PEAR WALNUT BREAD WITH QUICK APPLE BUTTER

One of the most enjoyable things we did

while living in Maine, was taking

weekend jaunts around the New England states

seeing the sights, visiting Bread and Breakfast Inns

and photographing seaside towns.

There are hundreds of B&B's all over

this area, and they welcome you to visit and take a tour

of their beautiful homes.

There will often be coffee, tea and breads on

display in the dining rooms and this recipe

comes from Ludlow, Vermont!

The apple butter makes this bread simply divine! 

Pear Walnut Bread

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

Pinch nutmeg

1/4 cup buttermilk

1 cup coarsely chopped cored pears

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Cream butter, gradually beat in sugar, and add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Combine dry ingredients and add to egg mixture alternately with buttermilk. Stir in pears, vanilla, and nuts. Pour into a greased loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour. Cool. Slice and serve plain, with Quick Apple Butter or with cream cheese.

Quick Apple Butter

2 cups unsweetened applesauce

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

Pinch each of ginger and cloves

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan, bring to a boil, and simmer 30 minutes.

 Cool and spread on Pear Bread.

HOT CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES WITH MARSHMALLOW CREAM FEATURED WITH A NANTUCKET ARTIST

I am a huge fan of Claire Murray and her coastal designs. I have had this set for a number of years and decided that this would create a lovely vignette in the kitchen. Claire Murray has a studio in Freeport, Maine, which we visited often while living in Maine. I also have a hand-hooked wool rug from her collection, which is placed in one of our guest bedrooms. Claire Murray is a designer and entrepreneur who currently resides in Nantucket. She has a true gift for coastal designs.

 

This snowman is one of my all time favorites. Not only is about the cutest thing ever, but it was a Christmas gift from my son, Nick. Notice the little red cardinal on the campfire log. I said there would be cardinals throughout our home this Christmas and they are appearing in all sorts of places. Claire Murray also included the cardinal in this particular pottery artwork. This video features Claire telling her own story and I think you may also become a fan of this lovely artist!

 

HOT CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1/4 cup powdered hot cocoa mix
1/2 cup baking cocoa
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup prepared hot cocoa

 

MARSHMALLOW FROSTING

1 stick unsalted butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup marshmallow cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Prepare cupcake pan by lining with cupcake liners.  Combine flour, hot cocoa mix, baking cocoa, salt, baking soda and baking powder together in a bowl.  Set aside.  Cream together sugar and vegetable oil with a hand mixer.  Add eggs, mixing well.  Add vanilla.  Stir in prepared hot cocoa.  Begin adding flour mixture to sugar mixer.  Alternate adding flour mixture and buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour.  When mixture in well-combined, fill cupcake liners 3/4 full. Bake @ 350 degrees F.  for 12-15 minutes. Cool before frosting.

 

Meanwhile with an electric mixer, whip together unsalted butter and marshmallow cream.  Add vanilla, and mix until combine.  Add powdered sugar and beat until fluffy and desired consistency.  Spread frosting on cooled cupcakes

Pumpkin Cookies.....The Most Requested!

It was one of those perfect Autumn days in Maine...the air was fresh, the mist hovered over the fields and there was cold wind blowing the leaves all about. Wild turkeys love this sort of weather and you could see the flocks in a distance on all of the farms. We loved these sort of days. It was Autumn in New England!

I would often bake cookies and share them with the neighbors or send them to work with Darling. I'll bet they miss my sweet treats right about now. Don't let the month of October pass by without baking these for the ones you love. I will just bet that they will add a little spice to your memories of family and home!

My Most Requested Pumpkin Cookies

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon fine salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 large eggs

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 cup canned pumpkin purée

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup butterscotch chips OR MINI CHOCOLATE CHIPS

Powdered sugar for dusting

Heat the oven to 325°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, coat the paper with butter, and set aside.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a medium bowl, and set aside.

Place the eggs and sugar in the bowl of a hand mixer. Mix on on medium speed until smooth and lightened in color, about 1 minute. Stop the mixer and using a rubber spatula, scrape down the sides of the bowl. Turn the mixer to low speed, add the oil, pumpkin, and vanilla, and mix until evenly blended. Add the flour mixture, and mix until just incorporated. Add in the butterscotch chips and mix until evenly distributed.

