A Little Inexpensive Organizational Idea For You

Do you spring clean?  Or fall clean?  Growing up, my mother was a fanatic about spring and fall cleaning.  That meant washing all the windows, cleaning and waxing the hardwood floors, washing walls, and cleaning out closets and cabinets.  Ugh.  I am not sure most people do spring/fall cleaning anymore, but we sure did and the thing I hated most was washing windows with her.

Mom would always do the inside windows and I would get stuck outside on the ladder.  She would tap on the window for any and every place that I missed or was streaked.  Tap, tap, tap in the upper right corner.  Tap, tap, tap in the middle of the bottom window, tap, tap, tap - you get the picture.  Window washing was an all day event.

Unfortunately, old habits are hard to break although I didn't keep the spring/fall schedule and I never made our kids wash windows with me.  Dan and I usually did them when he was out of school in the summer and I NEVER tapped on the windows.  I promise.  A few weeks ago, when the sun was shining I noticed how dirty our windows looked, so out came the window washing supplies.  Fortunately, we now have those lovely windows that you can flip to the inside and wash the inside and outside so I did them all by myself.  Nice.  Wow, where were those back in the day.  Flip windows may be one of the greatest inventions of all times!  It certainly makes the job of window washing a breeze compared to taking down storm windows, cleaning the windows and the storm windows, then putting the storm windows back up.  I don't miss that at all.

I have been doing some spring organizing - cleaning drawers and closets - and wanted to show you this fantastic little idea that I saw on Pinterest a while back from the blog Space Says.  Some people are geniuses and I so appreciate this idea.  All you need is a package of inexpensive shower curtain rings that snap closed and a clothes hanger.  I got a package of a dozen rings at the Dollar Tree for -  you guessed it - one dollar.  You simply put the rings around the hanger and snap them closed.  Don't they make you think of the "earrings" John Candy sold in Trains, Planes and Automobiles?  Please tell me you have seen that movie.  If not, be sure and rent it!  One of the funniest movies ever.  Makes me laugh to just think about it.  

Now, you can use them for hanging scarves, or neck ties, or whatever you can think of.  Would even work for jewelry and belts.  I'm thinking you could even hang tights this way.  Just pull a pair through the ring and you could see the colors and textures so easily.  Yes, I like that idea a LOT!  Note to self.

I can now take a scarf off a ring without them all falling in the floor which is fantastic!  No more chasing scarves all over the closet floor.  You no longer need an expensive organizational hanger system that costs a small fortune.  I have bought so many different kinds of things through the years and they just didn't work.  This really works AND I can see all the scarves and belts when I am getting dressed.  It hangs neatly at the end of my closet on a simple hook and I am thrilled that the entire cost was only one dollar plus tax.

Have you tried the round belt hangers?  Or the multi-layered hangers?  I even tried folding all the scarves and storing them in a drawer, but they would always get so messed up when you tried to find the one you wanted to wear.  I would have LOVED having this system to use in my costume shop.  It would have made organizing all the scarves and accessories so much easier.  Thank you Pinterest genius for this idea!  It's the little things that make life so much easier.  If you have suggestions for ways to use this awesome idea, please share with us!  We will all appreciate it.  It's the little things that can mean the most.

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

Sharing ideas makes the world a much better place.  Donna

Fresh Strawberry Short Cake Using A Spectacular Sponge Cake Recipe

Second verse, same as the first!  Yes, it's Monday again and we had one terrific weekend.  How about you?  The weather was gorgeous, our grandson played his first little league game and our trip to the farmer's market yielded one amazing surprise.  Fresh local strawberries are already in!  Made me want to do cartwheels.  They are way early this year because it has been so warm, but that is a-okay with us because we got to have fresh strawberries on a from scratch sponge cake with fresh whipped cream.  My oh my oh my, is it ever good!

Look how beautiful these strawberries are!  Fresh local berries are always better than the ones you get in the grocery because they don't have to pick them so early.  They are ripe and juicy and make a lovely syrup when you slice them and macerate them with a little sugar.  The ones you get year round at the grocery never seem to make any juice, although it is nice to have fresh berries all year round.  That is a luxury we did not have back in the "old" days.  There is just nothing like those first delicious, red ripe berries.  Mm Mm Mm

I bought a whole flat of strawberries because I just could not resist their beauty and fragrance and knew they would be delicious.  I shared some with our daughter's families and kept some for us to enjoy.  I wanted to make a fresh cake to "decorate" with all those lovely berries, so I decided on a sponge cake -which is better than angel food in my book.  In other words, sponge cake is just perfect for serving with berries.  It's light and airy and has a slight hint of lemon flavor and soaks up all that wonderful strawberry juice.  Yum!  Are you drooling yet?

