The Maine House

Blissful Weekends in Maine

2012-02-28T08:49:00.002-05:00

Some of our best times in Maine have been packing a picnic lunch and heading up to visit the Western and Eastern Promenades in Portland. It was hard to imagine that this historical beauty was just minutes away. We would walk along the Prom, feeling the bay breezes and snapping pictures of the massive Victorians, Colonials and Federal homes. We would park ourselves on one of the park benches and just sit and watch the dogs playing, the boats moored out in the bay and people lying in the grass, whiling away a Sunday afternoon. This was pure bliss.

The Western Promenade is an historic promenade, made up of 18.5 acres in Portland, Maine's West End neighborhood. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and includes a number of historic properties. It is bounded by the Western Promenade and Bramhall, Brackett, Emery, and Danforth Streets. It includes a number of homes dating from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

The Eastern Promenade (Eastern Prom) is an historic promenade which is composed of 68.2 acres in Portland. The construction of the Promenade began in 1836 and was completed in 1934. The 1.5 miles park was designed by the Olmstead Brothers design firm and experienced its greatest expansion from the 1880s to the 1910s. The Promenade rings around the Munjoy Hill neighborhood and occupies the farthest eastern portion of Portland's peninsula. The Promenade is home to many historical sites, including a mass grave and the mast of a decommissioned US battleship.

In December 1812, following the Battle of Queenston Heights during the War of 1812, the HMS Regulus, a British ship, docked under a truce flag in Portland's harbor en route from Quebec to Boston, Massachusetts due to the presence of fever, malnutrition and dysentery among the American prisoners of war onboard. 29 of the prisoners were taken to the local hospital and a month later 21 of the prisoners had died. The dead soldiers were buried in a mass grave at the foot of Quebec Street on the Eastern Promenade, with a large boulder marking the spot of their grave. In 1887, a bronze plaque was affixed to the stone with the names of the dead soldiers.

These were such lovely Sundays! Once we arrived back at The Maine House, we were ready for a cup of New England Coffee and some of

Estelle's Sweet Potato Cobbler!

SWEET POTATO COBBLER

1 stick butter

1 cup self-rising flour

1 cup sugar

1 cup milk

Melt butter in a 2x12-inch baking dish. Mix together the flour, 1 cup sugar, and 1 cup milk; pour into the center of melted butter. Do not stir.

Mix

2 cups cooked but firm, peeled and sliced sweet potatoes

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1 1/2 cups water

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon allspice

1 teaspoon butter rum flavoring

1/2 cup raisins which have been soaked in spiced rum

Pour this into center of melted butter and batter. Do NOT stir. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until light brown!

Good Eatin' Texas Pecan Pie!

2012-02-26T08:36:00.000-05:00

A small cafe on the side of the road between Alto and Nacogdoches serves up the best old fashioned country cooking in the state of Texas! Just expect a wait any time of the day. Outside it looks like a farm stand packed with farm trucks. However, once you make your way inside, you will find lots of farm and ranch type folks taking in home cooked aromas, while watching their food being cooked up in the open kitchen. There is no need for a menu....... you just get what is being cooked that day.

This is perhaps the most delicious Southern food you will taste, outside the state of Mississippi of course. Pork chops, chicken and dressing, heavenly cornbread and homemade scratch pies that will make you want to slap your mama and kiss the dog!

Recipe from Garden of (Good) Eatin’ Country Cafe, Nacogdoches

The recipe comes from owner Dian Avriett’s grandmother.

Pecan Pie from Texas

1 uncooked deep dish 9-inch pie shell

1 1/2 cups pecans, pieces or whole

1/4 cup melted butter

4 eggs

1 cup granulated sugar

pinch of salt

1 tablespoon flour

1 teaspoon vanilla

8 ounces light corn syrup

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Be sure there are no holes in the bottom or sides of the pie shell and put the pecans in it. Beat melted butter, eggs, sugar, salt, and flour until well blended. Add vanilla and corn syrup. Beat until this is well mixed. Pour the batter evenly over the pecans.

Put pie in the preheated oven, reduce temperature to 300 degrees and bake for approximately one hour. About half-way through the baking time, rotate pie.

The pie is done when the entire top of the pie is puffed. The edges will begin to puff first and there will be a sunken area in the middle. When the center is totally puffed up, the pie is ready. It will fall when cool. Cook slowly and don’t overcook!

Entertaining by the Pool!

2012-02-25T07:53:00.000-05:00

In just a few months, or perhaps a little longer, we will be in the new Texas house. This is our going to be our very first time to have a swimming pool, which we are so looking forward to. I mean, after living in Texas for twenty years without a pool, we knew this was a must have on our wish list. I have already been gathering inspirational ideas for our new outdoor living space and plan to look back on these ideas for planning purposes. From the front porch or outside foyer, to the cool oasis in the back, it's going to be a welcoming place to gather....with family......at last!

Lady Banks’s roses atop the cabana make it a secluded and shady spot.

The flagstone terrace is both neutral and natural. Allowing the foliage to look a bit

overgrown adds a dash of romance

Clematis vines provide a sense of enclosure. Mother always had a Clematis growing.

You can mask the chatter of neighbors and drown out road noise with running water.

The trickle of running water can also make a space seem cooler that it really is, and a simple fountain may be all that is needed to get the same effect.

Randomly placed stepping-stones crafted from local granite lead to this front porch’s wide steps. Hand-hewn posts and railings, along with graceful brackets, are crafted from regionally harvested locust wood to further enhance this cottage’s connection to the land. Local fieldstone clads the porch walls. The Perfect Texas Ranch Style look!

Estelle's has reminded me of a few old Mississippi southern family favorites to serve on a hot summer day! We can't wait for a summer birthday and a pool party! Oh lord.....I better get in shape for bathing suit weather! Times a' wastin'!

CREAM CHEESE POUND CAKE

1 stick of butter

2 sticks margarine

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese

6 eggs

3 cups sugar

3 cups cake flour

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 teaspoons brandy extract

2 teaspoons rum extract

2 teaspoons lemon extract

Cream butter and margarine. Add cream cheese and continue to cream. Add sugar and cream until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour and flavorings. Bake 1 hour and 15 to 25 minutes at 350 degrees.

STRAWBERRY BANANA TOPPING FOR POUND CAKE

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons lemon juice

¼ cup light rum

3 medium bananas, sliced

10 fresh strawberries, cut in half

Melt butter in a skillet or medium pan. Add sugar, lemon juice, and rum; stir well. Cook, stirring constantly, until sugar dissolves (2 to 3 minutes). Add bananas and strawberries, and cook until bananas are soft, but not mushy.

TEA PUNCH

7 regular tea bags

2 cups sugar

1 12-ounce can frozen orange juice concentrate

1 12-ounce can frozen lemonade concentrate

1 6-ounce can frozen limeade concentrate

Brew tea according to directions. Pour into 1 gallon container. Add sugar and stir until dissolved. Add the 3 fruit concentrates and stir until dissolved. Add enough water to make 1 gallon.

A Night for Oscar

2012-02-24T07:13:00.000-05:00

A cold and blustery midwinter Sunday evening

And the Oscar goes to.......

Favorite Actresses

I am old school. The glamour of old Hollywood faded a long time ago. Going to the movies is still exciting, but, how movies have changed. I like being old school. My feet are planted firmly in my childhood and I will hang onto the excitement of movie dates with my family. My first motion picture I can remember was when we first moved to Jackson from Vicksburg. We walked across the street from our temporary apartment, (waiting for our newly built house to be completed) to an outdoor movie theater. Isn't that even hard to imagine nowadays? It was summer and folding chairs were set up on some sort of basketball court in front of a huge outdoor screen. My grandmother took us and there was a swingset over to the side, where little children could play the night away if the movie did not keep their attention. The year was 1955.

She will always receive top billing at The Maine House

Anne Bancroft

I also remember attending the viewing of A Nun's Story with Miss Judy at The Lamar theater. The star was Audrey Hepburn. Probably the stand out movie of my young childhood was Gone With The Wind, which we saw at The Paramount Theater. We shared double dates as we grew into college- aged girls and loved seeing classics such as The Way We Were and Cabaret in New Orleans.

I also attended movie classics with Mother and Daddy. I can recall going to The Capri Theater in Jackson, along with Darling, to see It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, Doctor Zhivago, Chitty-Chitty Bang Bang and The Sound of Music. It was like double dating with your parents and it was really a pretty cool thing to do. We always went to dinner afterwards at Primos! Those were great times! Mother and I were forever in love with Christopher Plummer! And Omar Sharif....those incredible eyes.....sigh........

So, Sunday night we pay tribute to The Movies! This year, we have seen three of the movies up for Best Movie.....The Descendants, The Help and The Artist!

My vote goes to.......The Artist!

When Mel Brooks told his Jewish mother he was marrying an Italian girl, she said: "Bring her over. I’ll be in the kitchen - with my head in the oven".

Our Sailing Days in Maine

2012-02-23T08:05:00.001-05:00

If you ever visit Maine, put sailing down on your bucket list. We were fortunate enough to take each of our children and grandchildren on the two infamous sailing ships in Old Port, The Windameen and The Bagheera.

The 88 foot schooner, Windameen was designed by the famed yacht designer, John Alden. She was built in East Boothbay, Maine, and launched in 1912 when she took center stage in the golden era of fast, sleek ocean schooners. She was formerly owned by the Schlitz family of Schlitz Brewing Company.

The Divine Miss M, Jay and Luke

Mom and Daughter....Our First Sail

Captain Fishstick

Inactive since the 1930s, she was thoroughly restored in the late 1980s and is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Wendameen is certified by the US Coast Guard to carry 48 passengers on deck and can also accommodate 14 guests for our overnight excursions. She has sailed every ocean in the world!

Rob...Smooth sailing

Greg and Jenn

Greg's Sailing Lesson

Bagheera is also vintage Alden, featuring long overhangs, a sweet and graceful sheer line and a long bowsprit. For construction, Alden turned to the rich shipbuilding heritage of Maine and found able craftsmen at Rice Bros. Shipyard in East Boothbay.

Sailing with Rob

In the 1920s, Bagheera sailed in the Bermuda Race at least once before being delivered to the Great Lakes, where she won the annual Chicago-Mackinac Race for several years running.

The New Deck Hand

Nick and Cat

Our Abbie

Sweet Noah

In her more than 80 years of cruising the world's oceans, Bagheera has crossed the Atlantic, cruised areas of the Pacific, including the Galapagos, and spent many years in the Caribbean Sea. In the 1980s, Bagheera was fitted out in San Diego for the passenger trade. She was transported back home to Maine in the spring of 2002 to serve Portland Schooner Company.

Nick's Pie Request.....Sour Cherry!

2012-02-22T08:10:00.000-05:00

Nick's loves anything cherry! Every holiday or special occasion, he will request a cherry pie or a cherry cobbler. Topped with a big scoop of homemade vanilla ice cream of course! I have recently discovered some wonderful baking products that will enable you to create a masterpiece of a cherry pie for your family! You may even win the blue ribbon at the county fair!!

