Blue Monday...You Don't Want To Miss This

I ran across this exciting news this weekend and didn't want you to miss it! I thought Smiling Sally was the perfect hostess to let the cat out of the bag....or the dog out of the Snuggie :) Now, I know if you have a television in your home, you have to be familiar with this.

It's Snuggie--the blanket with sleeves in a fashionable shade of blue! You know the one: Blankets are okay, but they can slip and slide--plus your hands are trapped inside!

It's the latest craze--all the really fashionable people are doing it! But did you know that now Fido has options?

Yep, now Snuggies for dogs are available for just those times when "Your dog needs to go out, but it's a cold chilly night. A sweater could help, but they pull and they're tight". It's made in the same fashionable blue fleece!

Don't let this dog's expression fool you! He loves his Snuggie--he just happens to be on a serious covert assignment at the moment. Of course, if you insist, the Snuggie does come in pink.

It's the perfect thing for those cold winter nights. Poor Fifi--her phone didn't ring this week for a Saturday night date. But with her Snuggie, a bowl of popcorn, and Lifetime tv she will survive! If you hurry, you and your pet can have matching Snuggies before Old Man Winter arrives. Crazy?--You bet! Here I sit smugly making fun of it. Somebody is going to make a bunch of money.....I bet they laugh all the way to the bank...why didn't I think of this? :)

Please click here to join Sally for more Blue Monday!

Pink Saturday in the Garden

I had something else in mind when I signed up to join Beverly at How Sweet the Sound for Pink Saturday. But, I was out watering pots , beds,and window boxes and thought I might share these blooms with you before the summer slips away and takes all this glorious pink with it.

Pink hydrangea



Pink impatiens planted with sweet potato vine, asparagus fern, varigated ivy, and pink and green polka dots. Something is munching on the sweet potato vine! It must be tasty--our son's dog like to eat the part trailing on the deck!

Charlie-the culprit, but with a face like this he escapes retribution!

One perfect deep pink rose bud

A concrete basket- shaped pot filled with two shades of impatiens, pink geranium, trailing petunias, green and white polka dots, and lantana

Crape myrtles surrounding the deck and pool area

Window boxes filled to capacity with impatiens, verbena, and geraniums

A pink hisbiscus tree loaded with buds

Not bad for a girl who thinks her favorite color is blue! Please join Beverly here for more Pink Saturday fun!

Tablescape Thursday and Foodie Friday..Spinach Salad

Susan at Between Naps on the Porch is hosting her 51st Tablescape and Michael at Designs by Gollum is hosting Foodie Friday. I'm so glad these two lovely ladies invite us on consecutive days. They work so well together--especially for us at our house. When I set the table, we usually eat :) This past weekend we had 16 gathered at our house for dinner on Friday night--not a big fancy dinner party--just family and several friends. Tablescaping was in short supply, but food was plentiful! By Tuesday, I was ready for something more intimate. A table for two on the deck seemed just the answer.




The little bistro table in the corner is the perfect size for two. I found these turquoise and yellow flower plates in my cabinet last week---I'd forgotten them! I bought them on sale at Steinmart months ago and put them away just a little too well :).



But it was meant to be! Without a definite plan in mind, I seemed to have been drawn to turquoise this summer! I had bought the place mats earlier because I love the stripes and polka dots together. I think it's just happy, and I like happy!

I even had this adorable firefly just waiting to light on our birdcage (as if we needed more bugs!) . See this little nest inside? I won this as part of a lovely giveaway from Tam at The Gypsy's Corner in the first month I started blogging! (note to Susan at BNOTP: I have not won anything since--hint, hint :) The little eggs in the nest are pale yellow and pull out the accent colors on the table. The Target birds came by to visit the nest.

I found these little containers for the daisies in the glassware section at a locally owned dollar store. They look like small milkshake glasses, but I have lots of ideas for them. Today I used them at each place setting as vases. Later I think they will be perfect for little amuse-bouches before dinner. I've even spray painted a couple for a future tablescape--very versatile little glasses indeed!

We'll be eating a fresh spinach salad tonight. Even the eggs are cooperating with the color scheme!

Dessert is being served in crystal sherbet glasses. These belonged to my grandmother and I have no information on them. They are delicate with beautiful flower etchings in the crystal. Beloved and I ate homemade blackberry cobbler with homemade ice cream this weekend, so we are both cutting back on dessert calories, at least momentarily! I found this frozen lemonade by Nestle in the ice cream section. It tastes like gelato and is a perfect light dessert! But just because Beloved and I are feeling a little "fluffy" (Beloved thinks this sounds much more positive than "fat"), doesn't mean you can't have dessert --Have a big piece of birthday cake to wish Susan a Happy Blog Birthday on the 18th !

The spinach salad is truly one of the best I have ever had. I get requests for the dressing recipe every time I serve it, but let me warn you: I don't think the recipe sounds good. You'll just have to take my word for it until you try it.

Fresh Spinach Salad Dressing

Mix 1/4 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon dry mustard, 1 teaspoon poppy seeds, 1 tablespoon onion juice, 1/3 cup cider vinegar, 1 cup canola oil, and 3/4 cup small curd cottage cheese. Serve over fresh spinach topped with crumbled bacon, sliced mushrooms, and sliced boiled eggs.

Click on the TT or FF buttons in the sidebar to visit Susan and Michael for more tables and food! I am also linking to http://annkroeker.wordpress.com.