The recipe I used is called American Sponge Cake from the Joy of Baking.com.  It is a really good cake.  And don't worry, as our grandson said, it doesn't taste like sponge at all.

Here is what you need:

Ingredients:

6 large eggs separated
1 cup granulated sugar divided
1 tsp vanilla
1 TBSP water
zest of 1 medium lemon
1 cup sifted cake flour (I use Swans Down)
3/4 tsp cream of tartar

Separate the eggs while they are cold.  Cover with plastic wrap to keep a film from forming.  Bring to room temperature by letting them sit out about 30 minutes.

Sift the cake flour to which 1/4 cup of sugar has been added.  Measure another 1/4 cup sugar and set aside for beating with the egg whites.

Place final 1/2 cup of sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and use paddle attachment. (This is where a stand mixer like a Kitchen Aid comes in really handy).  Add the egg yolks and beat on high for about 5 minutes or until thick and fluffy.  Batter will fall back in like a slow ribbon.  Add vanilla, water, and lemon zest.  Mix.  Sift the flour/sugar mixture over batter but do not fold in!

In another clean bowl, using whisk attachment for your mixer, whip the eggs until foamy.  Add cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks form.  Gradually add 1/4 cup of reserved sugar and beat until shiny stiff peaks form.  Gently fold in some of the egg whites just to lighten up the batter, then fold in all the rest just until incorporated.  Do not over mix.  (To fold, use a spatula and lift batter and egg whites from bottom of bowl over top of batter.  Do this until all egg whites are incorporated).  Pour the batter into an UNGREASED tube pan.  (This allows more air into the batter so cake will be light and fluffy).  Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.  Test center of cake with toothpick to make sure it is done.  Remove immediately from oven and invert cake pan onto little feet and let cool at least one hour.

When cake is cool, turn pan right side up.  Run a knife around the outside edge of cake and remove tube from pan.  Run a knife around bottom of cake and around center tube.  Remove cake by turning sideways and catching with your hand.  Place on tray or platter.

See how pretty it looks?  It tastes even better.

Now, the fun begins and it's all up to you.  Slice a piece of cake and place it on a plate.  Pile on the strawberries and lots of juice so it soaks in the cake.  Top with whipped topping.  I like fresh whipped cream so I used some I had just made.  Feel free to use Cool Whip or canned whipped cream if you prefer.  If you want to add ice cream, be my guest!  Dan likes it that way.  I like it without.  Just personal preference.  But, look at that beautiful dessert.  See how the juice begins to seep into the cake.  Yum. Yum. Yum.

I hope it's not long before fresh berries start to come in where you are so you can try this fabulous cake recipe and have your own strawberry shortcake.  This cake will also be great with peaches, or blueberries.  Wow, it's going to be a great summer!

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

Strawberries are the angels of the earth, innocent and sweet with green leafy wings reaching heavenward.  ~Terri Guillemets

Mexican Street Corn How To

Growing up in the midwest, corn was a year round staple food, mostly from a can.  Remember, I go way back.  Back in the day, corn on the cob was a picnic/cookout/summer time treat.  You always looked forward to those first fresh succulent ears of summer sweet corn.  Corn on the cob was not available year round like it is now.  You had to wait for summer. 

 How did we make corn on the cob?  Why we boiled it of course.  You filled a pan with water, shucked the corn, removed the silks, and then boiled it until tender.  Then you slathered it with butter and salt and ate it.  That was it.  Or, we scraped it off the cob and made creamed or fried corn.  That was pretty much the extent of corn recipe availability - at least at our house.  

Thanks to the plethora of cookbooks these days, the Food Network and the internet, there are more options for ways to prepare corn.   I found one website that listed 15 ways to make corn on the cob.  Would have been great to have that option when we were growing up.  But, the way I like it most is fixed like Mexican Street Corn that is sold by vendors on the streets of Mexico and now in many American cities.  It's roasted or grilled, not boiled, and fixed in a most wonderful and tasty way.

