~Lazy Days of Summer~

Endless Summer

I am adding this post to Michael’s Foodie Friday, at Designs by Gollum.

Insalata Caprese

Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
Those days of soda and pretzels and beer
Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
Dust off the sun and moon and sing a song of cheer.

-Artist: Nat King Cole
-peak Billboard position # 6 in 1963
-Words by Charles Tobias and Music by Hans Carste

I can hear Nat King Cole, singing this song, as I write this post.

Lazy, hazy, crazy days of Summer will arrive soon, here in the St Louis area.  Even though it is another three weeks until Summer officially arrives, we are beginning to feel the promise of heat and humidity. 

It’s time to start thinking about lighter meals, with less time spent in the kitchen.

Over the weekend I made one of my favorite salads, Caprese, using tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, and basil.  Our tomatoes won’t be ready for a few more weeks.  I purchased vine ripened  tomatoes with a nice flavor. Basil, growing in our back porch pots, is abundant.

Insalata Caprese recipe can be found at Epicurious.

  Strawberry Poppy Seed Salad, from Saint Louis Bread Company

Tuesday, we spent the morning running hither and yon, in Saint Charles County, stopping for lunch at Saint Louis Bread Company; a favorite of ours.

  

J ordered Tuna Salad.  My lunch was the Strawberry Poppy Seed Salad, with chicken. 

I’m going to try making this salad at home using, lettuce, strawberries, mandarin oranges, pineapple, blueberries and pecan halves. I’ll add sliced roasted chicken and light poppy seed dressing. 

I’m sure it won’t be as good as the salad at “breadco”.

Tuesday night supper, on the patio.

We stopped by Lowe’s, this week, and picked up an indoor/outdoor fan on a stand.  Having the fan on the patio will make summertime outdoor dining much more comfortable.

Update

We’re making a couple of changes in the bonus room/studio over the garage.  More about this in an upcoming post.

Appreciation  

Thank you  Gypsy Purple for mentioning Back Porch Musings’ black and white table, featured in THIS post.

Edited Wednesday evening to add my version of St Louis Bread Company Strawberry Poppy Seed Salad.

Table for Two…

…and a Diva!

Here I am breaking my new rule about three posts per week.  I just had to break the rule because I needed to write about Kelly’s e-mail yesterday.  I turned off the comments to that one, because it was an extension of the fireplace gate story.

Bear with me, while I am all over the place with this post! 

I am participating in the Bathroom Beauty Snapper Celebration at Shelia’s Note Songs.  I could not possibly miss showing off my powder room self portrait. 

Friday, I’ll visit Bathroom Beauty Snappers, in all their glory, all around the land of blog.

I also have plans to stop by Designs by Gollum.

 

It occurred to me it has been awhile since I posted a recipe or meal. 

Last Friday evening I prepared a pasta dish and served it on a simply set table, in the hearth room. 

 

Fusilli Pasta with Meat Sauce

Basic Meat Sauce

1 lb ground sirloin

fresh mushrooms, sliced

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 clove garlic minced

1 large can crushed tomatoes

A teaspoon of sugar can be used to sweeten the sauce, although, I didn’t add sugar for this particular sauce.

Add a tablespoon olive oil to skillet, saute onion, until opaque and add sliced mushrooms, then garlic. Cook until slightly tender and remove from skillet.  Add the ground sirloin to the skillet and brown. Return onion, garlic and mushrooms to skillet and add one large can crushed tomatoes.  Season with Italian Seasoning and Basil to taste and simmer, while pasta cooks in boiling water.  Drain pasta; do not rinse.  Toss pasta in olive oil and serve with meat sauce, bread and wine.

Stop by Michael’s Designs by Gollum for foodie-licious dishes from around the land of blog.

 

Lastly…

A Garden Update

This fountain was formerly in the garden by the dining room windows.  After several, unsuccessful, attempts to repair a leak in the upper bowl,  J moved the fountain to the garden on the north side of our home and planted it with annuals. The light green Licorice plant will trail over the edge of the shells.  The dark green is Fiber Optic Grass. It reminds me of the grass that grew in the pond, that was in the front yard of our home on the farm.  I don’t recall the name of the red. 

The garden includes, Hosta, Columbine, Iris, Day Lilies, Liriope, Ornamental Grass, and the latest addition, Lavender.

A glimpse of the patio Hosta garden.

Photography is my hobby; tending our gardens is J’s.

Happy Weekend & Happy Mother’s Day to all the Mommies!

~Mushroom Flatbread~

 

Stop by Designs by Gollum, each Friday, for wonderful recipes from around the land of blog.

