The Splendid Table

When I am spending some time on the computer listing Ebay items or catching up on emails I click over to my favorite radio show. It is on public radio and is called The Splendid Table. It is such a great show about food, recipes, and the kitchen.
You can listen to the entire show from your computer. Check it out!
http://splendidtable.publicradio.org/

Chicken Noodle Soup



Canaan and I have been working hard in the kitchen these past couple of weeks. I like to buy those rotisserie chickens at the store. They make great picnic lunches with a loaf of bread and some cheese. Once we've eaten the meat off I save the carcas and freeze it until I am ready to make stock with it. The other day we made a big pot of chicken stock. Used part for chicken noodle soup and the rest, we froze. We have also been freezing apples and pears that we picked at the orchard. Canaan loves to help in the kitchen. He is great at peeling carrots, etc.... and I am teaching him the importance of cleaning up after the "fun" of cooking is over as well.
www.purlsoho.com

Ok, this is my absolute favorite new website....well this week at least. It is a website with AMAZING fabrice, yarns, patterns, etc.... Check it out!

The corners of my home......

Getting ready for FallThis weekend I was trying to figure out, "how do I change the mantle for different seasons without breaking the bank?" I found this frame at the thrift store for $3.25. It had some hideous picture in it. I added a black posterboard as a matte and put in this picture I had drawn a couple of years back. Canaan and I went on a nature walk and found these goards....kidding....I bought the gords on Ebay for a couple of bucks. But Canaan and I did find some sticks and I picked up some "fall" things at Michaels during their fall sale for about $10. All in all the mantle got "Autumnized" for about $20


Our Art CenterIn our dining room sits a chest of drawers. We bought it an auction in Ohio several years ago. It was in the detatched garage of an old house. Full of screws, nails, and random tools. I think we paid $15. Now it stores our art supplies and music. Canaan and I love to paint during the day and I love having a place to keep it all.


Canaan's GalleryThis is a collection of Canaan's most recent paintings. The bottom one may look plain but believe me! There are layers upon layers of paint on that sucker!


My Cookbook CornerJust off of the kitchen is a small area where my cookbook shelves and 2 comfy chairs sit. It is my favorite place in the house. Mike found this ratty old dresser that we took the drawers out of and made into a bookshelf. We added some molding, painted the inside a sea blue, and the outside creamy white. I absolutely love it. I sit in that little nook daily. Sometimes in the morning while drinking my coffee or in the afternoon, while the boys sleep, looking through cookbooks planning out the weekly meals.


This is FishyFishy is our nearly 2 year old goldfish. We bought him for Canaan on a the day that he fell off a step out our back door and punctured a hole through his lip with his tooth. He was 2 years old. Also that day was his first ice cream. We've had Fishy now nearly 2 years. I never thought fish could have a personality but Fishy does. When we go away for the weekend and he gets left behind, he won't acknowlege our exsistence when we return. He swims to the back of the tank and refuses to look at us. He won't even eat his food, although I know he is hungry. Silly Fishy...


The Kitchen TableThis is how my kitchen table looks most days. This week it is the race track. Other times it is playdough, scrapbooking project, or junk mail that hasn't made it to the trash can. I handpainted this table we found in the trash about 6 years ago. The top coat of poly is starting to wear thin though. I'll have to put a new layer on this fall sometime.

Tonights dinner...

I think I will make a blackened salmon tonight. The only way Mike will eat fish is blackened. My seasonings of choice are usually paprika, seasoning salt, black pepper, red pepper, and garlic. I always cook my salmon in an old cast iron skillet with a touch of butter and olive oil. The blend of o.o and butter is perfect!! Along with that I think we'll have some couscous and green beans. I like to cook fresh green beans in a skillet with a touch of o.o and butter (once again) and saute them for a couple of minutes with salt and pepper on medium high. Then I pour in broth-either vegetable or chicken- and cover them until tender. They are perfect everytime and so flavorful!
We are having our neighbor Cal over for dessert. Mike loves any dessert that has custard , so tonight I am attempting a Napoleon. Layers of custard and puff pastry with a dusting of powdered sugar on top. I already made the custard and it is chilling in the fridge. Lets hope it comes together ok!
My sister and her fiance are coming into town this weekend. I need to get a menu planned for that. I'll keep you posted....