This Sour Cherry pie filling is the best on the market today

This pie filling is loaded with plump sour cherries married beautifully with a touch of sugar, lemon, and the tiniest hint of lime!

I also discovered the Pie Filling Enhancer, from King Arthur Flour Baking Company here in New England! This is The Bomb! My last Pie looked and tasted amazing. It is my perfect solution for a perfect Pie!

Can She Bake a Cherry Pie....Billy Boy, Billy Boy?
Can She Bake a Cherry Pie, Charming Billy!

Don't be afraid to make your own pie crust! I have learned that Ree's is the most fail-proof and I promise, it will be worth the extra effort! Tender, flaky and will make a huge difference in the quality of your masterpiece!

Ree's Perfect Pie Crust

1-½ cup Crisco (vegetable Shortening)

3 cups All-purpose Flour

1 whole Egg

5 Tablespoons Cold Water

1 Tablespoon White Vinegar

1 teaspoon Salt

In a large bowl, with a pastry cutter, gradually work the Crisco into the flour for about 3 or 4 minutes until it resembles a coarse meal. In a small bowl, beat an egg with a fork and then pour it into the flour/shortening mixture. Add 5 tablespoons of cold water, 1 tablespoon of white vinegar and 1 teaspoon of salt. Stir together gently until all of the ingredients are incorporated.

Separate the dough into thirds. Form 3 evenly sized balls of dough and place each dough into a large Ziploc bag. Using a rolling pin, slightly flatten each ball of dough (about ½ inch thick) to make rolling easier later. Seal the bags and place them in the freezer until you need them. (If you will be using it immediately it’s still a good idea to put in the freezer for about 15 to 20 minutes to chill.)

When you are ready to use the dough to make a crust, remove from the freezer and allow to thaw for 15 minutes. On a floured surface roll the dough, starting at the center and working your way out. (Sprinkle some flour over top of the dough if it’s a bit too moist.) If the dough is sticking to the countertop use a metal spatula and carefully scrape it up and flip it over and continue rolling until it’s about ½ inch larger in diameter than your pie pan.

With a spatula, lift the dough carefully from the surface of the counter into the pie pan. Gently press the dough against the corner of the pan. Go around the pie pan pinching and tucking the dough to make a clean edge.

The Best Sour Cherry Pie

9-inch double piecrust, rolled out

3 cans (14.5 ounces) tart cherries, drained

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup pie filling enhancer
(Estelle's uses King Arthur Flour brand)

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon cloves

1 Tablespoon unsalted butter

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees, and place half of the rolled out pie dough into a 9-inch pie pan. In a medium bowl, combine the cherries, sugar, pie filling enhancer, lemon juice, salt, cinnamon, and cloves. Let the mixture sit for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour the filling into the prepared crust, dot with butter, then top with second half of the rolled pie dough. Crimp the crusts shut and cut a few slits into the top of the pie to allow steam to release.
Place the pie on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F. and bake for another 45 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling. Set the pie on a wire rack to cool, allowing the filling to firm up.
Slice and serve!

Cape Elizabeth....Our Farewell Tour

2012-02-21T06:51:00.002-05:00

We are making the rounds of some of our favorite places in the area
before saying

Auf wiedersehen

Two Lights Entrance in Cape Elizabeth

Our favorites spot...What could be more beautiful?

View of House Island

Trying for a self-portrait

Second try...we got the giggles

The third try a charm

It was the perfect picnic spot

Portland Headlight in February

My last picture of Portland Headlight...Incredible there is no snow on a February Day

Visitors at the Lighthouse

Enjoying the view

It's been the best of times.....now back to Estelle's for
hot tea and lemon bread

Lemon Tea Bread

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

11/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 t baking powder

1/2 t salt

1/2 cup milk

2 T lemon zest, divided

1 cup powdered sugar

2 T fresh lemon juice

1 T granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat softened butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add 1 cup granulated sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.

Stir together flour, baking powder and salt; add to butter mixture alternately with milk, beating at low speed just until blended, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Stir in 1 tablespoon lemon zest. Spoon batter into a greased and floured 8x4-inch loaf pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center of bread comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes. Remove from pan to a wire rack, and cool completely.
Stir together powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth; spoon over top of bread, letting excess drip down sides. Stir together remaining 1 tablespoon lemon zest and 1 tablespoon granulated sugar; sprinkle on top of bread.

STRAWBERRY SAUCE
1 lb strawberries, hulled and halved

2 tablespoons maple syrup

1 tablespoon sugar

Juice of 1/4 lemon

Zest of the 1/4 lemon

2 teaspoons cornstarch

Put the strawberries, maple syrup, lemon juice and zest into a medium saucepan and cook over medium-low heat for 10 mins. Taste and add the the 1 tablespoon sugar if it’s not sweet enough. Mix the cornstarch with 2 teaspoons water and add to the saucepan. Continue to simmer for another 10 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat and mash lightly with fork to break up the bigger pieces. If you want a smooth sauce, puree the cooled sauce in a blender. Heavenly with the lemon cake or over ice cream!

Simply Breathtaking

Peaches and Cream

2012-02-20T11:27:00.000-05:00

Estelle's featured the most delectable dessert this weekend. Do you like Peach Cobbler? Do you salivate over cheesecake? Well, how about combining the two together? This is sooooo yummy!

Darling walked in the house after some outside chores and said, "What in the world smells so good in here?" Need I say more........

Peaches and Cream Cake

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 eggs

1 cup milk

6 tablespoons butter, melted

Peaches and Topping

29-ounce can sliced peaches

16 ounces cream cheese

softened to room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

6 tablespoons reserved peach juice

Cinnamon and sugar for sprinkling

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9X13-inch baking dish with cooking spray and set aside. In a medium or large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and cornstarch. Blend. Make a well in the center and add the vanilla, eggs, milk and melted butter. Whisk together until well combined. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared baking dish.

Drain the can of peaches, saving the juice. Scatter them over the top of the batter evenly. In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar and reserved peach juice together until light and creamy. Dollop the cream cheese mixture in tablespoon-sized spoonfuls over the top of the batter and peaches and then use a spatula to evenly spread together to form a creamy layer. Sprinkle the top of the cream cheese layer with cinnamon and sugar. Bake for 45-60 minutes until the edges are puffed and golden and the cream cheese layer has bubbled slightly on top.

The Garden...Create What You Love

2012-02-19T07:05:00.000-05:00

I am actually jumping ahead and planning for the new Texas garden. There is one thing I don't care for in gardens, and that is a manicured, formal look. I like to toss caution to the wind, and feel more at home in a relaxed design.

I am an English Cottage Garden girl!

Cottage gardens don't look designed. In fact, they're usually exuberant, free-flowering, and sometimes even unrestrained. To get an informal look, avoid planting in straight lines or defined patterns. Let plants cascade over paths and weave through each other. It adds to their charm. And grow self-seeding plants that pop up in unexpected places.

Most cottage gardens have a romantic feel. Part of that feel comes from the flowers. Look for blooms in soft pastel shades. Also look for plants packed with petals, such as peonies and old roses. As an added bonus, many of these varieties are also wonderfully fragrant. The biggest rule is that you create a look you love. Don't get caught up in trying to follow "the rules." Plant what you like and how you like it for a delightful cottage garden.

Bellflowers: This tough perennial produces spikes of white or blue blooms in early and midsummer. Like most cottage garden plants, the flowers are great for cutting. Full sun or part shade. Grow to 3 feet tall. Zones 3-8

Coralbells: In spring and early summer, Coralbells produce sprays of pink, red, or white flowers. These flowers are a top choice of hummingbirds. Part shade and well drained soil. Grows up to 3 feet tall. Zones 4-8

Foxgloves: This woodland biennial reliably produces beautiful upright spikes of bell-shape flowers in shades of purple, pink, and white. Note: While most common foxgloves are biennial, they often self seed and appear each year in the garden. Partial sun and well drained soil. Grows 2-6 feet depending on the variety. Zones 3-8

Hollyhocks: Among the tallest of perennials, hollyhocks bear flower spikes up to 8 feet tall. They bloom in a wide range of shades -- from nearly black to red, purple, yellow, and white. Full sun and moist well drained soil. Grows 4-8 feet tall. Zones 3-9.

Hydrangeas: shrub of incomparable beauty, hydrangeas produce large clusters of pink, blue, or white flowers in early summer. They're great for cutting, if you can bear to take them out of your garden. Partial sun and moist well drained soil. Grow up to 6 feet tall. Zones 4-9

Peonies: With their petal-packed blooms, peonies are some of the most romantic plants. They not only look great, but they bear a wonderful fragrance. And they're virtually pest free and quite drought tolerant. Full sun and well drained soil. Grow up to 5 feet. Zones 3-8

Phlox: One of the most brilliant plants of the late-summer garden, phlox produces stunning clusters of white, pink, lavender, and red blooms that bear a delightful fragrance. Full sun and moist well drained soil. Grows up to 4 feet. Zones 3-8.

Violets: With their edible and fragrant blooms, violets are among the most charming flowers for the cottage garden. These cool-weather lovers start in spring and often bloom again in fall. Partial to full shade. Grows up to 1 foot tall. Zones 4-8

My Inspiration...Appears to be the pefect meditation spot

An Invitation to the Ball

2012-02-18T06:17:00.000-05:00

It's Mardi Gras....It's Mardi Gras!

It's all a celebration! Ever since we have had close ties with New Orleans, we have celebrated and looked forward to February and the Mardi Gras Parades. Pensacola and Mobile join in the parades and festivites and there are parties, formal balls and parades during much of this month. Miss Judy will be attending one of the big formals and a parade on Saturday. Her neighbors, Donna and Nelson have been involved in a big Mardi Gras event for many years and host a big outdoor gathering for the weekend. Miss Judy and Mary Jo, Donna's aunt, will be attending the garden event on Sunday and their contribution will be tasty treats recommended by The Maine House. Estelle's has featured these at previous parties and both were a hit! An easy, spicy appetizer and a divine take on a Big Easy dessert...kind of a cross between homemade Banana Pudding and Banana's Foster! Gosh, I hate to miss all this fun!

Let the Good Times Roll

Dancing to the Music

Mardi Gras Fever

The Bead Toss

Ready, Set, Catch

Two Mardi Gras Divas

Spicy Andouille Sausage

1 pound andouille sausage, cut into 1/2-inch rounds

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

2 tablespoons sherry wine vinegar

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

Cook sausage in hot olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until browned. Stir in minced garlic paprika; cook 1 minute or until fragrant. Add vinegar and chopped fresh thyme; cook, stirring often, 2 minutes. Serve with colorful wooden picks.

