Home accessories: August 2014

Thursday, August 28, 2014

Foodie Friday Plus Grilling Like a Champion

Summer is like a guest who is slow-moving and hot-tempered. Sometimes she's just too much to handle, and we wish she'd pack her bags so a cooler friend--Miss Autumn--can take her place. Heaven knows we'll miss Summer's warmth. We'll miss her easy-going ways: running around in sleeveless dresses and neon pink flip-flops; grilling burgers under the trees; eating a cold, drippy ice cream cone on a hot afternoon.

For me, the end of summer means the beginning of a new and exciting grilling season.

There's something magical about cooking outdoors on a crisp autumn night. And I have found

the perfect cookbook to keep the magic going year-round: Grilling Like a Champion.

The book is much more than recipes--it's an insider's guide, packed with the secrets of prize-winning pit-masters, all of it put together in a user-friendly format by editor Rudolf Jaeger

Divided into three sections, the book is a comprehensive guide to grilling. Part 1 covers the basics--grilling methods, types of grills, accessories, a guide to spices and herbs, and a clever shopping list.

You'll find recipes in Part 2 (beef, pork, lamb, sausage, fish, poultry, side dishes, and desserts), with step-by-step, illustrated instructions.

Part 3 is an appendix (as a cook and an author, I appreciate the work that goes into an index, and this one is top-notch).

I couldn't decide which recipe to try first. Finally, I settled on a grilled meat loaf.

Don't forget the cole slaw.

(candid photo by Tyler West)

Grilled Meat Loaf

serves: 4 to 6

2 pounds ground beef

1 egg

Mix and place in a large bowl.

...

1 carrot, peeled and chopped

1 onion, chopped

1 garlic cloves, minced

Mix and add to meat mixture.

...

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon thyme

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Place pepper, chili powder, thyme, and salt in a food processor. Grind into a fine powder.

Add to the onion-carrot meat mixture.

Blend ingredients and shape the meat into a loaf. Place on a flat, tempered glass board or

other thin surface.

Make the Glaze:

1/2 cup ketchup

1 tablespoon cumin

1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon Tabasco

Mix and place in a clean bowl.

Heat the grill. Use indirect heat by pushing the briquettes aside. (You can also put a drip pan beneath the loaf.) Slice loaf onto the grill and cook until the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees Fahrenheit (or 70 minutes, depending on thickness of the loaf). I added the glaze during the last 20 minutes of cooking.

Remove the loaf from grill. Let the meat rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Serve on buns or French bread.

A Note from Bandwith

"The Chemistry of the Cook"

Searing Meats

"A typical steak (or cut of beef) consists of mostly water H20, roughly 70%. But it is the protein in meat that creates the sear. These proteins can be pulled to the surface by seasoning the meat with salt. This draws water-soluble proteins/enzymes, such as sarcoplasmic proteins, to the surface.

This denatures the proteins and they undergo a chemical reaction, thus creating the coveted "sear."

-- Bandwith, Biochemist and Self-Taught Cook

Resource:

Schiffer Books

Are you contributing a recipe to this week's Foodie Friday?

If so, locate the blue Inlinkz icon in the lower, left-hand portion of this post. Click on the icon and follow the directions. After you complete the process, you will see a red "x" beside your name. This allows you to delete your link if you made an error; the red "x" is visible to you only.

You can read a complete guide to this linky party HERE.

If you'd like to share your food photos--or photos of other FF participants on Pinterest, join the Pinterest foodie board, Consuming Passions. Leave a message on the most recent "pin" if you'd like your name added to the list.

If you'd like to share your food photos--or photos of other FF participants on Pinterest, join the Pinterest foodie board, Consuming Passions. Leave a message on the most recent "pin" if you'd like your name added to the list.

***Participants' photos will be pinned to Foodie Friday's group Pinterest board.

Every Friday, we are joined at this big, virtual table--thank you for stopping by today. I'm grateful to all of you who spend your days cooking. I'm grateful to old and new friends who contribute recipes every week. I'm grateful to friends who leave a comment. I'm grateful for the silent folks, because you are brought here by your love of all things culinary.
The Foodie Friday Link-Up

Have a great Labor Day Weekend!

Monday, August 25, 2014

Blogland Tour

The Blogland Tour is like an old-fashioned chain letter--but with blog posts. Three questions are given to each blogger, and so far, answers have been intriguing and different.

I was invited by my friend Kitty,

the author of Kitty's Kozy Kitchen. Have you tried any of Kitty's recipes? If not, be sure and visit her. She is one of the best cooks I know. And, she always gives great decorating advice and has an eye for selecting paint colors. Thank you for inviting me, Kitty!

I invited Jain at A Quiet Life to take the next Blogland Tour.

Jain is the brainchild behind The Novel Bakers and is a talented cook and food stylist.

Some friends come into your life and change it; Jain is one of those friends. I had fallen into a food rut. I worked all the time and never stopped a moment to breathe. After I met her and began reading her blog, I rediscovered the joy of cooking real food. Her photographs inspired me to really take time to look at the world: wind stirring a lace curtain; the pungent smell of fresh lavender; the ever-changing magic of sunlight. Just slowing down made all the difference.

