Centerpiece of the Month ~ January

It is time for January's centerpieces of the month. I haven't had as many sent in this month, so had to do some trolling around the bloggy world.

I am sure there are some great centerpieces out there that I have probably missed... Y'all send them in !

Layla's Lettered Cottage is kicking off spring with some daffodils in the guest room. Layla is always simple, but perfect.

Between Naps on the Porch showed off a beautiful centerpiece on her porch... the very one she can nap on. I could sit a spell right there!

Picket's Place found something to replace those Christmas decorations on her kitchen table.

Pat at Back Porch Musing has posted a simple rooster on her kitchen table... It looks great to me! She posted this as a part of her Tuesday Tablescapes.

Rhoda at Southern Hospitality has been growing paperwhites, I can smell them from here.

My favorite of all is Just a Beach Kat. She made this creative centerpiece just for her superbowl party. That looks like a party to me!

What's on your table?

Y'all enjoy!

Sandi

Split Slow Soup

I have never been a huge fan of pea green soup... probably because of a jump rope saying that still echo's in my mind. Do kids even do that anymore? We would jump rope for hours and sing songs about Cinderella kissing a fella, and soup...

This week's Slow Soup is Split Pea Soup, Marcia's choice. She found the recipe in Bon Appetite, and tweeked it to perfection. This recipe calls for leeks, dried split peas, and fresh green peas... the combination is good. The fresh dill makes it fabulous!

Split Pea Soup with Dill

3 T extra virgin olive oil
1 large leek (white and pale green parts only), chopped (about 1 and 1/2 cups)
1 bay leaf
1 cup green split peas, rinsed
5&1/2 cups vegetable broth, divided (can use chicken broth, too, or a ham bone for seasoning).
1 cup frozen petite green peas, thawed
4 Tablespoons chopped fresh dill, divided
Salt &Pepper
Shredded Parmesan for garnish
Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium high heat. Add leek and bay leaf. Saute until leek wilts, about three minutes. Add split peas and stir to coat. Add 5 cups broth; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until split peas are just tender, about 35-45 minutes. Remove from heat. Transfer 1 cup soup solids, bay leaf and remaining 1/2 cup broth to blender. Add petite peas and 3 Tablespoons dill. Puree until smooth. Return puree to soup. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls. Sprinkle with remaining 1 Tablespoon dill and shredded Parmesan for garnish.
Makes about 4 bowls
(If you like the idea of whole green peas in your soup, then only puree half of the petite green peas, add the other half to the soup).
I left off the parmesan and added more dill. Yum!
Now if I could just get that ditty out of my mind!

Y'all enjoy!
Sandi

Photo Hunt ~furry

The photo hunt for this week is 'furry'.
I was looking for something a little different. No pets, pillows, or rodents!
This was parked right outside of Harrods... there has to be a story here somewhere.
We'll never know.

Y'all enjoy!

Sandi

Rise and shine!

Even a bad day at the beach... is a very good day.
How could it be anything but a blessed day when it starts like this?
Sandi

Check out the condo...

We have always talked about buying a condo at the beach. I grew up in my family's place in Perdido, so my sister and I have such precious memories of spending long days at the beach. That place is long gone, but we still go back to the same area year after year.
We have never bought a condo... mostly because our lottery numbers haven't come in. (this may be changing this week~ I'll let y'all know!) We also like staying in a different place, it is always fun to see how these beautiful rentals are decorated.

Here are some photo's of the bright beachy place we staying in this time.

My favorite is that they have WiFi!! Have computer will travel.

The artwork was fantastic!

How cute is this?















You can check out the link I posted yesterday.
Now, I'm off to the beach. Then dinner at the Oyster Bar!
See y'all soon,
Sandi

Road Trip

All Bill had to do was mention that we had a chance to take a road trip... My bags are always packed! Lula is ready to fly.

We called to our friend Charlene at Luxury Costal Vacations. She had a condo that would have otherwise been empty, and we jumped on it. We'd like to think we are doing our part to help the economy!

