A Little Bit English . . . A Little Bit Country . . . A Little Bit "Greek"!

I did love both of our homes in England and did pick up some decorating ideas from them. But, after all, I've always loved English country decorating starting first with Laura Ashley and later soaking up that English country charm from the bed and breakfasts that we stayed in on previous trips to England.

And from this trip . . .

I fell in love with the oak candlestick lamps . . .

The ones on either side of the bed at the Pitts Cottage in Wiltshire and

The barley twist one in the dining room at Blue Row.

So I decided I needed some candlestick lamps and after a successful bid on ebay, two came home to Linderhof . . . from England no less. And so, after they were rewired and after a successful lampshade hunt, I put them

In the guest room -- on either side of the bed.

An oak barley twist candlestick probably Edwardian, with an ecru linen shade. Is the perfect lamp for the bedside table in the guest room.

And it's twin on the other side!

Much better, I think that the lamps I had before. . .

Which, although I liked them, I never felt that the blue worked in that room and the tulips clashed with the roses!

I've always liked English wooden lamps and I already had one . . .

Bought several years ago and perfect on the chest in the Master Bedroom.

It is Monday and my lamp change is my metamorphosis for this Monday. Please join Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Met Monday and find out what wonderful transformations there are this Monday.

And the little bit Greek?

Even though it has been hot (like 104 and 105), it hasn't stopped the bounty in the garden and so Farmer's Market produce fills the refrigerator at Linderhof. One of our favorite summer dishes is . . .

Zucchini moussaka. It's a great dish if you like Greek food but don't like eggplant or if you have too many zucchini!!!!

It's often on the table at Linderhof and there is enough for dinner as well as a lunch the following day. With a salad full of vegetables, it's a healthy dinner as well!

It's from the original Williams-Sonoma cookbook, The Williams-Sonoma Cookbook and Guide to Kitchen Ware, one of my favorite cookbooks.

It's easy and tasty and a summer family favorite! Although the recipe in the cookbook calls for lamb -- lamb is not easily found on the prairie and so oftentimes we use ground beef. It's good either way!

ZUCCHINI MOUSSAKA

4 to 5 medium zucchini

salt

3 medium tomatoes

3 to 4 T. olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 pound ground lamb

1/2 t. dried oregano

2 eggs

1 cup fresh breadcrumbs

1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 c. chicken stock or tomato juice

Cut zucchini lengthways into 1/4 inch thick slices. Arrange in a colander, overlapping as little as possible. Sprinkle well with salt and let drain for 1 hour. Rinse and blot dry with paper towels.

Cut core from tomatoes and make a small cross in the blossom end. Dip in boiling water for 5 seconds to loosen skin. Peel, cut in half crossways and gently squeeze out seeds. Chop tomatoes finely.

Preheat oven to 375 and grease a 10 x 8 baking dish. Heat the olive oil in saute pan and saute the zucchini until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Do this in 2 batches if necessary, addming more oil if needed. Remove with slotted spoon and set aside. In the same pan, saute onion and garlic until transparent, about 3 minutes. Add ground lamb and let it brown slightly, breaking it up with a fork. Pour off any accumulated fat. Season with salt and the oregano. Remove from heat and let cool a little. Break eggs into a bowl, beat lightly and stir into meat mixture. Set aside.

Put half the prepared zucchni, in one layer and overlapping if necessary, in the baking dish. Cover with meat mixture, then the tomatoes and place the remaining zucchini in a layer on top. Mix breadcrumbs with cheese and sprinkle over zucchini. Moisten with stock or tomato juice. Bake for 35 minutes on middle rack of oven until mixture is cooked through and top is brown.

NOTE: I often halve the recipe for the two of us and bake in one of my gratin dishes. I often use ground beef because I rarely can get ground lamb here and I have been known to used canned chopped tomatoes which I drain well (and save the juice to moisten the casserole with).

I'm joining Yvonne at Stone Gable for Menu Monday for if you like zucchini or if you like moussaka -- this dish is terrific!!!!