Tag Archives: Homemaking

Smashed Potatos are Good!

 

We had some very interesting guests for dinner last night and we wanted to feed them something special so I decided to try Pioneer Woman Cooks’ Smashed Potato recipe she shared this week. To go with the potatos we had a marinated flank steak and a Fiesta Salad. Here’s my attempt with the smashed potatoes.

 

First boil red potatos in salted water till you can pierce them with a fork. Then put them on a olive oiled sheet pan and smash them with a potato masher. Mine look different from Pioneer woman’s because she had the older fashioned potato masher.

 

After smashing them brush them with olive oil and salt them with Kosher salt liberally. Sprinkle pepper on them and a finely minced herb of your choice. Pioneer Woman and I used rosemary. Then stick them in a 450 degree oven for 20-25 minutes.

They were delicious and even the little rabbit really enjoyed them. He mostly went for the rosemary.

 

Then because these were very special guests we served a fresh strawberry pie for dessert. Yum…

It was fun to change identities during the evening. Even the beloved stuffed dog got a new face.

My guests were my niece Michelle (the Lion), her husband Ryan (the Bear) and my great nephew Jack (the Rabbit).

Do try these potatos, you won’t be disappointed. You can boil the potatos ahead of time then get them ready to pop in the oven 20 or so minutes out from serving time. Oh and because we are big fans of garlic I’ll add garlic next time.

Have a wonderful day!

Photobucket is holding all my photos I stored with them from 2007-2015 hostage. They have blacked out all those photos on my blog posts. OH BOTHER! I’m slowly cleaning up my posts.

Our Quick Trip Home

I’m back at the Condo in Southern California after a quick weekend to my home in Seattle. I’m sharing some photos of my walks around the yard while I was there and a couple from my typical outings when I’m home in Washington.

 

The Planters are filling in. The Azaleas are at the end of their pretty blooms. The Camellias are at an in-between stage. I chopped off their tops so I hope I didn’t kill them. We’ll see. My two lavender plants are getting ready to show off. They sure smelled good when I was weeding around them.

 

Azaleas, Lavender, I can’t tell you what the center plant is *but two of my lovely commenters say Corral Bells, yippee, and my Lenten Rose that has gotten quite hardy!

 

Rosemary, pears, ferns, hydrangea, little blueberry buds, wild rose, stuff in pots, my pear tree, and another photo of my blueberry bush.

 

The wonderful Washington State Flower the Rhododendron. I have 4 bushes that are in the need of some serious pruning to make them even hardier than they are. Just so you all know, everything I’ve shown you grows by the Grace of God. I do not want to pretend that I’m a gardener. I truly appreciate gardeners and praise God each year when these plants bloom again despite my neglect.

 

While I was home I had a quick walk with my Washington Walking buddies, Jody and Jan. The Burke Gilman trail is amazing in the Springtime.

 

Lilac bush/tree along the trail. Lilacs bloom everywhere here. I’d love a lilac tree in my yard.

 

Before we headed to the airport to fly back to California on Monday, I made a quick trip to my favorite thrift store in Washington State, Goodwill, not to be mistaken for California Goodwill’s. I found this pretty hand painted tea pot and creamer from Japan. (no sugar bowl to match)

 

But I picked up this cute little glass sugar bowl to compensate!

Greeting and Farewell ~ Quote from Anne of the Island  by L.M. Montgomery

“Anne dressed in the cheerless grey dawn, for an early start was necessary to catch the boat train; she struggled against the tears that would well up in her eyes in spite of herself. She was leaving the home that was so dear to her, and something told her that she was leaving it for ever, save as a holiday refuge. Things would never be the same again; coming back for vacations would not be living there. And oh, how dear and beloved everything was – that little white porch room, sacred to the dreams of girlhood, the old Snow Queen at the window, the brook in the hollow, the Dryad’s Bubble, the Haunted Wood, and Lovers’ Lane – all the thousand and one dear spots where memories of the old years bided. Could she ever be really happy anywhere else?”

Well just so y’all know I’m not quite as sentimental as Anne is. I can be happy somewhere else and I do think that I will return to this home sometime in the future but there’s always a little sadness when I arrive home and then when I have to leave again. And until I can return “my heart will keep on singing” and I will choose to find joy each day I’m away.

I’ll be posting more photos from the Japanese Gardens we visited tomorrow. In the meantime I hope you find joy today.

Photobucket is holding all my photos from 2007-2015 hostage and they have blacked them all out. I’m slowly working at restoring my posts without their help. Such a tiresome bother!

Home Alone ~ What to Do?

Since Dear is somewhere north of Redding, California delivering a car from Southern California to Washington State for our daughter, I’m without my Saturday morning walking buddy. What should I do with my day all alone?