Using an ice cream scoop, scoop mounds of the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing the cookies at least 2 1/2 inches apart. Using a thin metal spatula, smooth the tops of the mounds.

Bake the cookies one sheet at a time until the tops feel firm and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry, about 16 minutes. Cool them on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then use a wide metal spatula to transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Dust the cooled cookies lightly with powdered sugar.

The Reviews

I keep coming back to this recipe over and over again. This is a huge crowd pleaser and the recipe is very adaptable.
You can also change this up by adding walnuts, dried cranberries and/or chocolate chips. Of all my cookies these are the most asked for at pot lucks.

I made these, and I can't praise them enough. They are simple, delicious, cakey delights. I followed the recipe exactly, using the ice cream scoop, and they turned out perfectly. I used chocolate chips instead of butterscotch, and added pecans. They were all gone in 2 days!

Please Come To Boston

One of the most beautiful trips we experienced while living in Maine, was our trip to Boston last May. The sights and sounds of this bustling city are sometimes overwhelming, but oh my goodness...the history found here is incredible!

The Swan Boats in Boston Commons

Greg and Jenn were making their first visit to us shortly after we moved up to Maine. It was THE most beautiful spring of our entire living experience up in New England. We packed a lot of sightseeing into that week and decided to include Boston for a few days before they headed back to Texas. It was a really good decision to do so. 

This rather fashionable sweetheart was resting in front of the Old South Church

The Old South Church of Boston-Huge and Architecturally Beautiful

A small Italian grocery in the North End of Little Italy. A bird had flown into the grocery and was currently being shooed out the front door

I thought you might enjoy just seeing the ordinary sights and what it would be like to live in Boston. We all agreed that the way to see Boston, as there is so much ground to cover, is to research and plan your trip before your arrival.

The Boston Harbor Hotel..How Grand! We had champagne brunch here out by the harbor view!

We were sitting right up there under the umbrellas. A small portion of the hotel is in this view.

This is a private residence Brownstone. Want to live in one? This particular one is in the Beacon Hill area and they are normally priced at 1 million and up!

This was a view of the Charles River taken from one of the trolley tours. We preferred the trolley tour from one of the Duck Tours as you are able to see more traveling through the city. The Duck tours will take you half of the time through Boston and the second half floating down the Charles River. Boston is so big there are certain areas of the city you will tour on each trolley.

Yes we took many pictures of some of the famous places, such as the Old North Church, Paul Revere's house, etc., but I love seeing just everyday living sometimes!

I simply could not get enough of the magnificent brownstones. Can you imagine living in one?

Beach House Decorating

Can you imagine yourself entertaining and welcoming friends to your 100-year-old vacation house in New England? This retreat is located in Massachusetts with stunning ocean views from every window. The homeowner invites her friends to spend the weekend,  who are a chummy band of women who've coached one another through everything from child rearing to retirement. By the carload, the ladies arrive at the five-bedroom retreat, clad in Capri pants, with their paraphernalia, pocketbooks, and knitting bags!  Plus wine. Now, THAT sounds like a marvelous weekend! 

I love the Bluestone pavers and Shasta daisies lead to the front door. Using the daisies seemed to keep the feel of being easy, breezy and relaxing! 

There is a casual approach to decorating.

 A beachy, barefoot quality by incorporating a braided rag rug,

  mismatched seats, and a pair of oars leaning in one corner.

This seems to help define the breakfast area.

 

 This lucky homeowner used a  theme of sun, sea, sand, and  painted furniture!  She envisioned lobster-red Adirondack chairs, gray-blue nightstands, and a melon-bright coffee table, but choosing the right shades proved difficult. The interior designer recommended white wall tiles and celadon cabinets. 

 

The kitchen's slate apron-front sink incorporates local icons:

a windmill, whale, lighthouse, and the word riptide.

Wood-Mode cabinetry stores the homeowners collection of Fiestaware.

The Reading Nook is my absolute favorite room in this home.

 
In the master bedroom's sitting area, a pair of chairs covered in cotton matelassé swivel to face the harbor. A model sailboat from sits atop a reclaimed-wood table. The walls are painted in the shade called "Icy Morn" by Benjamin Moore.

