Gooseberry Patch's Featured Friday

I am SO excited to tell you that the Featured Friday at Gooseberry Patch today is Faithfulness Farm! Be sure to check it out! I am such a HUGE Goosberry Patch fan and this was such a fun experience! Thanks to all the fine folks at GBP!

Vintage Bibles on Display

I've been busy getting things spruced up for summer and at the change of seasons around here I always set a new display on top of my old upright grand piano. For part of that display I have pulled out some old, vintage bibles that I hold near and dear. I first started with a vintage cake plate and added a old black King James Bible. I really am not sure where I got it. No name on the inside to help me out.
Then I add my children's Great, Great, Great Grandma's Bible. What a treasure!

So much history in this bible. Here is the inscription. The bible dates from 1864.
A sweet little bookmark from inside the bible. Isn't it a beauty? The colors are still so vibrant!
Next I add a star shaped votive holder and a miniture bible that was found in a long ago abandoned farm house. It is in perfect condition and even still has the little magnifying glass that came with it.





Cover it all with a cloche and you have the centerpiece of my display.
Stay tuned and I'll post the rest of the display next week for Tabletop Tuesday!

Posting to Suzanne's Vintage Thingie Thursday! Happy Memorial Day!

Skillet Suppers~One-Pan Brunch

Every spring it happens. Fresh eggs start banking up and before you know it, you are serving eggs every which way you can to keep the supply under control. Not complaining.....there is nothing like fresh laid eggs! In an effort to use what I can, I resort to serving breakfast for supper at least once a week. A hit with everyone!



One-Pan Brunch

3 large baking potatoes, peeled and shredded (about 3 cups)
1 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 small red bell pepper, diced
1 medium onion, diced
1 garlic clove, pressed
3/4 tsp salt, divided
6 large eggs
1/4 tsp pepper
Dash of cayenne pepper (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Place shredded potatoes in a large bowl; add cold water to cover. Let stand 5 minutes; drain and pat dry. Melt butter with oil in a 10-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add bell pepper and onion, and sauté 3 to 5 minutes or until tender. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Stir in shredded potatoes and 1/2 tsp. salt; cook, stirring often, 10 minutes or until potatoes are golden and tender. Remove from heat. Make 6 indentations in potato mixture, using back of a spoon. Break 1 egg into each indentation. Sprinkle eggs with pepper, remaining 1/4 tsp salt and cayenne. Bake at 350°F for 12 to 14 minutes or until eggs are set. Serve immediately.

Posting to Lisa's Tempt My Tummy Tuesday. GREAT recipes are posted there. Thanks to Lisa for hosting each week!

We're Expecting!

Last fall I found this great planter at a garage sale. I sprayed it black (it was this awful brown mustard kind of color) and waited patiently until spring when I could hang it and plant something lovely in it. Usually I am good about waiting until Mother's Day to put out flowers because of the threat of frost BUT I figured I could put out something pretty hearty like Johnny Jump Ups before then. I was just so eager to use this planter!


And how lovely and welcoming it looked all planted!


And then I noticed some non-flower activity in the planter.


A sweet Momma Robin has decided to make a home for her brood.


Move over Johnny Jump Up's, we're moving in!


After lots of activity and probably a couple weeks, the nest is ready and the eggs started being laid...one a day until......


We had three!


The Momma to be!


Well, we better head on in and let her get back to sitting on those eggs. Iced tea anyone?


Posting to Mary's Mosaic Monday at Little Red House. What beauty you'll see there.....Have a blessed week!

Roosters & Hens

A few years ago I did a catering job in an old church in Stanchfield, MN. The church was old and had a fully equiped kitchen that was FULL of wonderful vintage things. Stacks of hundreds of Homer Laughlin plates, coffee cups & saucers, jadite items and in 1 cupboard, rows and rows of salt & pepper shakers with bakelite tops. I fell in love the with those salt & peppers. From then on, I looked for similar ones when out antiquing. I have scored a few sets and love using them. Today I am sharing at both Vintage Thingie Thursday and Tablescape Thursday. Thanks to Suzanne & Susan for hosting these weekly events!

My small collection of Salt & Pepper Shakers w/Red Bakelite Tops (yeah, I know that one is not a matched set).

This table also includes Vintage Candlewick parfaits, iced teas and candlesticks, Red plates from the Goodwill, Rooster plates from the Country Living collection at Kmart and a large wire hen with egg holder in the center (a top a vintage cake plate).

RHUBARB SEASON!

I drool just thinking about rhubarb. I’m a huge fan of tart fruit in baking, jams, compotes, or just spooned into yogurt or ice cream. I came to my *like* of rhubarb later in life. I was raised in Southern California where rhubarb isn’t grown (no freeze) and never even ate anything rhubarb until about 10 years ago when a job transfer took us to Minnesota. Our old farmstead had a huge patch and I was instantly hooked. I have always like all things that make me pucker. Right after asparagus, it is usually the first of what is available at Farmer’s Market. I no longer have a patch but plan to get one going just because it is so lovely (to look at and to eat).


