Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Operation Take Down

This morning I went to visit Susie (my sister)...We both were feeling a little bummed.
Well, what better way to have a few laughs than to work on a DIY project together.

This is a picture of her beautiful bedroom before
we got a hold of it with a saw...
Yes... a saw...


 She wants a headboard that looks like a custom made one similar to this,

We had to borrow our dads saw.
I thought you would like to watch a little video of our Operation Take Down DIY bed makeover.



Really hope this comes together...because if not we will be shopping for her a new bed.



I just love this style...
Ummm...Don't think Camo Man would let me take the saw into our bedroom.
If you made it through Part I, you may want to see how crazy we are in Operation Take Down
 Part II



Wish me luck tomorrow when I
go over to help her finish this
Operation Take Down DIY.
I'm heading over to her blog to see what she posted on our crazy day...


And Duty Calls...



Crying...no Country Living Fair for me...


Sniff Sniff

I have been selected for jury duty...
Still crying...



 but proud to live in a country that we have the opportunity to serve.

Stay tuned...while being bummed out, 
 my sister and I decided to just grab the saw and make over her headboard on her four poster bed...

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Heavenly Hash ~ Not so Heavenly

Heavenly Hash in the south means biting into
 rich milk chocolate ~ fluffy marshmallows studded with pecans.
Old southern department stores would sell big chucks of it.
Sounds easy enough ...three simple ingredients.


24 oz. semisweet chocolate
1 cup whole pecans, walnuts or almonds, or a combination of the three
1 overflowing cup of mini marshmallows



In our area of the country we use Bergeron Pecans
Shelled and packaged right up the road in New Roads, LA.

Here is were it gets ...well lets just say messy!
Silly Southern Girl...
 I did not follow the recipe :(
You do not want yours to look like this...
See we can even share our boo boos in blogging
Please follow the recipe that follows...

Ingredients listed above

1. Melt the chocolate in a bowl in the microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between each burst until the
    chocolate is completely melted and smooth.
                        (This can also be done in a bowl over a pan of boiling water.  This is the method I prefer, I find the chocolate melts smoother.)

2. Pour about half of the chocolate into a pan or baking dish lined with wax paper.
    Sprinkle the nuts and marshmallows over the chocolate. Cover it all with the rest of the chocolate.
    Let it cool and harden.  To serve, just break into pieces.


As you can see, I did not pour mine into a lined baking dish. 
Instead I made these little cups, it was messy and was way too thick in the cups..

 So please give this heavenly reciepe a try, but follow the directions and let me know how it turns out.


Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Versatile Blogger Award ...For Me?

Everyone loves to be recognized at one time or another.  I was so thrilled when Shenita at   Embellishment by SLR  passed on The Versatile Blogger Award to me.

How sweet is that? 



The rules for this award are:
  • Thank and link back to the person who gave you this award
  • Share 7 things about yourself
  • Send it to 15 other bloggers and let them know you have awarded them!

7 things about me...

I love to eat cold left over shrimp and fish for breakfast.  (Yeah gross)

I had both my children Lamaze

I hate spending money on underwear...so my hubby goes to Victoria Secret and spends way
too much on me!

Hearing Hoot Owls really, REALLY gives me the creeps

Dream to backpack the Contential Divide...but I need a partial knee replacement and the funds

Drink way too much coffee
 (Thank goodness we do not have a
Star Bucks close by)

Love having a sister that we can just look at
each other and know when its time for a road trip


Now I am passing this award on to these deserving blogs,

















Hope you enjoy checking out these blogs...


Monday, October 10, 2011

Pumpkin Pecan Bread Pudding ~ New Orleans Style

Fall is in the air..the high today is only going to be 84. 
Ok...ok...it's not really feeling like fall, but it sure can smell like fall in my house.
How do you get that smell of Fall? 
with cinnamon and pumpkin.

This is no ordinary bread pudding, it smells and taste of fall flavors...pumpkin and pecans.
Most southern bread puddings are scooped into a bowl with a generous portion of Bourbon Whiskey Sauce, but this one can be sliced like a pie and elegantly served on a plate.




Pumpkin and Pecan Bread Pudding

1/4 cup sugar                      2 tsp. cinnamon
3 whole eggs                      1/4 tsp. nutmeg
3 egg yolks                          2 Tbsp. butter
4 cups half and half                                    
2 cups heavy whipping cream                     
2 Tbsp. vanilla extract                                
One 16-oz can solid packed pumpkin (fresh will not work)
1 loaf of stale french bread cut into 1/2 inch thick slices
1 cup pecan pieces




1.  Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.  Whisk sugar, whole eggs, and yolks, half`-and -half,  cream and vanilla in a large bowl to make a smooth custard.




