Cookbook Book Club, Vol VI -- RED, WHITE AND BLUE

This month the hostess was Michelle and she chose a

"RED, WHITE, and BLUE" theme

We ended up at Linderhof with Michelle and I working together

on the table!

In the dining room

A table of red white and blue!

A great table for our Cookbook Club and a great table for the Fourth of July!

Blue transfer ware is a natural for a patriotic table!

Red and blue bandana napkins

Some red, white and blue "fireworks"

And vintage flag glasses!

All of the Fourth of July "bling" came from Michelle

I provided the blue and white plates and the chargers!

An easy centerpiece --

red carnations in a blue and white pitcher

And a few patriotic pinwheels to take it up a notch!

(Again the "bling" was provided by Michelle!)

We've been starting with cocktails

And this Volume was no different

It was a nice night and so we gathered on the porch

For watermelon mojitos

They were really good!

And I will make them again

And (aghast) some guests had more than one!

Dinner --

Smoked chicken quarters

(done by Michelle's husband David)

along with your choice of sauce

From Joe's (you can call it Oklahoma or Kansas City -- but it's still Joe's!)

Appetizer

The best strawberries

dipped first in white chocolate

And then dipped in blue sugar!

They were pretty and really looked magazine worthy!

Rita's contribution

Salad

A bleu cheese coleslaw with red pepper and green onion top.

An old recipe of mine that I've been making for at least 30 years.

From a Nevada Thalia's Tasting Tour

And our third favorite coleslaw recipe

Vegetable

Twice Baked potatoes.   Red potatoes and the white flesh held plenty of blue cheese.

Angela brought them and we all agreed that the smaller size was a great idea

And they were good -- I ate two!

We served buffet style in the breakfast room.   A paper tablecloth from Wal Mart covered the table and a blue and white sugar bowl full of little flags completed the "red, white and blue" theme.

No Cookbook Club dinner is complete until we've had

dessert

Donna's contribution, a no bake cheesecake which was delicious and refreshing and we loved her red white and blue decorations!

It was a fun evening, after dinner we talked about food and other things until almost 10:30!

July's theme is "All Things Ina" and we're looking forward to that one!

Me, I've got desert and I know what I'm bringing!

On Thursday I'm sharing my table with Susan at Between Naps On the Porch for Tablescape Thursday and on Friday I'm sharing the delicious food with Michael at Rattlebridge Farm for Foodie Friday.

National Iced Tea Month

June is National Iced Tea Month

Appropriate since June is also the month of the summer solstice!

A pitcher of iced tea is always in the fridge in the summer

It's our summer drink

(although sometimes I do enjoy a cup of hot tea in the afternoon -- even when it's Kansas hot outside!)

My grandmother's pitcher which she used for iced tea or lemonade

(both summertime drinks)

A crochet milk jug cover -- to keep out the flies

All on a tray covered by an embroidered guest towel which makes a great tray cloth!

The glasses filled with ice and the tea garnished with garden mint

A friend came by and I just happened to have made lemon bars

A great go-with for the lemony minty iced tea

All placed on a tray and taken outside to the front porch

It faces east, it's screened so even on hot afternoons it is a cool place to sit.

The tray placed on the table between the rockers.

We nibbled and sipped and visited and talked as we rocked the afternoon away.

The tea is called Planation Tea, found long ago in a bed and breakfast cookbook.

It's a bit fussy, but it is a good iced tea!

PLANTATION ICED TEA

4 family size tea bags (Lipton or Luzianne)

1/2 c. packed fresh mint leaves, crushed

6 ounces lemonade concentrate, thawed

2 cups sugar

Pour 1 quart hot water over the tea bags and crushed mint.    Let steep for 4 to 5 minutes.     Strain and pour into a gallon container containing the sugar and lemonade concentrate.    Stir well to dissolve sugar.

Repeat steeping with another quart of hot water.   (Same tea bags, same mint).    Pour into container.     Add 1 quart of cold water to tea bags and mint and steep (again 4 to 5 minutes); repeat with another quart of cold water.     Discard tea bags and mint.

Chill, well covered.     Tea only keeps well 1 - 2 days; make new — tea is inexpensive.    (It doesn’t last that long at Linderhof!)



I'm sharing my porch tea in honor of National Iced Tea Month on this, the last day of June with Sandi at Rose Chintz Cottage.

Daisy Comes to Linderhof

Her first name is Daisy -- her last name is Dawg

She is a playmate and best friend for Doogie

We believe in Rescue Dogs --

Dolly was one, Doogie was one

There are so many dogs without homes 

That it makes sense to adopt rather than buy a new puppy

And with the internet it's rather easy!