 A Light Lunch

Trader Joe’s Mushroom and Black Truffle Flatbread

Mushroom and Black Truffle Flatbread, from Trader Joe’s, is one of my favorite lunches.  Because our nearest Trader Joe’s is an hour away, it’s a tad far to stop by and pick one up, just any old time.  I think I might try making this flatbread, from scratch, sometime.  Of course, Truffles will be out of the equation, due to availability.  Perhaps two or three different kinds of mushrooms would work, chopped fine. 

My poor substitute for the real deal: 1 Flatbread, drizzled with Olive Oil, a dash of garlic powder, sauté chopped Mushrooms, add to bread and top with grated Mozzarella Cheese.  Place on middle rack of 375 degree (F) preheated oven for about 10 minutes.

I know this won’t hold a candle to Trader Joe’s, but it might do in a pinch.

If you have a Trader Joe’s in your vicinity, I highly recommend trying this delectable bread. I always pick up a couple when we are nearby.

 

Happy Easter

The photo was achieved by pulling a black and white photo of Walk on the Water Faith Church, Osage Beach, Missouri, over a photo of  Dogwood blooms.  I took both photos in 2009.  You can learn more about using textures/masks at The Blue Ridge Gal.

~BC’s Kitchen~

 Thursday was one of those beautiful days, we sometimes have in January. The sun was shining, temperatures in low 20’s F; a great day for a little trip south.

The Meadows, at Lake Saint Louis, was our destination. We were on a hunt for new pillows.

After shopping, we had lunch at BC’s, at The Meadows.

Stop by Michael’s each Friday, for Foodie News and Recipes.

 

 BC’s Kitchen information HERE

J’s drink was an organic coffee. Strong but wonderfully aromatic and delicious.

I chose iced tea, unsweetened, with lemon.

  J ordered an all American favorite, cheeseburger and fries, medium well with cheddar.

His favorite is the great old tavern burgers, he remembers from his youthful days.  This looks like it might fit the bill.

 Peppercorn Vinaigrette was the dressing for my salad.

My meal, a pasta dish made with butternut squash.

Our server was kind enough to tell us how to put together this ravioli, with butternut squash and roasted chicken, at home.

The ravioli, handmade in
BC’s kitchen, is stuffed with butternut squash.

The white sauce is infused with sage. The dish was served with a garlic butter baguette.

An easy way to prepare this dish:

One roasted chicken, from the deli, cubed

1 Package of squash stuffed ravioli

Cubed butternut squash

Chopped flat leaf parsley

Parmesan cheese

White sauce, of your choice.  I imagine a jar of Alfredo will do nicely. Remember to add the sage.

Serve with a nice white wine.

Our server told me the squash ravioli can be purchased prepared.  When I find all the ingredients needed, I’m going to give this dish a try.

Excellent!

Our server was excellent too!

 

 We were very happy BC’s is located just around the corner from BB&B.  We were famished, after the rigors of pillow shopping.

Do you have any suggestions for really great firm pillows?

I chose one I think might work for me, we’ll see. I’ve been feeling a tad like the Princess and the Pea, only with pillows instead of mattresses.  I have a euro pillow in a synthetic, two standard feather pillows and a synthetic standard pillow.  None of these, alone or in any combination, has worked so well, of late. 

At the urging of a salesperson, J tried out a couple of pillows.  Did you know you can actually try out pillows on one of the display beds at Bed Bath & Beyond?  I didn’t know that. After trying the pillows and being assured, if he isn’t completely happy with his purchase, he can return it, he decided to bring home a memory foam, on speculation.

I can’t thank you enough for your wonderful comments on the Black & White post. I love black and white photography and enjoy experimenting with it.  Your comments and encouragement are very much appreciated.

Sunshine is promised, for the weekend.  If the predicted snow passes by, or goes south, as they are telling us, we plan to take a little day trip.  More about that, Sunday, if all goes well.

Have a wonderful weekend!

I used J’s Canon G11 for the photos, featured in this post.  No flash, set on auto.  I was more interested in the food, than art!

~Rhoda’s Recipe Party~

  Chocolate Tower Cake

Tuesday, we had our routine check ups, with our doctor, in west St Louis County. 

We had a light breakfast, around 9 AM and no lunch before starting the hour drive to the outskirts of the big city.  The plan was to have a late lunch, after our 2 PM appointment. 

We schedule our appointments together and share an exam room.  The doctor was running a tad late.  It was after 2:30, when we were called in.  Before, during and after our exams, J and the doctor talked fishing.  J told him about the big fish, at the lake.  Doctor told us about a guided fishing trip, on the Amazon River, during a medical mission.  He was not on the fishing trip, but related the story about the fishermen who were out on the big South American river, all day long, only catching two tiny fish.  To top the day, the fellows ran out of gas!  It must have been quite an adventure to run out of gas on the Amazon River.  It was a fun story, we enjoyed!

