Farm Fresh To Me

Have you tried THIS service yet?

The produce is AMAZING!  So fresh, literally picked this morning before it was delivered to my door.  I've actually been using this service for two months and I'm really pleased with the selection and quality - I'm not affiliated in any way with Farm Fresh To You...just wanted to recommend a service that I think is really good.

Time to get my fruit and veggies on so I can get some energy to finish painting Allie's bedroom furniture.

Oh yeah.  Uh-huh.

Fruit of the Spirit

I l♥ve this.  It's such a great reminder.

The Fruits of the Spirit
Galations 5:22-23

via

Boy Scouts and Chocolate Chip Cookies!

Alex has outgrown his scout shirt and we just figured that out yesterday. Isn't that the way things go - finding out at the last minute that the shirt, pants, shoes, etc don't fit anymore?  Hey, good thing it wasn't 10 minutes before his Court of Honor, right? That's also the time I found out that he was assigned to bring 2 dozen cookies.

So being the nice mom that I am, I spent time this afternoon sewing on a few uniform patches and several more merit badges on his sash. He should be getting three more tonight for a total of 14, I think?  Then it will be a year jam packed with scouting adventures and merit badges so that he can advance in rank.

It's a goal of his (and who am I kidding, mine too) to get his Eagle. 

Our favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe can be found here.

Ikat Ogee Curtains

I found an alternate source for the ikat ogee curtain panels from West Elm.   A similar style can be found at — of all places — JC Penney. The best part is that the 108" size is only $50 at JC Penney compared to $84 at West Elm.

West Elm $84:

JC Penney $50:

 

Hmm.  Decisions, decisions.

Dining Room Progress - Before & During

When Jeff and I married we had a mish-mash of his/hers furniture. With a little paint,it came together nicely but now the decor is out dated.  We've lived with it for 5 years and now I'm ready for a change.  It's time to update this area, lightening and brightening with as little money as possible.

Before:

 DURING So far I have painted over the burgundy wall, added slipcovers to 6 of the chairs, moved some furniture out of the room and added a cozy sectional for additional seating. 

 I'm looking for new floor length window coverings to update the area.  I like these from West Elm

Ikat Ogee Linen Window Panel - West Elm

 So that's where I'm at.  I'm also thinking about painting the frame on the gold mirror.  I'm just not sure what color.

Slipcovers!

I've got a few projects going on right now - painting furniture for Allie's bedroom re-do and modifying slipcovers for my dining room chairs.

Neither are making much progress right now because I'm feeling a bit under the weather.

Hopefully I'll have some updates soon.  In the meantime, my dining room looks like this:

Birthday Cake - my favorite frosting and filling

Allie made my birthday cake this year - french vanilla cake, bavarian cream filling and strawberry frosting. It was delicious! I had to write down the recipe so that she can make it for me every year (hint, hint).   I love that she only used 2 candles on top.  Twenty, again.

Strawberry Whipped Frosting

Recipe will frost 12 cupcakes or 1 - 9" layer cake

1/2 cup whole frozen strawberries, thawed
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, firm and slightly cold
4 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup heavy cream

Directions
Place strawberries in the bowl of a food processor and puree.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat butter on medium speed until light and fluffy. Reduce mixer speed and slowly add confectioners' sugar; beat until well combined. Add vanilla and 3 tablespoons strawberry puree  (save any remaining strawberry puree for another use);  On low speed, add heavy cream and mix well.  Beat at high speed until frosting is light and fluffy.

Bavarian Cream Filling - thick and luscious!

Recipe will fill a 9" layer cake, 9x13, or 24 cupcakes 
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 cup instant vanilla pudding
1 cup heavy cream

Directions:
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla extract, almond extract and instant vanilla pudding until smooth.  Mixture will be thick.  On low speed, add heavy cream and mix well.  Scrape the bottom of the bowl a couple of times to incorporate mixture then beat at high speed until filling is thick, yet spreadable.

TWD/BWJ: Irish Soda Bread

Today's TWD: Baking with Julia adventure is a basic, traditional loaf of Irish Soda Bread - coincidentally, a nod to my Irish mother.