Perdido Beach is only a few hours away and is the most beautiful beach, nestled between Pensacola and Mobile. In fact Southern Living recently listed several gulf coast beaches as the best beach destinations.

Y'all come along!
Sandi

Slow Soupers Sandi Style!

It is my turn to pick the soup for our Sunday Slow Soupers group. We are a group of cooks from Slow Travel, who have been making a different soup every week. It has been fun to try favorite soups from all across the country. Now we get a taste of the south.

After some coaxing I agreed to post my recipe for Gumbo. I have posted Gumbo before on my blog, also a special post on making a roux. This is a basic recipe for a seafood gumbo, you are welcome to add or takeaway as you like.
When it comes to gumbo, there is always a discussion about okra and tomatoes. It has even inspired the Great Gumbo Cookoff in our family. I am not a okra/tomato gumbo girl... this is strictly a roux based seafood soup. Fabulous!

Seafood Gumbo
1/4 cup vegetable oil
¼ cup all purpose flour
1# chicken pieces
1# large shrimp, bay scallops, oysters
1# Andouille sausage
32 oz chicken broth
2 bell peppers, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp salt & pepper
½ tsp cayenne pepper (more or less)
chopped parsley
bunch of green onions chopped


In a large pot, saute onions and peppers. Add sausage and brown. Add water, spices, and chicken; simmer until the chicken is cooked through (if you use chicken on the bone you can cool it and pull it now) Use this broth as a part of your chicken broth.

Start the gumbo by making your roux. Use a heavy skillet and stir together flour and oil until it is a cocoa brown and thick, smooth consistency. You will want to start adding some broth to the skillet to thin your roux, then pour the it into the big pot. Stir like hell. Add chicken broth, stir some more until there are no clumps.Cover and simmer. This will help to thicken the gumbo. Add cleaned shrimp and scallops, cooking on medium heat till shrimp are pink (10 minutes) Add the delicate oysters last. Remove from heat. Let stand for 10 minutes. Serve in a large bowl on top of a scoop of rice, with a garnish of green onions.

Y'all enjoy!

Sandi

Photo Hunt ~ chipped

The photo hunt theme for this week is 'chipped'.
I am showing off a little bowl of WhistleStop Chili that has been chipped.
Y'all enjoy!

Sandi

Cooking light

We've been trying to eat light and I promised to pass on some recipes. Cooking light is not always easy to do without skimping on flavor. Cabbage is one of those good for you foods that is also good to eat.

This is a great side dish that is huge on flavor but slim on calories. The balsamic reduction sauce adds an extra punch. It is not your basic boiled, stink-up-the-house cabbage. This goes great with pork or chicken, Bill was glad to see something besides soup!



Roasted Cabbage
1 head red cabbage
1 head green cabbage
1 onion
3 garlic cloves
salt and pepper
2 Tbs olive oil
1 cup balsamic vinegar
2 Tbs brown sugar

Cut the small cabbage heads into 1 inch chunks, slice the onions into wedges. Toss with olive oil and minced garlic. Spread into a 9x13 baking dish. Add salt and pepper. Bake at 400° for 30 minutes until roasted, stir gently halfway through.

To make the balsamic reduction~ combine vinegar and brown sugar in a small pan. Cook at a rolling boil until reduced to a syrup. Top the roasted cabbage with balsamic reduction sauce. In this photo I had the minced garlic in the reduction sauce... but didn't like it that way~ so I changed the recipe. My prerogative!
Y'all enjoy!
Sandi

Hope

HOPE
This single word best describes the momentous day. I, like so many of you, couldn't help but be glued to to TV. This is the way we change administrations in America.
Peacefully, ceremonially, with a fortune in pomp and circumstance.
Now we can move on.
.

"Be the change you want to see in the world" Ghandi

God Bless America!

One World One Heart

It is time again for the One World One Heart Event. I have participated before and had so much fun. In 2008 I gave away two Whistlestop Aprons.


