fresh white bread with body
I sometimes add parmesan cheese too but Julia didn't in her original recipe.
A shallow, oiled roasting pan just large enough to hold the tomatoes easily in one layer.

Preheat oven to 400. Remove the stems and cut the tomatoes in half crosswise. Gently press out the juice and seeds. Sprinkle the halves lightly with salt and pepper.

Blend remaining ingredients in a mixing bowl. Correct seasoning. Fill each tomato half with a spoonful or two of the mixture. Sprinkle with a few drops of olive oil. Arrange the tomatoes in the roasting pan, do not crowd them. May be prepared to this point in advance.

Bake 400 10-15 minutes until the tomatoes are tender but hold their shape and bread crumb filling has browned lightly.

Bon Appetit!!

Broccoli Salad

This was a simply delicious and easy salad. As most of you know I go to the Farmers Market on Saturday mornings and stock up for the week. The broccoli was looking especially yummy so brought some home and looked through my cookbooks until I found this recipe. It is definitely a keeper. The recipe is in the Creme de Colorado cookbook. This one was published in 1987. The books are written by the Junior League of Denver. They are always coming out with a new one and I of course have several.

The recipe is so versatile. Next time I'm putting in roasted almonds.

Surprising Broccoli Salad (from the Creme de Colorado cookbook)

3 cups broccoli flowerets

6 slices bacon, fried crisp, drained and crumbled

1 cup chopped red onion

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Dressing

1 cup mayonnaise

2 T white vinegar

1/3 sup sugar

Cut flowerets off broccoli stalks. Toss together broccoli flowerets, bacon, onion and cheese. Combine dressing ingredients and mix well. Pour dressing over salad and toss thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Quick, easy and delicious. Salad will keep several days refrigerated in a tightly sealed container.

Corn Chowder and Peach Pie

This part of the post is for Shelly. I hope you do find the book and enjoy it. I have made pancakes, waffles, almond french toast and strata from it. It's a wonderful book with loads of variations for each recipe. It also includes soups and salads, an apricot ginger jam I want to try among other things. This fall I'm making the pear struesel coffee cake as soon as the pears get ripe. Now how divine does that sound. All the recipes are easy and she explains the steps.

I use Ina's recipe for Corn Chowder and it is divine. I had never eaten Corn Chowder before and a few years ago she made it on her show. It sounded so good I had to try it. I fell in love and now make it every summer when corn is at it's peak. For the recipe go here.

The pie is Martha's and she would totally have a stroke if she knew I used a frozen pie crust. I'm sorry Martha, please forgive me. It was an easy recipe to make and one of the best peach pie's I've had. You can get the recipe here. I just happened to have some Creme Fraiche on hand. I've been making salmon roasted with Creme Fraiche which is another post.

Enjoy and Bon Appetit!!

Lemonade

I read two blogs yesterday about lemonade and had to make some. All I had was 1/2 lemon so this morning when I ran to the store for milk and yogurt for the week, I picked up a bag of lemons and came home and made me some. Then I went out to patio to sit and enjoy.

I use my bird bath as a little table sometimes. All I did was squeeze the juice from 3 lemons, added a little sugar to taste and filled the pitcher with water. I used a quart container. Added a sprig of mint from the herb garden and enjoyed. One of the blogs mentioned drinking from a wine glass and since I'm on antibiotics this week and no wine it sounded like a good idea. It was cool and refreshing and so good. Thank you ladies.

Enjoy your Sunday and have a great week.

Brownie Cookies and Blackberry Slump recipe

I hope my title got your attention when you read it! I know the recipe sure caught mine!! I received my June Everyday Food yesterday and this is the first thing I saw! I know it's on the last page but it just opened up all by itself and I knew I had to make those today. They are are like eating crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside brownies. They are to die for so I hope you try them.

Don't they look scrumptious? And I'm sure Martha won't mind me posting the recipe. I'm also making a couscous recipe for dinner that I found and I haven't even read the whole magazine yet. The couscous recipe is so easy, just cook the couscous and add sliced scallions and 2 T olive oil and 1 T lime juice. How easy it that?
These are nice and hot from the oven and I've already eaten two!!

OK here's the recipe. Oh and keep reading because of popular request I am posting the blackberry slump recipe I mentioned last week.