Imagine waking up to this view each morning! 

Out on the patio, guests are invited to relax in colorful Adirondack chairs. I am totally in love with this oceanside theme!  What a magnificient coastal home! OK! Now I think I have the inspiration I need to decorate our new media room. I hope you were also inspired.....ok, girls...ready, set...decorate!

Best Bagels in Town!

There are a few places near and dear to our hearts. Georgia, Texas and New England! As we all know, to maintain a healthy mind and body, it's best to start your day out right!

Have you included bagels in your morning breakfast? Estelle's loves to serve the Everything Bagel with cream cheese, a big fresh slice of tomato, and a sprinkling of salt and coarse ground pepper. Sometimes, The Divine Miss M and I include a fresh slice of smoked salmon! Simply delish!

According to Epicurious Magazine, these are some hot spots to try when traveling in order to find America's Best Bagels!

BB's Bagels is a small diner located in Alpharetta, Georgia. It is owned and operated by married couple, Eddie and Anna Siino, who employ many friends and other family from the New York / New Jersey area.

 It's the only place in the entire Atlanta area offering hand-rolled, kettle-boiled bagels, and earns John Kessler's (of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution) respect as "the city's best", even if they do require a bit of a hike to enjoy. As a self-described "boring bagel fresser" who typically orders sesame or everything with plain or scallion cream cheese, Kessler acknowledges the beauty of BB's olive-pimiento schmear: "It has a nice sense of place because it seems kind of like Jewish pimiento cheese." BB's Bagels is located at 770 McFarland Pkwy in Alpharetta!

Traveling down to visit Austin, Texas, which Greg and Jenn frequently do, they love to grab a quick breakfast at Wholy Bagel.

 Rachel Feit of The Austin Chronicle believes the longhorns have proven themselves capable of producing a quality bagel. "I look for a slightly glossy, firm, almost crunchy exterior, with a soft, chewy interior," says Feit. "It's also important that the bagels have some salt in the dough." Wholy Bagel, opened in 2010 by New Jersey transplant and former bakery-supply salesman Scott Campanozzi, stands up to Feit's high standards. The bagels are kettled and baked on the premises, and by about 1 p.m., the shop is usually sold out of most varieties. Specialties include salt, everything, sesame, and onion, along with real pork roll flown in from back East. Wholy Bagel also takes pride in its location, offering a Texas-style baker's dozen of 14. Campanozzi's reasoning? Everything's bigger in Texas. Wholy Bagel is located at 4404 W. William Cannon Dr. in Austin!



While living in Maine, we had the opportunity one weekend of visiting Brookline, Massachusetts. Kupel's Bakery came highly recommended to us for a weekend brunch!

 Although the "smaller and much softer" Boston bagel can't beat that nice chew you find in New York, Boston Magazine's contributing food editor Annie Copps says Kupel's Bakery in nearby Brookline, Massachusetts, makes a bagel that is somewhere in between, and offers "crazy-good cream cheese spreads." Opened in the late 1970s by the Kupelnik family, Kupel's has new owners who continue the tradition of making imperfectly shaped bagels. They offer more than 20 bagel varieties but sesame, egg, and poppy seed are their "calling cards." The extensive cream cheese selection includes scallion, honey walnut, dill, and green olive. And Copps reports that Kupel's also bakes up classic Jewish breads like rye, pumpernickel, and several kinds of challah.

Just look at the variety of Bagels they offer....Plain, Egg, Onion, Sesame,Cinnamon Raisin, Poppy Seed, Everything California, Black and White, Pumpernickel, Sissel (Caraway) Salt, Jalapeno, Cinnamon Glaze,

Onion Sesame Garlic, Whole Wheat, Whole Wheat Raisin, Whole Wheat Onion, Whole Wheat Sesame, Whole Wheat Poppy, Whole Wheat Everything....whew!

Once you have selected your bagels of choice, you can move on to the Cream Cheeses.....decisions, decisions....Regular, Plain, Chive (Scallion),Vegetable, Salmon (Lox), Garlic/Herb, Green Olive, Strawberry, Honey Walnut, Dill, Horseradish,  Miami Lox (Scallion), Egg Salad, Tuna Salad, Whitefish Salad, Hummus and Tabouli!

