CALIFORNIA HIGHLIGHTS AND SPRING LIVING

Good Morning Loves....
I certainly hope the weather in your neck of the woods
has been as beautiful as we have enjoyed here in Texas!



Over in Hot-Lanta....

This was an absolutely beautiful spring afternoon
over in Atlanta and Miss Piper Rose was
relaxing on the porch with Miss M.... 

One of the things we do in our family, is
to text each other a photo of our Saturday night's dinner...
keeps us connected across the miles and it's so fun
to see what we are all enjoying....
Now this looked darn delicious....
homemade taco's and charro beans with
cilantro lime rice!!!!

We spent a great deal of Saturday doing
spring clean-up in the backyard and out by the pool...
gosh what a gorgeous day but
very physical too...
trimming trees and shrubs and hauling
off the debris it leaves behind...
pass the Advil please.......

We are so grateful for our outdoor living space...
it certainly soothes the soul...

We decided to make a run to Costco for some
lovely Rib Eye steaks and grill out for Saturday night...
we have now reached the point where we share a steak,
and even a baked potato!!

Okay, I did make a batch of
of Coconut Cream Fried Pies....
and here's the thing.....
Someone told me they made some in their Air Fryer,
so I thought I would give that a try....
DO NOT MAKE FRIED PIES IN AN AIR FRYER...
These were like hockey pucks.....
I'm sticking to my old southern method.....
you have to use a good pie pastry dough and FRY them!!!!!!

We normally have a good Sunday breakfast...
Sausage and Biscuits with lots of mustard!

We had a great trip to California, however
travel is a bit tricky these days...
we were scheduled to leave on Sunday morning
at 6 AM and did not take off until 8:30 PM...
arriving back in Dallas at 2 in the morning....
exhausting to say the least....

See y'all in April......

ITALIAN RECIPES YOU WILL WANT TO MAKE!

Hi everyone!
Today, I want to share two fabulous recipes
I made recently that proved to be family favorites!!
So many people share treasured family recipes
on various social media sites and it is a terrific
way to connect all of us who share a love of
cooking and baking!
I know you will love both of these Italian dishes!

When you run out of ideas as to what to serve
for supper, Allrecipes is a great resource
for trying out new recipes!

This delicious Spaghetti Sauce recipe came from
"Hank's Mom".....Hank stated this recipe
was handed down from his Mother...it was
a family favorite and will never be replaced.
A definite husband pleaser!

SPAGHETTI SAUCE WITH GROUND BEEF

This Italian Cream Cheese Ricotta Cheesecake is from
April Caudle. April states, "This is my grandmother's
cheesecake recipe passed down to their entire family.
It is THE BEST! It is creamy and thick....she
couldn't believe she was even sharing as it is
such a treasure to their family....a secret so to speak.....

I made a fresh blueberry sauce for ours.....

ITALIAN CREAM CHEESE AND RICOTTA CHEESECAKE

I hope y'all enjoyed this post....
see ya' next time!

 

WEEKEND HAPPENINGS

Hi there Kindred Spirits....
I'm so glad to hear from y'all today!
We had a busy weekend, so here's a recap
and we are going to begin over in Atlanta! 

Miss Piper Rose is sporting a new collar and
monogrammed Kerchief which Miss M ordered from Etsy!
She has the sweetest, most expressive face!
Our youngest down in Austin will be flying out
to Atlanta to spend a few days with his big sister!
I know she has a lot of fun plans for them!

Texas was predicted to have a wintry mix on Friday, but
we ended up with nothing...just a bit of a windy day!
However, that front blew into Georgia and caused
this tree to come crashing down in their backyard......

At the time, they heard a big noise, but did not discover the tree
until the next morning...luckily, it did not fall on the house or deck!

We had date night on Friday and I always like to snap a pic
of us when we are a bit dressed up....the darling is not a fan
of having his photo taken and certainly shows it,,,,,,

We drove down to Arlington to Mac's Bar and Grill which
has been a family favorite for years and years....still as
good as ever....we enjoyed a great dinner
with son number two and his beautiful bride!

