SOPHIE IN SILHOUETTE.........

Stealing a great idea from Mrs. Blanding's blog I made a silhouette pillow of Miss Sophie....I was so torn on whether to use solid material or this check .....I'm not a plain person.... I love anything checked, striped, plaid and dots!! After agonizing over it for days I finally broke down and asked the daughter her opinion, after all it was being made for the sofa in her music room....Like mother like daughter....she loved the check with the brush trim and I think it came out pretty well if I have to say so myself......

BOO!!!!!!!!!!!!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

10 Years ago today we welcomed into our lives a little, well not that little, furry ball of dog.....we named him "BOO"....not because he's white as a ghost but because it was Halloween and I knew someday his hijinks would scare me...............On another holiday note....38 years ago today while others were out Trick or Treating I was marrying the "Boss".......Yikes.

THE SANDRA EVERTSON BLOG.......

I found the most amazing blog by an artist called Sandra Evertson.....If you haven't seen it yet you need to take a peek. She is so creative in both her writing and her artwork and photo's.....it's like reading fairy tales with fabulous pictures.....The above picture was so kindly offered to her readers to download and I am in the process of making a pillow out of it......if you go over make sure you don't miss her Halloween tale of "Little Red Riding Hood"....her version...It's priceless, let's just say a dog is involved.....

http://www.sandraevertson.blogspot.com/ sorry...I still don't no how to link....

MARTHAISM'S...........

Okay let me first say I do like Martha Stewart, first because she's a Jersey girl made good, she's Polish (I'm half and half)and the women is very talented............but poor Martha is becoming a caricature of herself.....I was just watching her daytime show when she announced that Rosie O'Donald will be on tomorrow doing Halloween crafts....and she actually said she will be doing...."Dee-Cu-Paj"....is she kidding? I've always been confused when she pronounces "Marinade"....because she says "Marinod"....I always wonder if she's referring to two totally different things? Can someone clear that up for me....and then she was on with Neil Cavudo yesterday talking about the election and the economy...Neil wanted to know what she thought about raising taxes on people making more then $250,000. a year and should a young couple where both people have good jobs be put in the same category as a "Martha Stewart".......her response...."They are just going to have to suck it up." This kinda puts into perspective that there are people who are well off and then there are people who are RICH.........he then asked her who she supports for President.....She said.."Oh, Obama ofcourse." I don't have a problem with that ofcourse but the women is a felon, they took her right to vote away from her......so why is her opinion important? That's just my opinion......No booing from Martha supporters.

So we discussed this tonight and I did Google about felons and voting....It seems in New York state they can vote if no longer in jail or on parole....so I'm sorry Martha....but you still pronounce things funny.......

I LOVE I LOVE I LOVE MY CALENDAR GIRL.......

MISS JANUARY....
HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!!

MISS MARCH....IN LIKE A LION..OUT LIKE A LAMB.

TAX DEDUCTION!!

IT'S MY BIRTHDAY....MAY 30TH.

I'M AN IVY LEAGUE BABY......

JUST FOR GRANDMA....A SALUTE TO LADY LIBERTY

GET ME THE SUNSCREEN......AUGUST IS HOT HOT HOT.....

BACK TO SCHOOL.....OH, I'M NOT OLD ENOUGH FOR SCHOOL.

MISS OCTOBER.....PUMPKIN TIME!!

NOVEMBER.....GOBBLE GOBBLE...

LITTLE MISS DECEMBER.

With the end of the year fast approaching I thought I would share my favorite Christmas gift from last year.....My very talented daughter made a calendar of Miss Sophie and she made all the costumes herself....I hear this year will bring another one as they are on daily photo shoots....Miss Sophie is very cooperative and loves to have her picture taken but as someone just pointed out she's going to grow up with red spots infront of her eyes.....I can't wait to see this years issue and will share it with you all as soon as I get it....I think this kid needs to be a model, what do you think??

MOVIE NIGHT FRY FEST...........