As usual I improvised a little.  I didn't have buttermilk on hand so I used whole milk and lemon juice instead and let it curdle on the counter for about 20 minutes.  It was nice and thick so I think it worked nicely...we'll see tomorrow how it affected the taste.  Also, I got a little distracted talking with my son and my 1/2" cut on the top of the loaf was closer to 1" deep.  A bit too much I think.  Otherwise, I think all went well.

The loaf is straight out of the oven and is cooling on my counter - and it smells delicious.   Breakfast tomorrow will be Iris Soda Bread toast and jam (if I can wait that long).

For the recipe, visit our co-hosts Cathy of My Culinary Mission and  Carla of Chocolate Moosey

Happy Birthday to Me!

Last night was so much fun! 

Jeff planned a surprise birthday dinner on the day before my birthday...and YES!  I was surprised.

A BIG thank you to my family - I L♥ved it - 

but I l♥ve each of you more.

 

Motherhood

Via

Magelby's Rolls - again

It's a dark and rainy day outside. Time to make Magelby's Rolls - again.

I changed the recipe just a touch by using canned parmesan cheese (don't laugh, it's what I had on hand) and placing the rolls in a pie dish to rise and bake.

Hecka' good and perfect for a rainy day.

House Rules

I found this rustic piece of subway art at Home Goods and hung it in the hall bathroom this morning.  It's perfect for my kids.  I wonder if they'll even notice? 

Classic Cobb Salad

Time to lighten things up around here.

Doesn't this look good?

Oh, so good!

Via Pinterest

Classic Cobb Salad with Red Wine Lemon Vinaigrette
Ingredients
Salad
one large head of romaine or iceberg lettuce
2 lbs chicken breasts, grilled or cooked in leftover bacon grease and chopped
6 hard boiled eggs, chopped
 1/2 lb bacon, chopped and cooked crisp
2 large avocados, chopped
1/2 red onion, diced
2 large tomatoes, diced
1 cup shredded Monterrey and Colby cheese (or crumbled blue cheese)
salt and pepper

Dressing
1 teaspoon lemon zest
the juice of 1 lemon
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons agave syrup
1/4 cup olive oil
salt and pepper
Method
1. Cook bacon until crisp. Reserve bacon fat to cook chicken in if desired. Salt and pepper chicken. Grill chicken or cook in bacon fat for extra flavor.
2. Add lettuce to a large bowl. Top with cooked and chopped chicken, crisp bacon, chopped hard boiled eggs, avocados, onion, tomatoes and cheese.
3. Combine lemon zest, red wine vinegar and agave syrup for salad dressing to a small bowl. Whisk in olive oil. Add salt and pepper.

Frozen Vegetables = Marinara Sauce

I'm almost out of  homemade marinara sauce and that's a problem because we L♥VE to eat pasta around these parts.  Actually, let me clarify that statement.  My kids and I L♥VE to eat pasta around these parts.  My husband?  Not so much.

Time to make more - for the kids and me!

My recent freezer clean out yielded half of a freezer full of last summers' vegetable crop...as in LOADED with...tomatoes, zucchini, squash, celery, carrots, bell peppers and onions.

Today it's all defrosting on my counter top and tomorrow it all will be transformed into delicious marinara sauce.   I make a huge batch every spring and I fill my freezer with quart sized bags of the stuff.  You should try it sometime.  It's so worth the effort.

Love this recipe.  

 

Alrighty now, let the defrosting begin. 

In Bloom - the front porch

Happy Monday!

Now that spring is around the corner, I decided to spruce up my front porch.  I found a few good deals on decor and garden items this weekend that really brighten up the area. 

The first deal is a set of Sunbrella outdoor pillows from Costco - 2/$12.99 which is a great bargain.  Sunbrella is a quality product and is usually expensive.   I love the pineapple and flower motif on the two I purchased.  The pillows coordinate nicely with the patio set and tie in with the outdoor rug at the front door I got at Lowe's last year on clearance for $17.00. 

The second  deal is on 1 gallon Lavender plants that I also purchased at Costco - 3 plants for $9.99.  I planted them in separate areas since they will grow to be quite large.  They smell so good!