We had excellent check ups and got our pneumonia shots.  By this time it was after 3:30.  Because we had been such “good kids”, we thought we deserved an early supper at The Cheesecake Factory.  I brought home a slice of Chocolate Tower Cake and J chose Carrot Cake.  The photo, above, shows a tiny portion of the serving.

This brings me to the recipe I want to share for Rhoda’s party; Salisbury Steak.  This was J’s meal at The Cheesecake Factory and the inspiration for my contribution.

Rhoda, at Southern Hospitality is hosting a recipe party.  Stop by, Thursday October 22, to see what delicious recipes, folks around blogland, have contributed.

Pat’s Salisbury Steak

Two Lbs Cube Steak or Ground Sirloin (made into 1 inch thick patties)

Flour

Garlic Powder

Oil

1 or 2 Cans Cream of Mushroom Soup

1 Pint Mushrooms

1/2 cup sliced Onion

Dredge steak or patties in flour (add garlic powder to flour) and brown in 2 or 3 tablespoons oil.  Remove steaks from skillet. Drain oil from skillet, until almost dry and sauté sliced mushrooms and onion.  Place steaks back into skillet and cover with mushroom soup.  Bring to simmer and cover.  Simmer about 30 minutes, until steak is done.

I believe traditional Salisbury Steak is made with ground beef, but cube steak is what I had in the freezer.

Serve with mashed potatoes and salad or other vegetable.

Enjoy!

To continue the delicious foodie fun, stop by Michael’s, at Designs by Gollum, each Friday.

PREVIEW:

The master suite mini makeover is complete.  I’m working on a reveal post, to be published Sunday.  All the bedroom photos are finished. Today, Wednesday, I’m working on getting photos of the bathroom. 

Rhoda’s party post is my last, until Sunday.  I’m hoping to catch up with blog visits, between now and Sunday.  We are pretty busy for a couple of “elderly” folks, so I’ve fallen behind in my blogginess, lately! 

Have a wonderful weekend!

~Table for Two in Yellow & Blue~

Stop by Susan’s Between Naps on the Porch for beautiful tablescaping around the land of blog, each Thursday.

Foodie Friday is a fun event, each week, at Designs by Gollum.

Spaghetti and Meatballs

1.5 pounds very lean ground sirloin

2 eggs (beaten)

1/4 cup chopped onion

Dried or fresh Oregano and Basil, to taste.

1 garlic clove (minced) or garlic salt/powder

3/4 cup dried bread crumbs (plain)

Spray cookie sheet, mix ingredients and form meatballs. Baking at 375, about 40 minutes.

While the meatballs are baking, place 2 15 ounce cans tomato sauce and one 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes in a dutch oven.  Add Oregano and Basil to taste and simmer.  When the meatballs have baked, add them to the sauce and continue to simmer.

Cook spaghetti (al dente) in boiling water. Drain and toss with about 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil. Serve with meatball sauce, topped with freshly grated parmesan cheese and basil.

While I prefer fresh herbs, I didn’t happen to have any on hand, here at the lake. I used dried herbs, crushed between my palms to release the flavor.

I served this dish with crusty bread.

There are a variety of recipes for meatballs.  I tend to make mine, in this way, most often. However, I am apt to mix it up a bit, if the mood strikes me right.

Enjoy!

It started with the blue and yellow bouquet, I found at Trader Joe’s.  I added the blue birds, cobalt glassware, white dishes and blue and yellow placemats and napkins; giving our table a sort of French Country look.

Gifts~

Before leaving for the lake, Monday morning, J had an appointment with his Urologist, in Saint Louis, for his 6 month check up.

As many of you know, J is a Prostate Cancer survivor. The appointment went well.

While we were waiting, a couple came into the waiting room and sat across from us. J asked the gentleman about the cap he was wearing.  The man was so pleased and proud to tell us about the cap.  In the end, the conversation was a  beautiful gift we accepted with much gratitude.

You see, the man we met, is retired military.  The cap he was wearing proclaimed him a three war veteran.

At 82, Mr T. was an exuberant storyteller and enjoyed telling us about his military experiences, beginning at the age of 17,When he enlisted and served in the Army (Pacific, where my father served), during World War 2.  Later, Mr T. joined the Marines and served in Korea.  He served 22 years, including service in the Air Force, in Vietnam.

Mr. T. was to have surgery this week.  Our thoughts and prayers are with him.

Because of this soldier and others like him, we are able to enjoy this beautiful lake place and much more.  Thank you for your service and to all those who still go in harms way, protecting our freedom!

Morning mist, October 7, 2009

 Remember, there is still time to sign up for my 400th post giveaway. 

The giveaway closes, Monday October 12 @ 7:00AM, CDT. Click the image to add your name.

CAMERA NEWS

I’m still awaiting the return of my Canon. A technical delay, is what I am told.

These photos were taken with a Kodak EasyShare (point and shoot).