Our three oldest children were all musical theater majors and attended Webster University Conservatory in St. Louis.  There were a lot of theater students who came from extreme southern Texas in an area in and around a city named Pharr.  They had a fantastic arts program that produced a lot of students interested in acting and performance.  According to Wikipedia:

Pharr is connected by bridge to the Mexican city of Reynosa, Tamaulipas. It is part of the McAllen–Edinburg–Mission and Reynosa–McAllen metropolitan areas.


That lets you know how far south Pharr is. 


One of our oldest daughter's good friends was from there and he taught her how to make Mexican Street Corn the way they made it at home.  It became my favorite way to eat corn on the cob.  There are many different  recipes available on the web, but this is the way Michael taught her and it's the way I really love.  I will tell you some other options, but this is the way I fixed it for dinner Easter Sunday.  


First, I was able to get some amazing corn at the farmer's market from Florida.  The variety is Peaches and Cream which is a bi-color corn and it is wonderful.  My favorite summertime variety is Silver Queen - sweet white corn that is just the best I have ever eaten.  Silver Queen makes fantastic fried corn!


Anyway, back to Mexican Street Corn.  My understanding is that it is sold by vendors on the streets like we would have had ice cream vendors in the midwest, or hot dog vendors in New York.  Michael said they would eat this corn as an after school snack and it is sooooooooo good.  Wish we had had street corn vendors when we were growing up.  Here is how you make it.


Ingredients:


Whole ears of corn
Sour cream, Mexican crema or mayonnaise (I use sour cream)
Fresh Cilantro,  ground cayenne, red chili powder or cumin
Grated Parmesan or cotija cheese
Lime wedges
Olive oil


Fire up your grill.  Shuck the corn and remove the silks.  Brush the corn with a little olive oil so it won't stick to the grill and cook until slightly charred on all sides.  Takes about 8-10 minutes.  Remove from grill.  It should look like this.

Roll in sour cream, crema or mayonnaise.  I used sour cream because it is readily available and it is what he taught her to use and what I like.  


Chop the cilantro really fine, sprinkle all over the corn and serve with a lime wedge.  Squeeze the lime juice over the ear of corn and eat.  


If you don't like cilantro (it's a love it or hate it kind of herb - I LOVE it), sprinkle with cayenne, cumin or chili powder, whichever you would prefer.  But don't forget the lime, it is the special touch that "makes" the corn.  You can also sprinkle on grated parmesan or cotija cheese.


Yes, I like butter on my corn (no salt), but this is the way I prefer to eat corn on the cob and have since the 90's.  Thanks Michael for showing Holly how to make this fantastic corn.  It's quick, easy and delicious!  That's a combination of three great words and gives you one great result.  Give this recipe a try, it's muy muy bueno!


Everyday Donna


Things to Remember:


To make corn on the cob, boiling it is no longer the only option.  Try some new ways to fix and enjoy it!

Fried Green Tomatoes With Horseradish Sauce - Divine!

Were you a picky eater as a child?  Are you still a picky eater?  Do you cook food the way your mother did or have you ventured out into other cuisines and methods?  Certain foods hold memories for us and we go to them when we need comfort, thus the term comfort foods.    Food holds such an important place in our daily lives - good, bad or indifferent.  Personally, I love food, certain foods more than others.   Some dishes can take me to a specific time and place in my life just like a song can.  How about you?  Are you emotionally affected by food?  I really think we all are in many ways, whether we realize it or not.

My parents were both children of the depression and both came from families who struggled a lot economically during that time.  My mother grew up in town and tells stories of her mother not eating many meals so there would be food for the children.  My dad grew up on a farm in Kentucky and they were lucky enough to be able to grow much of their food.  The things they could not produce, like flour and sugar, were gotten at the little general store in "town".  My grandmother made quilts and traded them for the flour and sugar.  How many of us would be willing to do that today?  We are very spoiled and take so much for granted.  Grandma told a story about a year during the depression when the only cash money they had during the entire year was 50 cents.  That is correct - 50 cents - period!  They were able to raise enough food and trade for necessities to feed their family of 6.  Personally, it terrifies me to think we would ever have to do this.  Don't get me wrong, they didn't have a lot but they did get to eat.

