Patchwork Beauties

Color, pattern,and shape can be found in every aspect of our lives. This almost sounds like a lead in for a lecture on the basic elements of art. But instead it is an introduction to the two lap quilts I found on our holiday road trip.

This is going to go over the back of my chair to insure I am cozy while reading.

I just love anything patchwork and even though these are not antiques they are pretty. This one may be used as a table runner. It was quilted but there is no batting between the layers.

Patchwork pieces in

Red and Blue and another hue

Sewn and fastened together patiently

With faith, hope, and love.

 

 I'm in my chair under my quilt, a pumpkin muffin and a fresh cup of coffee...

And a book that's sure to make me smile and laugh.

Enjoy your evening.

I've Been Sick

Due to a terrible cold and the last three days in bed I have had to postpone the

next "Cooking with Tasha" entry for much later.  I have turned over all food duties to Hubby.

I hope to double up on the next entry during the coming weekend.

On the menu will be: Chicken Salad and Corgi Cottage Soup

Cooking with Tasha Tudor

Here it is Tuesday already!  I think I said I was going to do this on Sundays and Mondays.  Oh well, life is what happens when I'm busy making plans.

The opening line of this weeks recipe mentions stuffed eggs as a part of a memorible picnic.  Tasha talked about learning to make these eggs while spending summers in Nahant, Massachusetts with her lifelong friend Jeanie Paine.  I was instantly inspired to have a picnic!  Now it's snowing outside and about 19 degrees but a checkered tablecloth and some traditional fare including Tasha's Tomato Salad with french dressing.

The recipes were easy and each dish was really eye appealing as well.

We had hot dogs, and some kettle cooked chips for a fabulous treat!

This was so fun I don't know why we haven't done it sooner.

If you are interested in these recipes let me know and I will share them.

But for now, Collect up your loved ones and have a picnic!

Recipes and Reminiscences with Mrs.Tudor

The Tasha Tudor Cookbook

Recipes and Reminiscences from Corgi Cottage

I have decided to prepare one Tasha Tudor recipe a week.  The cookbook is a beautiful collection of recipes, reminiscences, and artwork.  She was a wife, a parent, a teacher and an artist. She was a woman I have grown to admire. I started at the beginning, Appetizers and Salads and will make one recipe a week and then post the results on the following Monday.  It's a kind of "Julie and Julia" process! Corny maybe but fun! The recipe for this week was "Nancy's Hot Cheese Rounds".  (Mine however, are rectangles!) Nancy was a friend of Tasha's.  She was a mathematics teacher at St. Paul's School.  Tasha'a grandfather was one of the first students at St. Paul's, in the 1860's.

1 loaf of Pepperidge farm or other good quality bread (I used whole grain bread)
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 3-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1 farm-fresh egg yolk, beaten well
1 cup Vermont sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1 clove garlic, minced
salt and pepper

Heat the broiler.
Cut rounds (or rectangles!), butter the bread well and fry them on both sides in a hot skillet
until browned
In a bowl, cream together the cream cheese and egg yolk, then add the grated cheese, garlic, and salt and pepper
spread the cheese mixture on the toast, place them an ungreased cookie sheet and broil until cheese is puffed and brown.

I left them in the broiler a minute too long but they were still delicious. The cheese was very creamy.  I served tortellini and chicken chowder and salad along with the toast points.  It was a rustic meal perfect on a cold winter evening.

Next Monday: Stuffed eggs and Fresh tomato salad with French dressing

May all your meals feed your body and the company you share them with feed your soul.

Tasha Tudor

The first Recipe post for my Sunday Supper with Tasha Tudor will be posted Monday evening due to a weekend that was out of control busy!  Life is what happens when we are busy making plans.
Please stop back.

Cooking with Tasha Tudor

Welcome! I am home and relaxing for a moment. Help yourself to a cup of coffee or tea and join me.

This little treasure is in fact an artful creation done by my friend Judy.  It sits on the counter in our kitchen by our coffee pot.  It tickles me.  I keep encouraging her to create mini versions for dollls and dollhouses and am selfishly hoping she will be inspired to do so soon. :)

I have been thinking alot about my blog and the things I have been sharing.  I'd like to do something unique for me. This may not necessarily appear unique for others but inspired by the fim and book, Julie and Julia",  I have decided to cook my way through Tasha Tudor's Cookbook.  I am going to do one meal per week using her recipes one at a time.  I will do the meal for Sunday's dinner and share the results in a post on Sunday evenings.

This beautiful cookbook was a treasure I uncovered at the bottom of a box lot at an auction I attended this past summer.  The box had books, paper products and a few pieces of pottery.  I bid $4.00 and the box of goodies was mine! You can only imagine how excited I was to uncover her book.

I look forward to your visits and to cooking from Tasha Tudor's Cookbook.

What's cooking in your kitchen?

Queen for a Day

I had the day off to celebrate Martin Luther King Day.  I honored Doctor King's memory by reading about his life, planning an activity for my students to do tomorrow and clearly understanding that each of us has a contribution to make to this world.  What do I give, what can I give?  It may not be in the way that Doctor King moved people to achieve the dream of equal rights for all men but I can contribute.  I will work to give of myself and to be of service to those that touch my life.

On a less serious note...I have decided that I could be

"Queen for a Day"!

The position of status may be a bit over dramatic but I did spend the better part of the day doing things because I wanted to not because I had to.  I started the morning doing my schoolwork, lesson plans, and such in my pj's!  The mid-morning brought time for a walk and a breath of fresh air.  It is fascinating how my thoughts flow as I walk quietly taking in what's around me.  It was about 30 degrees but I was bundled up so I didn't mind.  After arriving home I proceeded to put the final touches on packing the remainder of the Christmas decorations and Hubby was kind enough to carry them to their resting place in the garage.