Brownie Cookies (from Martha's Everyday Food)

12 Oz's bittersweet chocolate chopped and melted

1/2 cup flour

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

6 T unsalted butter room temperature

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

3 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven 350. Melt the chocolate (I use the microwave at 30 second intervals) and let cool. In a small bowl whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Beat butter and sugars until light in color. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat until combined. Alternately add flour mixture and chocolate until just combined (do not over beat)

Drop dough by heaping Tablespoons about 2 inches apart on parchment lined cookie sheets (I used my Silpat). Bake about 14-16 minutes until toothpick comes out clean. Transfer to wire rack to cool and then please eat one or two or even three.

And just so you don't think all I'm eating this week are cookies, I made this Quinoa salad for my lunch this week. It went together really easy. Just cook the Quinoa, add cucumber, tomatoes, snow peas and scallions. I put a sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, red vinegar and soy sauce dressing on it. If you want the recipe let me know.

Blackberry Slump (from The Good Home Cookbook)

You can substitute other berries, peaches or plums. Serve with cream, whipped cream or ice cream.

4 cups (2 pints) fresh or frozen blackberries

1 3/4 cups sugar

1 cup flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup 1/2 stick) melted butter

Preheat oven to 375. Grease an 8" square pan.

Pour berries into the baking dish and sprinkle with 1 1/2 cup sugar. Set aside.

Stir together the flour, baking powder, salt and remaining 1/4 cup sugar. Mix in milk and butter, then spoon over the berries.

Bake for 40-45 minutes until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbly. Serve warm or cooled.

Fish Without a Doubt

This is a new cookbook that I am finally reading. Not that I've had it that long, just a couple of weeks. I'm trying to eat more fish and this cookbook will definitely help me do that. What I love about it is that every recipe tells you other fish that you could use. Since Halibut is good now or at least we can get good halibut now I decided to try this recipe first. It would also be good with Salmon and I love Salmon. It was so easy and went together so fast. It took longer to make the compound butter than to cook the meal. I put the rest of the butter in the freezer in individual pats so I have lots to use later. This week I'm making a lemon meyer compound butter. I have the lemons but silly me forgot the dill so it will have to wait until I to the store again.

The bread crumbs got a little brown but they were still OK. I was getting full and thought that Anna and Bailey would get there bite of fish when I was done but then I kept eating and lo and behold there was not left for them. I don't give them human food too often but when I have fish I try to save them a bite or two and they love it. Anna will any kind of fish but Bailey is very very picky. I had Cod the other night and he wouldn't touch it so Anna got 2 bites. Way to go Anna!!

This is my compound butter before I rolled in a log and put it in the frig to harden.

Broiled Halibut Steaks with Basil Butter (Also good with salmon or swordfish)

4 halibut steaks

salt/pepper

Olive oil

4 T basil butter (recipe below)

4 t fresh bread crumbs. When I have stale bread I put it in my food processor and then bag it up and put it in the freezer and I always have fresh breadcrumbs on hand. If the bread is too fresh I toast it in the oven for a few minutes. Adding dried herbs is fun too.

Season the halibut with salt/pepper on both sides. Pour a little oil on a plate and set the fish on top. Smear the top of each piece of fish with 1 T basil butter, then sprinkle 1 tsp bread crumbs and pat them into the the butter. You can prep the fish in advance and put it in the frig until ready to broil. Set an oven rack in the top position, slide in a cast iron griddle and turn on the broiler. Let the griddle heat for 15 minutes.

Set the fish onto the griddle, buttered side up. Broil for 6 or 7 minutes or until done. Remove from griddle and let it rest for 5 minutes. Salmon and swordfish cook faster.

Basil Butter

2 cups fresh basil leaves

8 T unsalted butter, softened

1 garlic clove minced to a paste

salt/pepper

Bring a saucepan of salted water to a boil. Stir in the basil leaves and blanch for 30 seconds. Drain, then shock the basil in ice water. Drain again and squeeze the basil very dry. Start squeezing with your hands then put in a clean kitchen towel or a few layers of paper towels and squeeze some more.

Give the basil a rough chop. Combine basil, butter and garlic in food processor and process until smooth. Season with salt/pepper and pulse one or two times. Scrape the butter onto a piece of waxed paper and form into a rough log. Wrap the paper around the log using it to form a log. Twist the ends and put in the frig until firm.

Meyer Lemon butter

I used 1 stick of butter, zest from 2 meyer lemons and added some dill and thyme.

It was fantastic on salmon.

And for dessert I made my Blackberry Slump. I got this recipe from the Good Cooks book. It was free a couple of years ago and who am I to pass up a free cookbook.

