Red Cat Slushies

Tags

birthday, drink, Entertaining, friends, friendship, postaday2011, recipe, Red Cat, slushie, wine wine trail

Today is my one best friend’s birthday. One year we did a wine tour in NY at the Finger Lakes. The first time I ever had Red Cat was at the Hazlitt 1852 Vineyard & Winery. It was towards the end of our tour on a cold and muddy November Day, but it was still a blast! After sampling wines inside, we ended out at the tent drinking Red Cat slushies. I still have my plastic, color-changing cup and think about that day every time I use it.

One Stop on the Wine Trail

You can get a slushie at the winery or make them at home…

Red Cat Slushie Recipe from Hazlitt’s Winery

In a standard counter top blender combine.
375 ml of Hazlitt Red Cat (about 1/2 bottle or adjust to your liking)
1/4 cup confectioners’ (powdered) sugar
2 oz. Frozen Fruit Punch concentrate
Ice (fill to blender top)

Happy Birthday Mrs. H!!! I hope you don’t mind me posting this pic! XOXO

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Nanny Florida’s Salmon & Potatoes

Tags

casserole, family, food, foodie, history, postaday2011, potato, recipe, salmon, tradition

The entire day has been a chilly rainy mix. My students were off the walls today, dancing jigs around the room (which was actually quite entertaining) when I was trying to review for a huge unit test. Then I get home and the wintry mix starts.

Once home, it was one of those days where you must change into PJs and put on the tea kettle. I perused my great grandmother’s recipe box. I love how some of her recipe cards already have conversions on them. On the left side she has the amount to serve eight and on the right, she halves the recipe. Her salmon & potato recipe sounded like the perfect casserole for tonight.

Nanny's Salmon & Potato Casserole

Ingredients:
1 lb. can of salmon, 1/2 c. chopped sweet onions, 1/2 c. chopped celery, 4 eggs, 2 c. milk, 1 1/2 tsp. salt, 1 1/2 tsp. dried dill weed, 1/2 tsp. pepper, 4 medium potatoes

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. In large bowl combine, salmon, onion, celery, eggs, milk, 1/2 tsp. salt, dill weed, pepper and mix well. Pare potatoes and cut into thin slices. Place potatoes in 2 qt. baking dish. Sprinkle with 1/2 tsp. salt and spread half of salmon mixture over potatoes. Repeat with remaining with potatoes, salt and salmon. Bake uncovered for 1 hr. 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork. Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

*My Recipe Notes:
I have never seen a 1 lb. can of salmon, instead I used 14 3/4 oz. can. Although it turned out deliciously, next time I make this I may add some chopped red bell pepper, smokey paprika and substitute 1/2 c. of milk for 4 oz. cream cheese. Or maybe just a hint of lemon zest in the summer.

While it was in the oven, I curled up with my hot tea and wrapped myself in a blanket that my paternal grandmother had made. It’s nice to try my Nanny Florida’s recipes and have that time to reflect and appreciate the priceless gift I’ve received from her. Now if only I had made some of her rice pudding beforehand, tonight would’ve been perfect!

What is your favorite family recipe?

Dining Room Table

Tags

antique, chairty shop, dining room, dining table, furniture, home, postaday2011, preused, reclaimed, table, thrift, thrift shop, thrift store, used

If I were to describe my furniture taste, it would sound eclectic. Modern and antique pieces. A hodge-podge of furniture can work together if the decor is cohesive in design. 

I love everything about antique tables; well-crafted from strong wood with beautiful details, intricately carved in legs, a hidden leaf, and imperfections that whisper their secrets. To think I found this one on a whim. We were strolling through town and we decided to stop in our local charity shop. I went to pay and Hubster ran home to get the trailer so we could haul this beauty home.

Dining Room Table

Recently, my sister had a similar find, but carried her table home… You see, my table is too heavy for the two of us to carry home for a mile and a half up a steep hill.

Once home, it needed a gentle buffing with Old English (for dark wood). Evelyn has some aged company. Now I’m one step closer to revealing my new dining room.

Now time to run off and make a late dinner to eat in our dining room!!!

French Chic Wall Art

Tags

art, bathroom, crafting, crafts, gift, gift giving, gift idea, home decor, monogram, postaday2011, powder room, wall art

Two summers ago I met a woman selling her work at a local craft/art fair. She had some cute framed pieces where she had layered a bold silhouette image over a page from an antique book. None of her pieces appeased me, but I did appreciate the artistic concept.