Caramel Banana Puddings

1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1/4 cup butter

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

4 large ripe bananas, sliced

1 cup granulated sugar, divided

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

2 large eggs

2 cups milk

4 large eggs, separated

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

48 vanilla wafers

Cook first 3 ingredients in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly, 2 to 3 minutes or until bubbly. Add bananas; cook 2 to 3 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Remove from heat. Whisk together 3/4 cup granulated sugar, next 3 ingredients, and 4 egg yolks in a heavy saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, 8 to 10 minutes or until a pudding-like thickness. (Mixture will just begin to bubble and will hold soft peaks when whisk is lifted.) Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla. Divide half of banana mixture, pudding, and wafers among 8 (1-cup) ramekins or ovenproof glass dishes. Layer with remaining banana mixture, pudding, and vanilla wafers. Beat 4 egg whites at high speed with an electric mixer until foamy. Add remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 Tbsp. at a time, beating until stiff peaks form and sugar dissolves (2 to 4 minutes). Spread meringue over ramekins. Place ramekins on a baking sheet.
Bake at 325° for 15 to 20 minutes or until meringue is golden. Let cool on a wire rack 30 minutes.

She gets my vote for "The Cutest on the Parade Route!"

Work Like the Dickens and Smell Nice in the Process

2012-02-17T11:55:00.001-05:00

I am cleaning The Maine House! Everyday, every hour, every minute.

We need to shine and sparkle and smell good!

Ah, the process of home selling! Mother used to say these words..."work like the dickens!" I never really understood what that meant, but knew that it was serious business....the process was amplified...kicked up a notch so to speak!

I have depended on Mrs. Meyers Cleaning products for years now. I originally ordered these home products from QVC, but was thrilled to discover that Target now carries a small selection of her products. If you have not tried these, I encourage you to try some. Scents like Lemon Verbena, Basil, Lavender, Geranium, Rosemary, Honeysuckle, Parsley, Rhubarb and last but not least, Baby Blossom! They offer not only household cleaners, but hand and body products, laundry soaps and air fresheners. I have tried most all of them and find them absolutely heaven! I also like that her products are biodegradable and packaged in recyclable bottles, and that the products are ammonia-, chlorine bleach-, paraben- and phosphate-free; they are never tested on animals. I have not tried the hand soap in the rhubarb scent, but am going to add this to my next order!

You are my kinda' girl Miss Thelma!

Winter Markets...Farm to Table

2012-02-15T06:47:00.000-05:00

Buy Fresh.....Buy Local.....Support Your Farmers

The Winter Farmers Markets

Who doesn't love a Farmers Market? Did you think they existed only during Summer months? I have posted before on our summer weekly visits to the Mississippi Farmers Market in Jackson, so it was a rather pleasant surprise to realize how prevalent these were around Maine during winter. In fact, there are nearly 30 indoor winter markets in the state of Maine.

Most are more representative of a co-op, featuring local fresh produce, locally raised beef, pork, lobster, fish, and dairy products...like bottled milk, yogurt, and organic cheese selections. And oh my, the jams, jellies, pickles, salsa's, fresh pasta and Italian sauces.....what a cook's dream this can be! These markets are a perfect place to buy a special gift for your family and friends, as you can find local artists displaying their handmade crafts of pottery, beadworks and hand-dyed wools. How about filling your pantry with the Greek Olive Oils, packaged herbs, dips and seasoning blends. Yum...smell the warm baked biscotti and kettle corn! There are also handmade goodies of chocolates and granolas! After full tummies of sampling the products, you can browse among the soft clean scents of herbal soaps and candles.

We discovered, Mi Mexico….Here at last is real Mexican cooking prepared by Debra Rodriguez Gaspardi, a Freeport caterer and cooking teacher who specializes in her native cuisine. Her taco chips are incredible — salty, spicy, crisp, with a nice lime finish. Her prepared dishes like tamales, enchiladas, frijoles, and more are like none you’ve had anywhere in Maine!

Other favorite stops include Judy’s Kitchen, whose old-fashioned pies like coconut custard and various berry pies are wonderful. Another baking vendor to visit is the Farmer’s Daughter who makes wonderful fruit-spiked English muffins and mile-high popovers. Bowdoin Baking Company is another baker with some tempting sweets. We took home some of her melting moments cookies — utterly sweetly superb. I used to make these at Ole Miss, in fact!

Once you spend a day at a Winter Market, you will be hooked!

These are a nice buttery oatmeal cookie with a pumpkin pie or apple pie taste, crunchy and slightly chewy all in one--simply perfect!

ESTELLE'S SPICED OATMEAL COOKIES

2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup packed dark brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons corn syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 large egg

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

2 cups quick oats

1 heaping teaspoon pumpkin pie spice or apple pie spice

Heat oven to 375° F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or aluminum foil. With an electric mixer on medium-high, beat the butter, brown and granulated sugars, corn syrup, and vanilla for 3 minutes. Add the egg and beat until combined. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda. Reduce mixer speed to low and slowly add the flour mixture to the egg mixture. Form the dough into heaping tablespoon-size mounds. Place on the prepared baking sheets, 2 inches apart. Bake until lightly browned at the edges, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool on the still warm baking sheets for 5 minutes. Transfer the cookies to wire racks. Cool completely.

The Atlanta House....A Deck in Progess

2012-02-14T07:28:00.000-05:00

We will soon be headed to Atlanta for a visit with the Divine Miss M and her family. They have been hard at work building a new deck for their lovely southern home and while the boys are handling the design and construction part of the project, "M" and I are enjoying the fun part of planning the accessories!

Looking Up

A Huge Project

Back View

Now the most amazing part of this project, is that our darling Jay not only builds this mostly by himself, he created the architectural designs also. We have constantly been amazed at his ability to "imagine" a design and then with much precision, dedication and fortitude, his designs become a reality.

Now here's another unique design

It's amazing what you can design from the scrap pile

Daddy and his little Bob the Builder

The Sun is setting....time to hang up the toolbelt

A well deserved rest after a long work day

Come to Dinner Boys!

A Favorite Specialty from The Atlanta Kitchen

Chicken with Mustard Mascarpone Marsala Sauce

1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts,
each breast cut crosswise into 3 pieces
salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

5 tablespoons butter, divided

¾ cup chopped onion

1 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced

2 tablespoons minced garlic

1 cup dry Marsala wine

1 cup (8 ounces) mascarpone cheese

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves, plus whole sprigs, for garnish

12 ounces dried fettuccine

Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over high heat. Add the chicken and cook just until brown, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate and cool slightly.

While the chicken cools, melt 2 tablespoons of butter to the same skillet over medium-high heat, then add the onion and saute until tender, about 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and garlic and saute until the mushrooms are tender and the juices evaporate, about 12 minutes. Add the wine and simmer until it is reduced by half, about 4 minutes. Stir in the mascarpone and mustard. Cut the chicken breasts crosswise into 1/3-inch-thick slices. Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the skillet. Simmer, uncovered, over medium-low heat until the chicken is just cooked through and the sauce thickens slightly, about 2 minutes. Stir in the chopped parsley. Season the sauce, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the fettuccine and cook until al dente, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Drain. Toss the fettuccine with 3 tablespoons of butter and season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Swirl the fettuccine onto serving plates. Spoon the chicken mixture over top. Garnish with parsley sprigs and serve

hmmmm...color possibilities!

The Reading Corner.....Mystery Behind the Masks While Eating Bourbon Pecan Pie

2012-02-13T08:46:00.001-05:00

A Southern Mansion Mystery

Nottoway Plantation

White Castle, Louisiana

Carolyn Guest writes about southern mansions with a haunted past. The Amelia Island Williams House, Monmouth Plantation, and Nottoway Plantation and Resort are all Bed and Breakfast Inns. In this novel, she features Nottoway Plantation, which is the largest plantation in the south, and currently operates as a sugar cane plantation. Each southern mansion provides a story of mystery and intrigue that will keep you on pins and needles!

In A Southern Mansion Mystery 4, the main characters, Catherine and Mary Lou, in their sixties, are devoted sisters who are invariably stumbling across someone’s dead body. Catherine’s reputation for sleuthing is rapidly growing and she is sought out for her talent of noticing those fine little details that go undetected by others. Mary Lou is constantly weaving a web to catch that perfect husband who always seems to elude her. The two together provide us with tales of humor and suspense.

A Christmas Gift from Miss Judy..signed by the author, Carolyn Guest

It all started when Mary Lou received an invitation to attend a masquerade ball. How could things have gone so wrong? What was supposed to be a time of renewed friendship, fun and gaiety had turned into a nightmare of disbelief and fear! How could you trust anyone after that night?

Front View of Mansion

Nottoway was built in 1859 by John Hamptom Randolph and had always been a sugar plantation. The home was built with hand grown cypress and bricks that were handmade by sixty-four slaves. The end result stood three stories high and contained sixty-four rooms. The ceilings were 15 1/2 feet high. The staircase was double granite and the archways were made from hand cast mud, horsehair, clay and spanish moss.

Side View of Mansion

There are six interior staircases, twelve Italian marble fireplaces, 165 doors, 200 windows and a bowling alley was built on the ground floor for their eight children.

The plantation survived the Civil War with only one grape shot embedded in on the large white columns. In fact, one Union officer saved Nottoway when he called for a "cease fire" so that Nottoway might be spared from ruin as he had previously attended balls and garden parties at this plantation.

Their nerves now lay shattered like shards of glass on that white floor which was now stained with crimson! Everyone who was anyone around River Road and the surrounding area were in attendance. It was even possible that Catherine and Mary Lou had been twirled around the dance floor in the arms of the fiend who was responsible for the murder......

Recipe by Daniel Thompson,
Executive Chef at Nottoway Plantation

NOTTOWAY BOURBON PECAN PIE

5 T. unsalted butter

1 cup packed sugar

3/4 cup light corn syrup

1/2 t. salt

8 T. chopped toasted pecans

2 T. Bourbon

2 t. vanilla

3 eggs, lightly beaten

While pie crust is baking, prepare the filling. In medium saucepan, combine the butter, sugar, corn syrup and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly and continue to boil for one minute.Remove from the heat and stir in the bourbon and vanilla. Set the mixture aside to cool slightly...about five minutes. Whisk the beaten eggs into the filling until smooth. Pour the filling into the hot pie shell and add nuts to the filling. Bake at 450 degrees F. on the lower rack of the oven until the edges are set but the center is slightly loose. Cool on a rack and serve slightly warm.

What's in Your Beauty Bag?

2012-02-12T08:25:00.000-05:00

Saturdays are normally "errand days!" You know, you rush around to the grocery store, pick up or drop off the dry cleaning, run to Lowe's or Home Depot for a new tool or gardening item, spend an hour or so browsing through the bookstore...doing all the errands you did not accomplish during the week. It used to be that we were rushing off to soccer practice which took most of our weekends. When that ended, this was replaced by the grandchildren's sports activities. Now, Darling and I can slow the pace somewhat, but still manage to motor around most of the day, accomplishing our chores to head into the week. Even though, I start him out with a good breakfast, he is complaining of hunger pains by 11:00 AM.