Now, I'll just bet this is enough inspiration for us all to serve up a Bagel Breakfast with plenty of healthy variety....Yes...that's it...Let's make a Bagel Breakfast Bar!! Fun on a Bun, as Greg would say!



.

Boston....Beautiful Works of Art

"Years ago I decided that the greatest need in our Country was Art…

We were a very young country and had very few opportunities of seeing

 beautiful things, works of art…

So, I determined to make it my life's work if I could."

~ Isabella Stewart Gardner, on the creation of her museum, 1917

Isabella Stewart Gardner

Isabella Stewart Gardner was born in New York City on April 14, 1840. She was the child of David Stewart, of Scottish descent, who made his fortune in the Irish linen trade and later in mining investments. Her mother was Adelia Smith, descendant of Richard Smith, an Englishman who had settled in Boston in 1650. She was named for her beloved paternal grandmother, Isabella Tod Stewart.

Isabella Stewart was educated at private schools in New York and Paris. Her first connection with Boston came through her schooling, between 1856 and 1858 in Paris, where a friendship with schoolmate Julia Gardner led to her eventual marriage to Julia's older brother John ("Jack") Lowell Gardner Jr. (1837-1898) on April 10, 1860. The couple was married in New York City and moved to Boston, Jack's hometown, where they settled into a house, a wedding gift from her father, at 152 Beacon Street in the Back Bay section of the city.

Isabella  gave birth to a son, John L. Gardner III, known as "Jackie." At just two years of age, Jackie died of pneumonia in March 1865, and during the two years that followed his death, Isabella Stewart Gardner endured depression and illness. At a doctor's suggestion, John Gardner took his wife to Europe to travel throughout Scandinavia, Russia, Vienna, and Paris and, upon returning home, Isabella Gardner was in good health and spirits. Although the Gardners had no more children, they raised their three nephews following the death of Jack's widowed brother.

Back in Boston, Isabella Gardner was an avid entertainer and frequent patron of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. The Gardners hosted dinner parties with well-known guests, including author Henry James, writer Sarah Orne Jewett, philosopher George Santayana, and writer of the Battle Hymn of the Republic, Julia Ward Howe, as well as friends and artists like John Singer Sargent. The archives hold more than 7,000 letters from 1,000 correspondents as testaments to Isabella Gardner's social nature. These include glowing letters of thanks for dinner parties, concerts, and celebrations in her magnificent palazzo ("Has the music room dissolved, this morning, in the sunshine? I felt last night as though I were in a Hans Anderson Fairy Tale, ready to go on a flying carpet at any moment," T.R. Sullivan, Jan. 10, 1902). Isabella Stewart Gardner was also interested in sports. She attended Red Sox games, boxing matches, and hockey and football games at Harvard College. She relished in horse races, particularly if her horse won. Her motto was "Win as though you were used to it, and lose as if you like it."

In 1919, Isabella Stewart Gardner suffered the first of a series of strokes and died five years later, on July 17, 1924. Her will created an endowment of $1 million and outlined stipulations for the support of the museum, including that the permanent collection not be significantly altered. In keeping with her philanthropic nature, her will also left sizable bequests to the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, Industrial School for Crippled and Deformed Children, Animal Rescue League and Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Isabella Stewart Gardner is buried in Mount Auburn Cemetery, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, between her husband and her son.

Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

280 The Fenway

Isabella Stewart Gardner traveled the world and worked with important art patrons and advisors Bernard Berenson and Okakura Kakuzo to amass a remarkable collection of master and decorative arts. In 1903, she completed the construction of Fenway Court in Boston to house her collection.

The museum which bears her name also stands as a testament to her vision. Isabella Stewart Gardner, known also as "Mrs. Jack" in reference to her husband, John L. ("Jack") Gardner, was one of the foremost female patrons of the arts.

A Tour on Martha's Vineyard and Summer's Bounty!

One of the places on my "bucket list" so to speak, is to visit Martha's Vineyard. I always dreamed of visiting New England and that dream came true! I never imagined we would actually "live" here however, so now that we do, we are definitely going to motor over to Massachusetts and spend some time sightseeing on this picturesque island! I have researched the Bed and Breakfast I would like for us to stay and simply cannot wait to see this breathtaking Inn!