I have been rather productive last week in purging
and organizing closets....we donated gently used clothes
shoes and kitchen ware to Goodwill!
And....don't know why I have not done this before now,
but I took out all of my table runners and hung them
up, rather than keep them folded in a bin...this way,
I can go right to the closet and shop my stash as the seasons change....
I feel like a copycat of Home Goods...loving this!!!

Now for a bit of retail therapy...
I finally found a box of Dolly Parton's new line of bakery products...
carried exclusively at Walmart......

I think these will make darling Easter cupcakes.....

And, I added a new dinner plate from the Pioneer Woman....
what a beautiful pattern for Spring.....

This salad is SO GOOD and just
right for a light lunch....

It's a very unsettling time in our world and we continue
to hold Ukraine in prayer....
We are off to California this week and are
so looking forward to seeing our son and meeting Otis....
Thank you for stopping by the blog today.....warm hugs!

DIVINE BLUEBERRY BISCUITS WITH PIONEER BAKING MIX

I am so glad y'all stopped by the blog today!
I have the BEST EVER Blueberry Biscuits
that you have ever tasted and they are
made with Pioneer Baking Mix!
I love trying recipes from a baking mix
because it's economical, easy and always turns out delicious!
If you have a brunch planned for company or just plan
on enjoying a yummy breakfast, you will definitely want to try these!

BLUEBERRY BISCUITS 
2 1/4 cup baking mix
1/3 cup sugar
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 cup fresh blueberries

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Mix baking mix and sugar.
Add buttermilk and stir to combine.
Add blueberries at the time you have a few more
strokes of mixing together...being sure to gently fold
in the berries.
Drop on baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Bake for 12 minutes.

The Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons milk

Glaze the biscuits when hot from the oven.
Now, you're ready to enjoy a bite of these
moist, incredibly delicious biscuits!

Remember, if you do not have buttermilk on hand,
you can make your own by adding a Tablespoon of lemon juice to one cup of milk!

These are a very light and fluffy tender biscuit!

Bakery worthy!

I know you're going to love em'! 

SPRING CLEANING and A VISIT TO THE RANCH

Our son, along with his beautiful bride spent
Saturday out at Liz's ranch...a warm spring day,
walking the fields and spending time with their horses...

Just as the sun was setting.......

Every Spring for some tine now, I make it my mission,
to scale down the closets and cupboards...
if I have not used something in more than a year,
I donate it and feel lighter and more content for doing so!
My closet looks so much neater and more organized....
however, it is indeed hard to part with my beautiful 
high heels.....alas, the aging process no longer
allows for heels I'm afraid...makes me sad, but it is what it is!

auf Wiedersehen Liebling

I have two sets of Pfaltzgraff dinnerware I no longer used,
and my daughter- in -law spoke up for both sets....

I bought this some time ago and loved using this in the fall season...
now going to their home and used for gatherings and celebrations
loved those mugs.....

It's good to declutter every year.....amazing how much
we can accumulate isn't it?

Sunday mornings are meant for pancakes....
a very quiet Sunday...
it's good napping weather..
hope y'all had a good weekend....

 

TRANSITIONING INTO SPRING WITH TARGET'S STUDIO MCGEE

Hello Loves!
Let's dive right in....I know you are as ready as I am
for the arrival of warmer days, gardening and spending
afternoons basking in the sunshine!

It's time to change the seasonal decor from Winter
to Spring and showcase a more softer look which
will take us all the way through the end of May!
I always start in the kitchen and today,
I want to share a few new items I picked
up from Target's Threshold with Studio McGee line of home decor!

I fell in love with this stoneware pitcher
which costs a mere $10.00

I knew I wanted a somewhat vintage look
at my little workspace in the kitchen
and chose romantic colors of blush and white....
three hydrangeas and a few stems of silk poppies.....
both from Amazon!