Growing up we had a lot of "country" food that my parents had eaten growing up.  Every week my mom would fix a pot of white beans, cook some cabbage, fry some potatoes and make a skillet of corn bread.  We would have several meals of just that, many times having no meat or maybe one piece of bacon for each of us.  In the summer we would have lots of fresh vegetables and again, no meat - or maybe a piece of fried baloney.  Ever had fried baloney?  It's not too bad really.  Sometimes there were pork chops or meat loaf.  On the weekend dad would grill burgers and on Sunday we may have roast.  My dad was a meat, beans and potatoes kind of guy.  It was his comfort food, what he had grown up on.  Dan's dad was the same way.  He never tasted pizza in his life, didn't want to.  He also would not eat Jello because he said he had no desire to eat anything that wiggled.  No casseroles, nothing mixed together.  He just wanted what we would call plain food - meat, potatoes and some kind of beans.  Now, how have our lives changed from this?  A LOT!

Our parents rarely ate out, it was too expensive and there weren't that many places when we were growing up.  I remember when the first McDonald's came to town.  My dad actually took us there.  You had to walk up to the window and order your food and eat it in the car.  We thought it was amazing!  Today, many of us eat out many nights during the week because it is easier.  Me, I still like to cook and eat at home most of the time.

Now, I have rambled about the good old days all to say this  - I love a lot of country food the way my grandma and mom prepared it.  Some of it I have improved on with additional flavors and techniques, but there is still comfort in a pan of fried potatoes with onions, or a big pot of white beans and some crusty cornbread.  Today's recipe is one I used to fix for my dad all the time in the summer.  He LOVED fried green tomatoes and I don't mean the kind with the big puffy batter on it like some restaurants serve now.  I am not a fan, let me tell you.  Green tomatoes rolled in yellow corn meal and fried crisp are the ticket.  Delicious!  Our daughter Annie is a lover of fried green tomatoes and I was lucky enough to find some really great ones at the farmer's market on Saturday so I made them for Easter Sunday.  YUM

The one thing I do borrow from the modern twist on fried green tomatoes is horseradish sauce.  It just takes the fried green tomatoes over the top!  Remember Fanny Flag's book Fried Green Tomatoes at The Whistle Stop Cafe?  They made it into a movie and it is still one of my most favorite books and movies to this day.  Okay, I digress again.  Here is how I make our fried green tomatoes.

Ingredients:

Green tomatoes (I used 5 on Sunday, depends on how big they are - you will get 4 or 5 slices/tomato)
yellow corn meal
buttermilk
salt and pepper
cooking oil
sour cream
horseradish
dijon mustard

I am going to start out with giving you a big secret to great fried green tomatoes - BUTTERMILK.  Yes, you read right.  Buttermilk.  Now don't gag, you don't have to drink it, you are going to soak the green tomatoes in it to help soften them up.  Did you know buttermilk is great for marinating meat to tenderize it?  Makes the best fried chicken ever!  Okay, rambling again.  Back to the tomatoes.

Cut the top off of each tomato and cut them into slices about 4 to 5 per tomato.  Put tomato slices in a bowl and cover with buttermilk for several hours.  The calcium and acid in buttermilk help break down the fibers in meat and tomatoes.  Green tomatoes can be rather hard and even frying won't always soften them up.

When you are ready to cook the tomatoes, remove them from the buttermilk and pat them dry with a paper towel.  They need to be dry for the cornmeal to stick.  Salt and pepper both sides of each tomato slice.  Put several cups of yellow cornmeal in a flat bowl or pan (I used a corning ware dish).  Dip one side of the tomato in the cornmeal and then the other, making sure the whole surface is covered.

You just want a nice even coating of the corn meal on each side of the tomato.  Now, you want your pan and cooking oil really hot before you add the tomatoes, otherwise the cornmeal coating will stick to the pan and not the tomato.  I used my electric skillet for two reasons:  1.  I have a glass top stove and you can't use cast iron on it which is the best for frying tomatoes in.  2.  I can control the heat and keep it at an even temperature in the electric skillet - 350 degrees.

Put about 1/2 inch of vegetable oil in the pan.  Grandma used lard, but it's that cholesterol thing (even though she lived to be 96).  Yeah, makes you wonder doesn't it?  Anyway, when the oil is good and hot, start adding the tomatoes.  Let them cook on one side without disturbing them until you can see that the cornmeal is getting brown around the bottom edges of the tomatoes.