Blogs I Follow List

I think there used to be more technical difficulty with television transmission than there is now. The screen hardly ever goes blank anymore. But when I was a child, it happened sometimes. I remember a screen that showed this message with a smiling face: It ain't you; It ain't us; It must be THEM! So today my profile shows that I am currently following no blogs. So no blog updates for me. Now I don't think you kicked me out (did you ?:), and I know I didn't delete it (on purpose), so it must be THEM!! Anyone else with this problem?

Tempt My Tummy and Tasty Tuesday...Red Beans and Rice

Today I am joining Lisa and Lana at Blessed with Grace and Jen at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam for a double post. It's my first time to join either of these two and I am glad to join the party!

First, let me say that it is hotter than blue blazes here in my neck of the woods. I tend to categorize food into summer food and winter food. And in my opinion, red beans and rice definitely falls into the latter category. I don't know what made Beloved think of this dish. Maybe he was thinking about a trip to the French Quarter; Alton could have talked about it on the food network. Heck, maybe he just saw a Popeye's commercial. But Beloved requested red beans and rice this week, and I was so happy for a meal suggestion that I immediately pulled out the recipe.

You can absolutely tell this is not a "borrowed" photograph! No one would post a pot that looks like this. I haven't figured out a way to doll up real pots that are being used for photos! The point is--it's what's IN the pot that is good. I grew up about ten miles from the Louisiana state line and these people consider themselves to be the experts in this field. Cajuns know how to do this! This is how I was taught to do it:

Chop 1 large onion and 2 cloves of garlic. Boil about 3 cups of water with 1/2 pound of salt pork. If you're watching your salt or you aren't sure what is is :) you can leave the salt pork out, but it won't be the same...good, but not the same. Add the onion and and garlic and 3-4 tablespoons of chili powder. Simmer until the onions are soft. Add 1 (28 0z.) can of stewed tomatoes, 2 cans of pinto beans, and 1 tablespoon sugar. Simmer about an hour. Add 1 pound of smoked sausage cut into 1/2 inch slices. Simmer on low about an hour. Serve over rice.

I served it with a fresh spinach salad and cornbread. I still think of this as winter comfort food, but it was so good we just turned down the air conditioning! Beloved was happy! Thanks for letting me join you! Please visit http://Blessedwithgrace.blogspot.com/ and http://inpassionatepursuit.blogspot.com/

Thank you for the Award

Fajdich Times

Tablescape Thursday and Foodie Friday To Go

Can you feel it? The rhythms of summer are already changing. The "what-shall-we-do-today?" days are almost over. Even if you aren't involved in the back to school rush, your life is probably evolving back into a routine. Garden clubs, play dates, and Bible studies, put on hold for the summer, will resume. Fridays and Saturdays will be reserved for high school or college football. But before the rush begins, let's have one last picnic.





In the spirit of "going green" I'm pulling out the china. No, not the good china--the melamine plates made in China! These plates and cups are at least ten years old and previously matched the deck furniture and cushions until we changed it this year. They are from Target and Costco and are both plenty big enough to hold lots of fried chicken, sandwiches, and lemonade or tea. Don't forget the versatile beach towel. It can be used as a tablecloth or cushion. I bet you have them in lots of colors!



I've tucked the Dollar Tree and Hobby Lobby napkins down into the glasses so they will be easy to find when we reach our destination.




A small galvanized bucket makes the perfect container for our centerpiece of hydrangeas. Like summer, these will soon be gone too. We'll be using the flatware with white handles instead of the throwaway kind. Don't worry. I've packed a plastic bag for the dirty dishes.





The picnic won't be complete without dessert! I prepared banana pudding in a Mason jar tied up with a scrap of pretty fabric and a ribbon. This will pack nicely in the cooler! Banana pudding is a favorite of ours. I am truly shocked at the number of people who make and eat it with instant pudding. They don't know what they are missing! I use the recipe right on the bag of Jackson vanilla wafers. Lots of banana pudding connoisseurs, including us, think they are the best vanilla wafers. Here's the recipe. It's not that much more trouble and worth every minute!

Homemade Banana Pudding

In a medium saucepan or double boiler stir together 3/4 cup sugar and 1/3 cup all-purpose flour. Gradually stir in 3 cups of milk. Cook and stir until the mixture thickens and boils. In a small bowl beat 3 egg yolks. Gradually stir in about a cup of the hot thickened mixture. When mixed, pour the egg yolk mixture into the saucepan. Cook and stir gently until the mixture boils for 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla. Alternate layers of vanilla wafers, bananas, and pudding ending with pudding. Top with meringue if desired and bake at 350 until the meringue is slightly browned. Chill at least 2 hours before serving. Baking is not necessary if meringue is not used.

Thank you to Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for hosting Tablescape Thursday and to Michael at Designs by Gollum for hosting Foodie Friday. You can click on their button in the sidebar for the fast track to beautiful tables and tempting food!

Outdoor Wednesday...Mother Nature...The Flip Side

Susan at a Southern Daydreamer is our hostess for this fun event each week. On Wednesdays we stroll through each other's gardens or do a little vicarious sightseeing. Ahhh... but Mother Nature has another side!

That little white car belongs to Babyboy's girlfriend. I'm afraid it was no match for the giant oak tree and winds we experienced last Thursday. Don't worry; it was empty--thank Goodness. Just mother nature reminding us of Who's in charge! Visit Susan at http://asoutherndaydreamer.blogspot.com/ Happy Hump Day! And if you like classic oldies, crank up the volume !