Petfinder.com

Makes it easy

We wanted:

1 - a small dog

2 - a dog that was part rat terrier

3 - a dog that was no more than 4

4 - a dog that Doogie would approve of

We didn't care whether it was male or female

Browsing the net, this picture came up:

Senshi she was called and was "part" Rat Terrier

She also was in the care of The Humane Society of Greater Kansas City

We liked her picture

 She had a look about her!

A mostly Rat Terrier look

But there was a "catch"

The Humane Society of Greater Kansas City prefers to adopt in the Kansas City area

But it does make exceptions.

We filled out an application

And were vetted

And contacted

And arranged a "meet and greet"

Between Doogie and "Senshi"

It was a good meet and greet.

We interviewed a couple of other "applicants"

Which were immediately dismissed by Doogie with a low growl.

Husband Jim, however, wanted "Senshi" since we first laid eyes on her.

I was the one who insisted that we interview others.

And yesterday . . . 

She came home to Linderhof

Not as "Senshi" -- for we gave her a new name --

Daisy Dawg

She's a  little shy

(but then she traveled by car from her foster home to the shelter

And from the shelter to Linderhof -- that's a big trip for a little dog)

Doogie greeted her like an old friend

And even invited her to play

But she was tired and wanted to rest.

And deemed under the coffee table as her "safe place"

(The sofa is Doogie's)

The first night went well . . . 

And this morning

She came out from under the coffee table

And joined Doogie on the sofa

He wasn't all that happy sharing his space

(but then he really doesn't like to share it with Jim either)

This afternoon . . . 

Both decide that it is the perfect place for a nap!

She's not totally acclimated to Linderhof

But she's getting there.

She still has to be taught to use the dog door --

right now we're opening the door for her

She is worming her way into our hearts --

She is a cute pup

And I thank Christine at the Humane Society for putting us together

And I thank Stacey who fostered her while she was in the care of the Humane Society.

And I can't preach "RESCUE" enough

There are so many homeless dogs

The good thing, though, is that are a good many no-kill shelters

If you're looking for a dog, please look at a shelter to see if you can find a dog

that will fit.

And wherever you get your dog -- spay and neuter --
I can't say that enough!
That's why there are often so many dogs in shelters!

They are there, just waiting for someone to love them

And the love they give in return . . . 

Of Plants and Flowers and Cinnamon Rolls

The lady who lived at Linderhof in the 60s, 70s and early 80s

always hung ferns at Linderhof

She was successful in wintering them over

I'm not!

In fact, one of her ferns belonged to a great aunt

And was said to be over 100 years old.

Linderhof's ferns are circa 2015!

But as Ruth did so do I

But I like mine in a sheet moss lined pot

I had two . . . but could only find one

And one mossy pot and one green pot

was not a good look!

A friend told me about a local nursery that had these great pots

$15 for this size plus $2 more for the chains!

The moss is on the outside, the green pot goes in and it looks as if it's planted in

a sheet moss pot!

A great look for little money

(Far less expensive than the old fashioned metal form that you line with the moss

And reline the following year and reline again the year after that!)

There is something about summer and flowers in the house

No more boughten flowers

For there are garden flowers!

zinnas and day lilies in a pewter vase in the living room

Hydrangeas in an old blue and white transfer ware pitcher in the dining room

My favorite summer bouquet -- a little bit of this and a little bit of that

In another old blue and white transfer ware piece -- this time a sugar bowl

on the breakfast room table.

For Husband Jim for Father's Day

I made fresh cinnamon rolls for breakfast

Coffee and hot cinnamon rolls fresh from the oven

Seven Years -- The Heart and The Soul of Linderhof

Seven Years Ago

In May

I started Lines From Linderhof

And somewhere soon after I discovered the "sidebar"

And so I included pictures

of 

The Heart of the Home

 The kitchen

With it's marble counters

It's plethora of 

oils and vinegars

wooden spoons and cooking utensils

Asian blue and white used to store flours and sugars

And a red toaster!

The Kitchen 2015

Same cabinets

Same pots hanging over the island

Same stove

Same wooden countertop next to the stove

But the countertops less cluttered

The knives are on a magnetic knife strip

My "collection" of wooden cutting boards nearby

Big clear glass containers to hold sugar and flour

And the mixer moved to that side of the room.