"Hey, how about a cheeseburger and fries from McDonald's?", he asks. "What! No, we don't need to eat fast food!", I replied. Well, since he was in the driver's seat, I found us pulling into the McDonald's parking lot and making our way into the maddening lunch crowd at the local McD's! He opted for one of those big combo meals, and I on the other hand, requested the $1.00 yogurt parfait. So, after filling his tummy with the best of crispy french fries and a big ole' burger, I commented that I was a "cheap date!" He laughed and said, "yes, this time, I guess you were....you only cost me a dollar for your lunch!" Then......my wheels began to turn........"Do you think we could swing by Target before heading home.....I forgot to pick up a birthday card I needed?" So.....he was sweet enough to make a little detour and off we headed to one of my favorite stores....T-A-R-G-E-T (often times pronounced Tar-Jay). Now, this is my therapy! I could spend hours browsing the bed and bath isles!

I came out with some delicious new beauty finds! Good enough to share.......

Strawberry Margarita, Tutti Frutti Tongo, Big Apple Red

ColorSensationals by Maybelline

Coral Crush, Pink Peony, Coral Lustre, Very Cherry, Warm Me Up

On the drive home, he turned to me and asked, "Now how much did your little beauty bag cost me?" "Well, I believe the total of my new beauty products came to around $55.00." His reply? "Dahlin'....you may be cheap date, but you have always been an expensive wife!" Kisses, darling!

Not to worry....I always reward his generosity with one of his

favorite little sweets!

STRAWBERRIES AND CREAM CAKE

1 roll refrigerated sugar cookie dough

1 1/4 cups unsalted, softened

3/4cup granulated sugar

3 eggs

3 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla Extract

2 1/4 cups all purpose Flour

1can (14 oz) Sweetened Condensed Milk

1/3 cup Strawberry Preserves

2 cups heavy whipping cream

2 tablespoons powdered sugar

1lb fresh strawberries, sliced (2 1/2 cups)

Heat oven to 350°F. Let cookie dough stand at room temperature 10 minutes to soften. Spray 13x9-inch pan with Cooking Spray. Break up cookie dough in pan; press to cover bottom of pan. 2 In large bowl, beat butter and granulated sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and 2 teaspoons of the vanilla until well blended. On low speed, alternately beat in about 1/3 of the flour and 1/2 of the condensed milk, ending with flour addition, until blended. Pour batter over dough in pan, spreading gently to cover. 3 Drop teaspoonfuls preserves onto batter; with knife, swirl preserves into batter. 4 Bake 45 to 55 minutes or until edges are golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool until slightly warm, about 1 hour. 5 In small bowl, beat whipping cream, powdered sugar and remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla with electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form. 6 Serve warm cake with whipped cream and strawberries.

Old House in The Village

2012-02-11T07:44:00.000-05:00

I have always been fascinated by old homes. I could just stand in front of the house and stare at it for hours imagining the families that have lived there, hear their laughter and wonder what stories the house could reveal. Just think of the history of old homes...how many new inventions were introduced into the home or what treasures might have been secretly hidden or accidently left behind by their owners. This is a old 1826 Federal style home which is for sale in the village. I thought you might enjoy taking a peek inside this gem of history!

Front of Home

Kitchen Dining

Warm Sunrays in the Kitchen

Formal Dining Room

The Work Center..Beautiful Windows

Upstairs Master

The Keeping Room

It's Charming, It's Lovely, It's History

To My Valentine

2012-02-10T07:25:00.000-05:00

Have I Told You Lately, That I Love You

The Romance of Home

Look for sheets with tiny hearts on them....Have Breakfast in Bed...Curl up with your honey and watch The Way We Were or Sweetheart's Dance! Frame an old photo of you and your sweetheart and place it on your nightstand. Buy some new rich girl red nail polish and paint your toenails! Take a heart shaped cookie cutter and serve your love heart- shaped french toast with real maple syrup! Toast each other with a glass of champagne..

then kiss softly on the lips....

Chocolate-Cherry Layered Cupcakes

1 box Devil's Food Cake Mix

Water, Veggie Oil and eggs according to package directions

1/2 t. Almond Extract

1 (21 ounce) can Cherry Pie Filling

1 Package of Instant Vanilla Pudding

1 Container of Milk Chocolate Frosting

Heat oven to 350°F. Make and bake cake mix as directed on box for 24 cupcakes, adding almond extract to batter. Cool in pans 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, mix the instant vanilla pudding according to package directions and set aside until ready to assemble.

Just before serving, remove paper baking cups. Cut cupcake in half horizontally with serrated knife. On bottom half of cupcake, spoon 1 tablespoon cherry pie filling; top with 2 tablespoons of vanilla pudding. Replace top of cupcake.
Spoon frosting into small microwavable bowl. Microwave uncovered on High 30 seconds. Stir thoroughly until very soft and smooth, microwaving 5 to 15 seconds longer if necessary. Spoon 1 tablespoon frosting over top of cupcake. Top with 1 cherry from pie filling. Repeat steps 2 and 3 with remaining cupcakes. Serve to the "one who has your heart!"

Happy Valentines To The One Who Has My Heart

It's a Full Moon.....The Stars Are in Alignment....

2012-02-09T07:25:00.002-05:00

God, bless this house and all who live here. Fill this dwelling with an ambiance of peace, prosperity, health, happiness, harmony and love. Let this space shine with divine light and beauty and provide a warm, comfortable haven from the world. May only beings that are kind-hearted and well-intentioned enter here. May nature's spirits feel welcome and live with us as friends. May all who enter here receive what they need, and feel richly blessed with their heart's desires.

The Divine Miss M's Idea....a fresh bouquet!

The Maine House in on display this morning. We have had a somewhat dismal three months on the market. We were hoping for a faster move home, but life plays out the way God intended, doesn't it? Last Saturday, Darling and I woke up very early to prepare for a fourth house showing. The front sidewalk, which is a little steep and simply covered with ice and snow had to be cleared for welcoming potential buyers! This is rather strenuous and takes about 2 to 3 hours to clear!

See...even a Mississippi boy can use a Snowblower!

Meanwhile, I went into "Cinderella Mode" and was cleaning, scrubbing, swiping, polishing and dusting! I fluffed all the pillows, made sure a nickel bounced off the beautifully made beds, and that you could see your reflection in the soaking tub! I even was baking chocolate chip cookies in the early morning hours, while having morning coffee. Mae Mobley knew something was awry and I could tell she thought we were certainly in a fuss about something!

What's Happening?

We accomplished our assigned tasks, packed up Mae Mo' and headed out the door. So proud....who could not fall in love with our home? I love welcoming visitors, friends and family with the warmth of a clean, sparkling home, a warm fire glowing and comforting smells of either freshly baked bread, hot apple pie spiced with cinnamon or warm chocolate chip cookies! Then.....the phone rang.....the showing was cancelled! It appears that the potential buyers had just written an offer on the previous house! I could hear the air deflate from our sails.......home again, home again, with not so much as a jiggity-jig!

Home Again

It's all going to be ok! God has a plan and I hold faithful to that way of thinking! We are learning patience and to be thankful for our blessings. Even though this is a stressful process...the selling and purchasing of houses, it's the end result that we keep our eye on. Yes, traveling back and forth every other week is somewhat exhausting and stressful, but the outcome will be that Darling and I will be back in Texas, with our family and new owners of The Maine House will be fortunate enough to experience all the lovliness, fun and surrounding beauty of our little New England Village! It's what's inside The Maine House that matters most...

Comfort Food Being Served by Estelle's Tonight! Welcome Home!

Recipe Shared By Miss Rita Recipes

Crunchy Mustard Chicken

5 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1 cup yellow mustard

1 large can French-fried onions

House Seasoning, Salt, Pepper and Garlic Powder

Wash and dry the chicken thighs. Season with the house seasoning and SLATHER (Miss Helen's favorite word, especially when referring to butter) with yellow mustard. I sprinkle with a little cayenne pepper at this point! Crush the french-fried onions and press the mustard coated thighs into the crushed onions. Make sure both sides are well covered. Place in a greased baking dish and sprinkle with a little olive oil. Cover with foil and bake at 300 degrees F. for 45 minutes or until desired doneness. Estelle's serves this with a spicy corn pudding! Ya'll....I am telling you, this smells amazing and is one of my most requested main dishes...from Atlanta to Mississippi to Florida!!!

Don't Worry....Be Happy!

It's Still Winter!

2012-02-08T07:19:00.001-05:00

Well...I think we have had enough.....of winter!

A House in The Village

We are so not used to having six months of winter's cold blast! I mean, from October until May, the weather turns gray, cold, damp, snowy, and just plain dull! Yes, there are days of sunshine, but there is old packed snow covering so much of the ground and hard black ice still remaining on the road's edge and sidewalks. The trees remain bare. mere sticks against the night's sky and you find yourself still drinking hot tea by a roaring fire in March!

Darling having early morning coffee as he ponders the snow in the backwoods

Mr. Jimmy is ready for breakfast

Managed to snap a picture of beautiful Mr. Fox trotting through

Figured out a better way...see my garden angel peeking out from the snow

Now, as I look at our photos, I remind myself how beautiful our woodlands are at The Maine House. I am thankful for this beauty and serenity. I was reading an article on someone wondering if early March was a good time to visit Maine? Well, emphatically no! It is still winter, precious! Don't plan on sailing in the bay, enjoying a fresh lobster roll at one of the many lobster shacks (they close in October and reopen in May), or float down the Kennebec in a kayak. Bundling up for a walk is a required necessity!

Our darling Mae watching the snow

Our Village Bed and Breakfast

Interesting.......

I drive by this little woodland area on trips to the grocery.

It is so breathtakingly beautiful, I had to stop and snap a picture.

Our walk on Scarborough Beach

Let's think warm weather and spring!
This Glazed Grapefruit Pound Cake is a dreamy choice for those of us that like flavor more than frosting. The bright tang of the citrus perfectly balances the rich, buttery goodness of the pound cake.

Grapefruit Pound Cake

3 cups cake flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1-1/2 teaspoons table salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 cups granulated sugar

Zest of 1 grapefruit

1-1/4 teaspoons grapefruit or lemon extract

4 eggs, at room temperature

1/2 cup fresh grapefruit juice, divided

Grapefruit Glaze

Preheat oven to 325°. Spray a 10-inch Bundt or tube pan with cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer until color lightens, about 2 minutes. Add sugar gradually; then beat until fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add grapefruit zest and extract; beat thoroughly. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add one-third of the flour mixture; then beat until just incorporated. Add 1/4 cup grapefruit juice and another third of the flour mixture; then beat until just incorporated. Repeat with the other 1/4 cup grapefruit juice and the remaining flour mixture. Pour batter into prepared pan. Tap pan on counter to get rid of any air pockets. Bake 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

Remove cake from oven and place on a cooling rack 10 minutes; then turn cake out of the pan onto rack. Loosen sides with a thin knife. Let cool to room temperature, about 45 minutes longer. Top with Grapefruit Glaze as directed below.