Would you just look at this lovely botanical watercolor print
which was the perfect color for this particular vignette!
It comes in a variety of colors too and the cost is $10.00.
This reminded me of my Grandmother Grace's bedroom!

I think this is going to look darling
paired with Ree Drummond's braided placemat!
I love the textures in this vignette!

I also thought these beautiful nesting bowls
were perfect to add to the look!
They come in a set of two for $5.00.

Along with that cute pitcher, I chose this darling
stoneware butter dish....$12.00!
This is substantial and ever so pretty!

Now, I needed another cookbook like a hole in the head,
BUT....oh honey, I am gaga over this cookbook!
I want to make everything in the entire book...
recipes from the past with beautiful photos and so many
from the past that you may have forgotten about,
such as Pineapple Cheese Casserole, Sour Cream Noodle Bake,
French Onion Chicken Casserole and Caramel Cake!
Oh yes, also Three Bean Salad and Buttermilk Pie!!!!!
It's an absolutely charming cookbook!

It's sweet and simple.......

I just love the textures in this vignette...
mixing the woven placemat with crystal, stoneware and a touch of wood..
it adds an unexpected warmth to this area with a true vintage vibe!
I hope this gave you inspiration to gather things you have and perhaps
purchase a few new inexpensive home décor pieces, and
create a space you love and enjoy!

SPRING SEASONAL DESIGNS

Hey everyone!

 We are about twenty days away from the Spring season,

so it's time to renew and update our  Style Inspiration 

Spring brings us a renewed energy to bring out our
fine china, create beautiful floral arrangements and 
dress up our front door!



This idea came from Pinterest and I absolutely love it!
What a gracious greeting this is to welcome guests
with a lovely straw basket, neutral florals and ribbon!
So creative and a great alternative than a grapevine wreath!

And, of course, it's so important to start with a clean slate when
changing out your décor and clean, clean, clean the surfaces...
this is my favorite all-purpose cleaner for the spring season.....
smells so fresh in the kitchen and the bathrooms!



I have been browsing for some inspirational ideas
on how to add new elements to the kitchen,
which of course is the heart of our home,
and will be going with a Country French theme!
My inspiration piece was my Fleur De Lis metal tray
which was from my Southern Living at Home days...
probably fifteen years ago!

When you have a décor piece like this,
you can use it for all kinds of displays and all the seasons...so versatile!
This is when I used this tray in the dining room for a fall centerpiece!

I am pretty excited about changing the nooks and crannies
up with things I already own and purchasing a few new items!
A good rule of thumb to follow is not to make everything match..
then it simply looks staged and not put to good use!
Our homes reflect who we are and what our personalities are!
Our home décor has a direct influence on how we feel and think....
did you realize there is a correlation between anxiety and depression and
with the pieces we use to decorate our home!
I use pieces that I love...the colors, the artwork and the furniture!
I am drawn to that true Southern Charm!

I am going to incorporate these two toile mugs
which is going to be just so pretty with what I have
in mind for the farmhouse table! Stay tuned
for the finished look!!

The cookbook I plan on using for Spring recipes
is one of my old Talk about Good cookbooks...
I adore this cookbook...
can't you just imagine a warm spring day
and you have planned a little outdoor picnic
with smoked turkey and gouda sub sandwiches,
a spring pasta salad and ice cold lemonade!!!

Let's talk about that color of green...deep and vibrant..
I love using touches of yellows, blues and greens for springtime...
This is going to be added for a very cheerful workspace vignette!

I'll just bet you are dreaming about and planning your spring garden...
with the freezing temps and ice behind us now, we will soon
be enhancing our landscaping and planting our pots!
I love this time of year when we spend a Saturday browsing
the nurseries for colorful plants.....

I am in the mood for soft blues in the family room...
Love this cable knit throw and pillow, which is reversible...
both from Target!

Now, to enhance that lovely color of blue,
I added this new distressed rug for the fireplace hearth!

I am really pleased with these décor items and color choice...
I feel it lightened and updated this area of the room!

Let's embrace the gift of GATHERING....