I’m working on a French Chic powder room makeover and I wanted to create some wall art that would give it a personal touch. I had planned for this piece to be in that powder room. However, since I used a monogram, it looks really good in many different rooms of our home… Decisions, decisions.

Step 1
Type a personal message and translate (optional). Print in a lighter color on aged paper. Or tear a carefully selected page from your favorite novel, script or sheet of music.

Step 2
Choose a silhouette in a bold or dark color and print centered on top of script page. Try using The Graphics Fairy for great ideas.

Step 3
Add matting and frame.

Voilà! Ready to hang and enjoy!

I translated a poem about marriage into French and choose a curly font in a light color. I printed this in a light color on a natural colored piece of paper. I printed darker color D and used a black thin-tip marker to track over a few piece, I wanted to make the monogram dual-tone. Then I add the white matting and bronze frame! So easy to make, that the decisions are the most difficult part of the process.

These would make great Christmas gifts or wedding gifts for a newly wed couple!

If you could choose a page from any novel or script, what would you choose?

Poached Eggs with Sautéed Spinach & Maple Gorgonzola Sauce

Tags

breakfast, brunch, cream sauce, egg, food, foodie, gorgonzola, maple syrup, poached eggs, postaday2011, recipe, spinach

Normally I start my 12 Days of Christmas (2010 and 2009) countdown today, but I’m going to be a little behind this year. There’s still a few things I want to share before then.  I was excited to have a house full of people after Thanksgiving to try at least one new brunch recipe on. I tried to follow a recipe I saw in my MIL’s magazine! I had planned to follow the recipe, but I decided to interpret the picture instead.

Poached Eggs with Sautéed Spinach & Maple Gorgonzola Sauce

Ingredients:
1 dozen eggs, 2 shallots, butter, 1 bag of baby spinach, nutmeg, 1/3 c. sweet onion (chopped), 8 oz. block of cream cheese, 1/4 c. gorgonzola cheese, thyme, 1/2 c. heavy cream, 3 Tbsp. pure maple syrup, 1 tsp. fresh thyme, 6 English muffins

Directions: 
Saute butter, spinach, shallots and nutmeg over medium heat until spinach is wilted. Set aside and keep warm. Cook onions until translucent. Add cream cheese, cream, gorgonzola, maple, and thyme and cook until well blended. Toast muffins and poach eggs. Top muffin with egg, spinach and sauce.

Everyone said it was good, or they just fibbed as to not insult me. Either way, I really enjoyed trying something new for my family & friends. I think this would be perfect for a Christmas brunch!

What’s on your breakfast plate?

Cranberry Infused Vodka

Tags

cranberry, drink, Entertaining, gift giving, gift ideas, Holiday, infused vodka, personalized gifts, postaday2011, recipe, vodka

I tried this a few years ago with a citrus infused vodka. I’ve been meaning to try more flavors, I just never got around to it. This is so easy, I can’t wait to make other holiday flavors!

Cranberry Infused Vodka

Ingredients:
750 mL of vodka, 1 lb. cranberries, splash of lemon juice, 1/4 c. sugar

Directions:
Wash and sort cranberries. Add cranberries, lemon juice and sugar in a sauce pan. Simmer over low heat until berries burst. Using back of the spoon, burst any reluctant berries. Place cranberries and vodka in glass jar (I use a larger carafe). Stir, cover and set aside for one week. I give mine a shake once a day. Stain and discard berries. Make sure all particles are removed from vodka. Pour infused vodka back into original bottle.

Add a few drink recipe cards and this makes a fantastic holiday gift.

What’s in your glass tonight?

Smokey Walnut Spinach Pesto

Tags

dinner, easy meal, food, foodie, garlic, gouda, pasta, pesto, postaday2011, quick & easy, quick meal, recipe, side dish, spinach, walnut

Exhausted tonight, I needed something that was quick to make for dinner. The fridge and pantry were sparse and I had some fresh spinach that needed to be used. Pesto it is! After all, pesto doesn’t have to be pine nuts and basil.

Smokey Walnut Spinach Pesto

Ingredients:
1 lb. linguini, 1/2 c. olive oil, 1/2 c. walnuts (toasted), 1/2 c. smoked gouda, 2 c. fresh baby spinach, 1 clove of garlic, lemon zest, fresh ground sea salt, fresh cracked black pepper

Directions:
In food processor blend together ingredients. Cook pasta according to package directions. Pour sauce over fresh hot pasta and toss to coat. Sprinkle with fresh grated cheese and serve.

I’m hoping to bake again tomorrow… What are your Friday plans?