Grapefruit Glaze

1-1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar

2-2/3 tablespoons fresh grapefruit juice

Combine sugar and juice in a bowl; then mix with a fork until smooth. Set a piece of wax paper under the cake (which is still on the cooling rack); then slowly drizzle glaze over cake. Let cake cool completely before transferring to a platter. You may refrigerate it overnight, or up to several days, covered loosely with foil.

Abbie's Birthday Wishes

2012-02-06T08:51:00.028-05:00

But more than anything, more than anything,

My wish, for you, is that this life becomes all that you want it to,
Your dreams stay big, and your worries stay small,
You never need to carry more than you can hold,
And while you're out there getting where you're getting to,
I hope you know somebody loves you, and wants the same things too,
Yes, this is my wish.

We celebrate a special birthday this week...granddaughter, Abbie! My how time passes quickly! She is turning twelve. We have watched Miss Abbie grow from sweet baby girl, to a precious toddler, to a child who excels in school, embraces friendships, a soccer star and a giving and loving young lady! She is everything we could have wished for. As the now infamous line from The Help quotes from Aibileen...."You is Kind, You is Smart and You is Important!

Homemade Strawberry Cake-Best Birthday Cake Ever!

1 (18.25-ounce) box white cake mix

1 (3-ounce) box strawberry-flavored instant gelatin

1 (15-ounce) package frozen strawberries in syrup, thawed and pureed

4 large eggs

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup water

Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1 (10-ounce) package frozen strawberries in syrup, thawed and pureed

1/2 teaspoon strawberry extract

7 cups confectioners' sugar

Freshly sliced strawberries, for garnish, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease 2 (9-inch) round cake pans. In a large bowl, combine cake mix and gelatin. Add pureed strawberries, eggs, oil, and water; beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Pour into prepared pans, and bake for 20 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks.

Frosting
In a large bowl, beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Beat in 1/4 cup of the strawberry puree and the vanilla extract. Gradually add confectioners' sugar, beating until smooth. I add the sugar according to taste and do not add all 7 cups. (Be sure to taste test as you mix the frosting so it does not end up over the top sweet! ) Spread frosting in between layers and on top and sides of cake. Garnish with sliced fresh strawberries!

Our Birthday Girl!

Super Appetizers for the Superbowl!

2012-02-05T05:26:00.000-05:00

"Mom! Send us some more of your Superbowl recipes.....please!"

We've Come A Long Way Baby!
Go Giants!!!!

Estelle's received a call yesterday morning pleading for some assistance in throwing a Superbowl party for the Texas boys! We have one who prefers to eat healthy and two who can still eat anything they wish and maintain a good physique! They have to be rather easy to prepare and something that will satisfy their appetites until half time! I have a few more great "football foods" that should please all those Texas kiddos! Try these shugah's and let me know how they turn out.....love, Mom!

Crescent Bake

1 pound ground beef

1 small can mushrooms..drained

1/2 cup onions...chopped

salt and pepper to taste

1 8 ounce can tomato sauce

1 cup cheddar cheese...grated

1 can crescent rolls

1/2 cup sour cream

1/4 teaspoon oregano

1/4 teaspoon basil

Heat oven at 375 degrees F. Brown together beef, onions, drained mushrooms. Drain. Add salt and pepper. Put in 8x12 inch pan. Sprinkle cheese on top. Separate crescent rolls into triangles. Combine sour cream and herbs. Spread 1 tablespoon on each triangle. Roll up at wide end. Arrange rolls on top of meat mixture. Bake 30-35 minutes..or til brown.

Healthy Turkey Taco Dip

1 lb. ground turkey breast

1 package taco seasoning mix

1/2 cup water

16 oz. can black beans

15.5 oz. jar of salsa

1 cup low-fat shredded cheddar cheese

8 oz. light cream cheese, softened

1 cup light sour cream

1/2 cup shredded lettuce

1/4 cup chopped green onions

1 cup chopped tomato

1/4 cup chopped black olives

Cook turkey over medium heat in nonstick skillet until no longer pink, stirring to break up meat. Add seasoning mix and water; bring to a boil. Reduce to medium heat and cook for 2 – 3 minutes.
Add black beans and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup of the cheese. Spoon the turkey mixture into a 2-1/2 qt. baking dish. In a mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with the sour cream. Spread over the meat mixture and spoon salsa on top. Top with lettuce, green onions, chopped tomatoes, and black olives. Scatter the remaining shredded cheese on top. Serve with baked tortilla chips.

Chicken Chioptle Dip
3 cups finely shredded cooked chicken
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (7-ounce) container plain Greek yogurt
1/2 cup mayonnaise
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
2 tablespoons pureed chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, divided
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 teaspoon hot or sweet paprika
Pita chips, crackers and crudite to serve

Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly oil or butter two 1-quart baking dishes

Combine the cream cheese, yogurt, mayonnaise, salt and pepper, 1 cup of grated cheddar and 1 tablespoon pureed chipotles in adobo in a large bowl, mixing well. Mix in the chicken. Spread half the mixture in one of the baking dishes. Add the remaining chipotle puree and the cilantro to the remaining half of the dip mixture and stir to blend. Transfer that mixture into the other baking dish. Top the two casseroles with the remaining cheese, dividing it evenly, and sprinkle them with the paprika of your choice (you may use hot paprika for the spicy dip, sweet for the milder dip, if you choose).

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until golden brown and hot throughout. Serve with pita chips, crackers and crudités.

Handcrafted Warmth!

2012-02-03T06:55:00.000-05:00

Hands To Work, Hearts To God

I have a long time friend who is quite a crafter….extremely talented. She and I were visiting the other day and she said, “When I travel, I always take a project with me to while away the time in airports and on planes. Knitting yarn can be just delicious to touch, and the colors very saturated.”

“I pray when I knit. I don't know why. Many years ago, I was making a pair of socks for myself, and just about the time they were finished, a friend lost her mother. The socks, soft, comforting, found their way into a gift basket for her, and she would later tell me how much they meant to her at that time.

God has a plan for us, doesn't he? And uses us in ways we would never consider. And so it began with the knitting, making something with no recipient in mind, praying for a need I did not yet know, or understand, and when the socks, or scarf, or mittens or afghan was done, someone would come to mind and the item would be packaged off to whoever God had planned for it all along.”~E.T.

A sweet and thoughtful gift....I received this idea in one of my crafting emails! Lovely to share with all of my talented knitting friends!

A Coffee Cup Cozy

Finished Measurements:
3.25 inches/8 cm wide, 9 inches/23 cm around unstretched; will stretch easily to fit the largest take-out coffee cup.

Materials:
• 1 ball Sirdar Eco Wool DK (100% undyed virgin wool, 100m/50gm ball; color 201—grey)
o Designer’s Tip: If you can’t find this yarn, any worsted weight wool like Cascade 220, or Paton’s Classic Merino will work nicely!
• 4mm (US #6) straight needles—wood, bamboo or plastic needles are easiest
• Cable needle
• Yarn needle

Gauge:
22 stitches and 28 rows across 4 inches/10cm in stockinette stitch on 4mm needles.

Method:
Cast on 20 sts.
Row 1 [RS]: K4, p2, k8, p2, k4.
Rows 2, 4, 6, 8 [WS]: K6, p8, k6.
Row 3 [RS]: K4, p2, k8, p2, k4.
Row 5 [RS]: K4, p2, C8R*, p2, k4.
Row 7 [RS]: K4, p2, k8, p2, k4.

*C8R: Slip next 4 sts to cable needle and hold in back; k4, then k4 from cable needle.

Repeat the last 8 rows until piece measures 9 inches long, ending after a Row 1.
Bind off, leaving a 12 inch tail to use for seaming.

Finishing:
Wash the piece.
With RS facing, seam using the invisible horizontal seaming method as given below, using the tail left over from the cast-off.

How To Work the Invisible Horizontal Seam
If you look closely at your knitting, you’ll see that at the bottom of each knit stitch – each V – you’ll see a point. You’ll use these for seaming.

Fold the coffee cozy in half along the short side, with right sides facing you, and line up the cast-on and bind off edges. The cast-off tail should be on your right if you’re right-handed; on your left if you’re left-handed. Thread your darning needle with your cast-off tail.

Starting with the cast-on edge (that is, the edge that doesn’t have the tail attached to it), run the darning needle under the point of the V of the first stitch, right at the edge.

Next, run under the corresponding V on the other side, right up by the cast-off edge. And then back across the other side, going in where you came out, and under the next V....And so forth. When seaming purl stitches, the v is still there, it’s just hiding a little bit. Stretch the fabric out to see the V's. Pull snug as you work. When you get to the end, weave in your ends.

A Perfect Hand-Crafted Gift along with a little Caramel Latte Recipe

Hot Caramel Latte
1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk
1/2 cup caramel ice cream topping
4 teaspoons instant coffee, divided
1 cup very hot water, divided

Microwave evaporated milk and ice cream topping in small, uncovered, microwave-safe bowl on high for 2 minutes or until very hot. Carefully pour mixture into blender; cover. Blend on high for 1 minute or until very frothy on top. Put 2 teaspoons coffee granules into each 12-ounce coffee mug. Add 1/2 cup hot water to each mug; stir.

Gently pour milk mixture into each mug, spooning foam on top! Oh Heavenly!

A Perfect Pear

2012-02-02T10:35:00.004-05:00

"It is, in my view, the duty of an apple to be crisp and crunchable, but a pear should have such a texture as leads to silent consumption."

~Edward Bunyard, 'The Anatomy of Dessert'

The Maine House has the most beautiful setting in our little New England Village. I first laid eyes on our new home in the month of October. Now you ask, what could be more beautiful in Maine than October, when the cornstalks, pumpkins and scarecrows line the village and are tucked into porches all over the town? Well, spring is pretty spectacular. Keep in mind, Texas has very little color. Darling and I grew up in Mississippi where the azaleas, dogwoods, camellias and magnolias greet you by April. The colors and the air of the south in spring is simply breathtaking. While living in the Lone Star state, we struggled to keep any color blooming or at least thriving during those long hot days of spring and summer. In fact, there is not really a spring in Texas...seasons jump from winter to summer with very little glimpse of those beautiful spring-like days. I lost track of how many bulbs I planted which never appeared in that hard clay-like dirt. Needless to say, it was a weekly surprise to find out what was going to bloom in our Maine gardens our first spring and summer. Each week something new would greet us as we strolled through the gardens. When the peonies bloomed, I knew it was a gift as they were Mother's favorite flower. Our pear tree was a delight to discover! I never want to forget the beauty of spring at The Maine House. These are some of my favorite photo's of our little pear tree in spring and summer.....oh how we shall miss you......