Lemon Yogurt Muffins

You probably think I quit cooking since all I've been doing is cleaning and posting some of my beautiful treasures so I thought I would share the muffins I made for breakfast this morning. I found the recipe in The Breakfast Book. It is a great breakfast book with lots and lots of ideas and recipes. Do you remember the lemon cake recipe that you poked holes in and then poured over it some kind of lemon glaze to soak into the cake? This recipe reminded me of that cake so I thought I would try them. When my daughter took the first bite this morning she said "Oh it's like the cake you used to make!! These bring back memories!! " I don't remember how the glaze was made for the cake because I haven't made it in years and years and have no idea where the recipe is. If anyone out there has it, please let me know. The muffins are very easy and yummy too!! I hope you enjoy them.

After I got all my errands done I came home and made some tea and had another muffin. My daughter had two for breakfast and I only had one so I figured I deserved another one. Good excuse anyway!!

Lemon Yogurt Muffins

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 cup sugar

2 T honey

2 eggs

1 1/4 cups plain yogurt

1/4 cup melted butter

1 T grated lemon zest

Preheat the oven to 375 and butter muffin tin. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a large bowl, mix sugar, honey, eggs, yogurt, melted butter and lemon zest until thoroughly blended. Add the flour mixture and mix until blended. I didn't dirty the kitchen aid for these I just used a wooden spoon.

Spoon batter into buttered muffin tin. Bake 15 minutes or until golden brown. While the muffins bake make the syrup.

Lemon Syrup

1/3 cup lemon juice

1/3 cup sugar

3 T water

Combine ingredients in a small pan and bring to a boil. Boil for 1 minute and set aside. When the muffins are done poke the tops with a fork a few times. Drizzle syrup over the top letting it run over the top and edges.

Bon Appetit!

I found this cake recipe at Alosha's Kitchen and made it last weekend. You can get the recipe here. It is so easy and springy. We really enjoyed it.

OK that should keep you busy this weekend and I'm off the put clean sheets on my bed. I stripped it down to the mattress and washing everything today. We are having ANOTHER cool rainy weekend. I'm trying not to complain because we need the rain but it could be 70 on the weekends and 50 during the week instead of the other way around. At least it's too warm to snow. Blackberries were on sale so I'm making a blackberry slump this afternoon. Blackberries always make me think of my Grandparents. They lived in Missouri and we had a ditch as Grandpa called it (it was a really big deep ditch!!) and there were lots of wild blackberries growing so we would go pick them and Grandma would always make blackberry pie. I should add that they did most of the picking and my sister and played and hid in the bushes. We did pick some though when Grandma reminded us if we didn't have enough there would be NO PIE!!
Have a great weekend!

Roast Pork, Coconut Key Lime Cake, Awards and Gifts.

Happy weekend!!! Bailey would like to thank everyone who came to his birthday party. He also wants you to know that he is being very very good now that he is all grown up and he is not spoiled!!! Yeah right Bailey. I hope you have had a good week. It was springtime here and we were supposed to have snow today and it did for 5 minutes. I wish it would, it's been a warm dry winter. I know some of your are shuddering because you've been so cold and snowy.

I received this wonderful award from Penny. She is so sweet and so creative. Thank you Penny.

My February snowflake arrived too!! This is my third snowflake from Crystal. I look forward to them every month.

I made this cake today. It is in the Gourmet magazine and as soon as I saw it I knew I had to make it. The hardest part was squeezing 1/2 cup of key lime juice. Lucky for me my daughter came in the kitchen as I was grating the zest to see what I was doing and I asked her if she wanted to squeeze some lime juice for me. She said yes and I handed her the key limes. She said "Out of these little things?" I just said start squeezing honey!! The recipe is here.

I made a pork roast with roasted pears that was so good. I got the recipe from a Williams Sonoma catalog. You can find it on their website here. I must be in a roasted pear mood this winter. I made a chicken with roasted pears not long ago that I got from Mimi's blog. Mimi always takes you on wonderful trips to Paris or walks with her Grandmother. She is a wonderful story teller and writer.

All these recipes should keep you busy for the awhile. I'm making a new mac and cheese recipe tomorrow. I'll let you know how it turns out. I'm still spring cleaning but took last weekend off for my Mother's 90th birthday party and this weekend I'm just too lazy to do much. I have my bathroom and living room to do and I'm done. I just have to get back in the cleaning mood. Have a wonderful rest of the weekend.