A Childhood Favorite...

Growing up one of my favorite things to have for lunch was grilled cheese, and tomato soup.
We didn't have it that often, so when we did, it was a treat!

My mom had one of those little round things with a long handle you put on the burner..
I think you could make pies in them too...It must have been a novelty, and with 4 waiting for lunch, believe me it wasn't used very much..

But I do remember it!

So today in honor of Carol's party, I decided to make myself a good lunch.
Grilled cheese, tomato soup, and french fries! I am in heaven..



Oh ok, I know I didn't fool you...after all, I survived 33 years of 9 yr old kids telling me there was a tack on my chair every April Fool's Day..:)
But I usually got them when I would put the Homework assignment on the board and it would be
Do pg. 100 to 150 in your Math book!







The sandwich is grilled pound cake with cream cheese icing, helped with food color, and the soup is milk with food color!
French fries more pound cake with strawberry jam ketchup..

These are real..Sugar cookies tinted pink...



Happy April Fool's Day! Don't let anyone pull the wool over your eyes...

Please visit Carol's blog and see who else is acting foolish today, and maybe you will try a trick or 2 yourself!


When Mike gets home there will be a sweet grilled cheese waiting for him..:)

Thanks for coming, and don't eat any pistachios! What's next...I hope not chocolate!

Please come back for Tablescape Thursday, and don't forget Foley is having a Mother's Day event in May, remembering a recipe of your mom's. You are all invited to participate, and it is a lovely way to honor your dear mother! So dig out those old recipes...

Foodie Friday **** Flashback Friday.

I am late doing this..I was gone all day yesterday for Grandparents Day and we got back late. And today, I was out too,hair appt. and some shopping...



Here's the cake I made for Lily's Birthday...THE BIG CUPCAKE as the pan is called by Wilton..




Chocolate cake with whipped cream icing..



We didn't get to eat it, poor kid got sick in the afternoon, fever, etc..strep throat...
So we sang, but that was it. She was so sick she didn't even want to open her presents..Last year she broke her wrist at her birthday party...I am afraid for next year! :)


Chicken Parmesan Pizza...

I bought the dough from the pizza place..used homemade sauce..
Fry small pieces of chicken cutlet, and put it on the pizza, sprinkle with cheese, and bake...
Filling, and so much less expensive than buying a pizza..



My flashback is this pretty Mama Bunny from Villeroy and Boch I gave my dil last year. The top comes off so it can be filled with candy or cookies..



And because I have a craving for ribs, some low and slow baked ribs and home made coleslaw..



This week I did a little bargain hunting and found these plates for....








70 cents each...Home Goods clearance

From The Christmas Tree Shop..

How about this cute little rabbit in a cage...( I didn't take him..so he's still there for you!)



Or these little polka dot ramekins...1.29




Please check the other entries for Foodie Fri at Gollums fun blog Blog..
Suzy's Flashback Fri, is at my Sweet and Savory friend's, Kitchen Bouquets.

Thanks for coming, I appreciate your visit!

Happy Birthday and Tablescape Thursday!

Today, Wed., is Susan's birthday. Susan at Savoring Time in the Kitchen..so no one gets confused!
I predict a very exciting year for her, with a handsome stranger coming into the picture after the summer.
He will steal her heart away, but unfortunately, will need to be burped and changed..and he may be a bit of a whiner too...But she will love him to bits!!!
And if it is a girl, her heart will be filled with love too! And lots of frilly dresses!
Happy Birthday Susan!



Now if her name was Tulips, I would have something more seasonal! :)



Thank you, Susan, for hosting, and to see more tables please go to Between Naps on the Porch, Susan's lovely blog...

Today I dug out the Easter decos, so I thought I would do a little Spring table..

I used a yellow mat, layered with a pink one. The polka dot plates are from Christmas Tree Shops.





The pitcher is from Mikasa, yellow dotted napkins were my mom's, the little baskets I used as a napkin holder are from many moons ago, a store called Lee Wards..and they were 50 cents ea. I tied a pale purple ribbon on them..Little salt and pepper shakers came with an egg plate that was a gift.
The pink glasses are Lenox and the aqua stems are also ancient...






These are little egg plates from CTS..I got diff pastels.



Dinner was grilled lamb chops and roasted potatoes...



And for dessert..Banana Chocolate chip cake...made some as cupcakes,



And I baked one in a little round handled bucket. I got it at a yard sale a long time ago for .25, bet it is worth, oh, maybe .50 now, it even has a lid...:)



And turned it in to a little cake...







A few people emailed me for the recipe for the Apricot Cream Coffee Cake...



Here is the recipe, from Land O Lakes Country Heritage.

Coffee Cake Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup LAND O LAKES® Butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 LAND O LAKES™ All-Natural Farm-Fresh Eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

Filling Ingredients:

1/4 cup sugar
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 LAND O LAKES™ All-Natural Farm-Fresh Egg
1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon peel
1 (12-ounce) jar apricot preserves

Glaze Ingredients:

1/3 cup powdered sugar
1 to 2 teaspoons lemon juice


Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour bottom and sides of 10-inch springform pan. Set aside.