Ice Crystals in Winter

Beautiful Spring Blossoms

The Maine House in May...Pear Blossoms

Up Close and Personal

Summer's Day

Cooking with Pears

Caramel Pear Crisp

6 cups sliced and peeled ripe pears

1 T. lemon juice

1/2 cup sugar

1 t. cinnamon

1/4 t. ground nutmeg

Topping

1 stick butter, melted

3/4 cup quick-cooking oats

1 c. flour

1 c. sugar

3/4 cup chopped walnuts

Caramel Sauce

1/2 (11 oz) bag caramel bits

1/4 c. milk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine pears and lemon juice. In another bowl, combine 1/2 cup sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add to pear's a stir gently. Let stand for 15 minutes. Pour into a 9" x 13" baking dish. In a bowl, combine butter, oats, flour, sugar and nuts. Sprinkle over pears. Bake at 375 degrees F. for 35 minutes. In a saucepan over low heat, melt caramels with milk. Stir until smooth. Drizzle caramel sauce over warm crisp with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!!

Pear Galette

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

3 extra-large eggs, at room temperature

6 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest (2 lemons)

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

2 tablespoons pear brandy

2 to 3 firm but ripe Bartlett pears

Confectioners' sugar

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter a 10 by 3 by 1 1⁄2-inch round baking dish and sprinkle the bottom and sides with 1 tablespoon of the granulated sugar.

Beat the eggs and the 1⁄3 cup of granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. On low speed, mix in the flour, cream, vanilla extract, lemon zest, salt, and pear brandy. Set aside for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, peel, quarter, core, and slice the pears. Arrange the slices in a single layer, slightly fanned out, in the baking dish. Pour the batter over the pears and bake until the top is golden brown and the custard is firm, 35 to 40 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature, sprinkled with confectioners' sugar, and creme fraiche.

The Woodlands

2012-02-01T09:57:00.000-05:00

I was standing in the kitchen, talking away to the Divine Miss M and was actually in the midst of baking a cake when she called. We were chatting away, when I happened to glance up and see.......

One of our little darlings

I shouted, "Oh our deer are here....do you see her? She is right outside the window?" There I was talking to her as if she were in the same room with me, rather than in Atlanta!! I cannot tell you how excited I become when the deer pay us a visit! I shouted........"I'll have to call you back...I need to run upstairs and grab the camera!!"

She is just too precious!

I could tie a big pink bow on her and kiss her sweet face!

I yelled for Mae Mobley to come and see her little woodland friends, but she was napping in front of the fireplace..she missed their entire visit....ole' sleepy head!

Cautiously observing from the backwoods

I think we need some shelter back there

Isn't she lovely?

I guess you can tell by now, I am a huge animal lover! Always have been...always will be! Moments like these are God's little blessings in my day. I love living in Maine. It has been simply wonderful having our woodlands be safe havens to deer, fox, wild turkeys, raccoons, mallard ducks, all sorts of birds, squirrels, especially Mr. Jimmy, and chipmunks. Oh yes, we have even had one Moose! Can you believe that? Just a winter day at The Maine House...incredible!

The Big Game Day....A Matter of Taste!

2012-01-31T07:18:00.000-05:00

THE BIG GAME DAY

I am NOT a fan of football! This is where Darling and I part ways. I know this is what he misses most about all of his boys, watching sports together. Soon, Darling....soon!

I follow three professional teams......The New Orleans Saints, (I am in love with Drew Brees), The Pittsburg Steelers (because of Mr. Jay, baby Luke and Terry Bradshaw), and The Dallas Cowboys (need you ask)! Other than that, I have little interest! So, since none of my teams are headed to the Superbowl for 2012 this year... Estelle's will provide game day snacks for the big boy and I will be watching another PBS episode of MASTERPIECE CLASSIC “Downton Abbey! It's just a matter of taste you know!

Estelle's Favorite Football Dip

1 (16 ounce) can refried beans

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons taco seasoning mix

2 cloves garlic, pressed

2 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded

1 can pitted ripe olives

1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped

2 green onions, chopped

Fresh cilantro, chopped

Fresh Avocado, diced

Tortilla chips

Spread the refried beans in a square stone baker (or a 9-inch square baking dish).
In a mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, sour cream, taco seasoning, and garlic.
Mix well with electric mixer. Spread cream cheese mixture on top of refried beans.
Sprinkle cheddar cheese on top of cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle olives, tomatoes, onions and cilantro on top. Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes. Spread fresh diced avocado on top before serving! Serve hot with Tortilla Chips.

Mississippi Sin Dip

1 (8 ounce) block of cream cheese, softened to room temperature

1-1/2 cups of sour cream

2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese

1/3 cup of chopped ham

1/3 cup of sliced green onion

1 (4 ounce)can of green chilies, undrained

2 tablespoons of chopped pickled jalapenos

Couple dashes of Worcestershire sauce

Combine all ingredients in a baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees F. for about 30 minutes until hot and bubbly. We serve this with pita chips and fresh veggies.

LEMON COCOUNT SQUARES

35 Nabisco Vanilla Wafers, finely crushed (about 1-1/3 cups)

1 cup sugar, divided

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine, melted

1 tsp. grated lemon zest

2 eggs

1/4 cup lemon juice

2 Tbsp. flour

1/2 tsp. Baking Powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/3 cup flaked Coconut

PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Mix wafer crumbs, 1/4 cup of the sugar, the butter and lemon peel until well blended. Press firmly into 8-inch square baking pan. Bake 8 min.
BEAT eggs and remaining 3/4 cup sugar in small bowl with wire whisk until thickened and well blended. Add lemon juice, flour, baking powder and salt; mix well. Pour over crust; sprinkle with coconut.
BAKE 25 to 30 min. or until center is set and top is lightly browned. Cool completely. Cover and refrigerate several hours or until chilled before cutting to serve. Store in tightly covered container in refrigerator!

Foggy Morn

2012-01-30T07:12:00.000-05:00

Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head

And

They're Frozen!

There is a wintry mix outside my window this morning dear ones! Time to ease out of a comfy warm bed, donn the flannel robes, pull on the cashmere socks and paddle downstairs to make the coffee. Did I say "paddle?" Oh dear, I am afraid so.....do we all paddle as we grow older? Well, somedays we do..it's darn cold up here in the village today! Old bones require warmer weather I am afraid! Perhaps we won't "paddle" in Texas!

It does appear quiet and peaceful in the early morning hours, though, doesn't it?

Weekday mornings are often so busy, with hubby going off to work and children preparing for the school day! Estelle's always has great ideas to make your life somewhat easier and get your days off to a great start! Put together this make-ahead breakfast casserole. Simply pop it in the oven for a hot and hearty breakfast with no fuss at all! Your family is gonna love you for it!

ESTELLE'S OVERNIGHT BREAKFAST CASSEROLE

1/4 loaf of sourdough bread, cubed

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

16-oz. package of ground pork sausage, browned and drained

4 eggs, beaten

3 cups milk

10 3/4 oz. can Cream of Mushroom Soup

4 oz. can diced green chiles

3/4 t. dry mustard

1/4 t. chili powder

Place bread in a greased 13" x 9" baking dish. Top with shredded cheese and sausage. Whisk together the remaining ingredients and pour over the top. Cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate overnight. Let stand for 30 minutes before baking. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees F. for one hour. Ready to serve!!

TIME TO RISE AND SHINE BABIES!

Nonna's Sunday Gravy

2012-01-29T07:39:00.000-05:00

"Growing up in a big Italian family, every Sunday was pasta day. Early Sunday morning Nonna would get up and make the sauce, which we referred to as gravy. The smells throughout the house would be amazing! It still isn't Sunday without this big pot of gravy simmering on the store. We always enjoyed Nonna's pasta served with crusty Italian bread and a crisp tossed salad! "~Pasquale Mori

Nonna Mori's Sunday Gravy

1/2 medium sweet onion, finely chopped

3 carrots

3 celery stalks

1 clove chopped garlic

1 1/2 pounds ground chuck

1 pound sweet Italian pork sausage

2 (14 1/2 oz) cans crushed tomatoes

28 oz. can tomato puree'

6 oz. can tomato paste

1 1/2 cups water

1 1/2 t. onion powder

1 1/2 t. garlic powder

1 1/2 t. dried basil

1/2 t. crushed Red Pepper Flakes

3 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and pepper

Heat olive oil in a large stock pot. Saute' onion, garlic, carrots and celery until all are tender. Add tomatoes, tomato puree', tomato paste and water. Stir in seasonings and red pepper flakes. In a separate skillet, brown both meats until cooked through. Drain the grease, then add to the tomato sauce mixture. Reduce heat to simmer and cover the stock pot. Simmer for 4 hours! Serve with your favorite pasta. Oh, the most fantastic aroma fills the house all day! You will think you have created your own Italian Trattoria!

For an instant appetizer, set out a warm loaf of Italian bread and little dishes of olive oil, sprinkled with Italian seasonings for dipping. Don't forget a good bottle of Vino!

The Reading Corner....Growing Up Italian

2012-01-28T09:48:00.000-05:00

“Growing Up Italian;

Grandfather’s Fig Tree and Other Stories.”

The Maine House is hosting Book Club on Sunday and I cannot wait for this review. This is a most enjoyable book read. Secretly I have always wished to be Italian....not that I don't want to be German-Irish, but I so admire Italian families. Our darling Jay is from Italian descent and we have the best time looking at the old family photographs of his family.

This book is full of little vignettes about life in a middle class Italian neighborhood in the Northeast during the '40's and '50's. It is written from the perspective of a young boy from childhood through high school. The author is Ed Iannuccilli, M.D. ,who indeed "grew up Italian," and is a prominent physician, educator and innovator in Rhode Island, and is past Chairman of the Board at Rhode Island Hospital." This book is a true nostalgic gem!

Excerpt from the book, “Growing Up Italian; Grandfather’s Fig Tree and Other Stories.”

I awoke to the aroma of a simmering sauce that filled the kitchen and crept into my room and onto my pillow. My ears were tuned to the sound of…plop blurp, plop, blurp. The aroma and the sounds were coming from the tomato sauce…gravy…cooking on the kitchen stove, and it meant it was Sunday.

The gravy was bubbling and popping, releasing with each burst a pocket of vapor with its smell into the atmosphere. Partly exposed meatballs floated along the surface like hot icebergs. A piece of bone, probably pork, was peeking through.

I shuffled like a hockey player to the pantry and the bag of Italian rolls fresh from Crugnale’s Bakery. Dad was reliable. The rolls were warm and soft. I removed one, ripped off a corner, held it between my thumb and two fingers, returned to the pan, swiped it through the gravy and held it up straight, gravy at the top.

Steam rose from the roll as the gravy cooled. To protect my fingers, I twirled the bread just ahead of the dripping lava, allowing the gravy to move to another side of the bread, cooling as it did so…a skill learned in the early years of the Italian family. Though irresistible, it was still too hot for my sensitive, eager tongue. Test it. Touch it lightly with the tip of my tongue. OK. Ready. Cool enough.