This is the top side of the tomatoes before they are cooked.  When you see the brown crispy edges on the bottom, time to flip the tomatoes.  I use a fork and not a spatula.  Just poke it in the edge of the tomato and turn it over.  This is how they should look at this point.

See how nice and brown they are?  This is what you want.  (The middle one was just added to the pan when I took the picture, that's why it's still green).  Cook the second side until nice and brown and crispy.  Remove from the pan and drain on a paper towel.

Now, it's time to make the horseradish sauce.  Put 1/2 cup sour cream in a bowl.  Add 2 to 3 heaping tablespoons of prepared horseradish from a jar.  Taste.   If you want the horseradish taste stronger, add more.  Put one squeeze of dijon mustard in the bowl and mix well.  Serve with your green tomatoes.  Oh my goodness good!

Frying these tomatoes on Easter Sunday made me think of my dad and how many times I made these for him.  He really loved fried green tomatoes and he liked mine better than mom's - or so he always said.  (Mom worked and I started doing the family cooking when I was 12).  Always made me feel so proud.  He passed away 15 years ago on April 3 and it was a good memory thinking of him and how much he loved my fried green tomatoes.  Sometimes it's the little things that can bring a smile.

I hope you give this recipe a try.  Not everyone loves fried green tomatoes, but if you do, this is the only way to eat them as far as I'm concerned.  Crispy, crunchy tangy green tomatoes with horse radish sauce are divine.  And, if you have time, watch the movie or read the book.  It's so good.

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

Ninny Threadgoode: Oh, what I wouldn't give for a plate of fried green tomatoes like we used to have at the cafe. Ooh!    Fried Green Tomatoes At The Whistle Stop Cafe

Farfalle (Bow Tie Pasta) With Asparagus, Hard Boiled Eggs and Parmesan Cheese

When I was discussing what to have for dinner on Easter Sunday with my daughter, she mentioned a dish that her friend and former boss used to make.  She said it was absolutely wonderful with ham, so of course, I insisted that she make it for us (and it was one less thing I had to make).    She did and I have to share the recipe with you because it is wonderful.  It could even be a stand alone dish for a meatless meal.

Holly went to New York City right after graduating from Webster Conservatory in St. Louis.  She was a musical theater major and wanted to experience the Big Apple.  We put her on a plane, one of the hardest things I have ever done, and watched her fly into the sunset.  Don't get me wrong, we wanted her to live her dreams as we wished for all of our children - she was just the first one to go.  Her friend had rented an apartment for them to share.  She had never been there, didn't know how to get there and there were no cell phones then.  The cab driver, who was also new to NYC, couldn't find the address and they drove around for hours trying to find her new abode.  She arrived at 2 am, somewhat hysterical.  I on the other hand, was approaching a nervous breakdown because we had not heard from her.  When she finally called in tears, I was so relieved that I cannot even begin to tell you how relieved!  And so, her adventures began.  Her sister and brother joined her there eventually.  It was not quite as traumatic the second and third time around because she was there to greet and guide them.  It did get a little easier for us as each one of them went to live their dreams.  Since then, they have been all over the place.  We just go with the flow.

During her time in the city, she worked for a woman by the name of Faye Hess who owned the Long Island City Brick Co. Cafe in Long Island City.  Faye taught her to cook wonderful meals as the Lucy and Ethel pair greeted and served the surrounding neighbors on a daily basis.  The cafe was a quaint little place with a plethora of regular daily customers.  It was like watching a tv show as the regulars came and went, as they shared triumphs and tragedies.  We visited there on several occasions, even sang Christmas carols one year for all the neighbors at the cafe.   Dan played his guitar and the rest of us joined in - sort of like the Partridge family folk style.   It is quite a memory.

Faye was so good to Holly and taught her a lot.  Faye has a blog called FayeFood.com and a website called Dinnerlist.com if you are interested in some amazing recipes and insights into food.  She was recently a participant on Chopped on the Food Network also.  Holly and Faye have remained friends through the years, even though they have traveled many different paths since the days at The Long Island Brick Co. Cafe.  Faye also teaches cooking in Italy in the Tuscany region and in France.  You really might want to check her out!