2. Combine the pumpkin, cinnamon, and nutmeg and 1/2 cup of the custard mixture in another bowl.


 

3.  Generously grease the insides of two 10-inch cake pans with the butter.



Line the perimeters of each pan with the smallest slices of bread, then cover the bottom of each with overlapping bread layer.


Pour one-sixth of the custard mixture over the bread to soak it.  Spread one-fourth of the pumpkin the bread in each pan, then sprinkle about one-fourth of the
 pecans over the pumpkin.
Repeat the process in the same order, ending
with a layer of bread, pecans,
 and a final soaking with the custard.
4.  Bake for about 1 1/2 hours.  The pudding will rise and then will fall when you take it out of the oven.
Remove and cool.
Cut into pie-style slices and serve either warm or cool.


Here at our house...we have ONE person
that does not eat nuts.
 Of course I adapt recipes when I can.
But...when I am in a hurry and sometimes forget,
 here's to you
  "Mr. No Nut Eater"
 So Sorry ...  maybe you should try them you just might like them.


Ok...even without the pecans,
 "Mr. No Nut Eater" would not try it.
He said the bread pudding did not look like the one they make at the restaurant he works for.
So he has promised to make us a bread pudding, along with the sauce for us in a coming blog post.


 The rest of the family enjoyed it, although they were divided on eating it warm or cold.
 Pumpkin Pecan Bread Pudding certainly
made the house 'smell'  like fall,
 even if it was for one day.





Today I am linking up with Made By You Monday,
 Skip To My Lou and linking with my friend, Clydia at Three Mango Seeds
Please take a moment to see all the wonderful links at these two sites.

Friday, October 7, 2011

Fabulous Friday Four


Welcome to Fabulous Friday Four. 
 Allow me to introduce you to Four Fabulous blogs
 that I love to follow.



Shenita ~ Embellishments by SLR


Who can not love a blogger that uses the word "GUMBO" in her description?
This is how Shenita describes her home accessory blog, 
 Her style is like a "gumbo"...it's a little traditional, a pinch of "Old World", a dash of Tuscan, and a sprinkle of French. 
When you go by to visit, you HAVE to scroll down and read her post dedicated to her beautiful mother.
While there tell her hello for me...






Heidi ~ Show Some Decor

Heidi's blog shares a really cool DIY right now...monogrammed pumpkins. They really turned out great.
Needing some inspiration on how to decorate that bookcase?  Scroll down her page and see how a little paint transformed her bookcase into the room show stopper.







Theresa ~ Our Southern "Country" Home and Farm

Theresa is just a sweet southern girl...she shares her blog space with Sophie (her adorable pup).
Unsure about painting a piece of furniture turquoise?  Well wait till you see how she turned a nightstand into a work of art. 
(Theresa,  if I would have brought that home, my Camo Man would have thrown it on the burn pile.  What a fantastic job you did bringing that piece of furniture back to life!)
 Stop in and tell her and Sophie hello.





Ree ~ Pioneer Woman

Pioneer Woman .... I heart her!! 
I have been following her blog for years.  Yesterday, I was talking about Ree and all her wonderful recipes and can you believe someone had never heard of her...
So if you have not heard of Pioneer Woman...you must go there...RIGHT NOW... OUT TO HER RANCH! 
 Her blog is more like a life style 'show'.   Cooking...Farming...Photography...you name it, you can find it on her blog.

Hope you enjoy visiting these fellow friends in blogland.  I am sure they will love to have you following them too. 
If you have a spare moment leave them a comment...we all love those.


Have a great weekend,

Monday, October 3, 2011

A VIEW FROM THE WINDOW

Happy Monday... As I sat talking to my dad on the phone..
(He was actually asking why I have not blogged in a week.) 
I glanced out the window and saw this oh so
tiny humming bird down in my lantana.


I thought he surely will not be there
when I return with the camera...

What an unexpected moment.
Anyone who owns a camera just loves these moments.



I managed to sit on the floor in front of the window ... 
change the lens and snap this hungry little guy,
 all while still talking to my dad.
Dad had no clue what I was doing...
So dad this blog post is for you!


Of course... when the conversation came to a point that I asked him to please let me call him back ... the little bird was finished and gone in a wink.

Try to take a moment each day and smile at the unexpected happy moments this week...

It maybe as simple as talking to your dad
or looking out the window.