Combine all coffee cake ingredients in large bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until well mixed. Spread batter on bottom and 2 inches up sides of prepared pan.

Combine all filling ingredients except apricot preserves in small bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until well mixed. Spread evenly over batter in pan. Spoon preserves evenly over filling.

Bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Cool 20 minutes. Loosen sides of cake from pan by running knife around inside of pan; remove sides of pan.

Meanwhile, stir together powdered sugar and enough lemon juice for desired drizzling consistancy in small bowl. Drizzle over warm coffee cake. Serve warm or cold; store refrigerated.


I have a few other things to show you, but this is long enough and I think I hear snoring!

Thanks for coming, I appreciate your visit!

Flashback and Foodie Friday

I am joining my friend Suzy from Kitchen Bouquets for Flashback , and Gollum from Designs by Gollum for Foodie Friday...
Please stop by their blogs to see the other entries this week...

Spring has arrived, by the calendar anyway! And the first full day of Spring is my
sweet granddaughter Lily's birthday.

Last year she asked for a Barbie Cake...I had never made one before, so I researched a bit, and then gave it my best shot...

I needed a real Barbie doll...and in this town, not easy! I found one, but she was dressed for a picnic, and I needed a Princess look...

I made a bodice for her out of satin ribbon, and weaved some pearls into her hair. I had to give her a new do, too!
Here she is with her new bodice wrapped in Saran so she can be inserted into the cake..



I made the cake in a Pandoro mold, and a small Pyrex bowl.

I had to hollow out the center so she could fit..



She is iced with whipped cream..chocolate icing in between the top and bottom of the cake.





This is the Pandoro mold I used for the skirt..



She was delighted with the cake..her little brothers amazed the doll was IN the cake..:)
So tomorrow she will get a Birthday Cake, but thank goodness she didn't ask for Barbie! :) Happy Birthday, Lily! ♥

♣♣Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!♣♣

Failte! Welcome to the Party!! Come in , make yourself at home...






I started the day with a little breakfast..the sheep is from the Aran Isles, and contributed the place mat...some soda bread, fresh strawberries, bacon and egg...not baaaa...d!




Some of my Irish things in a little vignette..the Belleek vase and Belleek plate on the stand.., gifts from my dear dil..the little Irish angel, from my childhood friend, Pat...It is very old..made by Lefton...I treasure it, like our friendship...



You've met Spud, he is dressed in his green finery..



Some of you may remember Spud.... had to go to rehab....after this unfortunate incident..



But he has totally reformed, and now a tea drinker...

He likes this blend..



With a few shamrock sweets





My friend Carol says this guy looks like he is wearing a squirrel on his lip..ah, but it was magically delicious...




I use this green footed compote from Villeroy and Boch for my centerpiece..



Put oasis in the bowl, and fill with greens...here the only thing green is pachysandra , so that will be it..



Take your fresh flowers, I used mums and baby's breath, and fill in the bowl..
decorate with ribbon or picks,



The table is set....actually, a few..
The dark green is Noritake, Fitzgerald..It is a very deep green with gold..

The white and gold .. is Noritake too. The glasses and pitcher are Waterford, Lismore..











The name place markers are little black urns...I got them after Cmas in Pier One, pulled out the little arrangement that was in it, put in oasis and fresh flowers and wrote the name on a shamrock..this one says Seamus, my grandfather's name and my 3 yo grandson's too!



This was for a casual dinner last night...I made the napkin rings from wood shamrocks, painted them and then added dots..






I embroidered Happy St. Patrick's Day on them with my machine..no, I didn't..I still haven't figured out how to use it...I got them in Home Goods..:)

We had shamrock meatloaf, and clover biscuits..I couldn't put the sauce on till we were ready to eat, or else it would have been a red shamrock...








Tonight you have your choice of soups...

Broccoli with cheddar cheese soup...



or Pea Soup with ham...



And of course, Long Ireland Clam Chowder..:)



Save room for the soda bread and oatmeal bread along with the corned beef, potatoes and cabbage..


I make the cabbage differently..

Fry a few slices of bacon in a pan till crisp.
Remove the bacon and some of the drippings.
Place thinly sliced cabbage, sliced onions, salt, pepper and a few dashes of powdered mustard in the pan and saute.
Remove to serving platter, and crumble the crisp bacon over the top...



For dessert some St." Patricot" Cream Cake, I'll post the recipe tomorrow if anyone wants it...It's an apricot cream coffee cake..





Thank you so much for coming...Hope you'll come again...
Please visit the other blogs listed here..and enjoy the parties...
Happy St. Patrick's Day ! Blog carefully..:)
Share the Fun! sign up below for the blog crawl...and we'll be right over! ♣After you do your post, copy that link below...
You can use the Leprechaun logo or not, but please include a link back here in your post so your visitors can see the other fun entries...:)



Please be sure to visit Susan at Between naps on the Porch Blog to see all the other tables..