Anyway, back to this wonderful dish we had on Sunday.  Talk about a good side dish for ham, especially when you want something other than potatoes.  YUMMMMO as Rachel Ray likes to say.  It is an easy dish to fix.  Here is what you need:

 Ingredients:

1 lb. farfalle pasta (bow tie pasta)
1 bunch asparagus
3 cloves garlic
6-12 hard boiled eggs
fresh or grated parmesan cheese
olive oil

Cook the pasta according to directions.  Drain and drizzle with olive oil to keep it from sticking together.
In a large saute pan, add enough olive oil to saute the asparagus.  Remove the pithy ends from the asparagus spears.  Cook the 3 whole cloves of garlic just enough to perfume the olive oil and remove from pan.  Add the asparagus and cook just enough to still be crisp and bright green.  Remove from the pan.  Place the pasta in a large casserole dish, scatter the asparagus over the pasta.  Peel the hard boiled eggs and crumble with your hands, scattering them over the pasta and asparagus.   Use as many eggs as you like.   If you are using fresh parmesan cheese, make long ribbons of cheese with a vegetable peeler all over the top of the hardboiled eggs.  If using grated, use several hands full and scatter over the hard boiled eggs.   That's it!  Serve and enjoy.  OH SOOOO GOOD.  I certainly could eat it just by itself for a meal.

This is a wonderful recipe that I am so happy to have discovered.  With fresh and tender spring asparagus starting to come it, we will certainly be enjoying this again and again.  If you wanted to add some chopped ham to the dish, you certainly could and then you would have a one dish dinner that would be so easy to prepare.  It's also a great way to use some of those left over Easter eggs you may have in your refrigerator.

Thanks Holly for sharing this recipe from Faye.  I certainly appreciated getting to enjoy this delicious dish on Sunday, and am thankful to be able to share the recipe with all of you.  Give it a try, you are going to like it a lot!  Maybe some day I will get to go to Tuscany and take a class with Faye.  Who knows?  Anything is possible.  I certainly never thought I'd make it to New York City as many times as I did.

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

You know, when you get your first asparagus, or your first acorn squash, or your first really good tomato of the season, those are the moments that define the cook's year. I get more excited by that than anything else.
Mario Batali

This Beautiful Tomato Salad Is Fantastic!

Well hello, it's Monday again.  Again!  Where is the week going?  How does Monday roll around so fast?  Is it because our lives are so busy or because it's my age?  Everyone always said the older you get the faster time seems to go.  I don't think I really want to know the answer to this question.  When and how did we have time to go to work and raise a family?  Retirement may be the busiest season of our lives.  It really is a conundrum.

I didn't even have time to post much last week because of all the preparations for the Easter weekend.  I hope yours was fabulous!  Ours certainly was.  We had a big Easter egg hunt for the grandsons on Sunday and dinner afterwards.  We had an absolute ball watching all the little guys running around our big yard looking for all the things hidden there for them.  Our two year old grandson was breaking open the plastic eggs as fast as he found them spilling contents all over the ground.  He bit into a chocolate rabbit foil wrapper and all.  It was hilarious.  The weather was absolutely perfect and it was one of the most splendid days I can remember.

After several hours of outdoor fun, we were finally able to wrangle all the boys inside for lunch.  I have to say, lunch was also memorable.  There were some golden oldies on the menu and several new recipes which will all be keepers!

On Saturday, we made a trip to the Farmer's Market to see what delectable fare they had to offer and they did not disappoint!  There was so much great produce that had just arrived from Florida and it was hard to resist buying some of everything.  What I did purchase were fresh green beans,  potatoes, green tomatoes for frying, grape tomatoes, and fresh corn that was absolutely divine.  The variety was called peaches and cream and oh my, it was so good.  I will post about that later in the week.

Today, I want to tell you about this awesome rustic tomato salad that is a Jamie Oliver recipe and my new favorite way to eat tomatoes.  Wow, it's good and oh so easy.  The grape tomatoes were sweet and juicy and fantastic.  If you grow little tomatoes in the summer, this will be a perfect way to eat them!

Here is what you need:

2 pints of grape tomatoes (original recipe calls for cherry tomatoes, but these were perfect)
your favorite olives (I used kalamata olives - yum)
some red wine vinegar
olive oil
fresh basil

This is how you make the salad.