One World One Heart is a global bloggy event and there will be hundreds of people joining in, each with something unique to share. It is a great way to visit new blogs and meet people who might not otherwise find their way into your circle of friends. Click on the link and you can join in as well.

This year I have been trying to decide what to offer. I am not an artist, a designer, or a professional anything. I do have connections to the WhistleStop warehouse. So for this giveaway I am going to offer a box of Whistlestop goodies to the lucky winner~ a cookbook, some marinade and batter mixes.
All you have to do is leave a little love and a comment. From those comments we will be choosing a winner. The global drawing will be Feburary 12th.

Visit Lisa to see all of the other blogs who are participating. I'm going to visit each and every one! Who knows, maybe I'll win a prize that I can pick up in Italy.
Thanks y'all!
Sandi

PalmaBella's Soup

The Slow Soupers soup of the week is from my friend Palma. We were all excited to see what Palma picked, she is a fabulous Italian cook. She didn't disappoint us... a warm soup of leeks and asparagus topped with crumbled amaretti cookies.

For those who may not recognize 'amaretti', these are cookies with the nutty flavor of amaretto in each bite. The best in the world are from Italy in the fine paper wrappers. I was lucky enough to find a suitable substitute for the real thing.

Leek and Asparagus Soup with Fried Leeks and Crushed Amaretti

This is a Roman dish, traditionally served at Easter time. The recipe is from A Cook’s Tour of Italy by Joe Famularo.

3-4 leeks, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
4 T. butter
2 c. peeled, diced potatoes
1 bunch asparagus, tender parts only, cut into 1 “ pieces
1 ½ quarts chicken broth (6 cups)
seasalt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup half & half
butter or olive oil for frying leeks for garnish
4 Amaretti cookies, crumbled, or grated

*optional: 2-3 oz. chopped, cooked pancetta. This is not part of the original recipe, but it DOES make Brad think this soup can be dinner!

Cut leeks in half and wash well, separating the leaves with your fingers while running them under cool water to remove any sand. Drain the leeks and cut them crosswise into thin slices. Reserve about ¼ c. of leeks for frying.

In a large saucepan, melt butter and sauté leeks lightly. Add potato cubes and sauté about 4 minutes. Add asparagus, broth and some salt and pepper. If using pancetta, add it now. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and simmer for 30-40 minutes. Put mixture through a food mill, sieve, or use a blender or emersion blender. Return to saucepan and add half & half. Simmer until mixture is warmed.

To serve, heat some oil or butter in a small saucepan, and fry leeks until crisp. Ladle the soup into warm bowls, sprinkle with crumbled amaretti in the center, and top with some crisp leeks.

* Don't skip the toppings! They are wonderful with the soup!

This soup was really yummy. The leeks and potatoes helped tone down the bite of the asparagus. You can see I didn't peel my potatoes, so the color of my soup was not as bright green as some of the others. Amaretti crumbled on anything is amazing.

Y'all enjoy!

Sandi

Photo Hunt ~ Hat

The photo hunt theme this week is 'hat'.
I may be in trouble over this one :-)
I don't know why I can't get this Mr Linky to work sometimes ~:-(

Y'all enjoy!

Sandi

Slimware in Leopard print

I bet you thought I was going to post photos of a recent trip to Victoria Secret...
Not that kind of leopard print.

What a great name!

Slimware is specially designed dishware for the portion confused.

These are melamine plates with portion sized designs.

.

So~ IF you do think that mac and cheese is a veggie... you will know what a veggie portion looks like.

Maybe this kind of slimware would get me into one of those leopard prints...

.

Chow y'all!

Sandi

Chic!

Y'all are going to be oh-so jealous when you see what I got for Christmas.
My niece, who is taking culinary classes at Johnson and Wales University has the very same thing (but I'd be willing to bet she isn't wearing them)


Tres Chic!

Onion goggles!


They are to keep you from crying while chopping onions... and they really work.

Fashion in the kitchen.
Have I mentioned our aprons recently?

Happy Chopping Y'all,
Sandi