 

It’s coffee for one this morning so I decided to pull out the French Press.

 

Perfect amount for my big mug.

 

Well let’s see. My kitchen is clean already. My bathroom is clean already.

 

My livingroom is clean. My bed is made and the bedroom is clean. My office is OK. My huge garden is weeded and watered. Hmmm, and here it is 8:00 am already.

So I’m debating, should I go to Santa Barbara to pick up some necessities at Nordstrom? Our Nordstrom in Thousand Oaks doesn’t open until the fall and I hate to drive to the San Fernando Valley for the closer Nordstrom. Or maybe I should just drive up to Ventura and do some thrift store shopping. Decisions, decisions. Have a wonderful Holiday weekend everyone!

Photobucket is holding all my photos from 2007-2015 hostage and they have blacked them all out. I’m slowly working at restoring my posts without their help. Such a tiresome bother!

Thrift Store Treasures

So my walking numbers are way down this week after my high stepping totals last week. I’ve been sidetracked this week. I decided to clean out my kitchen cupboards and reorganize them so it’s easier to work. I had 3 bags of stuff to donate to the local thrift store. Things that just aren’t working in the condo. I have another box full of stuff to take back to the Mother ship in Seattle. Just when I was ahead I had a great shopping day at none other than Goodwill.

 

6 Water Goblets with roses etched on them (all 6 for 2.99), Tea Pot and two tea cups $2.99, A three piece cream and gold tea place setting for $1.99 (Kahla, East Germany), A Tiffany and Co. Ice bucket for 1.99.

A Limoges little basket dish for $1.99

 

There were 11 of these little vases that are designed to be place card holders. I got the set of 11 for $4.99.

Now the big decision on what to leave here and what to send to the Mother Ship…

I’m headed to Orange County today to meet some of my family at a Persian Restaurant to celebrate my father’s 85th birthday. I’ll try to catch up with y’all tomorrow. Have a wonderful day.

Photobucket is holding all my photos from 2007-2015 hostage and they have blacked them all out. I’m slowly working at restoring my posts without their help. Such a tiresome bother!

Recipe Round Up ~ Russian Recipes

May’s Recipe Round Up

will be at Whatever Things…

Recipes Around The World

This month’s recipe category will be recipes unique either to the part of the world or country you live or where you’re from originally. It’s a bit like “The Great British Menu,” but with a worldwide focus.

The recipe can be for Snacks, Starters, Main Courses, Desserts, Cakes, Biscuits or even a Hot or Cold drink recipe.

My heritage is Russian (100%). I have several Russian Recipes featured on my blog already so I’ll inclule the links to click on and you’ll be able to see some step by step recipes and photos.

We’ll start with Borsch

 

Then how about some Golubtzi? (Stuffed Cabbage)

 

And lastly although I have a few more recipes is this simple version of Lopsha.

 

For more recipes with an International flare or to join in the fun click over to Whatever Things.

Photobucket is holding all my photos from 2007-2015 hostage and they have blacked them all out. I’m slowly working at restoring my posts without their help. Such a tiresome bother!

ABC Wednesday ~ Q is for…

Q is for a Quote by Queen Victoria

 

“Give my People plenty of Beer, good beer and cheap beer, and you will have no Revolution among them” ~ Queen Victoria

 

Q is for Quail, the California State Bird ~

Q is for Quilts. The State Quilt with State Flowers and Birds was made by my MIL Verna.

 

I can’t imagine the work that went into this. Sorry for the lousy photos of the quilts. I took them last year before I figured out better ways to photograph things…

The next two Quilts were handed down to us. The pastel one is from Dear’s grandmother Nettie and red patterned one is from Dear’s mother Verna.

For more posts on the letter Q visit Mrs. Nesbitt.

Photobucket is holding all my photos from 2007-2015 hostage and they have blacked them all out. I’m slowly working at restoring my posts without their help. Such a tiresome bother!

Mother’s Day 2008 ~ Whittier

 

Our Mother’s Day Celebrations started early this year. I was away from all my children this year so they got together and created the best gift I could possibly ask for. Each of them wrote to me and included a photo of themselves. Each note was unique just like they are. They were put together in the book cover you see in the center of the collage. I was in Mom heaven! On Mother’s Day morning Dear was very sweet and took me to the Rose Bowl Flea Market with a pocket full of cash. I’ll post more about that later. After we walked the isles and isles of goodies at the Flea Market we headed to Whittier for a smaller family gathering with my Sister’s Family and my Mom and Dad. My brother Steve was able to come, too.

 

As we drove through Whittier to my sister’s house we were greeted with the beautiful purple blooms on the Jacaranda Trees.