"Edgartown's Charlotte Inn ~
A classic example of the traditional New England Country Inn,
combining elegance with a quiet, comfortable atmosphere."
~ The Boston Herald

A Maine House Mosaic

In stately Edgartown on Martha’s Vineyard, sits the Edwardian- era Revival home of The Charlotte Inn, which was built in 1864 for Samuel Osborne. Shaded by the magnificent trees lining South Summer Street, The Charlotte Inn has been a secluded haven for guests visiting the island of Martha’s Vineyard for four decades. Visitors to this charming locale will step back in time and experience Edwardian-style elegance amid the stunning nineteenth-century oil paintings, impeccable antiques, and striking collections found throughout the public and private rooms. The inn is a member of the esteemed Relais and Châteaux, an international organization that rates privately owned small hotels. This renowned New England landmark offers patrons an outstanding experience with luxurious creature comforts, exceptional dining, exemplary personalized service, and a genteel atmosphere dedicated to the finer things in life.

As we relish the summer months, these are excellent dishes that will allow you to incorporate your summer garden's bounty of fresh vegetables or use that which you purchase from your local Farmer's Market.

 These are amazingly colorful and absolutely delicious!

Fresh Corn Fritters

1 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels (from about 3 ears), chopped

2 tsp. fresh lime juice

1 egg

1/2 cup milk

2 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted and cooled

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup fine cornmeal

1 tsp. baking powder

3/4 tsp. kosher salt

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

Canola oil for deep-frying

Lime wedges for serving

In a small bowl, stir together the corn kernels and lime juice. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg, milk and butter until blended. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt and cayenne. Quickly mix the egg mixture into the flour mixture until smooth. Fold in the corn mixture.

In a deep saucepan, pour oil to a depth of 1 inch and heat to 375°F on a deep-frying thermometer. Put 1 or 2 wire racks on a large rimmed baking sheet and place near the stove. Gently drop the batter by heaping tablespoonfuls into the hot oil, being careful not to crowd the pan. Fry until browned on one side, about 2 minutes. Flip the fritters over and fry until golden, puffed and cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes more. Be careful, as the hot oil may splatter. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to the prepared rack(s) to drain. Repeat with the remaining batter. Transfer the hot fritters to a napkin-lined basket and serve immediately with the lime wedges. Makes about 24 fritters.

Baked Zucchini and Tomatoes

2 Tbs. olive oil

1 red onion, sliced

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

3/4 lb. plum tomatoes, sliced

2 small zucchini, about 3/4 lb. total, sliced

1 Tbs. minced fresh basil

1 Tbs. minced fresh marjoram

1/4 cup water or chicken broth

Preheat an oven to 350°F. Butter or oil a shallow 2-quart baking dish.

In a fry pan over medium heat, warm the oil. Add the onion and sauté slowly until very soft and beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Transfer the onion slices to the prepared baking dish, spreading them evenly over the bottom. Season with salt and pepper.

Arrange the tomato slices and zucchini slices over the onion in alternate rows. Sprinkle with the basil and marjoram and season with salt and pepper. Pour the water evenly over the vegetables. Cover and bake until the vegetables are bubbling and tender, about 40 minutes. Remove from the oven, uncover and serve hot directly from the dish.

  

Fresh Corn, Edamame and Tomato Salad

Kernels from 2 ears of corn, or 3/4 cup frozen corn kernels

1 1/2 cups frozen shelled edamame

12 cherry tomatoes, halved

1 large avocado, pitted, peeled and cubed

2 Tbs. fresh lime juice

1 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. freshly ground pepper

1 Tbs. canola oil

8 dark outer romaine lettuce leaves

2 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro

Cook the corn and edamame. Bring a saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Have ready a bowl of ice water. Add the corn and the edamame to the boiling water and cook for 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to the bowl of ice water. Drain the corn and edamame, place in a large bowl, and add the tomatoes and avocado. Assemble the salad by the following.....In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, salt and pepper. Slowly whisk in the oil. Pour the dressing over the salad and gently stir to combine. Arrange the lettuce leaves on a platter and spoon the salad onto the leaves. Garnish with the cilantro and serve immediately.