FAREWELL TO FEBRUARY......

Your time is up...go away!



I know Spring is still a long way off here, even if the calendar says 3 weeks.
But when March arrives, I am encouraged...it is coming...
A few of us decided to help February leave...
A Grain of Salt has some pics up and
Marsha's Garden, and
There's Always Thyme...
Savoring Time in the Kitchen,
Foley's Follies,
Mountain Breaths, and
Kitchen Bouquets...check the sidebar for links..

So a look back...







And a look forward...









Sit on the deck..enjoy the flowers....



Take the kids to the beach..oh, that's summer...sorry..





The past, the future..the present...

Last night, meatless Friday, we had shrimp, scallops in wine sauce topped with buttered crumbs and orzo...






Thanks for coming, and see you tomorrow for the kick off to March Madness...

Foodie Friday

Is it Friday already?? Where did the week go..

Please visit Gollum's blog, Designs by Gollum, to see the other participants in this event...



Many of us living in the cold climates have had enough of winter. We are looking forward to Spring....A little hint, a sprout..something...but not here, not yet...nada!

So I'll brighten my usual kitchen dishes with sunny yellow....



The hydrangea are dried, it will be many months before I have fresh ones, but I look forward to them...

The Cooking Forum is having a Carrot Cook off tomorrow on Garden Web, so I was looking through my recipes and found this...Carrot Pancakes, Mashed Potatoes and thinly sliced chicken cutlets wine sauce..



Nancy from Cooking Forum gave me the recipe for the pancake...

A whole group of us out there in Blog Land started at the Cooking Forum, and some still post there..It is amazing when going from Blog to Blog who you meet.
I started on the Holiday Forum on GW, and have met people on Gollum's blog that I know from there...small blog world.. Many of them helpful and caring people you come to think of as friends...What would we do without friends? Treasure them, they can't be replaced...

This is a great recipe for Cinnamon Raisin Bread..perfect with a cup of tea or coffee , and of course, a good friend.. From TASTE OF HOME

SERVINGS: 32

CATEGORY: Breads

METHOD: Baked

TIME: Prep: 25 min. + rising Bake: 30 min.

Ingredients:
1 package (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (110° to 115°)
2 cups warm milk (110° to 115°)
1/3 cup plus 1/2 cup sugar, divided
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons salt
5-3/4 to 6-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups raisins
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon water
GLAZE:
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon milk
Directions:
In a bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add milk, 1/3 cup sugar, oil, salt and 2 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Add raisins and enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1-1/4 hours.
Punch dough down. On a lightly floured surface, divide in half. Roll each into a 15-in. x 7-in. rectangle. Combine cinnamon and remaining sugar; sprinkle over dough. Sprinkle with water. Starting with a short side, roll up tightly, jelly-roll style. Pinch seams and ends to seal. Place, seam side down, in two greased 9-in. x 5-in. loaf pans. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely. Combine glaze ingredients; drizzle over loaves. Yield: 2 loaves.



Happy Friday, everyone..thanks for the visit...tomorrow..
FAREWELL to FEBRUARY..

And then on to MARCH MADNESS..17 days of Irishness...and then the party on the 17th...hope you are coming!
It's OPEN House....♣♣

CLAM UP!!!

Meatless Ash Wednesday..what to make for dinner??

I do not like fish, we used to have filet of sole almost every Friday when I was a kid, and I would drown it in ketchup, and wash it down with milk!!! I was one happy camper when the RC Church did away with that rule..
But now during Lent, and today, no meat...

I decided to make Baked Clams, and Long Island Clam Chowder...Man, it was cold digging those clams out of the Peconic Bay this morning!!!...of course I am kidding..

I used canned clams, but during the summer, Mike enjoys fresh clams on the half shell that he has dug himself....that way he knows where they came from and how fresh they are...



I won't eat them raw, but like them if they are minced in Baked Clams, and chowder....





Long Island Clam Chowder...









I know they don't want to see my dinner table, but in case you do ...



Be sure to visit Susan at her beautiful blog, Between Naps on the Front Porch to see the other tables this week..

and scroll down to yesterday's post to see my Mardi Gras table, please. :)

The plates are called Olive Grove Collection... I got them in TJ Maxx, raised olives in purple on a green background..







The napkins with the olives I found at WSonoma, the same day..what luck..:)

The purple ceramic napkin rings are from Villeroy and Boch.., of course they were in clearance, my middle name, remember???...

The purple stem glasses I found in TJ Maxx 2 weeks ago...
I didn't have any fresh flowers, so I used green apples in a fluted bowl with some faux lemons tucked in..
♣♣♣♣...and don't forget you are all invited to a St. Patrick's Day Party here on the 17th!

Thanks for your visit..
See you for Foodie Friday...

Mardi Gras...Shrove Tuesday...

Today is the last day before Lent begins, time for a little Mardi Gras celebration...

A few of my blog buddies are celebrating too....Suzy, a sweet Southern gal originally from Louisiana, is hosting our little party..

Please stop in at her blog, Kitchen Bouquet to find out where to start the "blog crawl" ( instead of a Pub Crawl, a favorite activity of the younger generation) in celebration of Mardi Gras...

Oh, and please come back for our St. Patrick's Day celebration. We had one last year on Garden Buddies, a forum where we congregated to chat and share recipes...It was so much fun, we decided to do it again...
You are all invited! Mark the date, and there will be a Mr. Linky for you to sign up.. More details later...♣♣♣

So first a little table....Louis Armstrong and Pearl Bailey were the guests of honor...Helloooo Dolly! It's so nice to have you back where you belong...:)









Pancakes are traditional on Shrove Tuesday, so I made Abelskivers filled with chocolate...and some fruit on the side...







They were good, but I don't know I'd make them again with chocolate for breakfast. The last time I made them I used a recipe Carol gave me, and used apples , and we liked them better.
This recipe was a WSonoma, which required separating eggs, whipping the whites, then folding in...don't know they tasted any better than the simpler one...

Happy Mardi Gras...please visit Suzy at Kitchen Bouquets linked above.. to see some authentic recipes...

Thanks for coming to the party...Hope you got the baby in your piece of King Cake!

Foodie Friday~~Flashback Friday

The First Foodie Friday

Now what shall I make?

A big healthy salad



Or maybe a cake?



Perhaps I'll make Pastries



Or some pizza with cheese....



But if you like muffins,
Please try some of these..

*

You can eat more..now don't be a wimp..

I think you might like
This linguine with shrimp.

*

Getting full did you say..
I don't give a hoot..
You must have a piece..
Of this tart filled with fruit...

*

Come for a walk..
Our table is set on the deck



Have some of these


Go on, what the heck....

I know, yes, you're stuffed,
Not one more small bite?
Well then thank you for coming..
And have a good night.

.

Flashback Friday...Suzy at Kitchen Bouquets..

Foodie Friday .Designs by Gollum...


Thanks, Ladies..

Tablescape Thursday

Today I am showing my St Patrick's Day table from 2 years ago....
Green cloth with white Battenburg over it.
The silverware is stainless trimmed with gold..
I made the centerpiece in a green glass footed bowl from Villeroy and Boch...






Waterford crystal, the green with gold trim are Noritake Fitzgerald. Gold glass chargers, and an assortment of other patterns..

And this is SPUD, my Irish rabbit with attitude. Get to know him..:)



Please stop by Susan's blog to view 56 more tablescapes!