The Soul of the Home

The dining room

With the 20's Duncan Phyfe table, Shield Back Chairs and Sideboard

The chandelier defies description but it seems to fit

It's Eastertide for a big blue and white vase holds branches and the German Easter eggs

The "Green Man" is over the buffet, two blue and white candleholders flank the silver tea service and behind it is my huge Spode Blue Room blue and white platter

The table is centered on a mostly red Oriental

The Dining Room 2015

The table and chairs

The buffet are all the same

(although there are new upholstery on the chairs)

The "Green Man" still hangs over the buffet

And those blue and white Asian candleholders still flank the silver tea service

(they're famous, those candleholders for they've been featured in a magazine --

not showcasing Linderhof but another, more classy and more expensive home)

The table and chairs are still on a red Oriental

But this one is large and it's a Karastan

A flea market purchase

And the bigger rug definitely looks better!

The chandelier is still hanging over the dining room table

And Husband Jim still feels that it's a "tad" too high!

The table is set for a luncheon

Which seems more fitting than an empty table

For the dining room really is the "soul" of the home!

The changes I've made the last seven years are small

Not redecorating but rather refinement

Homes should change a bit over time

But that doesn't mean that it needs to be a complete redo.

For, to me, the familiar is good!

As everyone calls the Kitchen

the heart of the home

for it's where food is prepared with love

for family and friends

But the dining room to me is the soul

for it's where family and friends gather

To eat and share conversations and ideas.

I'm using the two newest pictures of the kitchen and the dining room to update my sidebar -- it's about time!     Would you wear the same dress for seven years?

I don't think so!

And since it's Monday, I'm sharing my kitchen and dining room updates with Susan at Between Naps On the Porch for Met Monday

It's Tradition -- St. Paul's Salad Luncheon

Starting in 1979, the ladies of St. Paul's Lutheran Church

in Nevada, Missouri

hosted a Salad Luncheon

as a fundraiser

(It was the time that Salad Suppers and Salad Luncheons were popular)

And they're still doing it in 2015!

That's a lot of salads!

That's a lot of luncheons!

That's a lot of funds raised for good causes!

The ladies are always busy in the kitchen

They do limit tickets but they still feed a large crowd.

The menu in 2015:

Celery and Parmesan Salad

1.  Yummy Broccoli and Cauliflower Salad

Roasted Chicken with Peaches, Goat Cheese and Pecan Salad

Raspberry Chicken Salad 

Pear Heavenly Delight

Sally's Breadsticks

(A tradition for most of the luncheons)

Brickle Pecan Squares

(There is always a taste of a dessert!)

Centerpieces vary from year to year

This year it was vintage linens and garden flowers in assorted containers

It's always well attended.

And the bonus?

The recipes!

So you can make the salads at home!

They have holes in them

So they can go in the cookbook that the church sold as another fundraiser.

Besides all of the good "church lady" recipes,

it has all of the recipes used in all of the salad luncheons

since 1979

And if you're faithful

And attend every year,

You get the handout to insert in the cookbook!

When we lived in Nevada, I attended St. Paul

And I worked the salad luncheon, chaired the salad luncheon, chaired different committees of the salad luncheon, submitted recipes for the salad luncheon

And I must admit that it was always a fun project

(Although we all were very glad when the clock struck 1 and it was over!

We'd each grab a plate and get our salads and sit and talk and

"Monday Morning Quarterback" this year's luncheon!)

Now, that we live in Fort Scott, I get to just attend!

It is Friday, and I'm joining Michael at Rattlebridge Farm for Foodie Friday.

We Love Cherries!

In early Spring, we welcome these

So that now, we can harvest big bowls of these --

Tart red cherries

"Pie" cherries as my mother called them

Alas, not from a tree at Linderhof

but from a tree of a friend

who gifted me with all of these lovely cherries.

First --

I made cherry muffins for breakfast

(And used the remaining cherries as a centerpiece)

Today, I made

An old fashioned cherry pie

We had company for after lunch dessert

Coffee and cherry pie

Fresh cherry pie!

And we're a purist . . . 

Warm cherry pie doesn't need ice cream to make it better

So we had it plain!

With coffee!

It's Friday and I'm joining Michael at Rattlebridge Farm for Foodie Friday.

A Cheery Cherry Breakfast

What a lucky girl am I?

A friend brought me a gift

 Of cherries!

Cheery Cherries!

Perfect for a breakfast centerpiece!

And for breakfast muffins

Baked in my grandmother's muffin tin

My Johnson Brothers Indies

Which I have christened my "breakfast" dishes

(Doesn't everyone have a different set of dishes for breakfast, lunch and dinner?)

And a blue basket with the cherry muffins

As well as the remainder of the cherries as a centerpiece!

The muffins are small so you need two

(it is an old muffin tin after all, made before muffins became "mega")

I like making breakfast special every day of the week

With the breakfast table set with dishes, cloth napkins (in my silver rings), glasses for juice and a coffeepot for the coffee (rather than the carafe!)

It's Thursday and I'm joining Susan at Between Naps On the Porch for Tablescape Thursday