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

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!

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

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!

"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!

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

"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

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!