The mass was formless, soft in my mouth, wet, moist, full bodied, and rich with the rage of tomato and the hint of garlic and basil… breaded gravy heaven. Time for another dunk, and another and another, piece after piece of bread ripped off, dunk after dunk made with the same caution, taste after taste completed for the thrill of Sunday’s gravy. “You’ll ruin your dinner”.

Now for the meatballs. I needed another corner of bread. There they were, floating; a deep brown color laced with red meant they were done. They had been fried before they were put into the gravy, and sometimes good to eat just after the frying, the simple flavors of garlic and olive oil enveloping the meatball and spilling into the bread. But today, I planned to rescue them from the gravy.

They were ripe. It seemed as if the meatball fit better into a split rather than cut bun. A spoon was sitting in the ladle next to the simmering pot. I lifted out a meatball, dropped it into the bun, and then ladled more of the deep red, shimmering, hot sauce. Blowing the steam away, I resisted the tendency to gulp it down. The meatball was firm, the bread soft and chewy, the gravy almost hot. Some of the gravy spilled out of the bun onto my pajama top. No matter.I chewed slowly, rolled my tongue around and enjoyed the flavors of the heated, slightly crunchy meatball that married perfectly with the soggy bun and the gravy. “You’ll ruin your dinner.” I smiled.

Tomorrow's featured recipe will be Estelle's favorite

Sunday Red Sauce ,which will be served for our

dinner party gathering on Sunday evening!

Just a Good Old-Fashioned Cake

2012-01-26T13:12:00.018-05:00

I thought I would make a little sweet surprise for Darling when he returns from Boston this week. This is a delicious little cake and so easy to mix together for an impromptu dinner gathering. It is a recipe made often by Grandmother who I have lovingly talked about in previous postings! You can frost this cake, as she mostly did, with a seven- minute fluffy white frosting, in which she would combine maraschino cherries and little marshmallows or just serve it plain with a dessert sauce or ice cream. We would have this served in the formal dining room on pretty little dessert plates with a glass of iced tea. Somehow, it always tasted better in her dining room, which had the aroma of freshly baked warm cake! I am taking a little sneaky taste with cherry vanilla ice cream topped with warm nutella! Oh Heavens to Betsy!

OLD- FASHIONED WHITE CAKE

2 1/4 c. sifted cake flour

1 1/2 c. sugar

2 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

3/4 c. shortening

3/4 c. milk

1 tsp. vanilla

1 1/2 tsp. almond extract

3 eggs, unbeaten

Sift flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into mixing bowl. Drop in shortening. Add 1/2 cup milk, flavoring and 1 egg and beat 2 minutes with mixer at low speed. Scrape bowl and beater. Add remaining milk and 2 eggs and beat well with electric mixer.
Bake in 2 deep 9" greased layer pans in moderately hot oven, 375 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes.

Spread frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake. Swirl the frosting into graceful peaks on top of cake and place halves of maraschino cherries around rim of cake about 2" apart.

SEVEN MINUTE CHERRY MARSHMALLOW FROSTING

2 egg whites, unbeaten

1 1/2 cups sugar

5 tablespoons water

1 teaspoon light corn syrup

1/8 teaspoon salt

Place ingredients in top of double boiler and mix thoroughly. Place over rapidly boiling water and beat constantly with beater until mixture will hold a peak (about 7 minutes). Remove from hot water, add 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1/2 teaspoon almond extract and beat until cool. Just before spreading, carefully fold in 18 maraschino cherries, cut in pieces and 12 marshmallows, cut in pieces into frosting.

Boston....Beautiful Works of Art

2012-01-26T04:28:00.004-05:00

"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.

Maine Winter Days...Let's Go Exploring!

2012-01-25T08:17:00.000-05:00

Winter days in Maine can be somewhat mild with temperatures around 35 to 40 degrees. Never in my life would I refer to these temps as being mild! Yet, after a few years of living in New England, we have grown accustomed to grabbing our coats and gloves and heading out to new adventures on the weekends. I can tell you that there are so many places to explore and experience, that you never let the weather stop you! This was a glorious winter day we spent exploring Cape Elizabeth! However, the temperature on this day was about 13 degrees! BRRRR!

It is absolutely magical to stand and look out over the ocean when snow is covering those massive rocks on the shoreline and see the sun rays glisten over the ocean. It feels as if you are looking at the most beautiful place on earth. There will be shake shingled coastal homes scattered throughout the hills which seem the perfect image of a postcard. We sometimes turn to each other and say, "Can you believe we live here?"

These are Wild Turkeys hunting for food in our little village!

I just love it when we come across these.

We have three that visit our birdfeeders in the backwoods on some days!

Standing high on a hill overlooking Fort Williams are the ruins of what was once a magnificent oceanfront residence, the Goddard Mansion. This was the home of Colonel John Goddard and his family who lived here during the mid to late 1800s.

The Goddard Mansion, completed in 1858, was one of the first grand houses to be built along the Cape Elizabeth shore. Goddard had made his fortune in the lumber business. The mansion was acquired by the U.S. Army in 1898 and used for housing married enlisted men and their families who were stationed at Fort Williams. The basement of the house was used for the fort's Non-Commissioned Officer's Club.

Now, Darling requested a little snack when we returned to The Maine House after our day of exploring! We warmed up with a cup of hot New England Coffee and a generous slice of my homemade Tangerine Cake. Ya'll this cake is so delish, that I just had to share it! I hope you try it! I found this recipe in an old issue of the Pensacola News Journal a few years ago! You can either frost this with a buttercream and bake the cake in two round 8" cake pans or use a bundt pan and simply make a glaze!

ESTELLE'S TANGERINE CAKE

For the cake

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temp.

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups sugar

6 large eggs

2 tablespoons finely grated tangerine zest, plus 1/2 cup tangerine juice from 5 or 6 tangerines

2 tablespoons orange-flavored liqueur, Grand Marnier

3/4 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Glaze

1 1/2 to 2 cups confectioners' sugar

3 tablespoons tangerine juice (from 2 or so tangerines)

Preheat oven to 350. Make cake: Butter and flour a 12 cup Bundt cake pan. (I used Baker's Joy). In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar on medium until light and fluffy, about 5 mins. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in tangerine zest and juice and liqueur. With mixer on low, add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with yogurt or sour cream and beat to combine. Beat in vanilla. Transfer batter to Bundt pan or divide between two cake pans, smooth top and firmly tap pan on a flat surface to remove air bubbles.

Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 55 to 60 minutes. Let cool in a pan on a wire rack for about 30 mins. Invert cake onto a rack set in a rimmed baking sheet and let cool completely. Transfer to cake keeper.

Make Glaze: Whisk confectioners' sugar and 3 T tangerine juice until smooth. Spoon evenly over cake. Ya'll ENJOY!

Tangerine Frosting

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 2-pound package powdered sugar

1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened

3 tablespoons tangerine juice

Place all ingredients in a mixer bowl and mix until powdered sugar is incorporated, then beat a few minutes. The recipe calls for tangerine zest, but I prefer a frosting without freckles. If the frosting is a little stiff, use a tablespoon or so of whipping cream to lighten it up a bit!

New Home.....Comforting Aroma's!

2012-01-24T08:06:00.001-05:00

How do you make a new "house".......a "home?" There is always a turning point, when you move into a new home, that you suddenly feel......We're home! It takes a while. Ordinarily, you are so busy unpacking, unloading, unwrapping, moving things from place to place, hanging pictures, cleaning and scrubbing, and making a little pathway through the new kitchen, that you feel somewhat displaced and unbalanced. At least that is how I feel, until.........there is some order to the rooms, especially the kitchen. Then, the moment comes when you can invite the family over and welcome them to your new home with some of the best southern comfort food! Do you know what is one of the first things I make in a new kitchen? Pot roast and biscuits!

A Maine House Mosaic

I think because it reminds me so much of Mother. I am fortunate enough to even have grandmother's old biscuit cutter, which I simply treasure! Mother made the best pot roast and somehow all my problems would seem less because there was the comfort of home that eased my mind. Everything was going to be alright. Funny how smells can take you back to special moments in life....I guess that's why they call it "comfort food!" I hope my children will feel the same.........

Estelle's Best Southern Biscuits

2 cups flour (Estelle's uses White Lily)

4 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons shortening

1 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Using your fingertips, rub butter and shortening into dry ingredients until mixture looks like crumbs. Make a well in the center and pour in the cold buttermilk. Stir just until the dough comes together. The dough will be very sticky.
Turn dough onto floured surface, dust top with flour and gently fold dough over on itself 5 or 6 times. Press into a 1-inch thick round. Cut out biscuits with a 2-inch cutter, being sure to push straight down through the dough. Place biscuits on baking sheet so that they just touch. Reform scrap dough, working it as little as possible and continue cutting. Bake until biscuits are tall and light gold on top, 15 to 20 minutes. I brush a little heavy cream on top before baking!

Estelle's Italian Pot Roast

1 (8-oz.) package sliced fresh mushrooms

1 large sweet onion, cut in half and sliced

1 (3- to 4-lb.) boneless chuck roast

1 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 (1-oz.) envelope dry onion soup mix

1 (14-oz.) can beef broth

1 (8-oz.) can tomato sauce

3 tablespoons tomato paste

1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning

2 tablespoons cornstarch

Place mushrooms and onion in a lightly greased 5-to 6-qt. slow cooker. Sprinkle roast with pepper. Cook roast in hot oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until browned.

Place roast on top of mushrooms and onion in slow cooker. Sprinkle onion soup mix over roast; pour beef broth and tomato sauce over roast. Cover and cook on LOW 8 to 10 hours or until meat shreds easily with a fork. Transfer roast to a cutting board; cut into large chunks, removing any large pieces of fat. Keep roast warm. Skim fat from juices in slow cooker; stir in tomato paste and Italian seasoning. Stir together cornstarch and 2 Tbsp. water in a small bowl until smooth; add to juices in slow cooker, stirring until blended. Increase slow cooker heat to HIGH. Cover and cook 40 minutes or until mixture is thickened. Stir in roast.

Freezing Drizzle

2012-01-23T15:06:00.001-05:00

Yet, another Blue Monday! The skies are gray over the village today with a wintry mix of snow, freezing rain, to be followed by cold rain! Ah...January days dwindle!

Early Morning

Just Blue

Trimming the Tree

Winters Evening Sunset

Estelle's...The Heart of Our Home

Another week of travel while Estelle's keeps the home fires burning! Miss Judy and I had a wonderful conversation on Sunday and talked the afternoon away. I love those conversations of "remember when" as we reminisce about Mother and Daddy, our summers in Ohio and growing up in Jackson. I had recently read an article in a Mississippi magazine which was written by a old friend of hers. She is soon to be a published author so we will watch for that new book! She and her husband still live in the same house near Belhaven Lake. Our darling Mary Jo has not been well so she wanted to take a little treat down to Hunter and to her...something sweet as Hunter just loves dessert! Hey...I know just the divine little brownie which should put a smile on their face! These brownies are moist and delicious....always a hit and what a sweet way to say "feel better and I'm thinking of you!"