 

My Father and Mother who are always a joy to be around.

 

My Father and Jackson (Great grandson)

 

Jackson with his friend.

 

We were surounded by beautiful blooms on potted plants and fresh bouquets.

 

We started lunch with my mother’s Borsch and then had fondue. Main course of beef, chicken, cheese, bread, and vegetables. Then a dark chocolate and milk chocolate fondue mix for our fruit and wafers and biscotti. Everything was very good.

I brought my mom, sister, and niece these Johnson Bros. mugs filled with 3 kinds of Tea.

My nieces gave me the potted pink hydrangea in the top collage.

It was a beautiful day of honoring mom’s and enjoying each others company. Thank you Len and Kathy for always opening your home to family. Len’s 95 year old mother was able to join us at the table for a little while and had us in stitches with some of her remarks. How lovely the day was. Thank you Lord.

Photobucket is holding all my photos from 2007-2015 hostage and they have blacked them all out. I’m slowly working at restoring my posts without their help. Such a tiresome bother!

Hummingbird Cake ~ Recipe

Photobucket is holding all my photos from 2007-2015 hostage and they have blacked them all out. I’m slowly working at restoring my posts without their help. Such a tiresome bother!

I first saw this cake on Abigail’s blog, In the Garden. I decided to make it last Thursday night and Dear says it’s a keeper. You really do not need the cream cheese frosting but I’ll include the recipe for that, too. A little on top is nice. *We don’t know why it’s called Hummingbird Cake and no hummingbirds were harmed in any way in making this cake 🙂

 

Hummingbird Cake

Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups white sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
1 (8 oz.) can crushed pineapple with juice
2 cups diced bananas
1 cup chopped pecans
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 12 cup Bundt pan.
2. Measure flour, sugar, soda, salt, cinnamon, oil, eggs, vanilla into mixing bowl. Beat until smooth*. Stir in pineapple with juice, bananas, and pecans. Pour into prepared pan.
3. Bake in oven for about 70 minutes. (I checked it after 60 minutes) Turn cake out onto rack or plate after cooling for 20 minutes. Cool, and ice with cream cheese icing.

 

*My mixture never got smooth until I added the pineapple and banana and nuts. Then it got smooth quickly and I put it into the greased and floured pan.

 

Cream Cheese Icing

1-8 oz. cream cheese softened
1/4 cup butter softened
2 tsp. vanilla
1 lb. package powdered sugar

Beat cheese and butter till smooth. Blend in Vanilla. Gradually beat in powdered sugar.

Enjoy!

Photobucket is holding all my photos from 2007-2015 hostage and they have blacked them all out. I’m slowly working at restoring my posts without their help. Such a tiresome bother!

ht: Allrecipes.com

Set The Tea Table ~ Bavarian Dishes

Some of you know already that I’m living in a small condo in Southern California right now and my regular home with my kids and my stuff is in the Seattle Area of Washington. Most of my tea goodies and entertaining goodies are in Washington. I didn’t have any tea-cups and saucers in California until today! Look at the bargain I found at a thrift store in our little downtown today.

 

6 cups and saucers, 6 dessert plates, 5 salad plates, and a creamer. It’s Bavarian H & Co. china. Now here’s the real exciting thing, I got all of this for $15.00!! Now I’m going to be able to have a fun tea here in California with the goodies I found today and with what I can add from the condo stash. Here’s my mock tea table without food.

 

 

 

The inside of the tea-cups are iridescent.

 

“Take some more tea,” the March Hare said to Alice, very earnestly. “I’ve had nothing yet,” Alice replied in an offended tone: “so I can’t take more.” “You mean you can’t take less,” said the Hatter: “it’s very easy to take more than nothing.” ~ Lewis Carroll ~ Alice In Wonderland

Oh and the store threw this Bavarian bowl in for nothing!

You can click over to LaTeaDah’s to see more Tables Set for Tea.

Photobucket is holding all my photos from 2007-2015 hostage and they have blacked them all out. I’m slowly working at restoring my posts without their help. Such a tiresome bother!

Tea Blogathon ~ Set the Table Pink & Green

This is my third tea table. I’m using some of my archive photos since I’m not at my home in Seattle where all my goodies are to set a new table.

I have a lot of pink and green accessories and enjoy setting a table in these colors.

 

My China is Royal Albert Moss Rose.

 

For more Tables set for tea visit Gracious Hospitality.

I made a wonderful find today at a local thrift store so I have one more Set the Table post for tomorrow!

Photobucket is holding all my photos from 2007-2015 hostage and they have blacked them all out. I’m slowly working at restoring my posts without their help. Such a tiresome bother!