And, her recipes are divine.

Photo Credit: Jain Moon

The Tour

Question 1: What am I working on now?

I'm working on several projects: picnic week (September 8th) with the Novel Bakers; cookbook reviews; my adventures with DIY landscape lighting; and never-ending home remodeling.

Question 2: How does my work differ from others in this genre?

Well, I've been asked this question on book tours, and I never have a satisfactory answer.

You see, not all readers will have the same experience when they visit a blog. A reader might connect with my penchant for cooking "one pot meals," and we'll be soul mates.

Or a reader might stop by when I'm having a bad kitchen day; we may or may not be soul mates.
:-0

I have many such days.

It seems to me that uniqueness doesn't come from inventing recipes that call for rare

ingredients. Individuality doesn't come from posting about groundbreaking DIY projects. No, it comes from a blogger's voice--that indescribable quality of being that shines on the page.

If you ask 10 bloggers to bake a pie, you'll get 10 different pies.

Ask those same bloggers to paint a room, and chances are they will pick 10 different colors.

So really, the topics may be the same, but all bloggers are unique.

Question #3: Why do I write?

Someone once asked the late Louis Armstrong to define jazz.

"If you've got to ask," he said, "Then you'll never know."

Some people run 2 miles a day.

I write.

I'm pretty much obsessed with words. Writing is how I process my life and the world.

Question #4: How does my writing process work?

The blogging process reminds me of an extended conversation with the girls. Over cake and coffee, we share recipes, discuss how to make the best pie crust, how to arrange furniture in a difficult room, how to grow parsley from seed. I've learned about paint colors, gardening, tart making, tablescaping.
I've also made many friends along the way.
We are all connected by our words and images.

Thanks for visiting.

Shared at Metamorphosis Monday.

Thursday, August 21, 2014

Foodie Friday -- August 22

Welcome to Foodie Friday

where good food is always on the menu.

I'm bringing an old favorite to the party--a super easy

blueberry tart.

A Taste of Foodie Friday's Most Popular Recipes

Showcasing Bloggers' Recipes and their Words

The most-viewed recipe was Dad's Spaghetti Sauce by Gather Around Our Table .

Here's how Natasha explains the background of her sauce:

"At my dad's 80th birthday party (yup, you read that right) all his sweet friends and family stood up and read letters to him recounting all the fun they had through the years over a few beers and most importantly surrounding my dad's cooking," Natasha explains. "I can't stress enough how sought after this man is for his cooking! Requests come in from all over the country for this guy's corned beef and cabbage, baked ravioli, and of course this famous spaghetti sauce.

You guys, the recipe's not even hard. If we were really living in Italy, maybe he would have grown his own tomatoes and canned them all then made a fresh pot of sauce. But we don't, so I'll let you in on a little secret, he cheats with the canned stuff...gasp... And it's freaking delicious."

--Natasha, Gather Around Our Table

Foodies loved The Maine House's Ultimate Rustic Italian Penne. And it's

easy to see why. This is an entree that should be in a class of its own--the angels sing when this casserole is baking

"It's going to take a little time, but the end result is well worth it!" Estelle writes.

"The flavors of this pasta bake are incredible!

If you are having company for dinner or just want to serve a beautiful weekend dinner,

this pasta will earn rave reviews!

Are you ready to begin?"

--Estelle, The Maine House

Back Porch Musings wowed everyone with homemade chili, better known as "Good Eats."

When I started blogging in 2008, Pat was one of the first ladies to make me feel welcome.

She always inspires me with her grace and style.

"Sometimes, life is like a bowl of chili…full of beans and a little spicy," Pat says.

"I made a crockpot of chili on Wednesday. Every time I make chili I put it together different than the time before. It always tastes good, even when I throw it a curve. Pinto and Great Northern beans for the pot, this time, and the usual spices with the addition of Mexican Seasoning. Simmered in the pot all day. Served in the new red bowls, topped with sour cream, Pico De Gallo, and shredded cheese."
--Pat, Back Porch Musings

Are you contributing a recipe to this week's Foodie Friday?

***Participants' photos will be pinned to Foodie Friday's group Pinterest board.

Tuesday, August 19, 2014

A Novel Bakers' Edible Book Review: Etta Mae's Worst Bad-Luck Day

"I'll tell you right off that I'm not in the habit of talking about people,

listening to gossip, or spreading rumors regardless of how tempting it is

to pick up the telephone. Do unto others, I always say. I will admit, however,

that occasionally I hear a tasty tidbit that just seems meant to be passed along."

--From the Desk of Julia Springer Murdoch

It's my pleasure to pass along a marvelous new book by Ann B. Ross:

Etta Mae's Worst Bad-Luck Day.

"Heart-of-gold, hardscrabble Etta Mae Wiggins has starred as Miss Julia's sidekick in several of Ann B. Ross's New York Times bestselling novels. And though she has saved Miss Julia's hide time and again, Etta Mae has--so unfairly!--been the subject of some of Abbotsville's hottest gossip for years. Now Etta Mae gets to speak for herself--and she has a doozy of a story to tell."