Put the tomatoes in a bowl and kind of squish them with your hand to rupture some of them.  If your olives have pits, press them with your thumb on a cutting board and remove the pits.  If they are pitted, squeeze them with your hand to rupture them.  No chopping, very rustic.  You need about 1/2 a cup of olives, more if you want.  Sprinkle the tomatoes and olives with some red wine vinegar.  Sprinkle some olive oil over the tomatoes and olives, enough to lightly coat.   Tear about a hand full of basil leaves and add to tomatoes and olives.  Mix lightly until everything is coated with olive oil.  The original recipe calls for arugula also.  I didn't have any, so I skipped it and I don't think it made one bit of difference.  This salad was fantastic!  This is now my new favorite way to eat grape tomatoes and we will be having this salad again and again.  You could also add some chunks of fresh mozzarella if you wanted.

This salad is also visually appealing.  The colors are beautiful and makes you want to dive right in.  Writing about it makes me want to run to the kitchen and eat a bowl full right now - yeah, it's that good.

I hope you will try this salad because I think you will like it as much as we did.  It is easy, beautiful and delicious.  There is sweetness from the tomatoes and basil, and a little tanginess and saltiness from the red wine vinegar and olives with the finish of that lovely olive oil.  It is a perfect side for just about any meal.   What more could you ask for?

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

When everyone was leaving after all the fun, our 5 year old grandson said thanks Grandma and Pawpaw, it was the best Easter of my life!  Now, how sweet is that?  Makes all the work well worth the effort.   We sure love those little guys.

Egg Shaped Chickadees Made From Felt

Last week I saw these adorable little felt "egg chickadees" as I like to call them on Pinterest.  They were designed by Kata Golda and were featured on Petite Purls.  They captured my heart and with Easter right around the corner, I wanted to make them for our grandson's easter baskets.  They are so adorable!  They take a bit of time since they are hand stitched, but I am making them in all different colors.  Our 5 year old grandson LOVES little toys to carry around with him and he's going to egg-specially love these!   These chickadees will make a really cute keepsake and colorful addition to their baskets for the egg hunt!

I freehanded my own pattern and it looks like this.  The body looks like an egg shaped boat propeller.  Each "egg" is 3 inches long from the center point to the end point and 1 5/8 inches wide.  You could use an egg to trace your basic shape if you can't draw something freehand.    I drew the wing so it would fit on the body and the tail looks like a little pennant.

Sorry, I'm not very computer savvy or I would make it so you could download  and print it.

Here is what you need:

felt in any color
embroidery thread to match the color felt you are using
stuffing
sewing needles

I used this thread which I had on hand and it is a bit heavy, but worked okay.  Three strands of embroidery thread is what  you need to use if you have it.

Cut the pattern pieces out and pin them on a piece of felt.  Cut out one body, two wings and a tail for each chickadee.  Cut a tiny triangle for the beak.

Begin by sewing the face on.  Starting about 1/3 of the way down on one side, sew the beak on with tiny stitches in each corner of the triangle.  Be sure to knot your thread to begin and knot it off when finished stitching, making sure the knots are on the under side.

Next, make a french knot on either side of the beak for the eyes.

With the "face" side facing you, pull the seams together on one back piece and the matching front seam. Using a blanket stitch, stitch from bottom to top, making sure knots are on the inside.  When you reach the top, knot your thread on the back side of the piece.  Repeat with opposite seam.

Place a wing piece on each side panel so that it would look like a bird's wing and stitch with a running stitch.  (I used an over/under stitch which actually takes longer.  Don't ask me why.)

Now for the final seam.  Pull back seams together and stitch all 3 seams together at the bottom and continue to stitch up back seam about 1/2 inch using blanket stitch.  Fold the tail piece in half and insert in the back seam, attaching with a few tiny stitches.  Continue blanket stitch for another 1/2 inch.  Stuff your bird until it has an egg shape.  Finish stitching the seam closed.  Knot at the top and run the thread back down the seam  and clip it.

You now have one cute hand made felt egg shaped chickadee!  THEY ARE SO CUTE!  It's not that hard and so worth the effort.  These will make perfect little hand held toys, something to carry in their pocket or a thoughtful little gift.  Have fun with these!  Now, I have to get back to work.  Lots more chickadees to finish before Sunday.

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

articles.latimes.com/1997-01-31/news/ls-23885_1_needle-crafts

Jan 31, 1997 – Medical studies have proved that doing needlework actually lowers your blood pressure as it calms and focuses you.