Memories of cooking...

This is going to be in "Miz Juney" style of writing only I can't keep up with her much less compete.

Confession: I haven't been a very good home professional in the kitchen in the last couple of years.  I think I made promises, which have not been fulfilled, when I got the subway tile in the kitchen I wanted for so many years.   I love it.  I love looking at it.  Clean. 

Paul has made his feelings about this known for quite a while; first in passive-aggressive hints, "Is there a plan for dinner?", then, "What's for dinner?", now full-blown, "Where the hell is dinner?".  I understand.  He works hard all day and provides a lifestyle, while not glamorous, I have nothing to complain about.  And I'm at home near the kitchen all day.  I do have a small business and work on my art, do laundry, bathrooms (3 boys), floors, etc.  But I have more time in the proximity of the kitchen.  I've tried telling him that I've been doing this for over 30 years, but it's not his fault; he's only been here the last 15.  I'm sick of my own cooking.  Can I hear an AMEN Sisters? 

The guilt got to me enough where I started out doing better by having Giant deliver the groceries.  Then I improved by jumping up from the computer/t.v./art project to thaw something in the microwave and search for a  side dish in the freezer as soon as I heard his car drive up. 

Recently, however, I've tried to make a real improvement.  And it doesn't hurt that Paul, purposely or not, is so pathetically thankful when he gets a meal.  I'm not saying I'm Martha.  Been there, done that, no medals.  But I've been starting to think about dinner before 5 p.m. 

Today I thought a little more in advance, something easy but really yummy and I haven't made it so many times that we want to throw up whenever we see it.  I'll share it here:

Cheddar-Tomato Pie

2 deep dish pie crusts, can you guess whether or not I make them from scratch?  Used to.

1 large can plum tomatoes, peeled and sliced-I use 2 standard cans of stewed tomatoes, drained

1/4 cup fresh basil...yeah, right...sprinkle some dried on

1 cup cheddar or provolone or mozzarella-I use mozzarella

1/3 cup mayo

2 T lemon juice

1/2 cup more cheese

Arrange tomatoes in pie crust in pan and sprinkle with basil.  Top with 1 cup of cheese.  In a small bowl, stir together mayo and lemon juice.  Spoon over tomatoes in pie and top with the remaining cheese.  Place the other crust on top and pinch and cut some slits.  ****Cover edge with foil and bake at 375 for 25 minutes, remove foil, and bake another 15-20 minutes more or until golden.  Yum.  Serve with a salad, corn on the cob, and it's a meal.

****This is where my musing started.  The recipe said "cover edge with foil".  As I was cutting my foil in strips, I thought I remembered buying something from Pampered Chef years ago that was just for this situation.  So I go digging around the kitchen and didn't find it.  It did, however, remind me of all those Pampered Chef parties I went to when Matt was a baby.  Can you imagine needing to get out of the house so badly that...okay, we've all been there.  And we had only lived here a few months when I had Matt so I had double the reasons for getting the hell out.   Bible study and weekly play group were great but that was during the day with Matt in tow.   All those Tupperware and fun wear parties.  I went to everything I was invited to.  Then one day, the heavens parted and I was asked to my first Bunko party.  Oh how that saved not only my sanity, my social life, but was fun~eating and drinking and adult conversations. 

Now that our kids are big and busy, we don't see each other, and I miss the camaraderie.  Ebb and flow, flow and ebb.  Maybe a good New Year's resolution~make real, monthly or whatever, plans with those groups of women.  In the meantime, I give Paul 5 more years to collect take-out menus which will be his choices for dinner when Matt goes to college.

Fabulous birthday fun!

Janine had the wonderful idea for her, her daughter Heidi, and I to go to the open house at Lucketts.  Lucketts is a tiny spot just north of great Leesburg, Virginia.  The drive is beautiful especially right now while the leaves are changing colors.  There is Luckett's General Store which is open all the time and oh so amazing to go to anytime.  The open house, though, is only open once or twice a year and last weekend it was for Christmas.  It was all decked out in delectable things for purchase.  I was pretty restrained but not stupid.  Enjoy it from here and, perhaps, you'll come and see it in person next year.

Janine (Nene), my birthday twin and her daughter, Heidi in front of the Luckett's store.

Is there anywhere where cowboy hats aren't popular and fit in perfectly with fab decor'?

Both the chandelier and Heidi are even more beautiful in person.

Here's the fab standing paper lamp that I soooooo wanted.  Paul should be very happy and proud that I didn't spend the $350 on it.  Crazy, I know, but it spoke to me, saying, "Take me home and love me.".  I was strong.

Pink couch...fits in anywhere.

Didn't get the shoe lamp either...I told you-great restraint.

I'll remind you next year ahead of time.  Not to be missed.

Some new art work and I really need a new camera!!!!

Just some art therapy I wanted to share.  Sooooo helps!  I hope you enjoy.

Visit to Penn State but...best...Bellefonte

This last weekend Paul, Matt, and I went to State College for a Penn State game.  The game was Saturday night but we left late Friday afternoon so we would have at least one day that we didn't have to drive.  It's about 3 1/2 hours from here. 

Actually we stayed in Bellefonte, a beautiful, small, quaint town near State College.  Paul and Matt had attended a game last year during one of my trips to Texas and found this great B&B in Bellefonte.  It's a couple's home where they rent rooms during game weekends. 

This was a perfect house in a perfect place-I could have moved right in.  What a fab getaway.

Here is our hostess, Jill, along with Paul and Matt.  What a wonderful, gracious hostess she was.  The home, the food, all the accommodations were fabulous.

Jill is a retired school librarian and her husband is an-almost retired minister.  Jill is a weaver and a very talented weaver at that.  This and several rooms in their home reminded me of pictures of Carl Larson's home...be still my Swedish heart.

One of Jill's looms in the works.

Some of Jill's works of art.  She makes rugs, throws, scarves, pillows, etc.  All beautiful.

A little close up...

...and another.

The beautiful living room.  The house was amazing and I spent way more time studying than taking photos.

The bottom of two separate floors of the same room in the back of the house that have three walls of windows overlooking the most wonderful back yard and carriage house.

Oh yeah, and we went to the game.

Fabulous travel opportunity!!!!!

Every so often I make a piece of art that I really like.  This is one of them that I made today.   It was fun.  It's going in the shop, but should anyone* out there in cyber world like to purchase** it, it comes with a free, all-inclusive*** vacation to your nation's capital.  This offer includes an unlimited stay at a bed and breakfast so warm and friendly that you might think you are at a friend's house.  This particular B&B has been rated A++++ by Zagats as one of the top ten B&Bs in the neighborhood of which this is the only one.  You will be given a first-class tour**** of your nation's capital and a VIP tour of the White House by a professional artist.    You will have some free time, also, to cook for your hosts.   Any special requests will be taken into consideration, but don't get your hopes up.  This is a once-in-a-life opportunity, so if you think you might like this, don't hesitate-let me know right away*****.

*Does not include residents of Maryland, DC, or Northern Virginia...duh.

**The cost is $45.00.

***Does not include any airline or miscellaneous expenses.

****This is a relative statement.

*****Shamelessly trying to get friends to come visit.