From her polka dotted dress to a last-minute spritz of perfume on the courthouse steps,
Etta Mae is full of charm, sass, and an indomitable Southern spirit.

But the question is . . .

Can Etta Mae manage to marry

Mr. Right on the worst bad-luck day?

If Etta Mae can just marry Howard Conard, Senior, her life will be perfect.

But a few things stand in her way. First, she must deal with Howard's money-hungry son and snooty, pious daughter-in-law. Not to mention Etta Mae's ex-husband (one of them), who is flashing a winning lottery ticket and is on the run from local thugs. If that's not enough,

her old flame, Officer Bobby Lee, keeps showing up, wreaking havoc with her head and her heart.

When that happens, a girl needs to eat cake.

Lots and lots of cake.

Petit fours are always a nice compliment at a Southern wedding ...

if there's a wedding. With Etta Mae, you just never know what's going to happen.

Even so, get ready to laugh and have the time of your life.

"Fans of Ann B. Ross will love this book! Etta Mae Wiggins is the funniest character to come down the pike since Miss Julia showed up to speak her mind. I laughed all the way through it. Hooray for Etta Mae!"

--Fannie Flagg, author of The All-Girl Filling Station's Last Reunion

Happy Pub day, Ann!

For more fun with Etta Mae, visit the Novel Bakers:

a quiet life and Home Is Where the Boat Is.
Come see Etta Mae's board on Pinterest!

Resources:
Stop by Ann B. Ross's Official Facebook page and say hello.
Read about the New York Times bestselling Miss Julia series.
Etta Mae's page at Viking Books
Etta Mae's Pinterest board.
Look for the new Miss Julia book in April 2015, Miss Julia Lays Down the Law.

Thanks to Viking Books for providing copies of Etta Mae.

Shared at Wow Us Wednesdays and Tablescape Thursday.

Social Bookmarking

Thursday, August 14, 2014

Foodie Friday -- August 15th

Welcome to Foodie Friday, where great food is always on the menu!

I've been away from my desk today and don't want to keep you waiting,

so here is a sneak peek at what I've been up to.

I've been trying to add a little curb appeal with solar lighting.

The sponsor is my dear husband. :-)

After a few missteps, I figured out how to "spotlight" our itty tree.

I'll be posting about this little project soon, along with one of Bandwidth's "Chemistry of Cooking"

lessons (grilled meatloaf) and a new decorating series.
The Novel Bakers return Tuesday, August 19th,
for a 1-day edible review of Ann B. Ross's new novel.

Finally, I'm trying to choose fabric for Will's bar stools. Do you have a favorite?

Are you contributing a recipe to this week's Foodie Friday?

***Participants' photos will be pinned to Foodie Friday's group Pinterest board.

Sunday, August 10, 2014

Dog and Butterfly: A Memory Garden

This Sunday, I'm sharing a special memory garden that was created by my childhood friend, Martha Sue. The story behind it is so touching, you'll smile and cry at the same time.

Martha and her late husband, Mike, were owned by an adorable Jack Russell terrier named Petey.

"Petey Ecclesiastes was a gorgeous Jack Russell Terrier," Martha said. "Petey (his name was Pete Ecclesiastes so his nick was Petey) lived to be 16 years old. His life story is very interesting, because he was special to me and my late husband, Mike."

"Petey was our little clown!" Martha said. "He loved Halloween! We dressed him in a different costume every year. This particular Halloween, Petey wanted to be Superman. He loved to greet trick-or-treaters at the door."

"Pete, forever faithful, forever true, watching over my two-year-old granddaughter," Martha said. "When she visited Nana, Pete never left her side."

"Nine years later, he was still guarding over his baby girl."

A cherished photo of Petey and Martha. "He was my baby," she said.

In 2012, shortly before Mike lost his long battle with heart ailments, Petey seemed to know something was wrong.

"Petey died a few months before my husband, Mike, had his third heart attack in 2012," Martha said. "Petey knew Mike was sick and it upset Petey so badly, that he wouldn't go around Mike or even look at him. He'd just walk around Mike, making a sighing noise. He no doubt knew about Mike's future. I took Petey to the vet because he stopped eating and the vet really didn't know what was wrong. I suspect Petey knew Mike's time to go was near and it upset him. Petey went on to Heaven ahead of Mike so that it might be easier for Mike. Petey was like that."

"Here is a picture of a butterfly," Martha said. " The butterfly isn't very visible. But I just had to take the picture when it landed on the lantana in front of Petey's tombstone."

"Petey loved birds, especially hummingbirds and butterflies," Martha explained. "He wouldn't hurt a flea--no pun intended--and when he napped outside, butterflies would light on him and spend time. Pete would allow butterflies to do that. When I go up to the garden, from spring through early fall, I can always find a butterfly visiting his grave; sometimes dancing around on his tombstone."

Martha's two children live nearby, and she is blessed with two beautiful grandchildren.