Tonight was movie night and to get through Indiana Jones and Harrison Ford is getting way too old to make movies......I had to cook up something exciting....What better then some fried chicken and fries....Did I mention that I did this at 11:30 p.m. We used to go to this great restaurant here in Atlanta called Mick's down on Peachtree Street but it closed under mysterious circumstances. Well, not exactly mysterious as we know why it closed but we would rather not put it in print....The food was fabulous. I would always get either their chicken pot pie or their chicken fingers with peach dipping sauce. I have managed to re-produce the fingers and dipping sauce....I'm sure it's very bad for you especially at 11:30 at night but if the movie didn't kill me I figured I was safe....here's how I make it.....

Buttermilk chicken strips with peach/honey/Dijon mustard dipping sauce and homemade french fries.....................

1 pound of chicken tenders with that white stringy thing removed. I do this with a scissor

soak them in 2 cups of buttermilk overnight.

dredge them in flour mixed with some garlic salt and fry in an inch or two of oil until golden brown.

dipping sauce..........1 cup of peach preserves, about a tablespoon of honey and a tablespoon of Dijon mustard, a sprinkle of garlic salt. Stir together and heat until warm...

I found an easy way to quickly cook up homemade fries. I cut a large russet potato into thin strips....One large potato is plenty for two people. I leave the skin on. I placed the strips on a shallow dish and microwaved them for 3 minutes. I heated up my oil in a large shallow pan and when it was hot, I always dip the end of a wooden spoon into the oil if it bubbles it's ready to go, and I cooked them until golden brown....This took a matter of minutes instead of the typical 15 to 20 minutes.....They came just as good.....After eating this I don't recommend going right to bed, it might induce nightmares.........

LA MOUFFE! ......THE NAME BEHIND THE BLOG

What in the world is the Rue Mouffetard? By now you have probably figured out that it's a street in Paris but what a funny name for a blog. Neabear asked me today where the name came from and what does it mean........Back when daughter was in law school she had the opportunity to study at the Sorbonne in Paris. At the last minute her would be room mate backed out and heavens we couldn't let her travel off to Paris alone so the Boss suggested I pack my bags and go along....Never one to argue with the Boss and one very expensive airline ticket later......have you ever bought an airline ticket with less then a weeks notice....... I was off to spend the summer in the city of lights!! Daughter had sub-let a studio apartment and that was our first glance at Paris life.....The day we arrived, with more luggage then two people have the nerve to own, we found ourselves climbing a small spiral staircase up many flights to reach an apartment two small for grown-up people....picture this....smaller then a closet was a toilet behind a door on your right. Then there was the "kitchen" and I'll use the term loosely. A sink, a bad stove top and a toaster oven.....oh yes the fridge...smaller then your usual dorm fridge. Our living quarters. One futon, one t.v. (French only) and two windows to nowhere. It was the only apartment in Paris without some sort of view...and then there was the bathroom...a tub with shower, no shower curtain, a sink and a very large hot water heater.....I just wanted to set the stage...

Daughter would go off to classes in the morning and Mom, having nothing to do and with a fear of getting lost if I traveled too far, would wander the local neighborhood. That's when I found the "Rue Mouffetard".........better known as La Mouffe. I followed the scent of food. Across the street from our apartment was a small street market that was open a few days a week and it closed by noon. I just knew there had to be more so I traveled a bit farther......There it was a foodies paradise....The street starts up on a hill.....long and very narrow....cobblestones under foot....and food..food....food....everything you could ever want. Fruits, vegetables, cheeses, wine, pastries, flowers and saving the best for last the chicken....Not just any chicken...no sir no Chick Fil A...this was CHICKEN......there are store fronts that have huge rotisseries spinning around roasting chicken that were probably alive that morning. At the bottom of the rotisserie are potatoes that just sit there all day cooking in the juices of the dripping chickens...But I'm a cooker....I like to cook my own food not buy others. So I would buy my chicken take it back to the apartment and roast it myself....Now if you've been following the story you know there was no oven in the kitchen......What's one to do.....Cook it in the toaster oven. Yes, that's right, I perfected roasting a chicken in a toaster oven.....But the real story here is the chicken. Daughter came into the kitchen one day to find me fondling the bird. I was mesmerized......I had never and I mean never seen such freshness in anything! I swear the skin still felt warm...It was a glorious shade of pale pink....so beautiful I hated to cook it. Needless to say it got oiled up with garlic and herbs baked until golden brown and served with a side of "Real French Fries" it was a dinner I will never forget....It turned out to be one of our favorite things to cook. I also made alot of sausage and peppers and grilled chicken breast sandwichs........I'm probably the only person to go to France and cook instead of eating out. I made many more trips to the Rue Mouffetard during our stay and after a few weeks I even got the nerve to get on the subway, change trains and find my way over to the Les Invalides to buy the daughter a wonderful little silver box with a bee on top that we had seen when we toured the museum. I was shocked that I was able to find my way back home before she got back from school......I have since misplaced all my pictures we took (all 42 rolls of film) so the pictures above aren't mine. If I ever find mine I will post them because they are wonderful......for anyone traveling to Paris in the future you must stop by LaMouffe.....it's located in the 5th. arrondissement better known as the Latin Quarter and can be reached on the metro stop Place Monge. Just take the escalator to the street turn to the right and walk until you smell the chicken!!!