ESTELLE'S RED VELVET BROWNIES

1 (4-oz.) bittersweet chocolate baking bar, chopped

3/4 cup butter

2 cups sugar

4 large eggs

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 (1-oz.) bottle red liquid food coloring

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon salt

Cream Cheese Frosting

Garnish: white chocolate curls

Preheat oven to 350°. Line bottom and sides of a 9-inch square pan with aluminum foil, allowing 2 to 3 inches to extend over sides; lightly grease foil. Microwave chocolate and butter in a large microwave-safe bowl at HIGH 1 1/2 to 2 minutes or until melted and smooth, stirring at 30-second intervals. Whisk in sugar. Add eggs, 1 at a time, whisking just until blended after each addition. Gently stir in flour and next 4 ingredients. Pour mixture into prepared pan. Bake at 350° for 44 to 48 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool completely on a wire rack (about 2 hours).
Lift brownies from pan, using foil sides as handles; gently remove foil. Spread Cream Cheese Frosting on top of brownies, and cut into 16 squares. Garnish with white chocolate curls for a beautiful presentation.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened

3 tablespoons butter, softened

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Beat cream cheese and butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar and salt, beating until blended. Stir in vanilla.

A Girl Can Dream Can't She?

2012-01-22T07:56:00.000-05:00

Then followed that beautiful season...

Summer...

Filled was the air with a

dreamy and magical light; and the landscape

Lay as if new created in all the

freshness of childhood.

~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

The beach is calling our names! An August wedding for Greg and Jenn will take place on Santa Rosa Island this summer. As we are currently knee deep in icy snow here in New England, my thoughts cannot help but turn toward sunny, warm days and summer fun. Yes, we have had many wonderful beach days, but this one will be very special and dear to our hearts. It takes planning and organization to prepare for this type of family vacation, and the first order of business is the menu for the week. I love it when the children meander up from the beach and can just easily prepare their snack and some cool quiet time, before the evening festivities begin. These simply spreads will be ready for them and should be a delicious, healthy alternative than reaching for a bag of chips! We are serving these with everything bagels, whole wheat crackers and fresh baked rye bread, and don't forget the deli olives, and cold, crunchy veggies of celery, radishes, cucumbers, carrots and peppers!

ESTELLE'S SUMMER SPREADS

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple, drained

1/2 cup ground ham

Mix together and spread on toasted cocktail rye bread slices

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

½ cup Stonewall Kitchen Lemon Dill or Tequila Lime Cocktail Sauce

3 ounces fresh crabmeat

2 tablespoons green onion, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

Spread the cream cheese over the bottom of a serving dish. Spread cocktail sauce over cream cheese. Sprinkle crab over cocktail sauce. Garnish with green onion and parsley.

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened

1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

2 packages (2-1/2 ounces each) deli ham, chopped

2 to 3 green onions, thinly sliced

Miniature bagels, split

In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese, sour cream and garlic powder until smooth. Stir in ham and onions. Serve with bagels.

Beach Babies

Warm Me Up!

2012-01-21T07:02:00.000-05:00

There is a privacy about it which no other season gives you.... In spring, summer and fall people sort of have an open season on each other; only in the winter, in the country, can you have longer, quiet stretches when you can savor belonging to yourself. ~Ruth Stout

A Maine House Mosaic

This has long been one of my own favorite comfort foods, and they're delicious with mashed potatoes!

ESTELLE'S HOMEMADE CABBAGE ROLLS

1 large head of cabbage

1 to 1/2 pounds lean ground beef

1/2 cup instant rice or cooked rice

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1/2 to 1 teaspoon cinnamon, divided

1 can (10 1/2 ounces) tomato soup, undiluted

1 can (14.5 ounces) crushed tomatoes

Tear the leaves off the cabbage and cook in boiling water or steam until wilted enough to be flexible. Cool. Mix ground beef, rice, egg, onion, and salt, pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon together. Form a few tablespoons of the mixture into a cylinder, then roll up in a cabbage leaf. Secure rolls with toothpicks. Combine the soup and tomatoes in a Dutch oven. Place cabbage rolls in the Dutch oven. Sprinkle with about 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon. Cover and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

ESTELLE'S PERFECT MASHED POTATOES

3 pounds Yukon gold potatoes

3 teaspoons salt, divided

1/3 cup butter

1/3 cup half-and-half, warmed

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

3/4 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper

Peel potatoes, and cut into pieces. Bring potatoes, 2 tsp. salt, and cold water to cover to a boil in a medium-size dutch oven over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook 16 to 20 minutes or until fork-tender, then drain. Return potatoes to dutch oven. Always add butter as your first ingredient and blend with the hot potatoes, add next 3 ingredients, and remaining 1 tsp. salt. Blend with hand mixer until smooth and creamy!

Happy Trails

2012-01-20T07:33:00.000-05:00

Cowboy Food!

We talk often about what we miss most about Texas. Now of course, you know, that the initial thought that pops to mind are the boys, followed by Abbs and Noah. The second thing that we most often talk about is how much we miss the food! Absolutely! We discuss our favorite dining spots which include Mac's, Pappadeaux, The Keg, Joe T Garcia's and Coopers BBQ! We salivate when speaking of a What A' Burger, Chick Fil' A, Krispy Kreme doughnuts and especially Blue Bell Ice Cream! Now each one of these places has special memories tagged to it....taking the grandchildren for breakfast before a soccer game, swinging by for a burger after a night out in the Stockyards, a special anniversary dinner or a birthday celebration....a send off dinner to college and family barbecues on Brookfield....the list of good memories is endless! Maine has been the best, but we are ready....ready to say, "Happy Trails to us!!!!" These are a few of our favorite Texas style recipes which we refer to as "Cowboy food!!"

Estelle's Cowboy Beans

8 slices bacon

1 small onion

1 3/4 C brown sugar

1/3 C plus 2 T apple cider vinegar

1 1/2 t dry mustard

1 1/2 t ginger

1 1/2 t salt

1 16 oz can butter beans

1 16 oz can pinto beans

1 16 oz can red kidney beans

1( 30 oz) can Bush's Homestyle Baked Beans

In a large skillet fry up your bacon, until it is crispy and browned along the edges. Remove it from the pan onto a plate lined with paper towels. Discard the bacon grease except for about 1 or2 teaspoons in the pan.Toss your onions into the hot pan. Cook until they are golden and wilted.

While your onions cook stir together the brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, dry mustard, ginger and salt. Pour the sauce over the wilted onions. Let the concoction simmer for about 10 minutes. Drain and rinse your butter, pinto and kidney beans. Open up your can of baked beans. Pour the whole can, sauce and all into a 3 quart casserole dish. Add the other beans to the dish. Crumble up your bacon and sprinkle it on top. Pour your saucy-onion-mixture-of-wonder into the dish. Give everything a nice stir. Cover your dish and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Remove the dish from the oven, give the beans a stir and put the old girl right back in, uncovered this time. Cook for 30 more minutes. Or, cook them in your Crock Pot on low for 3-4 hours.

Estelle's Cowboy Cornbread

1 cup White Cornmeal (Estelle's used White Lily)

1 cup Milk

½ tsp Salt

2 Extra-large Eggs, beaten

½ tsp Baking Soda

1 can (15-ounce) Cream-style Corn

1 lb Hot-style Pork Sausage, cooked, crumbled and drained

1 Medium Onion, finely chopped

1 (4-ounce Can) Diced Green Chili Peppers, drained

8 oz Velveeta Cheese, cubed

In medium mixing bowl combine first 6 ingredients and mix well. Pour half the mixture into a buttered 3-quart baking dish. Sprinkle cooked sausage over cornmeal mixture, followed by onion, diced chilies and Velveeta cheese. Top all with remaining half of cornmeal mixture. Place in preheated 350 degree F. oven and bake for 45 minutes or until inserted knife comes out clean!

Estelle's Cowboy Bourbon Peach Cobbler

1 Cup Sugar

6 Cups Fresh Peaches, Peeled and Sliced

1 Cup Butter

1 Cup Brown Sugar

1 Teaspoon Cinnamon

1/2 Cup Jack Daniel's bourbon

1 1/2 Cups Whipping Cream

Preheat Oven 350 degrees F. Melt Butter in saucepan. Add peaches, brown sugar, cinnamon, sugar and cream. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Add bourbon and stir tenderly. Cook for 15-20 minutes.Pour mixture on the top of bottom layer of crust. Cover top with whole crust or strips of crust in latticework pattern. Bake for 45-50 minutes

Cobbler Crust

2 Cups Flour

1/2 Teaspoon Salt

1 Teaspoon Baking Powder

1 Teaspoon Sugar

6 Tablespoons Shortening

1/4 Cup Cold Water

Mix dry ingredients, add shortening and cut in with two knives or pastry blender. Mixture should resemble coarse cornmeal. Add cold water gradually to make a ball. Divide into two balls for top and bottom. Roll out on floured surface with rolling pin. Place on crust in bottom of pan add Filling top with remaining crust or strips of crust in latticework pattern.

It's the way you ride the trail that counts....right Darling?

Pass the Recipe Please!

2012-01-19T08:22:00.001-05:00

Recipes are heirlooms that any Southerner can inherit, regardless of social status. You may be one of the fortunate dears that are endowed with historical collections of your grandmother's silver or china, which have been passed down through generations. Even those sentimental ceramic pieces have a place in our hearts. Recipes, however, can offer us a family legacy that become a true treasure.

Recipes don't clutter and they can be duplicated over and over so that every child, grandchild, cousin, niece and nephew can share in the inheritance. There may be only one silver tray or one bone china platter to pass along, but the well known Thanksgiving cornbread dressing can be copied and shared with all of the family!

This particular recipe in today's posting was passed down from my Grandmother, to my Mother, down to Miss Judy and then to me. The name has changed from time to time, but the ingredients have remained the same. This shrimp recipe has become an heirloom in the family. Mother often served this during Jackson summers! We are sure to include this on all of our beach trips and everyone knows what to expect when we serve Grandmother's Shrimp dish!

GRANDMOTHER'S SHRIMP DISH

1 (10-ounce) package of yellow rice with saffron

1 stick butter

1 large white onion, chopped

1/2 green bell pepper, chopped

1 small carton of fresh button mushrooms

1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chilies

1 (10 ounce) can cream of mushroom soup

1 (10 ounce) can of Rotel tomatoes

1 cup grated cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses

1 pound of fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined

Cook rice according to package directions. Set aside in a separate pan, saute onion, bell pepper, and mushrooms in butter, until all the vegetables are tender. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Add the shrimp and reduce heat. Simmer until shrimp turn pink. Mix rice, with shrimp sauce and place in a 9" x 13" baking dish which has been sprayed with cooking spray. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees F.