Lunch, blog visits and a baking adventure!  I made two pear tarts, I've never made them before so it was an experiment to say the least.

I started with a pie crust round in a glass pie plate, filled the center, folded the crust over and baked it at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.  It was a yummy dessert.

Recipe: Diane's Pear Tart

2 Crusts-homemade or your favorite store brand

Filling:

4 pears-peeled and sliced (be sure to remove the center core)

Mix the cinnamin,sugar and lemon juice with the pears-set aside while preparing your crust

1/3 cup sugar

1tsp cinnamin

1 tsp lemon juice

1/4 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup chopped pecans


Mound the filling onto the crust-fold the sides over and bake
at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.
Serve warm by itself or with ice cream!
Yield: two tarts
It was a very rustic, satisfying dessert.

After baking and putting chili in the crock pot I grabbed a cup of tea, my current read, and sat down in our office/guest room/ craft room/ everything else room and I became completely distracted by the clutter and disfunction.  Note to self- Get organized!

It seems that this is the time of year when I get this feeling of angst

over too much stuff and no space.  But where there's a will there's a way!

Before I jump in I need a plan so I got out my notebook and started making lists and sketches of furniture layouts.

Step one: declutter

Step two: determine what will be donations, sold, or shared with someone who needs the item

Step three: decide on furniture placement

Step four: figure out new ways of storing the things I use most often and those things that only come out occassionally

Step five:  Sit back and enjoy the new space!

This is an aggressive undertaking and I need to do this

in a way that doesn't drive me crazy!

Ideas are always welcome! 

What are your favorite organizing tips? 

With that I'll wish you a wonderful day. 

Galena or Bust!

This past weekend John and I took a road trip through Illinois and Wisconsin. Our first destination was Galena.
While sitting on a bench outside one of the local coffee shops we noticed the building across the street and giggled trying to imagine why a door appeared leading to no where. John's humor...Watch the first step; it's a long one!

These are just a couple examples of this inviting area.

Just a few shots of the city taken from the car as we traveled the countryside.

While in Galena we attended a festival and although it was cold (46 degrees) it was a fun event.

Aren't the quilts pretty. I just love the colors and the obvious creativity that went into their creation.

This display was one of my favorites! I have seen pictures of bottle trees but had never seen one up close. This idea is going in my must have someday file. I'd love to see them sprinkled throughout a garden space.

This wreath just said welcome to me. It was made of a twig base and a scaled down choice of

florals. I was drawn to the simplicity. I can just picture it on someone's door welcoming guests in.

Now all the walking and looking and all the sightseeing left us hungry. These were the best looking, best tasting caramel apples ever!

Here's John filling out raffle tickets. They were 6 for $5.00 and the money went to support a very deserving charity. They were raffling beautiful gift baskets.


The entire day was fun filled and best of all a terrific change from our busy work weeks. It was a bit of relaxing fun to provide some balance to our lives.

For more information on Galena, Illinois and all it's wonder go to: http://www.galena.com/

Art Fair at Prairie Crossing

This past weekend I was able to attend a wonderful art fair at a venue called Station Street at Prairie Crossing. The artists tents covered a number of city blocks and the court yard of a community building. The temperature was perfect, the artwork was inspiring, and the company I was with wonderful.

Along with the artwork and conversation we were able to enjoy the gardens along our path.

The colors were awesome. It was like walking through a still life painting.
This chicken was the greeter at the Farmers Market portion of the event.
I purchased wild rice, apples, tomatillos, and parsnips. There are some yummy recipes on the menu for the upcoming week.

Visits, adventures, old friends, new acquaintances, images that inspire, all these things made for a weekend that has filled my head with ideas! I'll share more as the days unfold.

Take in nature, create an image, visit a friend, create your own adventure, and enjoy every moment of it!

Sunsets, Quiche, and a Little Creativity

As the sun begins to set, the night air feels a bit cooler. I can almost smell autumn in the distance. It is time to breathe a bit slower, walk, appreciate, and thank God for another day. We are moving on to day four of the first week of school. My classes are going well and the students I have this year are awesome! They really are poised for learning as they enter my classroom and I am amazed at what effort they put forth. I spent some time this evening looking over, reading, and commenting on writing pieces they did to illustrate their individual skills as writers. The usual suspects showed up: grammar issues, punctuation, spelling errors, etc. but, the voice they share as young writers is amazing! I am so excited to see how they and their writing develops as the school year progresses. It inspires me to write as well!With evening comes dinner, a time of preparation, conversation with John, and finally
eating!

I prepared two quiches. One with tomato, green pepper, onion, and of all things "Laughing Cow Cheese". It was really good. (If I do say so myself!) The two triangles of cheese I added gave the quiche a creamy texture. Yum!

The other is for Friday's supper. It has broccoli, finely diced onion, and Parmesan cheese.
This is John's favorite and I enjoy giving him meals he looks forward to.
Seems like a lot of eggs in one week but I only use four eggs per quiche and 2% milk instead of heavy cream. Since I am working on loosing weight it works out better calorie wise.

The other tidbit for today is a book I am excited about.
It is entitled, A Creative Companion...How to Free Your Creative Spirit.
It was written by a woman named Sark. She is described as a free spirit who lives in a cottage in San Francisco. Her purpose in life is to be a beacon of hope to others. And sometimes she just takes naps with her cat Jupiter! Included in the book is: How to be an artist, How to be fully alive, Just for Mom, How to really love a child, and How to treasure an old person.
I promise to share more as the interactive experience unfolds...

Question for the day:
What do you do with creative blocks?
Answer:
Build a castle!
Have a blast building!