WHAT'S FOR LUNCH....OR IS IT BRUNCH??

served around noon........egg...potato...peppers and assiago cheese frittata........sausage, tomatoes and biscuits!!

I HAVE BEEN TAGGED......

I have been tagged by SimplyDecorated@blogspot.com and since I am a computer idiot I have no idea how to "link" things up...so that's the best I can do today....Somebody let me know the secret of including links.....Alice wants me to share 6 quirky things about me or 6 things I collect and list 6 other blogs.....well since I mentioned Sue isn't a linker I'll just go with the first 6 things...

1.) This is for sure the big one.....when ever I eat out I ALWAYS....have to either get alot of ice in my glass or get an extra glass of ice....This drives Miss D. to drink.

2.) Another restaurant quirk....I did make a spectacle out of myself once at Commander's Palace in New Orleans.....I have to be sitting in just the right chair. I have been known to switch seats multiple times in order to be "just right".....or to have a good view. Hence Commander's....I ended up with a great view of the gardens out back.....another instance when I embarrassed
Big "D".........

3.) this is more a fast food quirk.....can't stand ketchup, mustard or Mayo on anything....This has been driving the husband nuts for 40 years.....Especially when ordering burgers for me at White Castle up in Jersey where he would be in line with "bikers" who had no patience for special requests.....I can't tell you how many fights this has caused over the years....Hey, I hate gooey stuff......

4.) I can't eat with a ceiling fan blowing over my head.....it makes the food cold and what about falling dust?

5.) I can't stand to food shop in the same week in multiple stores....I feel you just don't get the same stuff for your money...I always feel cheated....It's like going through the express lane a few times a week. Your money goes much further if you spend it all at one time...I know that makes no sense...

and ...............6.) I have an unusual attachment to the state of New Jersey.....

I did just speak to daughter and she said one of my quirks is that no matter where I go I always have a coupon...for everything. This reminds me of the time me and the Boss were vacationing in Charleston S.C. and we went into the Le Crueset store in town....He seemed shocked that I had a 20% off coupon......Hey, I read those free magazines they have for tourists at the rest stops on the highway!

ROAD TRIP................BARNSLEY GARDENS

Barnsley Garden ruins......Adairsville Georgia

Fish Eye lens.......

A BEE!!

there were hundreds of these all over the ground......

Fancy smancy bathroom at the resturant on the grounds of the gardens.....I thought it was soap!!

one of many vacation rental houses on the property......

beautiful scalloped roof on a purple house......

another vacation house.....

MY GIRLS.......at the pumpkin patch.

IT'S ALL IN THE PACKAGING.....

For the past couple of months I discovered and have been enjoying baking the No-Knead bread.....but just how much bread can a person eat. The Boss loves the cinnamon raisin and I prefer the seeded rye so we always have more loaf then we can consume. I do love to cook and bake for other people so what could be better then giving them bread.....everybody loves hot bread straight from the oven. The bread is so simple to make you actually make it in your sleep. It sits and rises all night while I doze and it's ready in the morning to be baked. When I make it for Necie to the left of me I just walk it over on my Boo's Block....but the other day I was meeting Mrs. Duval for lunch and needed to package it for traveling. A little parchment paper, some cord and a sprig of rosemary with a dried lemon wedge let Mrs. D. know what to expect.....I thru in some Plugra European style butter because what's a good loaf of bread without really good butter...She always appreciates everything I make and she always makes me feel like I do have some bit of talent in the kitchen...........I hope her and Big Charlie enjoyed it..........