I now have a yellow and purple garden that was totally unintentional.  It is pretty though. The two yellow carolina jessamine are blooming and the pansies from last fall are still going strong. Soon I'll have an assortment of roses, geranium, camellia's, purple bearded iris and calla lily blooms as well.  Can you tell I love flowers?  Love them! 

What's growing in your garden?

 

Birthday recap

Alex requested a lunch instead of our traditional breakfast on his birthday. He wanted to sleep in and did not want anyone waking him up early!  I can totally relate to that. I love sleeping in when I have the chance.   Allie and I made him a turkey and cheese sandwich with all the toppings along with a serving of Doritos.  He was a pretty happy guy.
For his birthday cake, he requested a yellow cake with strawberries on top. I brainstormed a bit and came up with a four layer yellow cake, filled with strawberry Bavarian cream, iced with fresh whipped cream, chocolate dipped strawberries and chocolate shavings.

...so, so good!

I'm glad you had a great 15th birthday Alex!

We ♥ you!

Bedroom Furniture - painting continues

Allie's bedroom furniture makeover is in progress.

The side table has been cleaned, sanded and primed. I'm waiting for it to dry so I can sand it again, clean it again and finally paint.

Doesn't it look so much batter already?

 

 

So much better already!  One coat of primer

 

I'll keep you posted but it's gonna be a while to get all 5 pieces done.

Ceramic Drawer Pull Knobs

Yesterday I was out and about running errands and decided to stop by my local Ross store to look around.  I do that often.  I just stop by various places and look around.  I know I'm not the only one who does that, right?  Well, last August I found this hardware at Ross  when I was setting up my office/mom cave/music room so I figured it wouldn't hurt to look around for some knobs.

Well, I scored.  I found these ceramic drawer pull knobs and thought they would be perfect for the furniture re-do I'm working on for Allie's bedroom.  I've been looking for a set of knobs for the past month, so this was pretty exciting.

$7.99 for 6 knobs is a great deal.  I think they'll look so pretty with the newly painted white furniture.

Thank you Ross!

Lemon Mousse Tres Leches Cake

Via

Easy Tres Leches Cake Recipe

1 white cake mix

3/4 C. melted butter

6 eggs

1/2 C. water

2 T. shredded lime peel

Heat oven to 350.  Grease and flour a 9x13 pan or if

you are using the silicone cupcake cups, they need no

grease.  

Combine the cake mix with the butter, eggs and water.  Beat

on low until combined and then beat for 2 minutes on medium.  

Stir in the lime peel.  Bake for 35-40 minutes for the pan 

or 20-25 minutes for the cupcakes or until a toothpick

comes out clean.

The batter will be thick.  Spread it in the pan or fill the cupcake

cups half full.  Bake for 35-40 minutes for the pan 

or 20-25 minutes for the cupcakes or until a toothpick

comes out clean.

Meanwhile mix:

2 C. cream or half and half

2 cans sweetened condensed milk

2 cans evaporated milk

When cake comes out of oven let it cool

and then poke holes all over it with a wooden 

skewer or a chopstick.  Slowly pour half of the 

milk mixture over the cake.  Cover and chill

overnight.  Cover and chill remaining sauce.

About 1 hour before serving pour remaining sauce

over the cake.

To serve top with lemon mousse and then

sweetened whipped cream.

Lemon Mousse

1 1/2 C. heavy whipping cream

1 jar lemon curd

Beat the whipping cream on high speed with 

the wire whip attachment.  When it starts to

set add the jar of lemon curd and continue to 

whip until stiff.  Pipe or spread on top of the

chilled cake.

Sweetened Whipped Cream

1 1/2 C. heavy whipping cream

3/4 C. powdered sugar.

Beat the cream and sugar together until stiff.

Pipe or spread onto the top of the cake.

Raspberry Sauce

12 oz. frozen raspberries, thawed

3/4 C. sugar

Blend the thawed raspberries and add the sugar.

Press the blended berries through a sieve to remove

as many seeds as possible.

What a fun way to serve a delicious and refreshing

dessert.