Lattice-Topped Rhubarb Pie
(Printable Version)
Crust:
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3 Tbsp sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
3 Tbsp vegetable shortening
5 Tbsp ice water
Cooking spray

Filling:
6 cups (1-inch-thick) slices rhubarb (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1 cup sugar
3 Tbsp cornstarch
1- 1/2 tsp grated orange rind
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1- 1/2 tsp milk
1 Tbsp sugar
To prepare crust, lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, 3 tablespoons sugar, and salt in a large bowl; cut in butter and shortening with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Sprinkle surface with ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time; toss with a fork until moist and crumbly (do not form a ball). Gently press two-thirds of dough into a 4-inch circle on heavy-duty plastic wrap, and cover with additional plastic wrap. Roll dough into a 12-inch circle. Press remaining dough into a 4-inch circle on heavy-duty plastic wrap, and cover with additional plastic wrap. Roll dough into a 9-inch circle. Freeze both dough portions 10 minutes or until plastic wrap can be easily removed. Preheat oven to 425°F. Remove 1 sheet of plastic wrap from 12-inch dough circle; fit dough, plastic-wrap side up, into a 9-inch pie plate coated with cooking spray, allowing dough to extend over edge of plate. Remove top sheet of plastic wrap; fold edges under, and flute. To prepare filling, combine rhubarb and the next 4 ingredients (rhubarb through nutmeg), tossing well to combine. Spoon filling into crust. Remove top sheet of plastic wrap from remaining dough. Cut dough into 12 (3/4-inch) strips. Gently remove dough strips from bottom sheet of plastic wrap, and arrange in a lattice design over rhubarb mixture. Seal dough strips to edge of crust. Brush top and edges of dough with milk; sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar. Place pie on a baking sheet covered with foil. Bake at 425°F for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375° (do not remove pie from oven). Bake an additional 30 minutes or until golden (shield crust with foil if it gets too brown). Cool on a wire rack. Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped, sweetened cream.

Celebrating Rhubarb today at Who Hoo Wednesday at Always Nesting! Thanks for hosting Marla!



Editing to add to Micheal Lee's Foodie Friday at Designs by Gollum! A BIG thanks to Michael for hosting!

Skillet Suppers~Skillet Cookie

It has been a while since I've posted a recipe in my Skillet Suppers series. For the record, this recipe should be called Skillet Dessert BUT occasionally I think it's okay to skip right to dessert for supper. Cast iron is terrific for baking and this cookie recipe really is a great example of what your cast iron can do in the oven!



Skillet Cookie

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups mixed milk and semisweet chocolate chips (about 9 ounces)

Preheat the oven to 350° F. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg and vanilla, mixing until they are fully incorporated. Add flour mixture, and beat until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips. Transfer dough to a 10-inch ovenproof skillet, and press to flatten, covering the bottom of the pan. Bake until the edges are brown and top is golden, 40 to 45 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool, 15 to 20 minutes. Cut into 8 wedges. Serve each with a scoop of Vanilla ice cream. Serves 8.

Spider Mums & Oysters & Pearls

Another vintage table today! Recently I found a set of Homer Laughlin china from the 1950's (found at Goodwill). I fell in love at first sight. The pattern is offically named London but it is also called Spider Mum. The flowers are so funky and fun and PINK. I am not usually the biggest pink fan but I have a few pieces of pink depression that would go nicely with. The china is also edged in platinum. I'm not really sure why I liked that so much but I do. Anyway, I was able to pick up 4 plates, 4 salad plates, 4 bread plates and 4 cups (I'm cheating and using the bread plates as saucers) and the grand total was $12.00. Later, at another thrift store I found the sugar bowl sans a lid. I almost left it there but decided to go ahead and get it (since it was only 50 cents).


I've put a small arrangment of pink roses and lilies in the sugar bowl and elevated it all with a little candle pedistal.


Such a fun and funky pattern!


Beautiful platinum edging really is set off by the cream color of the dishes.


Place setting complete with a burgandy colored napkin and my everyday flatware.


Hand crocheted tablescarf. I should have starched it but I decided to use it at the last minute.


Cream colored candle tapers in pink (color not showing very well in my photos) candle holders.


Oyster & Pearls by Anchor Hocking Candle Holder. I have a few piece in this pattern which was only made in serving pieces.


Oysters & Pearls Divided Dish.


A lovely table for a coffee with friends.



Posting this post to both Susan's Tablescape Thursday & Suzanne's Vintage Thingie Thursday. So many fun posts at these 2 weekly parties!